About This Episode

Meet Mike Belleme — the creator of The Nook, an obsessively handcrafted Airbnb just outside Asheville, NC.

Growing up, Mike loved to skateboard — at one point he even thought he might go pro. 

But as he grew up, another craft he had dabbled in began to pique his interest even more.  

And that craft was photography. 

Mike’s incredible focus and unrelenting pursuit of perfection has landed him gigs with media companies like National Geographic, Time Magazine, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times.

And while his passion has been, and continues to be, storytelling through the medium of still images, Mike recognizes that photography has its limits when it comes to evoking emotion and changing perspectives. 

And it was this recognition, in part, that inspired him to build a story in the form of a house, which became The Nook.

Tune in to hear how Mike and his wife Kristen created a tiny home where Japanese aesthetic intersects with Anthropologie-esque accents and where everything from your coffee mug to the tile in the bathroom is handmade by a local artist. 

Book Your Stay at The Nook

Follow The Nook on Instagram 

Visit Mike's Website

This week's episode is brought to you Guesty for Hosts — the bestie of top-rated Airbnb hosts. 

It’s 11:32 pm on a Thursday night and you wake up in a panic. 
 
You forgot to send your guests the custom lockbox combination for your Airbnb, and you missed the 17 messages they sent saying they couldn’t get in because you enabled “sleep mode” on your iPhone — you know, to try and cut down on screen time before bed and all.
 
After apologizing profusely and sending them a bottle of bubbly — in hopes they won’t leave you a 1-star review — you think to yourself, “how do other hosts stay on top of guest communications?"
 
The answer? They use Guesty For Hosts — an easy to use rental management platform. With features like Automated Messages that send important communications to guests at the exact right times…you'll never have to jeopardize your beauty sleep again. 
 
Guesty For Hosts allows short-term rental hosts to manage listings from Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com in one calendar and send a series of automated messages before, during, and after their stay.
 
The platform also has features that help you manage cleanings, build a custom booking website, and so much more.
 
Start your 14 day free trial today — no credit card, set up fee, or commitment required — and cancel anytime if you don't love it.
 
While getting started, use the discount code “SPONSTAYNEOUS” for 20% off of your first year."
 
Behind the Stays is brought to you each week by Sponstayneous — a free, biweekly newsletter that brings subscribers the best last-minute deals and upcoming steals on Airbnb.  You can subscribe, for free, at www.sponstayneous.com 

 

About the Host

Zach Busekrus

Co-Founder of Sponstayneous

Zach is the Co-Founder of Sponstayneous, a weekly newsletter that brings subscribers the best last-minute deals and upcoming steals on Airbnb. When COVID hit, he and his wife Gabby broke out of the lease on their 750-square foot apartment in Washington, DC to beta test the digital nomad lifestyle. Zach and Gabby have spent the past year living full-time on Airbnb — they've stayed in 50+ homes to date! 

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