Meet 3 Inspiring Women Who Have Turned Their Homes into into Safe Havens for Global Travellers

Ranjana Patil, Dahisar, Mumbai, host of 1#Boutique Bombay Homestay

A retired teacher who has been hosting on Airbnb since 2015, says, “my bungalow looks after me”. Retiring after 25 years as a teacher, hosting has helped provide an extra income to renovate my home and meet people from around the globe.

Until 2015, Ranjana had been working as a teacher for almost 25 years, she quit her job and was contemplating on what to do. Her daughter is a mountaineer, she doesn't do a regular job. That’s what got Ranjana to think how to run the house with no fixed incoming coming in. But since she started hosting on Airbnb, the problem literally disappeared. She answers a few questions and gives us a sneak peek into her journey.

Tell us a little about your journey and what you do?

“I was a kindergarten teacher for 20 years in Pune. I taught in Druk Padma Karpo school in Shey, Ladakh—the school shown in 3 idiots—for 2 years and then came to Mumbai. I worked as a higher secondary teacher in a Mumbai school but couldn't keep up with the job due to some issues. I was looking for something to do for a while before I was introduced to Airbnb.”

Why did you start hosting on Airbnb?

“I had gone to do Vipassana, where I met a Russian girl. I invited her and a girl from the UK to my home. My Russian friend, Ludmila, introduced me to Airbnb back in December 2015. I was worried about how I would take care of the bungalow in Mumbai. But the bungalow is looking after me now, all thanks to Airbnb. My 1st guest was a beautiful French couple who stayed for 3 days. They gave me a few tips to improve. They also gave me such a beautiful and encouraging review that after that I’ve never looked back.”

What does the additional income received from hosting mean to you?

“When I had put my property on Airbnb I wasn't sure if anyone would come to stay at my place. The reason was that my house is at the far end of Mumbai in the north. It's not a touristy place and is far from south Mumbai that has all the tourist attractions. But things worked out. The money from hosting wasn't my additional income but my main income on which I survived in Mumbai.”

 Amrit Dhillon, Bhimtal, Uttarakhand, host of The Verandah

Amrit is a freelance journalist who has been reporting on India for 25 years for British papers - The Guardian, The Times, The Daily Mail, The Sunday Telegraph. She has been living in India for almost 30 years now. “The plan was to spend a 'year or two' in India. I was born in India but left when I was 4 because my father had emigrated to England. 'A year or two' stretched to 30 because I found India so fascinating, put down roots and a life here, and had my son. Once my son was born, I knew, as a single mother, that raising him here, with help and support, was going to be infinitely easier than doing it in England where I would have to choose between working or staying at home to raise him,” says Amrit.

It was on a visit to Bhimtal that she fell in love with the stunning views at Jungalia Goon. She built a cottage with her friend there. “It was a labour of love. We hardly had any money but somehow managed to rustle up enough to finish it. Unfortunately we had a falling out at around exactly the time the cottage was finished and we agreed to put it on sale. But I was determined not to leave the little patch of paradise I had found - that radiant light in the mornings is to die for! - and so bought the lower terrace where I have built the Verandah,” says Amrit. 

Initially it was meant to be a holiday home for her son and friends. But then she started hosting people about once a month, to pay for the bills, “but everyone who stayed was so thrilled with the view, the village and the forests all around that I realised that running it as a home stay would serve both purposes: I could enjoy it and while also giving others a chance to have a great experience too,” she adds.

2.  When did you start hosting on Airbnb?

“I started hosting on Airbnb about four years ago because it seemed the best way to spread the word. I had received a fantastically positive response from the guests who went there by word of mouth and it seemed a good idea to reach a wider audience through Airbnb.”

3. What advice do you have for other women who may be considering hosting?

“My advice to other women is: do it not for the money but only if you enjoy looking after and maintaining a nice property, working with a team, managing people, and feeling good when guests walk in, see the property and the view and say 'wow'. The money is just an additional bonus.”

 

Margreta Suting, Shillong, India, host of Midhill Cottage: Wildrose Suite

Margreta is originally from Shillong but after she got married a diplomat in 1989, she travelled around the globe. “These travels served as an eye opener and brought about wonderful experiences and knowledge of different countries, their people, their culture and language, their cuisine and way of life. After being out of the country for over seventeen years, covering a span of Indian Missions abroad from Mexico, Pakistan, Switzerland, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Germany, the USA and back again to Switzerland where my husband finally retired as India’s Permanent Representative and Ambassador to the United Nations, we reached retirement age. So, here I am. A senior citizen enjoying retirement from diplomatic life, but moving on with new ventures,” says Margreta, who got her ancestral property. ‘Midhill Cottage’,located in Nongshilliang, listed on Airbnb. 

Why did you start hosting on Airbnb? 

“Being away from the country left me with no choice but to rent the property out. Unfortunately, both the house and garden were left in a tattered state of affairs. During my return to India, I decided not to rent it out ever again! Renovation took a year to complete. Once lifted to its former glory, came my dilemma as to what to do and how to take care of it.

The solution was to join the Airbnb community. So, I started my first trial with just one unit back in October 2018. Hosting became quite a pleasure for me. Meeting new people from different walks of life and offering them a ‘home away from home feel’ with a unique experience of our relaxing tribal lifestyle or way to live like a local. Within a span of a few months I offered two more separate units. Airbnb worked for me!”

2. What does the additional income received from hosting mean to you?

 “Running an Airbnb has enabled me to earn some income, the majority of which is being used in maintaining a hundred-year-old house and big garden. It helps in upgrading my units periodically, to cover household expenses, to give employment opportunities to local people. Lastly, to donate a small amount to the underprivileged.”

3. What advice do you have for other women who may be considering hosting?

 “My advice for future hosts is to never shy away from trying something. Choose guests wisely. Be upfront and straight forward. Important thing is to empower yourself professionally, socially and financially. But also, to be happy and enjoy every bit of what you are doing.”