Even though our land isn't fully ready for business, that doesn't mean we can't prepare the cabin enough to market it on Airbnb.
🛠️ It's Almost Ready 🧹
Our mini homestay project is not finished yet because it was funded by HIVE, but we planned the costs several months back when HIVE was much more valuable. For this reason construction has come to a standstill and we're just struggling to make enough money for food and basic daily needs. I had originally planned to put the cabin on Airbnb when it was a little more finished, but necessity dictates a different plan.
There is no doubt our area is beautiful, and the view of the rapids and mountains from our cabin is still unbelievable to me even after living here a couple years already. However, our land is muddy, no let me rephrase that, our land is pure clay. Not only is it muddy when it rains, but it sticks to your shoes and is heavy like cement, making a simple task like walking quite and undertaking in the rainy season.
I had always wanted to prepare the cabin with more furnishings and comforts, finish it a little better, and also landscape the area surrounding the cabin so there is at least a small oasis in the world of mud. The longterm plan is to use cover our land with river rocks and allow the grass to grow in the cracks, providing a nice surface above the mud for barefeet to walk on while and allowing a bit of green as well. Another benefit will be not having to cut as much grass to keep things from quickly returning to jungle.
🛎️ Good Enough For Guests 🪜
The river rocks have to be manually collected and hauled up a cliff to make it to our place, so each rainy season we collect the new rocks delivered by floods and reserve them for later use. We've managed to place river rocks in a few key areas to keep mud to a minimum, but there hundreds if not thousands of wheelbarrow trips left before we have enough rocks to complete the goal. Until then I've decided to just focus on the cabin because we need the income and our HIVE savings is no longer enough to finish our business.
Due to possible negative reviews, originally I was hesitant to list the cabin on Airbnb and other informal sites before we tidy up our land, improve the cabin, do more landscaping, fix the landslide area, and much more, but now I am ready to take the risk. I will just have to clearly explain in the Airbnb description that we live in a violent microclimate on top of a mountain pass, there's mud everywhere, snakes, landmines, and it's probably not even a good idea to come. Who knows, this kind of advertising might actually work for the intrepid traveler.
🔭 The Dream Is Within Reach 🤏
"You can't have your cake and eat it too," is an expression I still remember from my childhood, and that is almost always true. I am from rural Indiana, the product of coal mining and popcorn farming, so yeah, I didn't go to university and don't have a life savings other than what you all can publicly see in Hive wallet. For this reason a cabin with a whitewater rapids and mountain view in a wildlife reserve say, in some place like New Zealand or Switzerland is out of the question, plus I couldn't get a visa to live in countries like that anyhow,
I dare say that Cambodia is the Indiana of Southeast Asia. I am not complaining though, in 2010 this country let me come here with a plane ticket, $500, a passport, and a dream to escape a life of 60-hour work weeks and poverty back in the USA. I would've never had the opportunity to buy land or a home in my own country, so I am more than happy for the nearly instant life upgrade Cambodia gave me. I was excited to take jobs at low-tier schools that all white foreigners refuse, and my Indiana work ethic pulled me out of Cambodian poverty in less than a year, something often not achieved within a lifetime in my own country.
🛏️ Gotta Start Somewhere 🏡
Fast forward to now, my wife and I have land, two complete structures, a shack, and a partially finished lodge. I would say we are living the dream despite that even my Cambodian in-laws all call us poor and economically better off than we are. I guess it's all relative, and maybe it speaks highly of Cambodia or poorly of rural Indiana, but I would always trade being working class in Cambodia for working class in the USA.
I still have this dream that our place here can eventually be a community center and offer affordable short-term and long-term housing with work opportunities. I would love to host some of my fellow Americans working dead-end jobs with long hours and low pay and provide them with an opportunity to reinvent themselves without debt or stress.
🛏️ Clean, Ready, But Sparsely Decorated 🏡
Even just one long-term renter would provide us enough of an economic boost to fund nonstop construction. We live a frugal and simple life, cook all of our food, grow and forage a good amount of it, and don't have any monthly costs other than $15 USD electric bill and groceries. With a little bit of luck and a whole lot of effort, perhaps the cabin can land some online customers. I gave it a good cleaning and took all the shots in this post just to see how photogenic things are.
I don't claim to be a good photographer, but for me I think I am on the right path. I will do a second cabin photography session with extra lighting for the dark areas and some friends to model as customers enjoying themselves. The cabin has a high grade queen-size mattress with thick blankets for the cold nights, and even a loft upstairs with two single mattresses for kids or extra guests. With a tent on the balcony it easily sleeps 6. We never set a price, but in the past people have given us anywhere from $15 to $55 per night, so we're thinking around $35 would be a good per night price point.
Cute cat is not included, of course, and just a reminder that these photos were taken in May because I'm still catching up from a Hive blogging hiatus. The cabin now has a desk, in the corner near the loft ladder, but other than that it remains unchanged. Pest control is easily maintained by leaving the window cracked so that Chairwoman Meow can occasionally jump in and claim souls.
Got any good potential catchy names for this Airbnb cabin?
