Big Blue House COS

4 Bed, 3 Bath Rental Home in Colorado Springs, CO

04/02/2024

New Roof, who dis?

I Love Love Love our new onyx roof! This picture doesn’t do the dark broodiness justice.

We were lucky that the roof was in good enough condition, especially for its age, when we bought the house but the hail last summer really did a number on it.

We chose black because we are wanting to change the color of the house in the future. Of course I would go nuts for an all black house but we may end up doing black and white so it’s not so much of a sore thumb in the neighborhood. One thing I’ve learned with this house is my style does not fit Colorado Springs. I’m definitely too LA.

I’m hoping our next moves with the house will be a new front door and updating the bathrooms. Painting the exterior isn’t a priority but it’s on the list.

What do you think of the black roof?

03/31/2024

We didn’t do much with our balcony because we didn’t really use it because it’s right on the courtyard and it was the tower’s home. Since we decided to renew our lease, we want to actually enjoy the space while we live here.

The weather here in the East Bay is so nice and moderate so taking advantage of outdoor space is a must. When we lived in Los Angeles it was too hot to sit outside most of the time.

Orange chairs
Storage cabinet
Grow tower

09/01/2022

The Broadmoor Hotel is an iconic Colorado Springs resort. Not only is it a hotel, it has 17 dining establishments, a variety of activities, + access to exciting nature based adventures.

The Broadmoor is a huge resort. They have "Wilderness Experiences" where you can stay separate from the main building in more secluded areas in nature near rivers, hiking, + the foothills. Seven Falls is adjacent to the property as well as the start of the cog railway. Additionally, they have fly fishing, ziplining, + falconry.

If nature adventure isnt your cup of tea, you can check out their on site activities such as going to the spa, golfing, swimming, horseback riding, or paddle boating.

They feature 17 different dining experiences ranging from casual to fine dining. The restaurants use local + sustainable ingredients + have gorgeous mountain views. Be mindful that some of their restaurants are for guests only. Call for reservations + more information.

08/30/2022

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This was a rarity where I actually reached out to the guest due to the previous guest (the nightmare one) breaking the appliances. She was so understanding about it + I was pleased to see that they enjoyed their time at our home!

08/25/2022

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum is a fun + educational space that shares 100 years of Olympic and Paralympic history.

There are a variety of permanent + rotating exhibits highlighting things like science and technology's role in athlete performance, experiencing the walk into the olympic stadium, history of the olympics, + stories from the games.

Visitor Information:
Sunday // 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monday // 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday // 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Wednesday // 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday // 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday // 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday // 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Advanced tickets are strongly recommended.
General admission tickets
Adult: $24.95
Child (3-12): $14.95
Children 2 and under are free

Military and first responders
Military (active duty or retired) or first responders with ID: $19.95

Seniors
Senior (65+): $19.95

You can book a 1 hour "storytelling experience" walking tour for:
Adult: $39.95
Child: $29.95
Senior: $34.95
Military: $34.95
First responder: $34.95

📸 Jason O'Rear

08/23/2022

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Not all reviews will be 5⭐️ + that's okay! The only complaint from this guest was the heat. Totally valid.

Our listing did say that there was no AC but it seems that people don’t fully read the listings.

Anyway, we now have AC! We had hoped that we could do it later in the year after we got some money back on the house but we listened to our guests and moved up our install date.

08/19/2022

I'm here in COS FINALLY getting to enjoy the house without having to do (much) renovation or fixing of the house!

This giant umbrella takes the deck to a whole new level. It allows guests to sit outside without getting sunburnt or being bothered by the sun.

I am so glad that my friends + I get to enjoy it before summer is over!

08/18/2022

SunWater Spa is located in Manitou Springs featuring Soaks, Spa Services, + Yoga Classes.

SunWater utilizes the area's natural spring water + cedar barrel hot tubs to create a relaxing soaking experience with mountain views. If you go in the summer, you can also enjoy the goings on in the Manitou area, such as drumming in the park, while in a soak. Or peace + relaxation the rest of the year. Soaks are $40/person for 90-minutes.

My friends + I are actually going tonight so I'll update the stories on how it is ✨

Open Tuesday – Sunday 8:00 am – 10:00 pm. The spa is closed Mondays.

514 El Paso Blvd
Manitou Springs, CO 80829

📸

08/16/2022

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Glad to hear this guest would come back- Now that we have AC hopefully she'll think of us in the summer months as well!

08/15/2022

Hello Primary Bedroom 😍

THIS is the room I’m most obsessed with. Since this will be our future room, I wanted to keep it very light + airy. There is no wallpaper here but the decor is on point ✨

I wanted to have a cozy sitting area which I achieved with a secondhand wicker chair + one from
I tried to get both chairs secondhand but it ended up being an impossible find.

Not seen- the workstation with desk, chair, + printer that I use when I’m in town but also available to our work from home guests.

Decor:
Walls-
Brass bell, glass mountains, + antler
Propagation hanging
Small bouquet
Wooden Mountain Range
Landscape pictures Ansel Adams postcards

Furniture-
Small chair, Sonos lamp, small table, side tables, bed frame, rug
Lamps Ashley Furniture
Large wicker chair secondhand from FB marketplace
Lamb skin rug, seat toppers The Wool Company England

08/11/2022

Garden of the Gods is magnificent! It is a good sized nature park with a variety of geology, biology, + topography. It has grasslands, mountains, + forest. You can go rock climbing, hiking, animal watching, or take a nice walk around the "Gods."

