The Ola Babcock House (With Hot Tub)

Entire home in Washington, Iowa

  1. 12 guests
  2. 4 bedrooms
  3. 5 beds
  4. 2.5 baths
Hosted by Clay
  1. Superhost
  2. 5 years hosting

Listing highlights

Top 10% of homes

This home is highly ranked based on ratings, reviews, and reliability.

Self check-in

Check yourself in with the lockbox.

Extra spacious

Guests love this home’s spaciousness for a comfortable stay.
Old house lovers buckle up! This historic remodel is brimming with charm, craftsmanship, and character. Built to entertain couples, friends, family, or groups seeking a retreat, this house will keep your crew cozy, curious, and inspired. Enjoy cocktails in the parlor, or bring the group together for a movie in the living room. Host a ping-pong tourney or keep things quiet with a book on the upstairs sleeping porch. Take your morning coffee on the quaint breakfast porch or front porch.

The space
This home has four upstairs bedrooms. The primary has a king bed and en-suite. Two bedrooms have a queen bed and the fourth bedroom has two full sized beds. On the main level, guests are free to add a supplied air mattress in the living room (made private with pocket doors). You’ll enjoy white linen sheets and duvets on all beds.

Once home to IA's first female secretary of state, Ola Babcock Miller, this house tells a unique story. The original family boasted numerous notable accomplishments. One ran for governor. Another had the state library named after them, and another was named one of America's 100 most influential people after founding Gallup Polling, still in business today.

After spending a year renovating the home, we aimed to keep its unique history alive. We picked historical colors: sophisticated greens and Midwest whites. We kept unique, antique light fixtures and saved the original fireplace (decommissioned), pocket doors, floors, and woodwork.

All that's to say we sprinkled modern touches all throughout. Whimsical wallpaper, fresh tile shower, and butcher block kitchen counters/stainless appliances were important to give guests an upscale, truly unique Airbnb stay.

Like many old homes, this one has rooms on rooms on rooms. We imagined groups being able to split up and enjoy the home on their own while coming together at the end of the day. The butler's pantry, breakfast porch, sleeping porch, and parlor are unique rooms that allow guests to slip away for some privacy. We've called it the ultimate hide-and-seek house more than once.

Other things to note
Please know that there is an extra charge per guest when there are more than 4 guests staying in the home. Please be sure you have the correct amount of guests listed before booking to see your accurate pricing breakdown.

What this place offers

Kitchen
Fast wifi – 102 Mbps
Dedicated workspace
Free parking on premises
Private hot tub - available all year, open 24 hours

5 nights in Washington

Nov 26, 2023 - Dec 1, 2023

Rated 4.99 out of 5 from 84 reviews.

Guest favorite
This home is in the top 10% of eligible listings based on ratings, reviews, and reliability
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Overall rating

  1. 5 stars, 99% of reviews
  2. 4 stars, 1% of reviews
  3. 3 stars, 0% of reviews
  4. 2 stars, 0% of reviews
  5. 1 stars, 0% of reviews

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for cleanliness

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for accuracy

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for check-in

Rated 5.0 out of 5 stars for communication

Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars for location

Rated 4.9 out of 5 stars for value

Where you’ll be

Washington, Iowa, United States
Exact location will be provided after booking.

Neighborhood highlights

This home sits on a diverse street with some other neat old homes. Its proximity to downtown makes it ideal for guests who want to stay in a quiet location. Pop downtown during the day and enjoy Washington’s cafes and unique shopping options. Also check out Washington's Guinness World Record-Winning movie theater. On S Marion you’ll likely see families out on walks with kids and enjoy additional privacy with front porch screens and privacy lattice on the south-facing deck.

Meet your host

Superhost
391 reviews
4.96 out of 5 average rating
5 years of hosting
Born in the 90s
Where I went to school: University of Northern Iowa
Hi! My name's Clay. Having grown up on a rural Iowa farm, small town America is home to me. I began hosting with Airbnb to share all of the great parts of our charming small town with travelers while providing them with high quality lodging accommodations. In such a fast-paced and connected world, I've talked with so many travelers who find a respite in the slower, nostalgic pace of southeast Iowa. We hope you will too.

Clay is a Superhost

Superhosts are experienced, highly rated hosts who are committed to providing great stays for guests.

Co-hosts

  • Corey

Host details

Response rate: 100%
Responds within an hour
To help protect your payment, always use Airbnb to send money and communicate with hosts.

Things to know

Cancellation policy
House rules
Check-in after 3:00 PM
Checkout before 10:00 AM
12 guests maximum
Safety & property
Carbon monoxide alarm
Smoke alarm
Must climb stairs