Cannabis-friendly vacation rentals catch on
At her bed-and-breakfast Nicole Butler hosts backyard potlucks with THC-infused food.
Photo: Nicole Butler
At Nicole Butler’s bed-and-breakfast, cannabis is in the candy that greets guests at check-in, the homemade shrimp and grits and other meals she serves, and the snacks she sets out for anyone who gets the munchies.
“I’ve really just tried to give people what they’re used to, just with the added element of cannabis,” said Butler.
With permission from her landlord, Butler in 2018 began listing her 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom townhouse in Washington, D.C. on BudandBreakfast.com, which connects guests with hosts who allow marijuana use on their properties.
The site is still tiny, with just 2,000 active listings compared with Airbnb’s 6 million. But the niche market of cannabis-friendly accommodations is gaining interest, with recreational marijuana use now legal in 19 states and Washington. Tourism for cannabis more broadly is also now a $17 billion industry, according to recent data from Forbes.
Some hosts of cannabis-friendly rentals go beyond simply allowing people to smoke or consume weed on site. With rooms starting at $420 per night, for example, Butler offers a fully stocked cannabis bar with a variety of strains to choose from as well as yoga, CBD massages and cannabis education.
A hairstylist before the pandemic, Butler began managing the bed-and-breakfast full time when the salon she worked at closed during the pandemic. She said the business started to sustain itself after about a year.
“I think the pandemic made people really appreciate experiences, self-care, and just doing things that make them feel good,” said Butler.
A growing trend
Cannabis sales in the U.S. are projected to climb from $25 billion in 2021 to $42 billion in 2026, according to cannabis market research firm BDSA.
Among those looking to capitalize on the growing industry is Sean Roby, who launched BudandBreakfast.com in 2015. Homeowners can list their properties for short-term bookings in states where recreational or medicinal cannabis use is legal. When he first started the site, Roby said his business partners were doubtful about whether people would buy into the idea of letting guests smoke cannabis on their properties.
“We get dozens of bookings per day now,” he said.
On the site, listings indicate where in the house smoking is allowed, if cannabis will be provided or if it’s BYOB — bring-your-own-bud. They also include information on local dispensaries and cannabis-friendly events happening in the area.
“We have places that are booked out six months in advance,” Roby said.
Deontae Mack has also been courting guests with his online startup Vibesbnb.com, where he lists cannabis-friendly rentals. The site has more than 150 listings, mostly in Florida, and Mack said about 2,000 users have signed up in the first year.
Florida, one of the top vacation destinations in the U.S., still does not allow recreational cannabis use. But after voters approved a bill in 2016 allowing medicinal…
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