Homes away from home These Airbnb picks provide options for holiday visitors SHERRY JACKSON | STAFF
sjackson@communityjournals.com With holiday trees, decorations and all of those presents – plus the in-laws sharing the air mattress – are you feeling a little cramped this season? Well, how about a solution beyond the standard hotel room? Airbnb, a San Francisco-based company that acts as a community marketplace for “unique accommodations,” has been gaining in popularity since its founding in 2008. With more than 800,000 listings in more than 190 countries, Airbnb lists anything from a room in an apartment for one night to a castle rental for a month. User reviews help provide an unbiased opinion of the rental digs. Here are five top Airbnb picks in the Upstate to keep in mind the next time extended family comes to town – during any season.
DOWNTOWN CONDO Tw o - b e d room, twobath apartment located in the center of downtown Greenville on Camperdown Way. • Accommodates: Four people • Cost: $250/night • Book it: airbnb.com/rooms/3398857 SWAMP RABBIT INN O w n e r Wendy Lyman will rent out her entire six-bedroom Europeanstyle inn with access to the GHS Swamp Rabbit Trail. Bicycle rentals available.
JOURNAL COMMUNITY • Accommodates: 14 people • Cost: $700/night for the whole house; $125-$175/night for just a room • Book it: airbnb.com/rooms/3267903 LAKEPOINT ON THE SALUDA This lake house is located in Easley on the water, with easy access and views of the lake. Minutes from downtown Greenville, Furman and Paris Mountain, it comes with a kayak rack and hot tub. • Accommodates: Six people • Cost: $249/night plus a $75 cleaning fee • Book it: airbnb.com/rooms/3838761 SOUTHERN PLANTATION IN BELTON For a large family, why not rent an entire plantation? This property sits on hundreds of acres and has five bedrooms, seven beds, four baths, a large serving kitchen, a den, and dining and living rooms. Renters also have access to nature trails and two ponds, plus the property is a licensed and operational shooting pre-
serve. • Accommodates: 12 people • Cost: $500/night, $2,000/week • Book it: airbnb.com/ rooms/ 3752497 VICTORIAN HOME NEAR DOWNTOWN GREENVILLE B u t l e r Manor is a 110-year-old Victorian home, located in a historic district three blocks from downtown Greenville. The Airbnb listing is for a private two-bedroom apartment with a separate kitchen, bathroom, washer/ dryer and guest entrance. • Accommodates: Four people • Cost: $175/night, $900/week (extra charge for more than two people) • Book it: airbnb.com/rooms/3695202
DECEMBER 26, 2014 | THE JOURNAL 15