US startup Getaway offers chance to test-drive a tiny house

Not sure if you’re cut out for tiny house living? Here’s your chance to find out. 

United States startup Getaway is offering tiny homes (nine to 15-square-metre homes built on trailers) as holiday rentals from $US99 ($A135) a night.

The business was developed by group of Harvard business, law, and design students known as the Millennial Housing Lab as “a reaction to the thesis that the housing we have doesn’t work for this new era.” 

“We started it as an action lab where we invite people to contribute ideas and projects on millennial housing,” says Jon Staff, Getaway’s chief executive and founder.

Hanging out. Photo: The Bearwalk

Given that most tiny homes are built for their owners and are rarely placed on the market, the company caters to a niche market of those looking to “try before they buy”.

“We have a strong contingent of guests who are serious tiny houses fans and view Getaway as the next rung on their tiny house adventure,” Staff says.

“Getaway provides a way to go from just looking at tiny houses online to actually experience staying in one.”

Loft. Photo: The Bearwalk

The first house, Ovida, was launched in July this year and sold out “almost immediately”.

The second home, the Lorraine, is designed to be a writers’ retreat.  

“When the Lorraine sold out, we began designing the Clara, our most unique house, aimed at being a fun, multi-level space fit for a larger group.”

 Relaxing outside house. Photo: The Bearwalk

Each of the off-grid tiny homes can sleep  two to four people and includes a heater, two-burner stove, queen bed, shower, composting or electric toilet, sink, cooler and kitchen supplies.  

“The traditional vacation (go away once a year) worked when we had a mini-vacation built into our everyday lives after 5 or 6 o’clock, but we don’t have that any more,” Staff says.

“Technology and our jobs now creep into every part of our day; we need a way to balance that and escape our daily grind.”

Big window. Photo: Getaway House, LLC

Guests are given directions, 24 hours before their stay, to a mystery rural location that’s about two hours from Boston, Massachusetts. 

“The response has been incredible; we sold out five months of weekends in our first day and have been 100 per cent or nearly 100 per cent booked since launching,” Staff says. 

Getaway is hoping to expand to new cities about mid-2016.