Rent a Westy out on AirBNB?

[Jeff's Old Volks Home]

I have 3 vans that I'd planned to rent 2 of which I'm hopping to have ready for his camping season. Besides my daily driver. The best insurance rate was $20000 for a year for 3 vans. These vans have no sentimental value to me, I planned to start a rental fleet for a retirement hobby for my wife. We've side stepped the insurance issue. I registered and insured them well personally, and take my chances renting them to only people who we know. I'm able to take a credit card deposit through my shop, and so far I've not had any issues. We charge $800 per week. Actually that's not exactly true. We don't ask for money but if the renter feels they want to leave some money for a gratuity, we gladly accept. So far we've always gotten more in the envelope than $800 per week.
So it's more of a loaner program with a suggested donation.
Jeff

[noganav]

Hmm. I do the opposite. I rent out my apartment and stay in the Westy.
Pays the rent and definitely helps with the costs of Syncro-itis.
Plus I just missed living in the van. Stop by if you're ever in San Diego!

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/1279087

[JCTahoe]

Resurrecting this thread.

I have been thinking about renting out my Westy via airbnb (when we are not using it) but not allowing it to be driven, just parked in my yard. I live a few blocks from the lake in North Lake Tahoe and will provide a couple of townie bikes, maybe even my paddle board for extra.
I can set the van up perfectly, I am just not sure about the bathroom. I live in the woods so I don't care if people pee.....
Summer lodging in Tahoe is not cheap so it seems there would be interest for a couple to sleep in a rad VW close to downtown Kings Beach.

What are your thoughts? Is anyone doing this?

At one point I saw someone had posted their bay window in SF, all it had was a bed and it had great reviews!
_________________
84 Westy - Jean Claude Damn Van

VW's from my past:
72 Bay
79 Campmobile
81 Vanagon

[rusty busty]

I don't see why not. I saw a news story last summer about someone renting out their dodge camper van near me, and it's just parked on a city street. Re: the bathroom she tells people to use the nearby coffee shop. She also provides a pee jar for convenience.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-camper-van-for-rent-airbnb-1.3740754
_________________
1978 CEII Get-away hightop

[IdahoDoug]

While in a California coastal town a couple months ago, we found people renting every form or alternative sleeping arrangements. From a couple cheap Kmart tents in a field, to a moderate sized camper trailer with an ocean view in the woods, to a yurt. They were not cheap, but they were unique and less than traditional lodging. So I think the non-moving part would be key. No traditional insurance risk nor mechanical abuse potential, plus occupants would know you live right nearby so it would discourage some behaviors. If I were you though, I'd find a way to fully disable it, like disconnect and remove the starter wiring, though some may be needed for internal electrical functions.

Doug
_________________
1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1988 Toyota Supra 5 speed targa, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[Abscate]

The world is an opportune place fir those who don't live in fear of liability, lawyers, and worst case scenarios.
_________________
.ssS!

[AZ Landshaper]

Westys are not your typical car/ van and many people just dont drive them well or with experience. Ive seen some real bad driving in vans I was selling. The test drives were scary at best. I had to pulll one guy as he was driving it like a honda civic and shifting like a badass.

Maybe yours is automatic which would help.

Better to rent out an econoline van like the one driven by Bruce Berry.
_________________
Support Small Business.

-------------------------------------------------------
85 Weekender w/ EJ22
Previously
64, 71, 72, 73, 76, 81, 84, 85 & 87 Campmobiles and Westfalias
and a 67 bug.

[danfromsyr]

Look into Outdoorsy it's a camper rental site that handles the logistics and insurances of the transactions...
do due diligence though it's your VW and your ASS after all with the most at risk.

https://www.outdoorsy.co/
_________________

[UngaWunga]

Renting out a building is one thing. Renting out a building with furniture in it is another. No one can just hop in those and drive them to Mexico.

[danfromsyr]

or have it stolen while parked someplace remote/touristy/anywhere

Ungawunga you and I would worry more about Canada than Mexico..

and I'd have a GPS logger/tracker in ANY vanagon I'd rent out. with a GPS fence set to alert.
_________________

[laroche.chris]

Glad this thread was resurrected recently, as it seems a lot has changed since 2014 in the field of RV/camper rental.
I'm looking into getting (another) VW and renting it out via Outdoorsy or one of the other sites. I queried a dozen or so folks already on there with Westies/small campers, and I'm wondering if anyone here has tried the rental system. Please share!