The Itty-Bitty Airbnb

Sound Familiar?

Pesky Problem

You think your space is too small to be an Airbnb.

You’ve got a tiny space and you’ve spent a lot of time looking at it. As you try to imagine the possibilities, the vision is fuzzy. Your mind goes in circles. Could this itty-bitty cottage (or camper, or shed, or mother-in-law suite) really become a money-making Airbnb? Who would actually pay to stay here? Again and again, you arrive at the same conclusion: the space is just too darn small.

Let's Try This

Bite-Size Solution

Discover the world of itty-bitty Airbnbs.

Or is it? The tiny house phenomenon has taken the world by storm, and travelers on a budget are reaping the rewards. Airbnb has made categories specifically dedicated to Containers and Tiny Houses and Yurts and Campers, all of which amplify this type of travel.

For guests, the brilliance of these tiny spaces is usually the price. We stayed in our first tiny Airbnb in Novato, California, just north of San Francisco. (Read very expensive place.) After two weeks of rainy tent camping wandering up California’s Highway 1, we just wanted to be inside. But finding an impromptu, week-long reservation that didn’t break the bank felt impossible. Until, that is, we discovered the space created by Superhost Timothy.

5 Minutes

Here's Your First Step

Check out the smallest Airbnb we’ve ever visited.

Clocking in at just under 200 square feet, the Backyard Garden Cottage in Novato, California is a mind-boggling feat of engineering. With a full bathroom, kitchen, and queen-size bed, Superhost Timothy has created a completely functional home in the same square footage as a large bedroom. (Or tent. Seriously, there are family models with the same 16×12 dimensions.)

If you’re looking for a little proof that tiny Airbnbs can find a big market, this cottage serves as an exceptional case study. With fabulous hospitality, unparalleled attention to detail, and brilliant space utilization, this tiny cottage was the perfect homebase for our adventures. Check out all of Timothy’s strategies in our full featured stay here. Enjoy!

INSPIRED BY you

This week’s Big Heart Hosting post was inspired by Timothy, an Airbnb Superhost in Novato, California, USA. Just click here to explore the full featured stay.

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Erin & Jay
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You’re an ambitious Airbnb host with a big heart. But on some days, hosting isn’t exactly what you had imagined. Maybe it’s overwhelming. Or isolating. Or just not making the kind of money you had envisioned. At Big Heart Hosting, we’re on a mission to help hosts like you thrive, not just get by. We create step-by-step resources that bring together the best hosting strategies from around the world. We’ll give you the knowledge and community you need to create the joyful, prosperous Airbnb you deserve.

Erin & Jay

Cherry Valley Farm Airbnb
Featured Stay

Cherry Valley Farm

Perched between the idyllic towns of Bethlehem and Littleton, we discovered Cherry Valley Farm in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. In our starkest Airbnb transition to

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