Community Spotlight: Yvonne41

[Nick]

Hi everyone,

I love whenever we have a new Spotlight as I enjoy learning more about the Hosts we have on the CC. 

This time, we introduce @Yvonne41, who has been a member for a while but has managed to lay low. This changes now; let's show her some CC love 🙂

How long have you been hosting for and why did you first start?

I first started hosting my home early in 2016. A friend had taken me to visit her vacation home in October of 2015, and by December, I owned a place on the same street. Her tips on what worked for renting to weekend and holiday vacation travellers made me realize it would be a great way to help me pay for college for my son. I am happy to report, he is a junior majoring in Materials Science at the University of Washington, and our rental income is paying for him to attend school.

Tell us a little about your listing

My listing is a coastal home on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, in the small town of Ocean City, near the city of Ocean Shores, which was established in the 1960s as a vacation destination. My single-family home is very comfortable and well-equipped for guests. But, the real magic of the property is that it sits on two and a half acres of wetland forest and sand dunes that connect the property via a ¼ mile trail to the Pacific Ocean.

How long have you been part of the Community Center and why did you join?

I joined the Community Center in 2016, soon after becoming a host, to gain insights into how experienced hosts were handling issues and using the platform to attract the best guests. 

What is your favourite thing about the CC and if you could make it better what one thing would you improve?

The willingness for members of the community to have honest discussions and opinions about the renting experience on Airbnb is incredibly valuable.

I wish the forum operated more like a Slack chat, in that you could be included in ongoing group conversations without having to log back in after you get an email alert about a like or a reply. Also, it would be nice to see admins and product managers jumping into some of the conversations that are directly related to hosts discussing potential feature upgrades that would make hosting more efficient and safer. 

When you are not hosting, what do you like doing?

When I am not hosting my listing to guests, I enjoy using it with my family and friends. In my free time, I enjoy playing and listening to music, and love to travel, and hope to do more of that in the near future. 

What is the one thing you cannot live without?

(Laughter.) There is not much better than clowning around with friends. 

Where would your dream holiday be?

My ideal holiday would be to spend a whole summer in Italy exploring the coastal cities and islands. 

If you could have lunch with a famous person (past or present), who would it be and why?

Oprah Winfrey. I would like to know what she really thinks and would like some tips on being so cool and collected. 

What's your food weakness?

I have a really hard time saying no to any cheesecake.

Do you have a fun fact?

I won an Emmy for a segment I produced for a children’s television show, in Seattle.

Anything to add

Thank you for inviting me to participate in the Host Spotlight. I am thrilled Airbnb is paying attention to successful hosts who know how to delight guests.

I hope you'll agree that it's excellent getting to know more about Hosts on the CC. 

Is there anything more you would like to know about Yvonne and her hosting journey with Airbnb?

[John5097]

That looks like the perfect vacation spot! I've been close to there on vacation with friends. We took the ferry to Bainbridge then drove due west to the large bay and Olympic Park was directly across the water, so would have been on the other side. Can't remember the name but the bay was unbelievably deep, like 500 feet and had nuclear submarine station close by. My friend's wife was from California and her grandparents built the cabin. Would love to vacation in the area again, especially closer to the ocean. Everything nice and spread out, and beautiful, just the way I like it! 

[Nick]

And @Yvonne41 's home looks so inviting, don't you agree @John5097 ?

I was already thinking of how it would feel to be there, but with your description, even more so 

[John5097]

@Nick Yes! Amazing! I didn't see the tag so couldn't see the listing. But its right on the ocean and such a nice cabin like vibe! Wow! 

We flew into Seattle then rented a car and the car went on the ferry boat, like between Denmark and Sweeten, then drove to the cabin. The entire area was one of the most magical places. I always wanted to move out there.   

[Christine615]

This is such a great host interview! Thanks for posting it @Nick  I love that @Yvonne41 says she can't live without laughter. Life is too short. And so cool about her Emmy.

I love reading these and seeing the human faces behind the properties.

[Nick]

I'm glad you enjoy these as much as I do @Christine615 🙂