Brand new Swedish modern haven - perfect home base to explore Austin. Walk to downtown and East Side venues, food trucks, bars, shuttles, bike path and Town Lake. Sleeps 4, nice front porch for breakfast and happy hour, wifi, central heat/air, quiet block, washer/dryer. Gorgeous wood interior, sweeping ceilings with a skylight for tree viewing and daydreaming. Private alleyway entrance with dedicated off-street parking space; secure, keypad entry. Many amenities!
So, I had this idea for a tree house on the ground in my backyard...and that's what I got. The vaulted ceilings are this beautiful light pine, with a ginormo skylight and peek-a-boo gable windows to frame the tippy tops of my backyard pecan trees. The kitchen walls are made of the 1939 cedar shiplap planks I removed from my kitchen a few years ago. Real, hardwood flooring throughout (except the bathroom.) Bathroom walls of the light pine - like a Swedish spa.
The roofed front porch has a bistro table and chairs - with a layered view of my little corner of the East Side, it's the perfect setting for your morning coffee or your happy hour beer. (Both included.)
There's a full kitchen with rustic ceramic tile counters and a brand new stainless steel fridge and gas oven, complete with Le Creuset cookware. Tea kettle, drip coffee maker, french press, ZeroWater filter pitcher, microwave, toaster, immersion blender, etc. Kitchen is always stocked with a few beers, some sparkling water, coffee, tea, granola, milk and some fruit. Maybe a few granola bars or trail mix too. There are endless delicious places to eat within walking distance, but if cooking's your thing, you'll be all set.
The bed situation:
- 1 luxurious, queen-sized Brentwood Home Bamboo Gel 13 memory foam mattress on a real wood platform bed frame built by a local Austin woodworker. (Look up that mattress and check out the reviews.)
- 1 sofa that converts to a queen-sized bed. I freaking HATE 98% of all pull out couch mattresses so I went with the IKEA Friheten that uses the firm couch cushions instead of a janky fold up faux mattress. Once the foam topper and mattress pad are on, you really can't tell the difference between it and a high end real mattress. I highly recommend.
- Pillow concierge - OK, not really, but I'm always having a problem with other people's pillows so I decided to go all Golidlocks here and get three different sets: freaky thin, medium, and criminally fat. Surely one will be right for you.
- The softest sheets you will ever have felt. Seriously.
- Please note: If you need black out curtains and midnight-dark for sleeping, this isn't your casita. There are blinds on all the eye-level windows, but there's a large skylight in the ceiling and gable windows with no covering.
The bathroom, with natural black slate tile flooring and hand-crafted Brazilian wood counter, comes equipped with my favorite organic shampoo, conditioner and body gel, as well as wash clothes, hair dryer and a place to put your toothbrush. I can confidently say it's the cutest little porcelain galley sink you will ever have seen. And lots of hooks!
The pantry has brand new fancy full washer and dryer that you are welcome to use.
There is a big flat screen TV with broadcast channels, Netflix and HBO Go. TV mount has extending arms so you can watch from the bed or the living area - and only one remote!
Storage: One of my frustrations with other Airbnb places I've stayed is that there were never enough places to put my stuff. So, I went a little storage crazy. I've installed clothing and coat hooks wherever I could, there's a closet with hanging cubbies, hangers and two luggage racks so you don't have to kneel on the floor to find your socks.
Random, and yet helpful or fun, amenities:
- entry way iPhone/iPad charging station equipped with two lightening cables
- a few different maps - bike, bus system, tourist
- Texas Monthly's famous edition that lists the best barbecue places in Austin/Texas
- Board games like Scrabble and Pictionary and cards
- A collection of books by Texas authors
The casita is all yours - there is a private, alleyway entrance gate and a gate that separates my yard from the casita. Privacy for everyone! I have electronic key pad locks, so no keys, just a code.
If you have a car, you have your own, off-street parking place right next to the entry gate.
I like to give my guests space, but am always available when needed! Feel free to shoot me a message via AirBnb messaging.
Quiet neighborhood, but yet close to all the action of the hip East side! Mix of old original bungalows with new modern homes. Amazing restaurants. Easy access to Downtown, Rainey St, UT Campus, East Riverside, and S Congress. The Austin Convention Center is only 5 mins (1 mile). The Austin Bergstrom Intl Airport is 10-15 minutes (6 miles) from the house. Great location!
The casita is ideally located within 10 blocks of downtown, there's a bus stop less than a block away, city bike rental points within a few blocks, pedicabs, rideshare...you're pretty much in the center of everything.