New Yorkers spend a lot of money to live where we do, and because of this (or perhaps in spite of it), we find a great amount of pride in our homes. We scour Pinterest and the Brooklyn Flea for beautiful ideas and unique items with which to populate our personal spaces, and the results are often such works of art that it seems a shame only we can enjoy them.
Touting the idea of the “unhotel,” a local experience for well-heeled travelers, onefinestay.com is changing that. The fully-managed service helps you put your home to work while you’re off playing. But this isn’t a traditional rental site. The company offers a five-star experience from start to finish—for both you and your guests.
Unlike other similar services, onefinestay manages the entire process, from vetting your home and providing gorgeous photos and engaging copy to meeting your guests upon arrival. Says Alexandra, one happy New York host, “Our first season with onefinestay we had a sizable number of bookings. The best part was that I didn’t have to worry about all of these transitions because I had complete trust in how the team was managing our property. They were conscientious and attentive to needs on both sides. It is lovely to be away with peace of mind.” The team even goes so far as to remove and stow any of your personal valuables before the guests arrive, and then replace them at the end of the guest stay.
To make the experience even more stress-free, the onefinestay team takes care of all prep for you home, even providing linens and Kiehl’s toiletries for guests. They also provide insurance and security, so that you are not only worry free, but you can feel like someone is looking after your home while you’re away.
All this provided for you, and yet somehow hosts can feel a sense of pride in what they are providing: a unique experience of their space and their city. To further enhance that local aspect, guests are provided with an iPhone to use during their stay, which cannot only access onefinestay 24 hours a day, but is also loaded with city tips that you can help personalize. It makes you feel like a hands-on host even when you are away.
What’s more, the service is currently at no cost to member hosts, so you can make money off your home without putting out anything in advance. And hosts receive a 30 percent discount in other One Fine Stay cities, which include London, Paris, and Los Angeles.
The site currently lists apartments in Manhattan and Brooklyn, all central (within 45 minutes of Midtown). Homes must meet certain requirements and be vetted by the onefinestay team. To check out other New York properties and see if yours fits the bill, visit onefinestay.com.
Photos of onefinestay listings courtesy of the site.
Sarah Knapp is a Brooklyn based entrepreneur whose love for the outdoors and community building led her to the October 2013 creation of OutdoorFest. She has a BA in History, is a Wilderness First Responder and a NY state hiking, camp and boating guide. Her proudest achievement to date is reading the Aeneid in Latin. 
Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
Josh Laskin is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When he is not at work or on the road, you can find him in the mountains snowboarding, climbing, hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, and eating bagel bites.
Annie is a travel writer, environmentalist, and surfer based in Venice, CA. She heads up our West Coast team, keeps our grammatical errors in check, and makes sure our California writers always have a plan for their next adventure. Follow Annie’s travels @annelisemcb.
Carly Pifer is a freelance writer who has been known to follow whims inspired by romantic movie scenes or colorful street style shots to India, Japan, Tunisia and Argentina. After stints living in Seoul, Boston, Paris and Los Angeles, writing and searching for something intangible, she landed somewhat steadily in Brooklyn and has begun to find inspiration in her more immediate surroundings. 
Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram