Stayhaus Field Guide — No. 04
We started Stayhaus because hotels felt anonymous.
Stayhaus began in 2019 with a single loft in Lisbon's Alfama district and a simple observation: the best trips are remembered by the places you slept — the creak of wooden beams, the neighbour's laundry line, the café downstairs that learns your order by day two.
We built a marketplace that treats homes like entries in a travel ledger: precisely located, honestly priced, and personally vetted. Today Stayhaus lists handpicked stays across European cities and countryside — from a canal-side attic in Amsterdam to a stone barn in the Cotswolds — each one booked by travellers who'd rather feel found than processed.
"Stay somewhere that feels found, not booked."
What we hold the line on
Honest pricing
The nightly rate you see is the rate you pay. Fees are folded into the total before checkout — never sprung at the end.
Homes, not inventory
We list places with a point of view: lived-in, cared-for, and photographed without wide-angle flattery.
Local first
Every stay keeps money in its neighbourhood. We favour independent hosts over portfolios, always.
Verified everything
Identities, addresses, amenities and reviews — each checked by a person before it reaches the grid.
Slow travel
We encourage longer stays, off-season trips and countryside detours that spread tourism more gently.
Plain language
No dark patterns, no legalese traps. If a rule matters, we say it in one clear sentence.
Stayhaus in numbers
Handpicked stays across Europe, each personally vetted
Average guest rating across all stays
Nights booked since our first Lisbon loft
Of guests say they would book with Stayhaus again
The small team behind the ledger
Marta Almeida
Opened the first Stayhaus loft in Alfama. Still inspects every new listing in person.
Jonas Verhoeven
Former Amsterdam host of six years. First call for every host question, big or small.
Claire Dubois
Keeps check-ins smooth from Marais studios to Cotswolds barns — usually within the hour.
Tomas Berger
Builds the verification and protection systems that keep both sides of the ledger secure.