You may have wondered whether you might make some money from your caravan when you’re not using it. Could you hire it on Airbnb? The short answer is yes. But as with everything, there are caveats. Let’s have a look at what makes a successful Airbnb caravan rental.
As they say in real estate, location, location, location...
Desirable locations are important for any Airbnb property. If you’re in the heart of Sydney you can book-out your AirBNB most weekends. If you’re on the beach ditto.
For caravans, the story is a bit more complex. For many people booking on Airbnb, Caravans are a frivolous alternative to the norm. They don’t want to stay in a caravan in someone’s backyard just because it is there. They could get a room in a house if that’s what they wanted. They want an experience. That’s where a more romantic or picturesque location will succeed.
Here’s an example. This caravan:
This whimsical caravan is located by a creek in the Adelaide Hills. The presentation of the van is immaculate, both inside and out. With the extra deck space they’re built on, plus an under cover kitchen space, the visitor has a comfortable and romantic alternative to staying in a house.
On the other hand, this caravan located in outer Sydney has plenty of availability.
That’s not to say they’re not getting bookings. They’ve had 15 reviews. For a caravan parked in a driveway in outer Sydney, that’s not bad. You also have to take into account price. In the off-peak the beachside caravan is getting $70 a night. The caravan parked in the driveway in Sydney is asking $100 a night.
This one below is located in McLaren Vale. They’re asking double the price of either of those above.
They’ve got location on their side but see also the image below. The caravan looks like a standard pop-top but inside it’s got the full glamping experience nailed. That’s a smart move because people want that sense of whimsy and delight that comes with beautiful retro interiors.
They’ve done a lovely job on the fit out. For more images follow the link to their Airbnb listing.
Go Vintage
One way to stand out from the crowd is with a beautifully presented vintage caravan. As we said at the top, many people are looking to caravans on Airbnb as an experience. They want something extraordinary, perhaps a little romantic or charming. And that’s where vintage caravans stand out.
This was something we came across when talking to Retro Caravan Renovations. They had a caravan in the workshop that was going to be an Airbnb on a property in Byron Bay. The great thing about having a full renovated retro caravan is the owner also had the option of taking it for holiday when needed.
This charming little two-tone van is located in Millfield NSW. It’s part of a property that includes the main house in the listing. The caravan is the “fifth bedroom”. What’s notable about the image is it is the one they lead with. It’s the main image in the listing because (I imagine) it stands out. Who doesn’t want to know more about this charming caravan?
The listing shown below does the same thing. They have a lovely cottage combined with a vintage caravan (shown below). The caravan is the first image in their listings, not the cottage.
There are options within the retro or vintage caravan that stand out had and shoulders above the others. If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on an Airstream then you have a really strong drawcard. The caravan shown below is located in Eight Mile Plains and is booking at about $250 a night. I have nothing against Eight Mile Plains but it’s not the most sought after holiday destination in Australia. That doesn’t stop them booking it at a premium price. And why not? It looks amazing. See the image below (and click through to Airbnb for more).
That’s not the only Airstream listed on Airbnb. Many people dream of owning one of these iconic caravans. The opportunity to stay in one is a strong drawcard and a great way to ensure occupancy of your caravan listing.
Getting best results for your caravan on Airbnb
As you have seen in this article, you can make money from a standard caravan in a suburban location. For best results though, you want to combine location and caravan. Having a distinctive caravan combined with a desirable location will bring in best results. For instance, a restored vintage caravan can also be used as a drawcard on a larger property.
To finish this article, we’ll leave you with a caravan that epitomizes this notion. They’ve really let their imagine run wild on this one.
All images shown on this page are from Airbnb and Redwing Farm. Please click through to their listings to see more. If this article has whet your appetite then visit Airbnb for more.