Short-term rentals are a booming business and happening now across all the Curbed sites is a look at airbnb—a website that caters directly to people who want a place to stay, but want to save money. Regular old Joes can list the spare room in their house for as little or as much as they want and people passing through town can make a reservation for a few nights. Of course, it being the Interwebs, the choices for accommodation run the gamut from good deals to stories you wouldn't even tell your grandchildren. Here's a sampling of what we found:
THE GOOD:
Pictured above is a round house in Alexandria asking only $69 per night. The owners obviously travel a lot and cool art work adorns the walls. If square-shaped buildings are more your thing, a swanky new building in Foggy Bottom, Residences On The Avenue, is offering up short-term stays for $289, which comes with access to their gym and rooftop pool. But policy wonks will want to stay in the row house of a former senator and presidential candidate. Dig out the history books to narrow down the list of people it could possibly be, because the listing doesn't say, but it does offer the tantalizing description: "if these walls could talk". That owner wants $98 per night (but you can just leave the cash on the bedside table. KIDDDING!).
THE BAD
Luckily, airbnb has less of the Craiglist crazies to weed through, so its even harder to find truly bad listings here. Hard, but not impossible. Here's someone who turned his car, a 1996 VW Golf, into a car-V (not an RV, but a car-V). It is only thirty dollars per night and 'is perfect for the campers of the world'. For just slightly more per night, $35, you can share a studio apartment with someone (and her cat) by sleeping on an air mattress somewhere in the 500 square feet of space in the unit. Females are preferred and there is no 'internet or wireless, cable television and there is limited cell phone reception.'
THE WACKY
But who wants to stay in a house or apartment when there are adventures to be had? You've got to love the Intentional Community called Maitri House in Takoma which sounds like a hippie's paradise. Note: it is a "perfume-free" living situation, so keep that patchouli bottled up. Or you could stay on a brand new houseboat for $225 per night. But if that is out of your price range, how about a conversion van for only $15 per night? That price only includes the cost of sleeping in it, so if you want to drive it that's going to be extra plus a deposit (to be negotiated). You could channel Chris Farley and park it down by the river!
· Airbnb [Official Site]
· Stay in a Round House close to DC! [airbnb]
· Former Senator's House [airbnb]
· Residences On The Avenue [airbnb]
· Car V at your disposal [airbnb]
· Air mattress [airbnb]
· Maitri House Intentional Community [airbnb]
· NEW Houseboat [airbnb]
· Conversion Van - Stay Anywhere [airbnb]