Hovelstay is a vacation rental site for anti-luxury accomodations. The more unique and adventurous the property for short-term vacation rental, the more they want it. They even have patches of dirt for nightly rent in Seattle.
How did you get the business idea for Hovelstay?
We, Michael Womack and I, worked for years in the luxury vacation rental industry and thought it would be funny to go in the opposite direction, down-selling places to stay. We didn’t realize we were tapping into a previously untapped travel demand.
When did Hovelstay officially launch?
July 18th was our formal launch day, for students only. Since getting slammed with emails from all over, specifically baby boomers wanting to stay in inexpensive and fun places, we relaunched our site on October 18th, opening it up to everyone.
What would you say is the most interesting listing on your site?
There are too many to list. I highly recommend a visit to the site itself.
What was your initial reaction when you received many inquiries from non-students about opening it up to everyone?
Amazing. We are continually surprised at how many people love what we are doing and want to be a part of it.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Meeting so many cool and interesting people, and of course, creating something that has some real teeth in the market.
Are there any big future plans for your company?
We are expanding overseas, opening an office in London as we speak and signing some big partnership agreements. It’s pretty great.
