Book a Stay and Getaway in a Tiny House

By Danielle Ahini

In the spirit of dinners in the dark and mystery cruises, imagine booking a stay in a TINY house in a place unknown until you arrive!

Getaway, the first and only tiny house startup to come out of Harvard University’s Innovation Lab, gives you the opportunity to stay in one of their tiny houses with a fun twist: the location is a mystery until you book — in fact, it is only revealed 24 hours before you venture out into the unknown.

“A vacation should be about getting in touch with the things you already have — it’s about the real deep and simple joy of being with yourself, each other, nature and your thoughts in a beautiful shelter filling it with love,” said Pete Davis, co-founder of Getaway.

You can disconnect from the stronghold of technology and breathe in the fresh air that surrounds twelve major cities.

But you won’t know exactly where to find these charming little houses until you book a stay!

Davis and friend, CEO and Co-founder, Jon Staff, came up with the idea in The Millennial Housing Lab which focuses on ‘all sides of the housing experience’ and birthplace for housing projects.

Both passionate about housing innovation for political reasons, they found a way to make housing more affordable and eco-friendly while getting people out into the community and away from the digital grind.

Plan Your Escape 

The destinations are set up within a two-hour drive from many major cities across the country. The company is founded on the idea of unwinding and escaping from daily chaotic city life. An outpost invites guests to unwind and retreat from being constantly plugged into the digital world. Getaway’s outposts are a retreat back to simple living where one can improve their well-being and productivity.

Each outpost is outfitted with basic amenities with the ultimate goal of getting guests to unwind and get in touch with nature.

All You Need

All the cabins include a cellphone lockbox, queen bed(s), hot shower, shampoo + conditioner, AC and heat, two-burner stove, sink and drinking water, private toilet, provisions for sale, chairs + picnic tables, campfire grill, and a grate.

The construction of the outposts specifically urges them to spend time outside while also being comfortable enough to have peace inside.

These getaways offer a reset for guests when they’ve just about had it with daily stressors and with a raging pandemic, I’m sure many will need it. Enjoy the simple pleasures of life next to a campfire.

The Magic of Design

The company, based in the Boston Shipyard, was launched in July of 2015 and offers two different tiny houses, The Ovida and The Lorraine. Both are equipped with smart-house technology with a door code to enter because we all know how frustrating fiddling with a key can be after a long car ride.

According to Designer Addison Godine, the plumbing, electrical and propane systems remain similar from house to house. The form of each house varies, though, giving the team of three designers from Harvard’s Design Schoolroom to play with the layout, making each its own unique space.

The website hints at what to expect at each destination but until you book a trip, the address is a mystery up until 24 hours before your stay — which is all part of the adventure of the experience. The Ovida sleeps up to four guests with modern amenities and a lake view and The Lorraine sleeps two with spacious ceilings.

“I booked a night stay at the Ovida cabin a few months ago – I wanted to break out of the city routine and surprise my fiancé with a getaway in the beauty of nature.

We got there in the evening and from the first moment we opened the door, we were completely charmed,” said Tiny House Guest Georgiana Sidor.

“There’s this very subtle attention to detail put in everything from decorations to design of the space and they all come together in the warmest and welcoming way possible.”

Sidor even goes on to say her favorite part of the experience was the discovery process, from finding the mystery house to stumbling upon the various supplies waiting to be found.

“I think that the whole experience was about entering a magic space where you know there are tons of hidden treasures waiting to be discovered and enjoyed. And we definitely did.”

The company finds landowners with unused land to lease the space. The tiny houses are built on wheels at the Boston Shipyard, a convenient way to transport the houses to and from their destinations without hurting the land at all. “A lot of our time was going over the design to making the spirit perfect,” said Davis.

Depending on weekday or weekend, the prices range from $99 to $109 total per night. The Ovida offers a third and fourth guest fee of $10 each and both houses offer a pet fee for $15.

A Success Story

The company has seen great success with bookings through to the end of the year.

“I love how it started as an idea and now it’s here in the real world, real sawdust, real blisters. It really activates the imagination. People get inside one and they start thinking about what life could be like and what they should value,” said Davis.

Guest Alexa Wahr says her favorite part was being able to disconnect from technology. “I stayed for two nights with my boyfriend and our experience overall couldn’t have been better. We had an easy time finding the location and the keypad entry made getting into the tiny house a cinch,” said Guest Alexa Wahr.

“I thought the provided amenities were just right as well; not having to bring our own bedding and kitchenware was extremely convenient and the full shower was a nice treat, especially after the hike we went on. I felt more recharged after the weekend than I have in a long time.”

Getaway currently has Outposts outside of Atlanta, Austin and San Antonio, Boston, Charlotte and Raleigh, Cleveland and Pittsburgh, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Portland, and Washington, D.C.

Erase the stress of meeting an itinerary; unplug and recharge with Getaway and test-drive tiny house living. To book your own Getaway Tiny House experience, click here.