Jungle House

What Jungle House does

Jungle House is a privately held boutique vacation rental company founded and operated by Sergio Castaneda, headquartered at 254 W Poplar Ave in the Short North Arts District of Columbus, Ohio. The company operates a portfolio of 35+ individually branded luxury vacation homes (including Welcome to the Jungle, Jungle Fever, Book Loft, Jungle Sol, Casa Nova, and Urban Jungle) ranging from 1- to 4-bedrooms and accommodating 3-15 guests, with a second market presence in Chillicothe, Ohio. Each property is characterized by a plant-filled, mid-century modern aesthetic designed for social media visibility, and is equipped with smart locks for self check-in, noise monitoring sensors, exterior security cameras, smart TVs with major streaming services, and high-speed WiFi. The company also offers ancillary services including commercial photography/videography rentals, romance and birthday packages, grocery stocking, mid-stay cleaning, and a free coworking day pass at Industrious Sutton for direct bookers.

The business model is fundamentally transactional nightly rental income supplemented by recurring monthly stays (28+ nights) targeted at traveling nurses and corporate relocators, plus transaction-fee add-ons and production rentals. Pricing is unit-based, starting at $79/night for a 1-bedroom and scaling to premium 4-bedroom configurations, with direct bookings priced at least 10% below Airbnb and VRBO listings. Distribution is hybrid: a proprietary direct booking site (book.junglehouse.org) is the prioritized margin channel, complemented by Airbnb (where the company holds 32-time Superhost status with 5,800+ five-star reviews) and VRBO as secondary OTAs. Customer segments are diversified across leisure travelers, healthcare professionals on temporary contracts (OhioHealth, OSU Wexner, Mount Carmel, Nationwide Children's), corporate/business travelers, family visitors to Ohio State University, and commercial production clients. The company also operates a property management and consulting service for external real estate investors, signaling a vertical extension beyond direct property ownership.

Name

Jungle House

Website

https://junglehouse.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Jungle House is a privately held boutique vacation rental operator running 35+ plant-filled luxury short-term rental properties in Columbus and Chillicothe, Ohio, serving leisure travelers, traveling nurses, corporate relocators, and commercial production clients through direct booking and Airbnb.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vacation Rentals

NAICS

Hotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (72111)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAGANAA

Whole-Home Rentals (Houses, Villas, Cabins)

Travel & Hospitality/Lodging & Accommodation/Vacation Rentals (Short-Term Rentals)

SECONDARYTHAGANAI

Family & Group-Friendly Rentals (Large Homes, Multi-Unit Compounds)

Travel & Hospitality/Lodging & Accommodation/Vacation Rentals (Short-Term Rentals)

Keywords

• Vacation rentals
• Short-term rentals
• Luxury accommodations
• Furnished properties
• Airbnb hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Short-term Vacation Rentals: Nightly rental income from 35+ luxury vacation homes in Columbus, Ohio and Chillicothe, Ohio. Properties range from 1-4 bedrooms, accommodating 3-15 guests. Revenue is transaction-based with variable pricing based on property size, season, and demand. Direct bookings earn 10% lower rates than OTA channels.
2. Extended Stay Rentals: Monthly rental pricing for stays of 28+ days, offered at discounted rates compared to nightly pricing. Targets traveling nurses, corporate relocations, and remote workers. Booked directly via email inquiry.
3. Photography and Commercial Production: Hourly and nightly rates for photography shoots, music videos, sitcoms, and commercials filmed at properties. Custom quotes provided based on production requirements.
4. Add-on Services and Packages: Romance/anniversary packages ($60-79), birthday packages ($79), early check-in/late checkout upgrades ($25-75), pet fees ($35-49/night), additional vehicle parking ($10-15/night), mid-stay cleaning services, and grocery stocking ($75 flat fee)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Jungle House operates 35+ luxury short-term vacation rental properties in the Short North Arts District of Columbus, Ohio and in Chillicothe, Ohio, ranging from 1 to 4 bedrooms and accommodating 3 to 15 guests. Each property is decorated with rare plants and mid-century modern furnishings, and is fully equipped with kitchens, smart TVs with streaming, high-speed WiFi, smart-lock self check-in, and complimentary amenities. The company sells nightly and extended-stay accommodation directly via its own booking platform and through Airbnb and VRBO, supplemented by commercial photography rentals and hospitality add-on packages.

