The Birth of an Idea — Mona Al-Harbi’s Journey into Private Hospitality

In this feature from the Host Library, Mona Al-Harbi — a host with over two years of experience in private hospitality and short-term rentals — shares how her journey began. From a simple guest experience to taking her very first step as a host.

My name is Mona Al-Harbi, and I’ve been a host in the private hospitality and short-term rental sector for over two years. Throughout this journey, I’ve faced challenges, gained valuable lessons, and discovered that every host goes through a long path — one that begins with a single idea and leads to welcoming their very first guest.

The idea of short-term rentals had never crossed my mind — until November 2023.

During Riyadh Season, I booked an apartment in Riyadh through Booking.com. The experience was unlike anything I had encountered before.

The host would check in with me daily, asking:

“Is everything okay? Do you need anything?”

It didn’t feel like staying at a hotel.

It felt like staying somewhere that genuinely cared about its guests.

That feeling brought back memories of when I lived in Canada. Back then, I always chose Airbnb apartments when traveling with my children. Having a kitchen and a space that felt like home — even in another country — made a huge difference.

After returning to my hometown, Jeddah, curiosity led me to contact the host and ask:

How did you start? And how can I enter this field?

He walked me through the entire process — from selecting the right property and furnishing it, to obtaining licenses and listing the unit on booking platforms. The information was new, insightful, and exciting. What intrigued me most was realizing that in Saudi Arabia, this sector is driven not only by large hotel chains, but also by individual hosts.

That’s when the idea began to grow.

I asked myself: Why not start?

Fortunately, the beginning was smooth. My father owns a compound in Al-Nahda District, which solved the biggest challenge — having the right property.

However, my advice to anyone considering entering this field is simple:

Location is everything.

It determines occupancy rates before anything else.

In Jeddah, for example, North Jeddah is among the most in-demand areas, especially for visitors seeking proximity to the sea.

I chose one of the villas within the compound and decided it would be my first unit — the start of my journey as a host.

And from there… my real journey in hospitality truly began.

In the next article, I’ll share what came after choosing the property:

How I prepared the unit, selected the furniture, built the identity, and added design touches that reflect Saudi character with a modern spirit.