NYC (metro area NY,NJ,CT,PA) vegan guest room/ hostel inauguration.
Oh hello all!
Most of you might know I was let go from my work last Monday.
I have been thinking long and hard of what my next steps are going to be, considering leaving the greater NY area, traveling and possibly settling elsewhere. There are still a few ideas I have not explored in NYC. I have for quite sometime always wanted to offer a vegan bed and breakfast, hostel or guest room accommodations.
So here it is and I would love your input!
I posted an ad on craigslist and just have had four lovely girls from Sweden and Norway stay for two weeks as a trial.
Total success, they were very happy staying here. I felt comfortable as a host and they wont stop thanking me.
I need a house name:
I need a brief overview and description:
I need to set rates:
I need to decide on how to promote (here of course in my profile, myspace(?), facebook(?) other veg*an travel sites(?))
Here is what I have currently.
Creative, vegan, euro-hostel-style guest room.
Offering accommodation in a 1000sf+ three bedroom pre-war euro fashioned garden 400sf+ apartment for responsible, creative, artistic and vegan individuals. The private room offered is 13'x 13.5' (16.25 sq m), has a private entrance, french doors, double window, hardwood floors and a closet, along with a vegan kitchen. Situated on one of the best blocks in the heights, you would be a 10 minute bike ride to Hoboken and Journal Square. Public transportation (bus) is a block and a half as is Central Ave and Pershing Field. The street is tree lined and dotted with older victorian styled homes. The apartment in the rear of the building, surprisingly quiet and cool in the summer. Neighbors are friendly and the block vibe is positive. Pets are welcomed, the entire building is pet friendly and one would share with two dogs, two cats, a rabbit and myself (owner occupied). I can offer transportation arrangements to and from all three local airports; Newark, JFK and Laguardia. There is a mellow positive dynamic. If you like to be creative, garden, sit outside in the evening drinking tea and explore NYC during your stay, please contact me. Short term and long term, couples and friends welcome.
http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/3673/img0377r.jpg
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/7258/img0381cp2.jpg
http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/9524/img0382bu0.jpg
Nice place!
I'm no good with coming up with names. I either spontaneously think of something fabulous or it doesn't come to me.
I'd include a picture of the guest room and label it so that people know that's where they'd be sleeping. I assume that they'd be sharing a bathroom. I'd include that. And a picture of the entrance and garden. If it's a hostel, there are kitchen privledges? If so, I'd describe the kitchen. If I was going to go somewhere, I'd want to know where I might sleep and what the kitchen and things looked like. Mostly to see that the kitchen wasn't a health code violation. Oh, and if I was vegan traveling with a veg*n/omni, I'd want to know if I could cook non-vegan food in your house. IIf it was my house, the answer would be NO, so it's important for them to know that ahead of time. However, I'd be okay with them storing non-vegan restaurant leftovers in my refrigerator, as long as they weren't going to reheat them in my space.
I'm not sure about rates. I guess that'd be the low end of local area hostels to be competitive.
How much does it cost to advertise? How did the girls from Sweden and Norway find you? Through Craigslist? Are you going to charge for the room or per person or per person up to a certain number of people and then extra per person after that?
Thank you and thank you for the ideas!
I definitely over looked some of them.
I have been flooded with interest all day,
almost overwhelming. People love the idea!
I have an interview with a gentleman tomorrow and a couple from the UK have serious
interest for the first week of July.
Undated ad http://newyork.craigslist.org/jsy/vac/1238730060.html
Good to hear it's all coming together so well. A toast to craigslist.
That's such a cool idea and I'm happy your "trial run" went well. I don't have any super-constructive criticism or comments but having hostelled around Europe and Eastern Europe on a budget I can say that looks like a beautiful and welcoming space and you've given plenty of thought to people's travel needs.
along the lines of HH....
1) look into the legalities of it (permits, etc) if you are going to be advertising anywhere beyond craigslist. You will need to probably have your place inspected, file various forms, fees, etc....
2) define kitchen use, (will food be provided? do they have the option of 'purchasing' at time of usage? what foods are permitted, what aren't.)
3) define fees, are linens included? food?
4) if you are to go legit, you will need to find out if you'll be subject to hospitality tax, and will want to factor that into your fees
I feel for the time being that I am only going to do this as a 'rental/ temp roommate situation' rather than a full fledged accommodations. I should familiarize myself with law. My place did pass state inspection in the spring.
The ideas are good :)
Checking in to see how things are going hostel-wise.
Meh a fair amount of interest, but no commitments.
One of my friends whom was part of the test study thinks she wants to head back to ny for a longer period of time. Which would be good as we get along and she likes the animals.