Greenville has plenty of hotels available for vacationers and business travelers, but the area also has options for those trippers seeking a home away from home that is actually a home.
Short-term rental sites like Airbnb.com and Homeaway.com offer visitors accommodations at a range of price points, offering everything from entire homes to small attic rooms.
More than 300 accommodations are currently available in Greenville on Airbnb, with even more in the surrounding area. Homeaway, on the other hand, offers 44 results for Greenville lodging.
Though Airbnb was founded in 2008, local governments are still considering how to handle issues like taxation and regulation for short-term rentals. The Greenville city and county don’t collect taxes from these rentals, though the state gave local governments more power to enforce tax collection in 2014. In 2016, Airbnb said it would collect and distribute state sales and accommodations taxes and is looking into ways to help at county and city levels.
Though city rules say these rentals should be considered either bed and breakfasts or inns and should get approval by the Board of Zoning Appeals, only a handful of operators have gotten approval.
Jay Graham, city planning director, said the city is looking into ADUs, or accessory dwelling units, “and what we can do to improve the situation,” he said. “We don’t have anything in the works, but we’re sitting down and trying to figure out what we can do to improve things.”
Meanwhile, Greenville County spokesman Bob Mihalic said the issue hasn’t been addressed at the county level.
Thanks to these short-term rental sites, there is money to be made for homeowners renting out their homes. Here are few examples of the amount you might be able to make.
What: Private room with attached bath in a townhome
Where: One block from Main Street in Travelers Rest and two blocks from the Swamp Rabbit Trail
Cost: $45/night
bit.ly/2hqHnYg
What: Private room in new home with queen bed and bath
Where: Near Cleveland Park and less than 10 minutes from downtown. The Greenville Health System Swamp Rabbit Trail is a quarter of a mile away.
Cost: $65/night
bit.ly/2hu9fHJ
What: Private room in an upgraded unit in Orchard Park apartment
Where: Off I-85 and Haywood Road, minutes from Haywood Mall and dining options
Cost: $60/night
bit.ly/2fsER3c
What: Modern home on Paris Mountain, ideal for cyclists. Private room with access to living room, dining room, kitchen, and deck with firepit.
Where: On Paris Mountain, minutes from Travelers Rest or downtown Greenville
Cost: $60/night
bit.ly/2fMvfgV
What: Newly renovated condo overlooking the second tee at the Green Valley Golf Course. One bedroom and bath.
Where: Two miles from Furman and the Swamp Rabbit Trail in Travelers Rest. Seven miles from downtown Greenville.
Cost: $100/night
bit.ly/2wPbBv1
What: An entire 3,400-square-foot home with four bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and a finished basement
Where: Five minutes from downtown Simpsonville, 1 mile from I-385, and 15 minutes to downtown Greenville
Cost: $350/night
bit.ly/2hvjXxp
What: Your own tiny home in a woodsy setting, with living area, full kitchen, modern bath, and loft bedroom
Where: In a new tiny-home community in Greer, complete with half-mile nature trail and lake. Five minutes from downtown Greer.
Cost: $95/night
bit.ly/2wOM70L 
What: Bungalow with two bedrooms and one bath
Where: Near Main Street, Fountain Inn, with quick access to I-385
Cost: $55/night
bit.ly/2yCWqTd
What: A private room with room for two, along with an exclusive bathroom. The home includes workout room, pool, firepit, and tiki bar.
Where: Near Stallings Road in Taylors and 12 minutes from downtown Greenville
Cost: $75/night
bit.ly/2y3P6Tr 
What: An entire cabin with one bedroom and one bath
Where: At Lakepoint on the Saluda, on Saluda Lake near Berea. A few minutes from Furman and Travelers Rest.
Cost: $122/night
bit.ly/2wfZjaE
What: Eco-conscious historic mill home that is dog-friendly. Private bedroom and large backyard with creek.
Where: Woodside Cotton Mill Village Historic District, 3 miles from downtown. Half a mile from the Village of West Greenville.
Cost: $35/night
bit.ly/2hui83Y
What: One bedroom with shared bath, two porches, and two patios. Free bicycle access.
Where: Two miles from downtown Greenville and 300 yards from Swamp Rabbit Café and Grocery
Cost: $45/night
bit.ly/2wghNI5 
What: Second-story apartment in an updated single-family home. Two bedrooms and two baths, and an eat-in kitchen with new appliances.
Where: Five blocks from Fluor Field, less than two blocks from a downtown trolley stop
Cost: $149/night
bit.ly/2fmNMQj
What: Newly renovated three-bedroom townhome that sleeps up to eight. Deck with gas grill and firepit.
Where: One mile from downtown Clemson and campus with easy access to area lakes
Cost: $475/night
bit.ly/2xqQm28
