Handmade Hotels

From a media release:

Step inside some of Canadaâ€™s most creative, inspiring and thoughtfully designed short-term rentals in the all-new season of Handmade Hotels (6×30â€™). Hosted by renovation specialist and design enthusiast, Katie Herbert, the Makeful original series follows ambitious homeowners who harness their creativity and DIY skills to revamp spaces for short term rentals. Handmade Hotels uncovers hidden gems, from a 1970s-themed chalet to a remote treehouse-inspired cottage and a former refrigerator factory turned high-tech loft, the spaces are as diverse as the holiday goers themselves. Season 2 of Handmade Hotels airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT, starting Feb. 26 on Makeful, during the channelâ€™s eight-week nationwide free preview event, running until April 5.

In every episode, Katie Herbert explores three short-term rentals, each have something different to offer visitors, such as creative ways to accommodate large groups and children, eco-friendly homes, high-tech renovations, resort-style glamping and restored historic homes. The series is packed with unexpected ideas and inventive flourishes.

The first two episodes include:

Episode 1 – Take a Chance
Wednesday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT
Katie discovers three short-term rentals that have made some big design decisions â€“ with even bigger results. These extraordinary rentals include a bright cottage playhouse in the city filled with vibrant colours and textures, a hundred-year-old farmhouse transformed into a groovy 70â€™s-themed chalet and two deluxe glamping experiences on a rural farm.

Episode 2 – New Experiences
Wednesday, March 4 at 8 p.m. ET/PT
KatieÂ explores three vacation rentals that let visitors step out of their comfort zone. Â First up is a secret communal space in the city where guests can join pop-up concerts and secret dinner parties with local artists. Then, Katie visits a rustic loft above an active barn, where guests can get to know the resident horses. Finally, Katie travels to two off-grid experiments in Tiny Living, including a Scandinavian-themed Tiny Home and a converted silver retro trailer.

Handmade Hotels is produced by Architect-Films, in association with Makeful and distributed globally by Blue Ant Media. Jo Virgo is the Series Producer with Tanya Linton and Mike Sheerin serving as Executive Producers. Brian Quigley is the Director and Ryan West is the Story Editor.

Unless I’m travelling for work, I refuse to stay in a hotel. I much prefer Airbnb for the convenience, homeyness and prices to what hotel chains offer. And, after watching Handmade Hotels, Katie Herbert has opened my eyes when it comes to booking a hotel for a group.

Debuting Tuesday with back-to-back episodes at 10 and 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on Makeful, Herbert takes viewers on a journey to see a trio of short-term rentals designed for larger groups. A renovation specialist who isn’t afraid to think outside the box in her day-to-day gig, Herbert knows a unique design when she sees it. And Handmade Hotels has plenty to offer when it comes both whimsy and wow factor.

After a bit of a history lessonâ€”short-term rentals date back to boarding houses of the 19th century when workers and their families came to the city and needed somewhere to stay when they weren’t on the jobâ€”Herbert visits the first location, a home dating from 1880. After renovating it for her family, homeownerÂ Abigale now offers it as a short-term property for up to nine guests. One of the unique and eye-catching items in the property is a clawfoot tub in the kitchen with a very cute story behind it. As Herbert says, that tub is just the type of item to garner attention when folks search online for somewhere to stay and makes for a great conversation piece.

Herbert’s next stop is a 6,000-foot place, The Darling Mansion, that can easily host 10. Among the highlights in Tanya’s former doctor’s home turned art spaces are antiques and visual curiosities, a room called “The Opium Den” with open shower, and “The Magic Carpet Ride,” boasting a bed suspended from the ceiling.

Upcoming instalments spotlight hidden rooms, eco-friendly homes, tiny homes and historic properties, all part of the short-term rental market.

Handmade Hotels is the latest original production from Blue Ant Media and it’s the perfect fit to a brand offering great homegrown shows like Blown Away, Great Canadian Cottages and Brojects. I’m looking forward to seeing more.

Handmade Hotels airs Tuesdays at 10 and 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on Makeful.

Images courtesy of Blue Ant Media.

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