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Scottsdale Airbnb rated one of state’s best

BY ALEX GALLAGHER Progress Staff Writer

Karla Hostetler has been listing her Scottsdale guest house on Airbnb for over four years and recently was recognized as one of the online lodging platform’s best in Arizona.

The 1,200-square-foot, one bed, one bath home has its own garage, washer and dryer and shares a large backyard and pool with the Hostetler’s main home – which guests are welcome to enjoy.

Although Hostetler has been the owner of an Airbnb property for four years, her affinity for the company began a bit earlier.

Between seven and eight years ago, Hostetler began using Airbnb while traveling and loved the concept.

When she returned home, she decided she wanted to sell her home and get a larger property with a guest house that she could use as an Airbnb and have on hand when her or her husband’s parents decided they wanted to move in.

“I said ‘you know what, I’m getting a little tired of driving to do different things, we love Airbnb, let’s get a place that has a guest house we’ll try as an Airbnb,’” Hostetler said.

Her 5-star Airbnb has amassed almost 120 positive reviews as people have raved about the location of the property and how friendly of a host Hostetler is.

“When people come here, I want them to have a great experience,” she said. “I want it to be fun.”

Hostetler begins each experience by greeting guests at the door of the property, then gives her guests a tour of the home that begins in the living room.

The living room is decorated with cozy leather furniture surrounding an entertainment center stocked with board games

Carla Hostetler is proud of the recognition she received from Airbnb that identified her as one of its most hospitable hosts in Arizona. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

seeAIRBNB page 19

48 Women begins intriguing search

BY ALEX GALLAGHER Progress Staff Writer

Nearly 10-years after its initial publication, the Scottsdale nonprofit 48 Arizona Women has begun a search for a new list of intriguing women to commemorate in its next book.

Originally conceptualized as part of the state’s centennial celebration, the group is looking for a new and diverse group of women to feature in a new book, “Arizona’s 48 Most Intriguing Women—A New Decade.”

“We’re looking for women who have been innovators, have done great research, are in the trades or are astronauts,” 48 Women Committee Chair Connie Robinson said. “We’re looking at areas that are mainly male dominated and have women that are making a great difference.” While a decade has passed since the first edition of the book hit shelves, Robinson feels that events in the past year and a half have proven the strength and resilience of women in Arizona as well as around the globe. “When we look at the original ‘48 Arizona’s Most Intriguing Women,’ it was tied to the centennial and their remarkable work,” she said.

“The world has witnessed and been involved in a pandemic like we have never known in our lifetime, and I think that the work of those women who were on the frontlines for COVID-19 relief and those who helped lead the charge in healthcare, law enforcement and scholars will be recognized.”

and an Xbox gaming console.

Inside the living room is a breakfast bar and a dinner table while the bedroom provides a warm feel and a sliding glass door that leads out to the property’s backyard.

At the end of the tour, Hostetler shows her guests a binder with general information about the property, restaurants to dine at and things to do.

“When people check in and I meet them, I can give so much better suggestions once I see them,” she said. “I always suggest the Musical Instrument Museum – especially when it’s hot – the Phoenix Zoo, Botanical Gardens Phoenix, McDowell Mountain Ranch, Railroad Park and the Butterfly Wonderland.”

She even categorizes restaurants and things to do by the distance from the residence.

“I put my favorite places to go to that are close and then I put my favorite places like 20 minutes away,” Hostetler said. “I did breakfast places in particular, golf courses, movie theatres and stuff that I enjoy doing when I travel or things, I wouldn’t want them to miss out on if I were here on vacation.” Hostetler benefits most from the state’s tourism season, which generally picks up at the beginning of the year.

“From the middle of January to the beginning of April, I’m packed,” she said. “When Barrett-Jackson starts and then there’s the Arabian horse that feeds into Phoenix Open and then spring training kicks off.”

Hostetler stated that during that time, it is not uncommon for her to have guests check out in the morning and then have new guests check in the same afternoon. When tourists aren’t in and out of her property, Hostetler has seen a substantial number of reservations from patients at the Mayo Clinic. Hostetler has said that she has met the nicest people through running an Airbnb, although one guest that came to receive experimental treatment at the Mayo Clinic became her most memorable.

A woman stayed at Hostetler’s home for seven weeks last December, at a time where Hostetler was redoing her living room and had moved an existing piano into the guest bedroom.

She was initially worried about the move, but it turned out to be the perfect coincidence.

The guest was an accomplished pianist and played the piano during her entire stay.

“I just thought, what were the chances that I happened to put that piano in the bedroom,” Hostetler said with a laugh.

