Nestled along a quiet gravel road and overlooking a small lake, a new Airbnb location has driven onto the scene. Holbrook natives Daniele and Chris Frye have turned a retired school bus into a cozy home away from home, with plans to expand their operation, called Blessed Valley Lodging, in the future.
Daniele, who has worked as a school bus driver at West Greene High School for over 18 years, said the idea was providential. “I’d been working a few different jobs, and I was up here one day. I love the pond area, and I stayed across the pond and prayed. I feel like God gave me this vision to put a bus up here,” she said.
Her husband Chris, who was less than sure at first, gradually warmed to the idea through prayer and Daniele’s consistent requests. The two then set off to transform their property into the perfect Airbnb.
According to Danielle, the bus is a retired Bluebird model, which she acquired for a very reasonable price. Once the bus was acquired, the first step was to apply for a business loan through the Greene County Industrial Development Authority (IDA), which grants low-interest loans to small businesses to help them get on their feet. She said the process began in January 2020, and they received the $50,000 loan in June of the same year.
In the meantime, they began to prepare the bus, pulling out seats, floor insulation, and wall paneling. “When we were gutting it before we got the loan, I kept doubting,” Frye said. “I thought maybe we’re not going to be able to do it. Then when I was removing the seats, I found this cross. So, I took a picture of it and kept it on the bus. That was my confirmation that God was telling me it’s going to be OK.”
After that, everything fell into place. Chris, who had a career’s worth of experience in commercial construction, used his technical knowledge to implement Daniele’s ideas. Working together, they renovated the bus. They built what they could and paid for the rest. They also had friends pitch in to help.
According to Chris, the project’s most expensive aspect was the insulation. They hired professionals from the Pittsburgh area to install it. Additionally, the couple installed a 200-amp electrical pole several yards away to heat the bus and power the equipment inside.
“There’s probably just shy of 1,000 feet of electric wire in this bus,” Chris said. Indoor plumbing was installed through the walls of the bus to pump water to the sink, shower, and toilet. Finally, a new roof was added to cover the whole thing.
Daniele designed the bus, which they christened Blessed Memories, with a bluebird theme inside the bus to match the bus’s model. Painted white tree branches line the windows, nest-like lighting fixtures hang over the dining room table and feathers decorate the bedside table. The bus comes fully stocked with a sink, oven, fireplace, electric stovetop, bathroom, shower and multiple televisions, in addition to countless other amenities. “I try to improvise every little corner that we could use to make it like a home,” she said.
The couple has welcomed three guests to their lakeside Airbnb so far, and they hope to grow their client list through the year. Additionally, the Frye’s have been discussing hosting community events like family fishing days, Christian retreats, and retreats for abused individuals. “I think you have to reach out and give too, not just always thinking you’re going to do something to take,” Daniele said.
The couple’s plans have not just ended at one school bus. Daniele said their IDA loan was initially meant to refurbish two buses, not just one. “That’s the problem with construction,” Chris said. “You always need more than you think you do.” Despite the loan covering only the first bus, the couple still plans to refurbish the second once their investment starts to pay off.
“We already have the second bus purchased.” She added they plan to design the bus with a rustic theme and name it Blessed Freedom. While Blessed Memories was designed with couples in mind, the new one will be much more family-oriented with bunk beds and a master bedroom attachment.
“I definitely think it’s worth the value that we have for nightly stays, just because of everything that is provided.” Currently, Airbnb lists the rental price as $180 per night.
To learn more, visit the Blessed Valley Lodging Airbnb page.