Moon Hough and her husband, Ed Hough, are among the entrepreneurs who capitalised on the pandemic to boost their income.
The couple bought land in Ngong in Kajiado within the Nairobi metropolis, a few years before the pandemic. According to the couple, they did not intend to erect any structure since the parcel was in a remote area.
Moon, speaking with Business Insider Africa on Saturday, June 10, detailed how the idea to build an Airbnb with an initial budget of Ksh2.7 million (USD20,000) was realised.
Ed is a car enthusiast, while Moon is a travel enthusiast with experience working in the luxury industry in Kenya.
The couple bought and slowly decorated a used shipping container to give it a personal and appealing touch.
"We employed experts for technical jobs, but my husband loves tutorials from YouTube, learns and applies the skills," Moon stated.
However, it was not until the pandemic that the couple turned their home into a thriving Airbnb charging Ksh22,230 (USD160) per night.
The Airbnb business picked up during the pandemic when Kenyans were looking for reclusive areas.
"Guests can also play farmer during their stay by picking home-grown veggies in the garden, milking the goats on site, or collecting eggs from the chicken coop," she told business insider.
The area also offers visitors a glimpse of several animals roaming nearby.
Moon revealed that the Airbnb is often booked throughout the month, adding that her secret was constantly maintaining it by decorating it with local mitumba market.
According to travel enthusiasts, despite the high cost of running the house, one of the money-saving tips she implemented was using solar power.
Notably, the couple runs Safari Series, the only safari camp named in the UK newspaper's list of Best Holiday Destinations for 2023.
In June 2022, Airbnb banned guests from hosting parties in houses listed on its platform.
