A Carpenter’s $1M secret

February 3rd, 2025

read time 3.5 minutes

Welcome to Experiential Hospitality, a weekly newsletter where I share stories and insights to help you craft unforgettable spaces and experiences through design & hospitality. Forwarded this email? Sign up here

workshop to wonderland

Chris Broomfield is a humble man.

When I first met him at a conference back in August, I assumed he was “just another” nice guy in the STR space. I was wrong.

An hour into our conversation, I had a profound respect (which has only since grown) for this man and his journey.

His story in a nutshell:

In 2016, Chris was working as a trim carpenter, living paycheck to paycheck. He was building other people’s dreams but had nothing for his own family.

Then, a devastating blow hit. His wife, pregnant with their first son Ethan, was rear-ended at a stoplight by a drunk driver going over 50 mph.

Miraculously, she and their baby survived.

The settlement was just enough to buy 5 acres of overgrown land in upstate New York for $28,000—four hours north of the city, near the tiny town of Remsen.

Chris saw an opportunity: the perfect spot to build a unique stay that could earn income while he slept (literally).

navigating rural permitting

Unlike the bureaucratic nightmare in many urban areas, permitting in rural New York was refreshingly straightforward. A couple trips to the local township, some conversations with the inspector, and he had a clear path forward.

This has changed somewhat, but it’s still more who-you-know than you might think. A willingness to show up in person and build relationships with local officials went a long way in getting things done.

the $800 invention that changed everything

Every weekend for three years, Chris drove up from Connecticut to build a dream for his family. He designed and built a stunning A-frame cabin, doing everything himself to keep costs low.

He drilled a 120-ft well for $4,800, ran power from the road, and installed traditional drain field septics for each cabin ($1,800 each). Total cost: $85,000.

But it was this one truly epic DIY feature which only cost $800 in parts that changed everything.

Using a garage door motor, rubber gaskets, and some metal track from the local hardware store, Chris engineered a bed that slides out under the stars. It works in every season (though you probably wouldn’t want it open for long in the winter 😉).

Here’s the rough sketch how the mechanism works:

He listed the cabin on Airbnb, and the internet exploded.

Millions of views, major media features, and $1M+ in bookings since opening. More than 1,000 international guests have travelled from around the world to stay here.

But Chris wasn’t done...

Special thanks to Hostaway for sponsoring this newsletter. After spending a ton of time researching and testing property management & direct booking softwares, this one takes the cake. If you’re considering a PMS and want my top recommendation, give Hostaway a shot and use code FrenchFive during your demo call for 30% off AND free onboarding!

a whole village of iconic stays

A year later, in just 14 weeks start to finish, he built a treehouse with a suspension bridge entrance.

When a territorial buck kept ramming its antlers into the cabin’s large windows, he built a miniature pond with a 40-ft waterfall against the glass, complete with a tiny dock.

A poetic solution—and a textbook definition of “instagramable.”

Then came the third cabin, featuring a 16-ft indoor waterfall.

Now he’s building a mirror cabin and a wellness hut, opening in just a few months. This is yet another great example of a host designing a bespoke unit and then selling the plans, or in this case, a ready-built prefab, allowing others to bring his vision to their own land. (If you’re interested, you can fill out this form).

By the way, mirrors in nature aren’t as dangerous for birds as you might think. They have special UV coatings with bird-shaped patterns that humans can’t see. Since birds see ultraviolet light, these coatings help prevent collisions.

5 acres transformed into a whole village of iconic stays. Each cabin goes viral for different reasons, making his property a powerhouse.

the numbers speak for themselves

$550+ nightly rates per cabin
90–95% year-round occupancy (in a seasonal market)
60% direct bookings
Hundreds of thousands of followers
300+ million social media views

Now you know why Chris is such a star in my book.

But at the end of the day, he was just a guy with a dream and the determination to build a better future for his family. Through design, craft, and a heart to serve, he transformed an overlooked piece of land into a legendary family asset.

I hope this inspires you—because with vision and effort, I believe we can all create something just as meaningful.

You can check out Chris’ website and book a stay here.

And if you know someone who’d enjoy this newsletter, feel free to share it. Have a wonderful week!

—Isaac

*This newsletter is sponsored by Hostaway, but I only run ads for products I love and use myself. If you want to advertise to over 25,000 highly-engaged design & hospitality entrepreneurs and enthusiasts, hit reply and let’s talk.