Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenny Myers.
Hi Jenny, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
Hospitality has always been a passion of mine. Long before the Airbnb’s and VRBO platforms, I was hosting guests at our cabin that is on our 60-acre property. It was a family cabin that was actually a pioneer cabin, and when my husband’s grandfather purchased the property in the 1960s the pioneer cabin was too far gone to save, so it had to be torn down. However, one of the best features of the cabin was saved, the original 2-sided massive stone fireplace stood, and a new cabin was built around the original fireplace. The cabin hosted generations of families and was the area highlight for the place to come, relax and connect with nature’s surroundings. We purchased the property from family in 1998. Having 5 children, the cabin was a great place for the kids to escape and have the best sleepovers. After the kids were grown, we continued to host friends and family, but it did sit empty quite often. That’s when I told my husband; I think I can do something with the cabin and rent it out to people. (Before all the platforms were available) He looked at me and said, that’ll never work; we laugh about that comment now, over 20 years later and a successful vacation rental, as well as recently building another unique rental on the beautiful 60-acre property, a Safari tent that I custom designed that sits overlooking the creek and next to a waterfall. I always took pride in giving guests the best of amenities and special touches to make everyone feel welcome. From personalized welcome notes to fresh flowers to extra things for the children like panning for gold in the creek or digging for arrowheads. I never stopped trying to improve and better the experience for my guests, so I constantly attend industry Trade shows, like the Glamping Show in Colorado every year to stay current on trends and fresh new ideas to bring to the guest experience here, which is how we just launched our 3rd option, Pop up luxury glamping tent rentals that we bring to any location for a variety of special moments like birthday parties, proposals, anniversaries or just a fun backyard glamp out! These tents come complete with real beds, luxury linens, heat, air conditioning, and all the extra amenities.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Long before all the popular platforms, it was hard to connect with potential travelers. We started out advertising locally and on Craigslist because there weren’t too many options. We had a simple website eventually, and when the explosion of popular travel platforms hit the scene, we came on board, and it made it much easier to manage and connect with guests. One of the best things that I did early on was to reach out to our local Convention and Visitors Bureau. That relationship has been long-lasting and rewarding, as now I am on the Board of Directors.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us a bit more about your business.
It all started with a book purchase at an antique store in New Philadelphia, Ohio. While browsing the aisles, Jenny happened upon the book African Game Trails by Theodore Roosevelt. She picked it up for husband, Jeff. A story about Teddy Roosevelt’s hunting trips was a fascinating read about the adventures throughout East Africa, Belgian Congo, Mombassa, Khartoum, and more. What Jenny found of special interest were the pictures and descriptions of the elaborate camp setups of the time. In another camping trip with John Muir to Yosemite, the President’s men had put down 40 thick wool blankets for Roosevelt to sleep on; after that trip, Roosevelt returned to Washington refreshed and enthusiastic about conserving America’s forests and its wilderness areas. He pushed Congress to pass laws to protect the wild lands. He also transferred the responsibility of looking after the forest reserves to the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 1905 by establishing the U.S. Forest Service. Roosevelt created national monuments, parks, and wildlife sanctuaries—saving approximately 230 million acres of public land for all Americans for all time. So, in Jenny’s opinion, our 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt, was the “Original Glamper”!
Planning your visit to Northeast Ohio? You’ll experience the charm of rural countrysides, lush woodlands, and rolling hills. Roosevelt Glamping property has 60 acres of woods, trails, and a meandering creek with several small waterfalls to explore. We are minutes from Downtown Wooster, shopping, dining, Amish country, and many other activities. We have 3 unique rental options; our main cabin, Hidden Valley Cabin, is a cozy yet well-appointed cabin with all the amenities of home. Enjoy scenic views of the spring-fed pond, explore the many trails on the property, or walk through the creek to one of several natural small waterfalls.
The Creekside Safari Tent, where guests can relax on the front porch overlooking the creek while watching a wide variety of birds come to the feeders. Or take a quick walk upstream to a beautiful natural waterfall. Come back and relax by the fire or enjoy a nice long soak in the hot tub.
Pop-up glamping tent rental service at the location of your choice. Whether it’s in your own backyard for a birthday party, an adult cocktail event, set up at a campground or state park of your choice, a wedding day hangout for the bridal party, a surprise date night, overnight accommodations, or just a fun photo shoot, we come to you!
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out.
I learned many things over the last 20 years hosting, many things I learned the hard way. Another service I offer is my consulting services for those to wishing to launch a vacation rental. I wish that I would have had a mentor or someone to consult with all those years ago! There are so many things I wish I could go back and tell my younger self.
Because of the vacation rental market explosion, one piece of advice I would give is to do your market research before investing. Many markets are over-saturated, and buying vacation rentals or transforming existing residential homes without doing any kind of research or feasibility studies can lead to poor performing occupancy rates.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rooseveltglamping.com
- Instagram: @rooseveltglamping
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086524067044
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@rooseveltglamping
