Couples Can Actually Rent This Couple's Home For Free Through Airbnb

A true gift from the heart.

Meet Bryan Ames, 34, and Marisa Henderson, 26. They first met through the home-renting site Airbnb back in 2012, when Bryan was one of Marisa's guests in her Florida home.

Marisa Henderson

Now, four years later, they're on a seven-month journey around the world together, funded entirely by renting out their shared Boston apartment on Airbnb. They're also renting out that apartment for free to other couples on Airbnb who may not be able to afford to travel together otherwise.

It all started when Marisa posted one room in her 2-bedroom Jacksonville, Florida, apartment on Airbnb for only $25 a night.

Marisa Henderson

Marisa Henderson

"I was 22 at the time, and I didn't have a lot of money to travel — so I decided that my way of traveling was to have people from all around the world come to visit me," Marisa told BuzzFeed Travel. Bryan was one of those people.

Surprisingly enough, considering how this story turns out, the couple did not hook up during Bryan's initial four-night stay — though the thought admittedly entered Bryan's mind.

Marisa Henderson

On the last night, the now-couple hung out and drank wine on the couch. "Then came that awkward moment where it was time to go to bed. I followed her into her room like a puppy dog, but just said goodnight. I was thinking, like, 'Is it totally inappropriate to make a move on your host?' It just felt totally taboo, like something I shouldn't do," Bryan said.

So he didn't. But they ended up talking every day for three months, until Marisa went up to Boston to visit him.

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Free from the "should we or shouldn't we" host-guest relationship, they finally went for it — and from then on, they were a couple.

One year and five visits later, Marisa moved into Bryan's three-bedroom Boston rental.

airbnb.com

He'd been sharing the place with a friend, and Airbnb-ing the third room. After Marisa moved in, Bryan's friend moved out, and the couple remodeled the place and put both extra rooms on Airbnb.

They charged $75 and $95 per night for the rooms (which is roughly $5,000 per month). Check out the full listing here.

Turns out, Bryan and Marisa made enough money on Airbnb to fund a seven-month trip around the world.

Marisa Henderson

Marisa Henderson

After a full year playing host and hostess, they were able to save about $2,000 a month, eventually putting aside roughly $25,000 — all of which went toward their travels. So far, they've been to Iceland, Norway, Spain, France, Morocco, Italy, Croatia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Greece, the UAE, the Seychelles Islands, Tanzania, and Thailand — with many more countries to go.

Fortunately, Bryan, a head bartender, was able to fully secure his job so he can return after his travels. And Marisa, a career resource specialist, may return when she gets home, too.

From July 2016 to July 2017, they are opening their home for FREE to "dedicated couples who haven't had the time or resources to have a romantic getaway."

airbnb.com

airbnb.com

airbnb.com

These can be married couples who never had a honeymoon, couples who are planning to get married but can't afford a honeymoon, or any couple who simply hasn't had the chance to take a romantic getaway in years.

"Our hope is that this couple would be able to spend the money that they would've spent on accommodation on outings, romantic dinners, and the travel itself," Bryan and Marisa told BuzzFeed Travel.

Marisa Henderson

"Because we think there really isn't a better way to get to know someone than when you're traveling — you can grow so much together."

Bryan and Marisa are accepting couples' stories at [e-mail] and will pick their favorites to stay in their home rent-free.

airbnb.com

airbnb.com