When David and Tracy made the decision to buy their first short-term rental property, they knew that doing things the right way meant investing the time and money up front to create a unique experience for guests that would be satisfying on both an aesthetic and a practical level.
With a background in hospitality, David knew that the secret to success with a vacation rental was primarily about location and marketing. Luckily, the location part was a no-brainer, as they’d known for some time where they wanted to invest in their new business. Once they were ready, Tracy and David purchased a 5 bedroom, 4 bathroom home in the heart of the Coachella Valley in Southern California, where for two weekends every year, people from all over the world congregate to celebrate one of the largest and most influential music festivals on the planet.
Of course, property in this region is far from cheap, especially for a house that size that comes with a pool, spa area, and spacious backyard. In order to make the purchase and management of this vacation home a profitable endeavor, they were going to have to make the place stand out from comparable short-term rentals, while still charging a pretty penny for the opportunity to stay in one of the most lavish and luxurious parts of the country.
Luckily, the business of marketing the rental was somewhat simplified by the existence of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which appeals to a specific audience they could target. People pay a lot of money to go to Coachella expecting a memorable, one-of-a-kind experience, and that’s exactly what Tracy and David were going to provide by curating a collection of high quality items that couldn’t be found anywhere else and would last for years. Their desire to invest in superior products with aesthetic value inspired design decisions like hiring a professional woodworker to handcraft custom tables and a poolside bed.
Over the past three years, David and Tracy have created an inviting and exciting space for families, festival attendees, and bachelorette parties who want to travel and sojourn together in a highly sought after location known for its affluence and culture. One key to their success has been providing sleeping arrangements that can safely and comfortably fit more than 16 adults with ease, so that guests are able to keep the cost affordable by spreading it over a large group.
The smartest way that Tracy and David could think to dramatically increase their sleeping space to fit more people without sacrificing the actual living space or design of the home was with bunk beds. But as they quickly learned after their first festival crowd, there is a significant amount of wear and tear that comes with hosting large groups — particularly when those groups are coming with the explicit intention of partying all weekend.
In the course of seeking out the perfect bunk bed for their luxury rental — something stylish and contemporary that would compliment the aesthetic goals of the house, but that would also be incredibly durable — the Adult Bunk Bed from Francis Lofts & Bunks stood taller than the other options they found.
“We wanted bunk beds, but we didn’t want the place to look like a dorm room,” David explained. “These beds look mature and stylish, but the design is simple enough that it will always keep up with the times and trends.”
David said that they first came upon Francis Lofts & Bunks while searching for a bed with a massive capacity, and the 2,000 LB weight limit of our adult bunk beds greatly exceeded that of any other bunk beds on the market. This meant that the bed would be durable enough to accommodate adult guests of all shapes and sizes without presenting any potential liability issues.
“We want to make sure all of our guests are comfortable,” said David. “A lot of adults are initially nervous to use the bunk beds, but the sturdy angled ladder almost always immediately alleviates their concerns.”
While safety was the primary concern for Tracy and David, their secondary goal with the bunk beds was to maximize occupancy in a way that wouldn’t end up creating clutter. Guests are paying top dollar and aren’t going to want to feel cramped or uncomfortable during their stay. That is why they opted to add a trundle to their Queen Over Queen Bunk Bed, so that the room could easily sleep 6 adult guests, while only taking up the footprint of a single queen size platform bed.
Tracy and David were so happy with the quality of their adult bunk bed that they eventually purchased a king size Standard Bed for the rental’s master bedroom to replace a disappointing queen size bed after its slats started splitting, causing the mattress to sag.
“We see beds as an investment, and these are lifetime beds,” David explained. “We’ll never have to change this bed out, but we have other bunk beds in the home that we’re already planning on replacing eventually. We’ve learned that making the investment in a quality product up front will eventually save us big money in the long run.”
This type of strategic thinking and holistic approach to designing and marketing their vacation rental has proven to be a huge success for Tracy and David. By building a carefully curated business, making wise initial investments, and paying attention to small, but crucial, details, they were able to achieve Airbnb Superhost status within their first year of operating their rental. Not a small feat considering it’s their first investment property and they put together the entire business and designed the home on their own.
The home, now branded as The Palm Desert Reset, is available for booking on both Airbnb and VRBO. Give it a look, follow them on Instagram, and start planning your trip to the Coachella Valley with family and friends before it’s all booked up!