Ever stop at a roadside gas station, look around, and think, "Gee, this place looks nice, I wish I could stay the night?"
Of course you haven’t. Nobody has. But down in Salinas, you have the chance to do it anyway, provided you book ahead of time via the wonders of Airbnb in an ad labeled "Gas Station Stay Over." It’s exactly what it sounds like: Crash at an old gas station for about $50 a night, near Caesar Chavez Park and the airport.
The ad doesn’t provide any pictures of the actual accommodations, only the exterior of the building and, for some reason, a close up of a single exterior window in the back. A touch discomforting. There are no reviews, and the host’s entire pitch consists of the following: "Center to town, all you can drink, bring your own air mattress."
So is this for real? Airbnb’s only rules about what kind of space you can use for hosting is that it has to be exclusively used for accommodation. A room at the back of a gas station would presumably qualify, technically speaking.
The host assures us that the ad is real, but admits that "since it's a gas station" it lacks certain amenities—e.g., showers, beds, kitchen.
This listing does have at least one thing going for it, however: It’s the only Airbnb room available within the Salinas city limits right now. The next cheapest accommodations are $200 a night at the edge of town.
Silver lining: You won’t have to worry about stopping for gas on your way there.
- Gas Station Lay Over [Airbnb]
- Listing restrictions [Airbnb]