LOCAL Houston | The City Guide JULY 2015 | Page 51

“By far, the vast majority of guests are absolutely wonderful. Case in point is, after the recent Houston flood, guests from all over the world contacted us to make sure that we were OK. (We were.) I encourage guests to read my extensive profile before requesting a room, which includes the house description, house rules and over two hundred reviews by past guests. Of the house rules, several were added after a memorable guest or two.” – Sarah Hazel, over 200 bookings in last two years. A private room in this secret garden near the Medical Center, Rice U and museums starts at $80. A private room in this Houston hideaway starts at $90. “We thought that Airbnb would provide us with not only the opportunity to rent out our extra space, providing us with a little cushion for our rent, but also that we would get the opportunity to interact with travelers from all over the world. Each of our guests has been like a brief adventure that we’ve enjoyed very much.” – Kelly O’Brien, artist and engineer, and e, a poet and art photographer |10–15 bookings per month over the last three years This bungalow home in Montrose starts at $139. "I feel this “sharing economy” can be so much better than a generic hotel, paying for parking, and not having any connection with the city/neighborhood you are in. My house is within stones throw of inversion coffee shop and the art league, and walking distance of all the best bars and restaurants in montrose.” A private room in the heart of Midtown starts at $74. “It has been such an easy way for us to add to our household income with minimal interruption to our family life. Airbnb makes it incredibly easy to manage the reservations and their vetting process is safe and secure. Offering the option of checking in and checking out without having to rely on someone being around to receive you and then having privacy during your stay is one of the most attractive features about our listing. Our location is central to everything: the Medical Center, Downtown, tourist attractions (zoo, aquarium, museums, etc.). One of our most recent guests was a stepmother of a young woman who was having brain surgery. She wanted affordable, quiet privacy and easy access to the Medical Center. She got all of those with us. In her review she recommended emphasizing more just how accessible the Medical Center is to our location. She stated that many families in situations like hers are looking for exactly what we offer when they have loved ones in Houston for treatment.” – 53 bookings | hosting for just over a year Bowie Helm, has rented to about 25 groups july 15 | L O C A L 51