A small log cabin located in Roberts was recently named the most hospitable Airbnb in the state by the rental property website.
For owner Charlene Giffin, the announcement is a testament to all of the hard work they have put into the property over the years.
"We both take a lot of pride of ownership in the home," Giffin said, referring to she and her husband Will. "To be the most hospitable host for the state of Montana was a huge, huge honor."
The selection is made by Airbnb, and the criteria requires a rate of 100% 5-star reviews in the categories of cleanliness, check-in, and communication with a minimum of 100 reviews. Charlene and Will have over 150 reviews and have never received less than a 5-star review in these categories.
"There's nothing better than getting a 5-star review," Giffin said. "Just to know that the visitor enjoyed the experience and made great memories."
The traveling experience is one that the Giffins are familiar with. Originally from Ohio, they used to visit Montana as tourists.
"We'd wanted to move here after vacationing here since 2001," Giffin said. "We just have always wanted to live somewhere wild and free, so to speak."
In 2008, the Giffins took the leap and the place that they loved to visit became their home.
"We fell in love with this cabin," Giffin said. "We lived here and we've created a lot of wonderful memories. Now, we want to share those with other people by opening this up as a short-term rental."
So, in 2017, the family moved out of their humble homestead and to a ranch just 15 minutes away between Bridger and Roberts. They then began transforming their old home into a vacation spot but did the best they could to maintain the qualities that made it special.
"Whether or not we're staying here or somebody else is staying here, we really wanted to keep it rustic and as 'Montana' as possible," Giffin said.
The Giffins made plenty of upgrades but did so in a way that preserved the cabin's history. The kitchen cabinets are made out of wood that was from the original outside of the cabin. There's also an old-fashioned can opener built into the wall that's never been replaced.
"There's just so much history in the house," Giffin said. "It was extremely important to us to not change it too much."
There's a lot of special features, but none mean more to Charlene than the bunkhouse, which originally was a shed on the property before Charlene's husband remodeled it into a guest house. The rebuild was designated for Charlene's mother Vicki because she had planned to move in. Unfortunately, she died before seeing the finished product.
"I wish my mom was here to enjoy it and see it," Giffin said. "I get emotional with the whole property because we loved it so much."
That love is now shared with others and Giffin said she couldn't be more proud of what they've accomplished.
"I'm just incredibly proud of both of us," Giffin said. "We like the trajectory we're on and we just want to keep moving along."
