Hospitality business ideas you can run from home

19 ideas

Hospitality doesn't always mean a restaurant lease or a hotel. These 19 ideas let you earn from your home, whether that means welcoming guests or serving the industry from a desk.

Swipe through these ideas →

1k to 5k 5k to 20k Over 20k Out and about Own premises

Bright furnished flat living room with sofa, table and kitchen corner.

Guest suite or backyard unit short-stay rental

Rent a spare suite, basement apartment or backyard unit you own to visitors and business travelers, with cleaning included.

$1.5k-40k
Side hustle
From home

2,061 US businesses with employees in this field, +8.6% in a year

Bright self-catering holiday cottage living room with a no-smoking sign.

Non-smoking guest suite or backyard cottage rental

Rent a spare suite, garage apartment or backyard unit to visitors on a strict no-smoking basis.

$1.5k-7k
Side hustle
From home

2,061 US businesses with employees in this field, +8.6% in a year

Tidy furnished apartment bedroom ready for holidaymakers arriving for a short stay.

Vacation rental in your spare apartment or suite

Rent a basement apartment, in-law suite or garage unit you already have to visitors for short stays.

$1k-6k
Side hustle
From home

2,061 US businesses with employees in this field, +8.6% in a year

Neat hotel bedroom with a made bed and soft window light.

Spare room or guest suite rental

Rent a spare room, basement suite or casita to overnight guests while you live on site.

$300-3k
Side hustle
From home

55,895 US businesses with employees in this field, -1.8% in a year

Self-catering wooden chalet holiday let surrounded by trees with a welcoming porch.

Short-term rental of a spare room or guest suite

Rent a spare room, basement apartment or backyard unit to visitors on a nightly basis.

$500-4k
Side hustle
From home

2,061 US businesses with employees in this field, +8.6% in a year

Travel agent helping a couple plan a holiday at a desk.

Home-based travel advisor

Plan and book trips for friends, family and your community, working from home as an independent travel advisor.

$200-1.5k
Side hustle
From home

9,308 US businesses with employees in this field, -0.8% in a year

Small guest house bedroom with a breakfast table set for visitors.

Bed and breakfast in your own home

Rent one to three spare rooms with a home-cooked breakfast to tourists and visiting travelers.

$2k-12k
Side hustle
From home

2,304 US businesses with employees in this field, -6.5% in a year

Cosy holiday cottage in countryside with an agent's sign and welcoming garden.

Home-based cabin rental manager

Market and manage a few local vacation cabins for owners from home, earning a commission on each booking.

$500-2.5k
Side hustle
From home

60,818 US businesses with employees in this field, +5.9% in a year

A travel agent helping a customer book a cruise holiday at a desk.

Home-based cruise travel advisor

Plan and book cruises for friends, family and local groups from home, earning commission from cruise lines.

$200-1.5k
Side hustle
From home

9,308 US businesses with employees in this field, -0.8% in a year

Group and niche cruise planner

Organize group cruises for reunions, weddings, clubs and churches, and earn commission on every cabin booked.

$500-3k
Part-time
From home

9,308 US businesses with employees in this field, -0.8% in a year

Rows of tables and chairs set up in an event hall for a function.

Small-scale party and catering equipment rental

Rent tables, chairs, chafing dishes and drink dispensers to hosts and caterers, run from your garage.

$2k-10k
Side hustle
From home

10,248 US businesses with employees in this field, +6.8% in a year

Tour guide leading a small group of travellers through a historic city street.

Group trip organizer (home-based)

Plan and sell small-group trips for a niche, like hobbyists or alumni, from your home office.

$500-4k
Side hustle
From home

2,584 US businesses with employees in this field, +2.0% in a year

Home-based rail travel agent

Book train trips and rail vacations for clients from home, earning commission from rail operators and tour partners.

$200-1k
Side hustle
From home

9,308 US businesses with employees in this field, -0.8% in a year

Restaurant menu and food cost consultant

Help local restaurants, cafes and bars fix their menus, portion costs and profit margins for a project fee.

$500-3k
Side hustle
From home

14,568 US businesses with employees in this field, +11.9% in a year

Farmhouse room rental on a working farm

Rent spare rooms in your farmhouse to travelers who want a quiet night in the country and a look at farm life.

$1k-5k
Side hustle
From home

2,061 US businesses with employees in this field, +8.6% in a year

Home-based disposable tableware supplier

Supply cups, plates, cutlery and takeout packaging to local cafes, food trucks and caterers from a spare room or garage.

$1.5k-6k
Side hustle
From home

3,770 US businesses with employees in this field, -2.3% in a year

Pilgrim bunkhouse on your own property

Turn a barn, garage or outbuilding near a walking route into a few low-cost bunks for pilgrims and long-distance walkers.

$35k-150k
Side hustle
From home

2,061 US businesses with employees in this field, +8.6% in a year

Spare room rental in your home

Rent a spare room by the week or month to a working lodger, student or traveling professional.

$300-2k
Side hustle
From home

1,589 US businesses with employees in this field, -2.9% in a year

Guest room for nightly and weekly stays

Host travelers in a spare room or guest suite by the night or week, with a simple welcome and breakfast.

$500-3k
Side hustle
From home

1,589 US businesses with employees in this field, -2.9% in a year

About these ideas

If you have space to spare, a spare room rental in your home or a bed and breakfast in your own home may suit you. If you'd rather keep guests out of the house, a home-based cruise travel advisor works with clients remotely. Start by deciding how much privacy you're willing to give up and how many hours you can commit each week. Then check local zoning rules, homeowners association restrictions, lease terms, insurance coverage and any short-term rental permits or taxes that apply where you live. Compare startup costs and how quickly each idea could bring in your first customer.

Questions

Can I run a hospitality business from my home in the US?

Often yes, but rules vary by city, county and state. Check zoning, any home occupation permit, HOA covenants and your lease or mortgage terms. Guest-facing ideas usually face more rules than remote work like travel advising, so confirm locally before you invest.

What should I check before renting a room or guest suite to visitors?

Look at local short-term rental rules, permit or licensing requirements and lodging tax obligations. Also ask your insurer whether your homeowners or renters policy covers paying guests, and check safety requirements such as smoke alarms and exits.

Which home-based hospitality ideas need the least space?

Ideas that run from a desk, such as a home-based travel advisor, a rail travel agent or a restaurant menu and food cost consultant, need little space. Check whether any seller-of-travel registration or business license applies in your state.