After 12 years of living in Jackson, Miss., Whitney Bolen and her husband, Patrick, moved to Oxford
on Oct. 4, 2014 — no normal Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium. On that day, the University of Mississippi football team beat the University of Alabama 23-17, remaining undefeated at 5-0 for the season. The win sparked an idea in the Bolens’ minds. “We felt like that was a good renting omen,” Whitney said. “I have secretly always wanted to own and run a bed-and-breakfast, so this was kind of like a dream job for me.” The Bolens’ home – which they named the Colonel’s Cottage – opened to renters for the Mississippi State University football game on Nov. 28. The three-bedroom, two-bath Oakshire Park home nets the Bolens around $400 per night for Southeastern Conference home games. “The first few times went well, and we started getting more inquiries,” Whitney said. “It has enabled us to travel more and also save more than what we would on a normal basis. So far it’s been a no-brainer.” The Colonel’s Cottage is one of more than 200 homes listed for rent on vrbo.com, a popular site to find football-weekend rentals in Oxford. Benefits of renting abound: “I have one single mom who uses the rental income to fund her kids’ Christmas each year,” realtor Kay Hightower said. But it’s also a lot of work – hospitality is as important to the South as a winning football season. Here are tips from Oxford homeowners and realtors on how to be a good host as well as a good houseguest. Football and Fashion 2015 | INVITATION OXFORD
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