The Visitor & Nature Center has a variety of events throughout the year- like meeting wolves or learning more about the history of the park. Some fun events to check out are Yoga in the Park + the Guided Nature Walk. You can book a jeep or segway tour to take you around as well as horseback riding.

Park Hours:
Open Daily
5:00 am – 9:00 pm (Nov 1 - April 30)
5:00 am – 10:00 pm (May 1 - Oct 31)

Visitor & Nature Center Hours: Open Daily
Winter Months 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Summer Months 9:00 am – 6:00 pm
(Memorial Day Weekend - Labor Day Weekend)
Closed - Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day

08/10/2022

Check out this insane sunset 😍

We have such gorgeous views from our house. This is across the street from the end of the backyard. My other favorite view? Pikes Peak from the neighbor side of the backyard.

We used to have an amazing view of Pikes from the Desert room, until we put in a screen. Whomp.

Sidenote: this photo is when the backyard was seriously overgrown like a forest jungle! It is so much more cleaned up now.

08/09/2022

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Glad this guest enjoyed our stocked kitchen!

We have starting scaling back as we notice some people take way more than they should (not this guest. She was great). We no longer provide tooth tabs as some guest took the entire container of it (hard to be eco in covid times too). We have smaller cans of tomato sauce instead of jars as it ended up being wasted. We are slowly learning what works and what doesn't! It's an ever evolving process.

08/08/2022

We have plenty of firewood for everyone to enjoy the firepit 🔥

We bought bulk firewood from Urban Firewood in Colorado Springs. It was truly the easiest experience. I drove in and they filled up the trunk! It cost about $36 for the amount you see, which is half (at least) of what it would have cost from the store. Bonus there was no waste since it's just a mountain of firewood that they pull from.

Come visit us + hang in our gorgeous backyard!

08/04/2022

The Cog Railway is a 3.5 hour round trip journey that takes you 9 miles up to the top of Pikes Peak with 360 views of the scenery. You have the option of a one-way with a hike or bike down the mountain.

Round Trip is one hour up, 40 minutes at the Summit, + one hour and 10 minutes back down to the Depot.

You will see a range of wildlife, native plants (such as Blue Spruce or Bristlecone pines), various topography, + a waterfall. The train also features information about important people + the landscape.

08/03/2022

This moth can be found in the Moon Room 🌙
Fitting for a moth right?

Another beautiful propagation station by with a bright orange paper flower from . Love the night v day on the moth's wings.

08/02/2022

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We love hearing that people like the way our home looks. We worked so hard on it + spent so much to fix up the house that it makes it feel worth it when we get feedback like this.

08/01/2022

I was so excited to find these propagation wall hangings from . They have different animal shapes featuring designs that fully embody the vibe of our house.

This cat can be found in our Garden Room. The pink paper flower from matches the other floral decor of the room. Also, I love anything hot pink 😉

Address

Colorado Springs, CO

Website

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/719102169293576638?preview_for_ml=true&source_impression_id=p3_1680912789_xA3Bk1kaRYWpmt47&

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Pt 2 Managing it Ourselves The downside is that we aren’t as filled up so right now we only have a Christmas booking and nothing else till May. I know we will get more after winter. Honestly, we prefer not having bookings and paying the mortgage ourselves versus having someone stay who will mess up the house. I cannot tell you how scarred we are from the mid-term renters! It also allowed us to stay for the past two weeks which was so nice (we replaced the outdoor furniture and it looks great but I don’t have pictures 🙃). It also allows for family and friends to come visit which is really nice and fun for us. The positive is having people who have been really respectful of the house. Yes, I joke about all the weird things people leave. That’s nothing compared to what last year was like. The vibe and energy of the house is definitely starting to get back to the way it felt when we first started fixing it up which feels good. I still don’t recommend doing short term rentals on your own home or a home you want to live in in the future. We are too emotionally attached to the house which is what makes it really hard! When someone does something to the house, it hurts our hearts because we put so much time, energy, and money into making this beautiful eclectic home that it feels almost personal. I have a rental home somewhere else that I have zero attachment to. I could not care less about the tenants doing something crazy to that house since they have a lease and I have a great manager who takes care of all of it. We didn’t find that in Colorado Springs. I know other people have had good experiences and I think location makes a big difference as well. The Springs isn’t really a hot spot to visit. It’s people passing through, coming in the spring and summer to hike, or for the military academy. #AirbnbHomes #Airbnb #Airbnbhost #AirbnbListing #CozyHome #StayWithUs #vacationrental #AirbnbColorado #AirbnbColoradoSprings #ColoradoSprings #ShortTermRen

Pt 1 Managing it ourselves. I talk about why we chose short term rental instead of long term. And how it has been much better having us take control of the house versus a management company. We trust our cleaner, now we have family close by, and we aren’t stuck with the way a management company wants things done. We have control and it’s been working out really well for us. #AirbnbHomes #Airbnb #Airbnbhost #AirbnbListing #CozyHome #StayWithUs #vacationrental #AirbnbColorado #AirbnbColoradoSprings #ColoradoSprings #ShortTermRental #ShortTermRentalColoradoSprings #COS #ShortTermRentalCOS #vacationrentals #vacation #vacationrental #travel #vacationhome #vacationrentalhomes #shorttermrental #BigBlueHouseCOS