Though that was one of the most memorable moments of her time as an Airbnb host, Hostetler best exemplified what hospitality means to her with another guest interaction.

She had an older couple in town to watch a Milwaukee Brewers spring training game who had trouble printing their tickets.

Hostetler had the couple come into the main house and they all sat together at the computer and were able to get the tickets printed successfully.

“It’s just things like that where I think how could I make that state better? That took no effort to come over and do it,” she said. “Whatever you can do to make it more fun and make it work for them, I guess that’s hospitable, being a nice person.

Hostetler prides herself on her generosity as a host and always loves when that generosity is reciprocated.

“We’ve met really the nicest people and it’s nice when you see them come back,” she said.

Info: Airbnb.com

Guests at Karla Hostetler's Airbnb have access to the pool and spacious backyard along with separate living quarters. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff Photographer)

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Robinson also thinks that the work women have done throughout the pandemic could serve as a nexus event.

“I think the impact of the pandemic is going to show us a whole new look at how women lead young and seasoned women throughout the second iteration of 48 Arizona Women,” she said.

Robinson hopes the other contrast in the new edition will be the diversity of the women featured.

“We know that diversity, equity and inclusion is a driver for the world today and we were very fortunate to have such a diverse lineup of women in the original 48 Arizona Women from every ethnicity,” she said, adding: “We believe that this book, from the educational perspective, will reach those underserved girls who will see faces that look like theirs and say I can be this and I can do that too.”

Robinson has already witnessed the impact the first book has had on young women.

“We feel that the book itself has motivated young girls,” she said. “We’re talking to a young lady who is an Oxford grad and has said that the book really inspired her, particularly the parts about Judge Barbara Mundell and Judge Roxanne Song Ong.” Mundell and Song Ong are just a few of the standouts from the first edition.

“We traveled the state from the White Mountains to Yuma, Sierra vista to Sedona and identified women who were doing incredible work from Chief Justice Sandra Day O’Connor to Delphine Rodriguez, who is an ordained minister and a member of the San Carlos Apache tribe that ministered to and assisted in the re-entry of incarcerated women,” Robinson said.

Other individuals Robinson spoke highly of were Carmen Bermúdez, Mary Black and Virginia Counts. Bermúdez was a famous bullfighter in Costa Rica before coming to Arizona and opening the first Latina-led mission trust in Tucson. The book also identified Mary Black, who opened the first and only Black Family and Child Services and there was also Virginia Counts, who worked at Honeywell at the time and led the team that was responsible for creating the safety lever that Captain Chelsea “Sully” Sullenberger used to safely land U.S. Airways Flight 1519 in the Hudson River. Other notable names in the first edition

SCOTTSDALE PROGRESS | WWW.SCOTTSDALE.ORG | AUGUST 22, 2021 included: Lonnie Ali, Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, Cindy McCain, Jeanne Herberger, Former Governor Janet Napolitano, Diana Taurasi and Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams. With a first book stacked with impressive women, Robinson is excited to see the women who are nominated for the next list. “When we first did this, we received well over 300 nominations, so I believe we will be more than pleased with the number of nominations that we receive,” she said. Robinson said 48 Women received its first nomination a day after applications opened and have received 10 applications within the first five days they accepted nominations. Beyond hoping to find impressive women to feature in the book, Robinson hopes it can serve as a source of inspiration for the next generation of women.

“I would hope that young girls and young women would see in this book that if you have a dream and you have a goal, that you yourself are the one that stops that dream and that goal. Just keep moving forward and you will reach that dream or that goal,” she said.

Categories include Education/Scholars, Entertainment/Sports, Arts/Culture/History, Government/Legislative/Judicial, Social Change/Environmental, Business/ Economics, Science/Medicine/Research, Technology/Innovation/Entrepreneurs, Philanthropy/Non-Profit, Military/Public Safety, Family/Community and Construction/Industrial/Transportation. A committee comprising a diverse group of community leaders, public and private sector leaders and residents will evaluate nominees on several key factors: the impact that their leadership, accomplishments and dedication have had on the state and the nation; their influence as role models and visionaries; and their ability to relate to a wide range of people. Honorees will be announced in early 2022 and featured in a 140-plus page coffee table book titled “Arizona’s 48 Most Intriguing Women—A New Decade,” telling each woman’s story in words and photos. All honorees will be formally recognized in spring 2022 during a 48 Women Luncheon as well as a VIP reception for the launch of the book. The book will be available for purchase throughout Arizona in mid-2022. The application period is open until Sept. 30 and the honorees will be announced in January 2022.

Info: 48women.org.