1 Room with 2 Sleeping areas

1 Room with 2 Sleeping areas

I have a lot of people that stay with me for one night.   They tell me time and again, they are only interested in a bed, not TV or anything else. 

They just want a safe and comfortable place to sleep. 

 

Which gave me the idea to convert part of my garage into  a new bedroom and a bathroom.   I only have room for a 10 X 10 room. 

 

My thoughts are to convert this one bedroom into two sleeping sections by the using a retractable ceiling to floor room divider.  The reason I want a retractable room divider is in case someone prefers to rent the entire room.  This way it can easily be converted from two rooms back to one room.

 

Each sleeping/bedroom section will be 5 X 10, which is large enough for a Twin Bed, Small Dresser and Night Stand.  The entryway will have 2.75 feet of space as you walk in and from the bed to the retractable room divider would be almost 2 feet of space.   There will be a separate locking door for each bedroom section and the divider will have a lock for privacy and security.

 

Should a couple come and want the entire room, I can easily push the retractable room divider back and the Twin Beds together.  By adding a Twin Bed Converter, I now have a double bed.   I may be adding a Smart TV in each space for those guest that have Netflix and they can watch it on the TV.

 

My questions are these:  How do I list the 2 separate bedroom sections OR 1 full bedroom without any booking confusions? 

 

If I add a new listing showing the 2 bedroom sections as well as the option for 1 bedroom, how does Airbnb keep those bookings separate so I don't end up booking the entire room PLUS a 1 bedroom section?  Do any of you have ideas on how to handle this type of thing?

 

Thank you in advance.

12 Replies 12
Branka-and-Silvia0
Level 10
Zagreb, Croatia

@Priscilla150 

make 3 listings:

first bed/room

second bed/room

both beds/room

... and link the calendars:  fist bed with both beds and then second bed with both beds.

this way when the first or the second bed is booked it will block both beds listing

 

 

WOW linking the calendars would be the answer.  Thank you.

Emilia42
Level 10
Orono, ME

@Priscilla150 what about noise? If I rent one of the 5x10 rooms will I be able to hear the other renter snoring on the other side of the retractable room divider?

Like you, I thought about the noise.  I am checking into getting a sound proof retractable room divider.

I don't have it all figured out yet, but I am working on it.

Paul154
Level 10
Seattle, WA

@Priscilla150 

You've got a great idea. A garage conversion is exactly what many guests are looking for.

My similiar detached bed+bath is my most highly in demand listing. Many people forgive my lack of amenities for the privacy of a detached space. 

I like the KISS principal - Keep it simple. One big room. You won't lose bookings and the complexity of a divider/ 2 beds to service/ privacy and  bathroom cleanliness problems would drive me crazy. 

 

 

@Priscilla150 

As for the answer to your question - @Branka-and-Silvia0 's solution is spot on

Thank you Paul.  I appreciate your feedback.

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Priscilla150 

I admire your enterprise in trying to provide good low cost accommodation  and without trying to be a kill-joy there is one aspect that you should perhaps look into before you get too far into this!

Airbnb don't care what it is, they will list it....they put the onus on you as the owner to make sure you have all required approvals to list.

I notice your listing is in a built up area and forms part of a city/town community. And city habitable regulations are entirely different to rural. In almost all jurisdictions that I am aware of, a 'garage' is not accepted as a habitable space....You can't get 'occupancy' on it because it does not conform to habitable housing standards. If the garage had been built initially to habitable standards and been approved by local shire/council, then fine you would be in the clear. But if it was only ever built as a garage, you may run foul of your local council. Someone in the area only has to make a complaint to council and they will shut you down in a flash.

I am fully aware of this because my listing cottage is an old converted garage. I had to jump through many hoops to be able to gain occupancy and get approval even though the garage was originally built to be lived in while the main house was constructed. There is a process that you have to go through!

 

Priscilla, it may be best to get a local government ruling on this before you start committing money to fitting it out. I would hate to see it turn sour on you. 

It's a good idea but, you have to establish that it is practical!

 

Cheers.....Rob 

Hi Rob.

 

Thank you for your concerns and comments.  I did my homework and everything is approved on my end.  As you say, I am in a built up area which forms part of a city/town community, however, the boundary lines are very confusing over here.  You can't just look at a map and say that house is in the city.  Our boundary lines zigzag in no particular order.  A few blocks either way is City, but I am zoned as County, what makes it even better is that I am on City Water, so I do not have a well to content with at all.  I did speak with the Building Inspector, the Planning Commissioner prior to getting my permit or acquiring quotes to see if I was allowed to do this.  The answer was yes.  I have my Building Permit in hand and am ready to go once, I finish gutting the garage.  I never realized I had so many "treasures". 🙂  

 

Thank you again for your concern.

Robin4
Level 10
Mount Barker, Australia

@Priscilla150 

That's great that you are going about it the right way. 

I can't tell you how many posts we have seen of hosts that have run out of luck with HOA/Landlords or city councils because they just didn't think getting approvals mattered.

 

I wish you luck with it Priscilla, are you providing a wet area for these guests....shower, toilet?

 

Cheers......Rob

Yes Rob, there will be a bathroom out there and a separate door for them to come in and go out of if they wish.  It will have a key pad on it so I can change the code after each guest.

Sarah977
Level 10
Sayulita, Mexico

@Priscilla150  Sounds like a clever idea. FYI, though, 2 twin beds together don't make a double- they make a king. (Just so you get the right size sheets).