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We’ve been renting out our little guest house for the past year and it’s been a great experience so far. We recently acquired a vintage camper (it is teal and from 1957 and in great shape! About 14 feet long, has full bed, little kitchen and dining area) and we are fixing it up for our own use, but we are also thinking that it could be great to rent out as we live in a super touristy area. Our guest house has been booked solid since we started in the fall, and guests love our location.
There is plenty of space on our lovely property for the camper itself, but we aren’t sure what to do about the bathroom situation. The camper doesn’t have one, and we aren’t willing to open up our own little house we live in for guests to use the bathroom (we only have the one). What’s best to do in this situation- a porta potty/ outdoor shower situation? Building a standalone bathroom outside (ugh, expensive)? Renting out a lot at an RV park that has public restrooms? I’ve looked at all the listings for vintage campers that I can find, but it seems they all have bathrooms in them.
Any suggestions would be appreciated! Whether to do with the bathroom issue or renting out a vintage camper in general.
@CatskillsGrrl has a vintage camper (with bathroom). @shashdineecoretreat has traditional Navajo lodging and shepherder wagons without bathrooms. Maybe they will have time to chime in.
Vintage trailers are very hip and desirable. They appeal to many. I say go for it. Check out the Shady Dell in Bisbee, AZ and Kate’s Lazy Meadow (owned by on the singers from the B52’s). We’ve designs to add new Airstreams set in a sandstone canyon…
Thanks for the responses so far! I do know someone in the area who rents out ‘gamp sites’ with nice porta potties and outdoor showers and hasn’t had any complaints, so that should theoretically be on option. On our property we can hook the camper straight into our water and power, and it shouldn’t be an issue to plumb a simple shower up.
The metal panels is a good idea- we actually recently replaced our old metal roof and it has a gorgeous patina on it.
Check out your local planning rules. I was pleasantly surprised to find that its legal to build an outhouse in my area. I’d do that and build an outdoor shower. There are inexpensive outdoor shower water heaters.
I’m thinking it is possible to have an outhouse on the property, though I need to confirm… I’m not in the city limits, so there aren’t as many regulations. I have built an outhouse in the past (not on my property), so that’s something I’m familiar with
As to whether or not that’ll creep guests out or not… eh, not sure. But a nice outhouse is, at least for me, a good experience.
Here is one in SC. I think the guest books the camp site (or at least pays for the camp site they want) and the hosts deliver the trailer before arrival.
The last thing I’d do is put a camper in an RV Park. You’d have to get permission from the park to “sublet”, just as you do an apartment or condo. An nice, stand-alone shower and toilet can be built pretty inexpensively.
Composting toilets are cheaper than incinerator models – $800-$1000 for a compost toilet, $1800-$2500 for burner unit.
I know this is an old post but I thought I would chime in… I think the investment of an outside bathroom would be worth it, you could then accommodate the trailer, maybe some tents… Thats my plan anyway. What did you end up doing?
The host left the back door to his house open, and I was free to walk in at night and use the bathroom. Same procedure in the morning for the shower. I gave it five stars.
Sorry, it appears that if you stayed in it, the listing is still visible. It’s visible to me, but when I look at the calendar, I see that it has no availability and it was last updated five months ago.
