Two Thais share their success stories in creating incredibly unique stays that have hosted guests from around the world
From vibrant urban stays to chilled out beach holidays and mountain adventures, Thailand is known for its appealing diversity of travel offerings. As unique homes increasingly become destinations in themselves, global travelers are searching for extraordinary spaces that make for a truly special getaway. And with Airbnb’s newly launched browsing experience via Airbnb Categories, it’s now easier to discover these homes than ever before.
Specifically, Airbnb’s new OMG! Category leads travelers into a world of incredible getaways that are equal parts wacky and wonderful. The OMG! Category – which currently has one of the highest rates of engagement amongst guests browsing Airbnb1 – showcases the craziest homes around the world from the fairytale-inspired to the downright unimaginable.
If you’re craving an extraordinary getaway or aspiring to become an OMG! Host yourself, hear firsthand from two Thai Airbnb Superhosts who own some of the most OMG!-worthy Airbnb listings in the country.
Airbnb Host Rattana Atthakhosolsuradi (Tao) is the owner of this scenic Pranburi Beach Cottage, one of many unique Thai stays in the OMG! category. Having welcomed travellers from all over the world, Tao understands that guests’ preferences have changed. “How people live and work is changing, so creating a home will always be a never-ending process. It’s important to keep reinventing and progressing. Most people love our beach cottage and some have even wanted to buy it!”
Just two minutes walk to the beach and located next to Pranburi Forest Park, the cottage’s location is only surpassed by its stunning design. Built 35 years ago, the stay was refurbished in 2018 and contains many art pieces from the UK, Africa and by local craftsmen, as well as the Host’s own family antiques.
Seeking to create something new and unique in its design, Host Tao shared, “We wanted to design something that our family likes and enjoys, so we followed our hearts. In fact, we continue to make changes to our beach home all the time. The original inspiration came from my Dad who built the beach cottage and shared with us his love of nature and seaside living. Influences have also come from my time living, travelling and working around the world, with inspiration from New Zealand, the UK, Africa and Europe.”
The spacious interior with double-height ceilings in the living area and large glass doors and windows, is infused with natural light. A private saltwater pool provides guests with the ideal spot to cool off during the day, while a large timber deck overlooking the leafy surrounds offers an ideal place to catch the breeze.
After thoroughly enjoying their first ever stay in an Airbnb on a trip to London, husband and wife team Alastair and Nok decided to become Airbnb hosts themselves. Today they are proud Hosts of a converted traditional Rice Barn in Chiang Mai and knowing the importance of creating a unique stay they combined a traditional architecture with a warm and welcoming interior design.
“The design of a stay is very important as it is the first thing that will impress your guests,” shared Airbnb Host Intira Connon (Nok). “Our stay is a mixture of Lanna-style housing and a wooden house with a high basement. We were inspired by old barn housing, which is hard to find nowadays.”
Located in a small village away from Chiang Mai’s city centre, this teakwood stay is surrounded by lush gardens and has a private pool, offering an escape for guests who are looking to enjoy a cozy rural getaway.
“We have welcomed guests from all over the world with many now becoming friends. We renovated our house to be a one-storey Lanna-style building where every room is designed with simplicity and convenience in mind, and our guests really love how we converted the wooden barn into this unique stay.”
Launched in May 2022, Airbnb Categories opens up a whole new way to search for travel accommodation. With 56 new categories that organize homes based on their style, location, or proximity to a travel activity, you can now discover millions of new unique homes.
More information about hosting can be found at airbnb.com/host/homes.
