Picture this: it’s 6:30 A.M., you’re tucked away in a warm cloud of comfort, gently waking up to the sound of waves crashing and sunshine pouring through the windows. It sounds too good to be true, but we’re here to be the bearers of great news. Thanks to AirBnb superhost, Eliza Wan, and her genius business, Orange Door Co., you can add a dreamy Stay on The Strand in Manhattan Beach to the top of your travel bucket list!
Yes, we had a major pinch-me moment too! This beach front AirBnB isn’t the only stellar property hosted by our friends at Orange Door. In fact, they have over 3,000+ rave reviews from guests who have stayed at their myriad of properties on the LA coast. Whether you’re looking for a place to stay, or are interested in becoming a professional host yourself, Eliza is your guru for all things AirBnB.
Today, we’re excited to tell you more about her story and give you an inside look at our team’s stay at Orange Door’s oceanfront Manhattan Beach AirBnB!
The Space
When they say oceanfront, they really mean it. This idyllic property is right on the sparkling waters of Manhattan Beach. You can enjoy incredible views of the Pacific Ocean through the property’s stunning floor to ceiling windows. These windows span across the entire living room and primary bedroom. The 2 story unit was the perfect getaway for our editors, offering luxurious design with a homey feel. There was plenty of space to sleep, work and play together!
The unit is nestled right on The Strand of Manhattan Beach’s infamous boardwalk. A quick 15 minute walk will take you along clean sand and gorgeous sparkling water. You’ll soon find yourself right at the Manhattan Beach pier. Here, you can explore a plethora of amazing places! There are plenty of options to grab a bite, window shop, or enjoy a drink or two! Our team ordered takeout at El Sombrero and enjoyed dinner together in the spacious dining room. The cherry on top was watching the sun set over the water, right from our window.
Behind the Brilliance of Orange Door Co.
Have you ever dreamt of becoming a professional host, but never knew where to start? With Orange Door, there’s finally a fool-proof way to dive right in. With over 3,000+ amazing reviews on AirBnB, we can confidently tell you that Orange Door knows what they’re doing. They have both guests and hosts in mind in their approach to the short-term rental business!
Partnering with property owners, Orange Door helps to bring amazing short-term rentals to the market. In turn, this generates life-changing passive income for aspiring hosts. Whether you have a single extra room in your home, or a portfolio of multi-unit properties, our friends at Orange Door can help you maximize that extra space with innovative and effective solutions.
“Orange Door believes short-term rentals can benefit hosts, guests, and the community when they are managed with care and attention. Orange Door believes every guest deserves a comfortable place to stay—regardless of why they are traveling. No detail is too small, which is why the Orange Door team “user-tests” each property to make sure the Wi-Fi is strong, the desks don’t wobble, and the TV remote is exactly where you expect it to be.”
Get to Know Eliza Wan: Co-Founder & CMO of Orange Door
A few years ago, Orange Door owners, Justin and Eliza, put a fresh coat of orange paint on the front doors of their Los Angeles ranch-style home. The intent was to welcome guests into their newly converted short-term rental. It was then that they realized how small, thoughtful details can transform an experience. Soon enough, they started seeing potential everywhere–even in the smallest of spaces. We were so excited to chat with Eliza and hear more about her passion for architecture, innovation and hospitality!
What sparked the idea to convert your extra guest suite into a short-term rental space?
“After relocating to LA from NYC nearly 10 years ago, my husband, Justin, and I purchased a mid-century ranch style home. We were both business-minded and we decided we should try to monetize our unused space. The idea was to use the money to help pay for the mortgage and travel. After we launched our first unit, we were surprised at how much we loved sharing our incredible neighborhood and home with our guests. We were so proud of the unique characteristics of our home. Airbnb became such a fun way to share that joy with others. Not to mention, the profit from that one unit covered nearly our entire mortgage. This is what sparked the creation of Orange Door. Since 2017, we have grown the company to over 100 amazing units throughout LA.”
What advice would you give to aspiring AirBnb hosts?
“Travel and experience Airbnbs for yourself, take note of what you like and what you don’t like. What was memorable? Think of both the positive and negative. Then take those notes as your own personal recipe to create your first one! Once you launch, you can continue to refine and iterate as you gain more experience. There’s also a wonderful community of fellow hosts to learn from. The most important thing is taking the first step!”
What has been the best part about growing your biz Orange Door?
“I feel so fortunate to own a company with the belief that a great idea can come from anywhere. If you are inspired and driven, you can make your dreams come true. I am so grateful that as Orange Door has grown, we have been able to hire amazing people with various areas of expertise and interests. It makes me so happy that Orange Door can be a place where they can grow and develop in areas that bring them as much joy and satisfaction that interior design and hosting brings to me.”
What inspires your (interior) design?
“Experiences inspire my interior design. When I create a new space, I like to spend some time sitting and observing the surroundings. I consider – what do I feel, hear, see, smell etc. I like to think about who might be traveling to that space and what type of experience they might be looking for. That process usually conjures up an image of a place I’ve been or an experience I’ve had that feels right for the space and then informs the design of that property.”
How would you describe your design style?
“I love when design and function merge to create frictionless experiences. When those elements are in harmony you can truly enjoy the moments in your everyday life.
In terms of specific design styles, I love mid-century architecture and finishes, like in my LA mid-century ranch where we preserved the original terrazzo floors, wood paneling and stone wall. I also love the richness and elegance of art deco style and in particular the jewel tone color palettes and geometric shapes that are used across this design style.
Though I love these two styles most, at Orange Door Co., I design our properties to enhance the characteristics of the building rather than try to force a specific design style into a space where it may not fit.”
Tell us how you balance it all while being a 2x boy mom!
“Similar to how I approach interior design, I try to embrace all the exciting energy and unexpected turns in my every day and lean into what makes my boys special and unique.
My youngest son, Elliott who is 7, loves to cook and wants to be a chef. I like to involve him in meal planning and preparing dinners and snacks to make a daily chore something fun to do together. He says I’m his Sous-Chef and can’t wait to fully take over all kitchen tasks for our family.
My older son, Sullivan who is 8, has an engineering mind, is very methodical and is an excellent problem solver. One day he came up with an architectural drawing of a chair he wanted to build. I have a dream of someday manufacturing this chair with him and featuring it in some of our properties!
My goal with this business is to show my boys that if they have an idea and something they are passionate about, they can turn it into a career and create a life they love and that is uniquely theirs.”
Book your Stay
It’s safe to say that our stay with Orange Door Co. went far too quickly–our editors are already eager to hop on the next flight to make it happen all over again! Don’t forget to check out the other incredible properties hosted by Orange Door and add this Modern Manhattan Beach getaway to the top of your travel bucket list!