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I have always loved that little cabin, from the very first time I spotted it in SreyPov's photos, about the time she was buying the land. It is absolutely delightful in so many ways! I love the deep, rusty, reddish-brownish color of the wooden siding, and that blue roof is so pretty and pairs perfectly with the wood. The porch ("veranda") is wonderful and would be such a good place to hang-out. 😊
Those very simple — yet perfect! — decorations hanging from the roof on one side really add a touch of pizazz! What are those things, anyway? I've always wondered, but never bothered to ask! They look like maybe seashells strung on a piece of cord? Whatever they are, they are as charming there on the cabin as can be, and add a touch of "completeness," somehow, to the look of the place!
Perhaps you could name the cabin after the bird you saw recently: Hornbill Lodge or Hornbill Bungalow. I'll put some more thought into it and see if I can find a better name. 🙂
Haha, you're right, I think they are seashells on strings, but I have to give the previous owner credit for that. We did however add all the orchids and jungle plants. I never thought about using the word "Hornbill" in the title, but I like it and it's not false adverising.
Hi Justin, it's been a while. I love what you did to your cabin it's very Homey.
It sounds like you're embracing a unique approach to marketing your cabin! Highlighting the challenges might indeed attract adventurous travelers who are up for a rugged experience. Just make sure to balance the risks with some of the cabin's positive aspects so potential guests can make an informed decision. I know there are a lot of people out there who are up to the challenge. The times are evolving now and so are the people.
What Some people would call dry, barren, stoney, pebbly,muddy, clayey
Would be other people's paradise or heaven on earth, so yah! Cheers to the beginning of your
"D'Clayey Airbnb" or "D'last but one Airbnb!
D'Martian Airbnb!😁😍🥂🥂🥂🎉
I like that, haha. I guess better to try and warn people how extreme the weather and living conditions are here, and if they still come they're likely to enjoy a wild place like ours. Just a handful of repairs and improvements left and the cabin will be ready for some marketing.
Haha, that'll be the cherry on top!
I am so looking forward to your post that you have your First Customers @justinparke! Cheers to that!🥂🥂🥂
WOW! You've done a great job with your cabin sir Justine! The place is awesome. A beautiful landscaping with abundant green plants will surely give a homely vibes.
The flowing water can be developed into natural inland resort too. A bridge that connects from the cottage to waters would be great. I suggest that you save some amount to secure a solar panel for your lightings. That will save a lot of energy for everyday use. How's that. A vacant space for tents while star watching and grilling your favourite BBQ's would be awesome too. You're almost there and good luck!
Thank you. Eventually we hope to have more stairs leading to the river, now there is only one easy way to get there. We have a lot of battery backup lights, but nothing solar because the solar panels and batteries take many years to pay for themselves. Our electric bill here is usually only $10 USD or so because we don't use aircon or fans.
Your cabin is so lovely and I had a hard time taking my eyes off it. All that space surrounded by lush vegetation and low bills, is my grand idea of living a wonderful life.
I hope I get to visit someday))))😁
Thank you, we love our life here in the mountains. Cambodia has a very easy visa and traveling here is super cheap, hope you can see this place one day.
I hope so too, thank you 😁
I enjoy reading your post. So happy that out of posting in hive, you got this beautiful cabin. I hope that all your plan will realize soon.
Thank you, progress is slow, but things are now getting really close to finished.
Congrats in advance
Your plan is really hard to understand. I want to be able to do a little bit and support you, push you to have a better life, but I can not.have a great day.
It is not too difficult, we have a cabin and will rent it, and now it has a table. Easy peasy lemon squeezy 🍋
Wow! I'm so excited for your cabin to be listed on Airbnb. You are wise in choosing to live a frugal life. Do you own the place?
Yes, we own our land, although we didn't quite have enough to buy it outright. I owe some family members in the USA, but they're allowing us to postpone repayment until we open for business. The land is in my wife's name because foreigners have very little rights in Cambodia. My wife and I couldn't even legally marry here, haha.
Family has come a long way since you started, what a brilliant accomplishment.
Jungle Experience with great views!
@tipu curate 2
Amen to that Ms.Joan! It is truly heart warming to see what Justin has accomplished over the years on his land.🥰♥️
Watched family arrive in countries where disillusioned had to move again. Have watched them move, this time with really positive results.
Now crossing fingers that Justin will obtain residency in this land that he loves, family are happy and healthy, stability is all that is required. !LUV
@aideleijoie, @joanstewart(4/10) sent you LUV. | tools | discord | community | HiveWiki | <>< daily
Kind words from both of you. We're happy to be back in Cambodia and working towards a goal bigger than simply remaining together. Residency isn't possible here for foreigners unless there is some extreme wealth, but I can now remain in the country up to 10 months at a time.
Ten months at a time not too bad, hope this changes in the future for you. Great to see you all settled.
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noone is prophet in their own land, you, I and millions more testify that brilliant statement
....and I guess even more so in someone else's land.
Looks awesome, I would definitely stay there!
Thanks for the kind words, it sure is a good view.
Welcome!!
Yes, a Jungle Cabin on Airbnb :D
The name is such a big part of the appeal, and it feels right use the word jungle or mountain.