Product overview

Jungle House is a portfolio of 35+ luxury vacation rental properties in Columbus, Ohio (including Columbus and Chillicothe locations) and potentially German Village. The core offering consists of individually branded vacation homes (e.g., Welcome to the Jungle, Jungle Fever, Book Loft, Jungle Sol, Casa Nova) all featuring plant-filled interiors with upscale mid-century modern decor. Properties range from 1-4 bedrooms accommodating 3-15 guests. Add-on services include photography/videography for commercial use, property management consultation, romance/birthday packages, grocery stocking, mid-stay cleaning, and coworking day passes. The company operates primarily through direct booking (book.junglehouse.org) with rates 10% lower than OTA platforms, and maintains a 32-time Airbnb Superhost status with over 5,800 five-star reviews across 22,500+ guests hosted.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Welcome to the Jungle by Jungle House Luxury vacation home near Convention Center, OSU and Nationwide Arena in Downtown and Short North Columbus with free parking, featuring 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, and accommodations for up to 11 guests.
• Jungle Fever by Jungle House Pet-friendly luxury vacation home near Convention Center, OSU and Nationwide Arena with private parking, accommodating up to 10 guests in Downtown and Short North Columbus.
• Book Loft by Jungle House Budget-friendly luxury vacation home located right on High Street with free parking, featuring 1 bedroom, 1 bath, and accommodations for up to 3 guests.
• Jungle Sol by Jungle House Luxury vacation home featuring 2-car garage parking, 3 bedrooms, 7 beds, 2.5 bathrooms, accommodating up to 15 guests, with sun-soaked terrace and 2,900 sq. ft. of living space.
• Casa Nova by Jungle House 4-bedroom luxury vacation home near OSU, Convention Center and Nationwide Arena with free street permit parking, featuring 2 King beds and 3 Queen beds, accommodating up to 14 guests.
• Urban Jungle by Jungle House Downtown and Short North luxury vacation rental with free parking, near Convention Center, Nationwide Arena and Ohio State, with pet-friendly accommodations.
• Extended Stay Monthly Rentals (28+ nights) Monthly rental pricing for stays of 28+ days at Jungle House properties, offered at discounted rates compared to nightly pricing and significantly cheaper than extended stay hotels ($100–140/night). Targeted at traveling nurses, corporate relocations, and remote workers, booked directly via email inquiry to [email protected].
• Photography and Videography Services Commercial photography, videography, and media production services for photoshoots, sitcoms, music videos, and commercials at Jungle House properties, with custom quotes based on production requirements.
• Property Management and Consultation Services Professional vacation rental property management and consulting services for real estate investors and property owners, leveraging Jungle House's operational expertise as a 35+ property operator.
• Romance and Anniversary Package Romantic getaway package featuring rose petals, anniversary banner, chocolate cake, and complimentary champagne for couples celebrating special occasions ($60 romantic/anniversary package or $79 birthday/romance package).
• Birthday Package Birthday celebration package with happy birthday banner and chocolate cake with gold candles, priced at $79.
• Grocery Stocking Service Pre-stocked refrigerator service with groceries including milk, bread, eggs, lunch meat, cheese, frozen pizza, cereal, cookies, and chips for a $75 flat fee.
• Mid-Stay Cleaning Service Additional full cleaning service during longer stays with fresh linens, towels, sanitization, and trash removal available at guest convenience.

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,800+ five-star reviews across all platforms
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ShowplaceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerShowplace Partner offering premium amenities from partnered brands such as Red Bull and Super Coffee, plus free samples for guests to enjoy during their stay. This partnership enhances the guest experience with complimentary brand products.
• Industrious Sutton (Coworking Space)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHigh-end modern business center located a few blocks away in Short North. Jungle House offers direct booking guests a free day pass for coworking at this location. Partnership provides business travelers with professional workspace options.
• Airbnb (Ambassador Program)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSergio Castaneda serves as Airbnb Ambassador, training and onboarding new hosts that want to join the Airbnb hosting community globally. This is a core brand partnership that positions Jungle House as an industry leader and trusted host.
• Pizza HutminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommercial filming partnership where Jungle House properties have been used to film Pizza Hut brand commercials, demonstrating the versatility and aesthetic appeal of the spaces for commercial production.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Airbnb: Airbnb is both Jungle House's primary distribution channel (32-time Superhost, 5,800+ reviews) and its broadest competitive incumbent. Marketplace operator with global scale that competes for the same short-term rental demand Jungle House serves.
• VRBO (Expedia Group): VRBO is a major U.S. vacation rental marketplace owned by Expedia Group. Comparable to Jungle House as a distribution and demand channel for short-term rentals in U.S. leisure and city markets.

Direct peers

• Kasa: Kasa operates a portfolio of design-led apartment-style short-term rentals in U.S. city and leisure markets with direct booking. Similar brand-and-operate model targeting business and leisure travelers, with strong direct-booking emphasis comparable to Jungle House.
• Vacasa: Vacasa is one of the largest full-service vacation rental management companies in North America. It competes with Jungle House in offering professionally managed short-term rentals, though at much larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Plum Guide: Plum Guide is a curated marketplace of design-vetted luxury vacation rentals. While more of a curated OTA than an operator, it competes for the same design-conscious, premium-paying short-term rental guest that Jungle House targets.
• Sonder: Sonder operates a portfolio of branded, design-forward short-term rental apartments and hospitality units in urban markets. It is the closest publicly comparable operator in terms of multi-property branded short-term rentals targeting business and leisure travelers in city centers.
• Evolve: Evolve is a vacation rental management and booking platform working with property owners across U.S. leisure markets. It competes for the same host/owner relationships and guest demand in the short-term rental category.
• Mr & Mrs Smith: Mr & Mrs Smith is a curated luxury hotel and villa booking platform. Comparable to Jungle House in serving aesthetically driven, design-conscious travelers seeking premium, characterful short-term accommodations.

Emerging players

• Locale: Locale operates design-led boutique short-term rental apartments in urban markets with a direct-booking model. Comparable operating philosophy to Jungle House (design-forward urban units with direct booking), though currently smaller and more geographically concentrated.

Regional players

• Casai (formerly Hyatt's partnership in Latin America): Casai operated design-forward, tech-enabled short-term rental apartments primarily in Latin America. Similar boutique, design-driven, direct-booking operating model to Jungle House but geographically distinct and now absorbed into Sonder.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/junglehouseairbnb
• Instagraminstagram.com/junglehouse.airbnb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jungle-house-airbnb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Jungle House