LAM DONG – Minh Tam and Minh Toan couple spent 300 million dong and 2 months to renovate the dilapidated house into a homestay.
Two years ago, Minh Tam and Minh Toan decided to “quit” Ho Chi Minh City after 7 years of working, and moved to Da Lat to live. Sharing the reasons why he chose Da Lat, Minh Tam said, it was a predestined relationship. “When I decided to come here, I did not think I would open a homestay. Incidentally, I was the manager of a homestay for the first time, seeing this job suitable, so I started looking for a house to rent to live and work.”, Tam tell.
The process of finding a house was not easy, it took two people 6 months. “I drove around Dalat, but I did not see a suitable house. I wanted to find a log house, a garden to grow flowers, grow vegetables and raise dogs and cats, but now more and more people want to demolish old houses to build special properties. real estate, “said Tam. Most of the houses on the news for rent are built with no gardens, large and high-priced villas, or if the price is low, the accommodation is cheap, … so it is not suitable for Tam’s needs. She used to come up with all the ideas to build a house she liked very much, but in the end she could not negotiate so she regretfully looked elsewhere.
Tired, the two decided to give up and return to Ho Chi Minh City. In the last days in Da Lat, they happened to pass by an abandoned house. The wooden house was collapsed, dilapidated, but made Tam impressed by the possession of a large yard, a garden with many kinds of fruit trees, and an old cherry apricot tree …
After looking at the space, they wanted to find rentals, but went home because there was no one at home. “Neighbors on both sides are not at home, I think the next day will come back. But like a predestined relationship, I found rental news online. When meeting, I suddenly realized this was the abandoned house the day before. “, she said.
After receiving the house, Tam and Toan took 2 months and about 300 million to renovate almost all because the house is too old. During the repair process, they encountered many difficulties due to inexperience in construction. “Sometimes the work is too hard, I want to give up again. But thinking about the reason for the beginning and the result, adding my husband and friends encouragement, I regained the spirit to continue working”, said Tam. .
Tam herself likes to do everything by herself and used to make handmade products, so when she fixes her house, she also wants to decorate it by herself. At the same time, the couple is aiming for a minimalist lifestyle and friendly with the environment, so they always take advantage of everything. To save as much money as possible, they pick up old things on the roadside and bring them to recycle, build fences, paint their walls …
“Once, we saw that the roller (the round wooden core used to wrap the electric cables) was gone, so decided to roll home. Husband rolled the roller, I drove slowly along. It was all downhill so we also safely took the roller back home. Roller, the couple both looked at each other and smiled because they remembered that memory, “Tam laughed.
Wishing tourists to Da Lat have a place to relax and enjoy nature, she builds a homestay according to housing services, cafes, gardens. After 2 months of renovation, the house brings a new look with 6 rooms and common spaces such as living room, reading room, kitchen, BBQ area, garden.
Since its inception, Tam’s homestay has welcomed about 2,000 tourists and received many positive feedback. “The corners of the house are designed to be lovely and friendly with the environment. I was instructed to sort out trash, lent cloth bags and glass bottles to go shopping. Also, when I heard about the fate of finding the land. And during the renovation process, I really admire the spirit of the homestay owners to think and dare, “said Kim Dung Tran, a tourist.
For Minh Tam and Minh Toan, the happiest thing is to make guests feel as comfortable as they are at home. The homestay focuses on the experience elements for the guests such as cooking, eating, playing, practicing yoga, playing guitar, embroidering, playing with pets or growing vegetables, taking care of flowers in the garden.
Love Dalat, the couple never thought they would return to the city life as before. Every day, they manually clean, care for the house and chat with guests. “We live in a minimalist, close to nature, friendly with the environment. It can be said that Dalat is a wonderful land that has made our dreams and many other young people come true,” said Tam. shall.
vnexpress/Photo: NVCC