A European hospitality startup using tiny homes as boutique remote hotel rooms is seeing huge success see inside its cabins

Noel Richter

• German hospitality startup Raus is putting tiny home cabins in remote destinations near Berlin.
• Raus has a roughly 2,600-person waitlist and plans to open in 50 locations by the end of 2022.

Why stay in a five-star hotel surrounded by other guests when you can vacation in a tiny cabin in the middle of nowhere?

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If you've been asking yourself this since the start of the summer travel boom, you're not alone.

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In October 2021, German hospitality startup Raus began placing cabin rentals in remote locations near Belin, giving city dwellers a nearby reprieve.

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Raus hasn't been in operation for a full year yet, but the company is already seeing wild demand and thousands of people on its waitlist, Julian Trautwein, Raus' co-founder, told Insider.

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Operating tiny homes in off-grid locations isn't a new hospitality concept.

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In the US, companies like Getaway House and Moliving are doing just that, appealing to travelers who are tired of standard hotels and craving a break from cities.

A Moliving unit.      David Mitchell

And like other startups thriving in the tiny cabin-turned-boutique hotel space, Raus is seeing plenty of success in Germany.

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The rise in local but isolated unique stays is the result of three emerging travel trends: the desire for off-grid, sustainable, and nearby vacations, according to Trautwein.

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During COVID-19, more travelers began seeking remote vacations to recharge and unplug from crowded cities.

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At the same time, eco-friendly vacations have steadily risen in popularity amid our ongoing climate crisis.

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Source: Travel Pulse

And let's not forget about everyone's favorite topic: money.

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Inflation and the rising costs of both air travel and gas have recently pushed more travelers to consider nearby destinations.

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So it should be no surprise Raus' 10 locations have seen smashing success and nearly nonstop business.

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The first cabin was designed in-house and set up in October 2021.

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Shortly after, Raus was "overrun" with public interest, Trautwein said.

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All of its units have hit over 95% occupancy levels since the rollout of Raus' first cabin.

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When the company opened bookings through October for one of its newest builds, travelers booked the cabin out in 48 hours.

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And Raus now has an almost 2,600-person waitlist, Trautwein said. Insider verified the waitlist.

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To generate all of this hype, the brand relies on two cabin models.

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The first accommodates up to two people, while the second — designed with an architecture firm — can fit up to four guests.

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No matter the model, all of Raus' tiny homes are based on wheels …

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… which decreases the units' impact on the environment and allows the cabins to be moved according to the company's needs.

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Raus knows many of its guests are looking to unplug from big cities, which is why its locations are denoted by the level of remoteness and "on-grid" versus "off-grid" on its website.

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Source: Raus

"We wanted to create spaces for people to take time off to and take care of themselves," Trautwein said.

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The cabins, which are each sustainability built in six weeks, were designed to have a boutique hotel room feel to make a stay "feel like an experience," he said.

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The cabins start at €160 (about $167) per night with a minimum two-night stay.

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Inside, there are amenities like a queen bed …

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… expansive windows for views of nature …

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… a kitchen with two stove tops, a refrigerator, and kitchen tools …

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… and bathroom with a shower and composting toilet.

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If you plan on working remotely during the duration of your stay, the cabin also has a small desk space.

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For summertime vacations, there's a terrace for an afternoon bask under the sun.

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But when it's winter, vacationers can use the fireplace instead.

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To support all of these amenities off-grid, the cabin relies on solar panels and fresh water tanks.

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Like New York-based Moliving, Raus' partners with local landowners to open new locations.

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Source: Insider

In one cabin, you might wake up to views of roaming animals.

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Source: Raus

In another, you'll have an expansive view of giant lush trees.

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There's obviously a big emphasis on off-grid vacationing, but this doesn't mean the units are difficult to access.

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Most of Raus' cabins are under two hours from Berlin, making them the perfect vacation destination for city dwellers craving an escape.

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Looking ahead, the company already has plans to expand, which was inevitable for a young but thriving hospitality startup that now has minimal availability and a deep waitlist.

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"So many people are looking for this new type of travel that is a bit closer to home, mindful, and very sustainable," Trautwein said. "We [thought we] should try to expand it, and that's what we've been doing."

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Raus wants to operate in 50 locations by the end of 2022, a massive growth from the 10 units it is currently operating.

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Beyond that, it's also considering expanding into nearby countries following an abundance of international interest …

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… and is considering the possibility of rolling out more "unique stays" besides cabins.

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"We're building a platform that is not only about accommodations, but also about products and services that provide you with a more immersive experience in nature," Trautwein said.

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