The story of a little guesthouse in Ringebu village
I bought my house in Ringebu in fall 2014. It was an old house from 1947, in walking distance to the picturesque, vibrant village centre. I saw the potential to modernize it while preserving some of its old charm, and the project began shortly after I took over the house. I also started my new job the same day I got the house keys, so this project was not done overnight- but I was excited and full of ideas! The people and culture of Ringebu had convinced me that it was worth investing my time and money here.
Step by step and with a lot of help from amazing family and friends, I renovated it inside and outside. All the time I had in mind that this house is way to big for me and my cat, Melvin, but here we were, and I had to make the most out of the situation! Vacant space = unutilized resource / potential. I had a spare bedroom that I knew from the beginning that I could rent out once it was upgraded. Although the idea of sharing kitchen, bathroom and personal space in general with strangers was kinda terrifying in the beginning, I strongly believed the pros would exceed the cons. Now that I wasn`t currently “out in the world”, I could invite the world home!
About a year after renovating parts of the house, I listed it on airbnb and welcomed my first guests shortly after.
After that, I`ve had the honor of hosting many more! This is first and foremost a hobby to me; I enjoy hosting people and make them feel comfortable and at home. I also get to meet people from all around the world, and I love reading the guestbook notes- what a lovely memory from my chapter in this house!
Further, I have to confess that I never get as much house cleaning done as before I`m expecting guests – hosting is a great motivation booster in this respect. I get to be creative in the making of an airbnb listing, and through sharing moments from my little guesthouse on instagram (#RingebuBnB). Like this time, when I celebrated (with a “celebrator” :D) 1 year as an airbnb host:
Finally, it has an aspect of entrepreneurship and learning to it that triggers me; It`s up to myself to create the product (a hospitality friendly, local home), promote it and get a (modest, yet) extra source of income. I strive to meet or exceed guests` expectations, and as such build and sustain what can be a somewhat valuable asset in todays digital era; excellent online ratings from happy guests. The day I stop having fun along the way in this process, I`ll stop. For now, it`s become a lifestyle! :)
Read more about my thoughts on why hosting is both good for me and the local community, here. Have you tried hosting or travelled via airbnb? :) I`d love to hear some experiences! Hit me up on insta or FB or over a good old coffee at Baker Hansen, Ringebu <3
EDIT: When the 3-year project I was working on finished, I decided to pursue studies abroad and wrap up my village life for now. It was strange to leave behind stuff I had worked for a long time to build up, in several ways. On the other hand, change is good and even necessary sometimes. I rented out my house to a very sweet tenant, and Melvin got to stay, which makes me happy. Many things went through my head the final days before moving, and below you can find “the end” of the story of RingebuBnB. For now:)