Why I built Staycado

When my family bought a holiday home in California's river country, I watched it sit empty too often. I'd tell friends and family, "please use it," "stay at my place," "just let me know what you want to go up there." And they'd nod, and say thanks. But no one ever went (except my Mom).

I don't think it was because they didn't want to. I think the truth was they had questions they didn't feel comfortable asking. How many bedrooms? What's it actually near? Asking can feel like you're putting someone on the spot, so people just... don't.

Fast forward a few years: we'd moved to England and bought a holiday home in Spain, and I wanted things to be different.

I wanted a private, warm way to say "you're invited to stay at my home," and a way to share the details friends need to actually decide "is this place for me?" My goal: fill my home with people I love, even when I'm not there to enjoy it with them.

So I built Staycado. It started as an idea for sharing a vacation home, but it doesn't have to stop there. It's for any space that sits empty: your home while you're travelling, a spare room, a getaway you only use a few weeks a year, an RV in your driveway.

Here's how it works. You build a simple home page with all the details: bedrooms, bathrooms, parking, exact location, and a calendar of when it's available. You share it with your circle, and they reach out when they want to stay.

Whether you're hosting or travelling, I hope Staycado turns "you should come sometime" into "thank you so much for the wonderful stay."