The Skoolie AirBNB
Exterior of The Skoolie AirBNB
We were offered a hosted stay at the Skoolie in Vienna, IL, this past weekend - and I jumped at the chance!
The Skoolie is a 2008 Bluebird bus that has been renovated into a luxury glamping stay. Located on a centennial family farm, the Skoolie has a great location; close enough to town (and the interstate) to get places quickly, but secluded enough to have our much desired privacy.We had never stayed in a bus before, nor “glamped.” But from the photos on AirBNB, I knew we were in for a treat.
It boasts a wet bathroom (with toilet) and heated tile flooring, wifi, memory foam mattresses, television with streaming services, stocked pond, fire pit with adriondak chairs & smores kit, kitchen, and so much more!
We arrived right before bedtime on Friday night, a family of bunnies scurried in the driveway. The LED campfire on the side of the bus guided us in. With only the sounds of nature and a clear sky above us, this was the perfect night to enjoy a small fire in the gorgeous fire pit. We quickly unloaded our belongings and headed back outside.
The Colsons had been generous enough to provide a full smores kit and fresh Spring water. I liked how safe this fire pit was, I didn’t have to worry about stray sparks catching the lush grass on fire, a log rolling off, or chasing the toddler from its edges. They mentioned in their Welcome material they had built this lodging with their family, and family in mind - that showed!
You can tell the pride they take in this lodging; it is beautifully styled, maintained, and the smallest details have been noted. The twin bunk beds feature a special USB plug in built into the wall, with a tray to rest your device on. Cards, games, USB chargers, fire starters, towels, the s’mores kit, and fresh local coffee were stocked. Mood lighting throughout the side of the bus was a nice touch! A fan (excellent for my white noise needs) is provided to keep air circulating. Bathroom amenities included shampoo, conditioner, and body wash that were of great quality.
The Colsons were fantastic about communicating with us throughout our stay, preparing us before we even arrived. They have a video explaining the lights and features on the bus (which I forgot part of), and were quick to respond to a late night text when I forgot how to shut off lights. They even came to help when our toddler turned the parking lights on to the bus, and we couldn’t turn them off!
Speaking of our toddler, this was her first night sleeping in a regular bed. While she did roll out of the bottom bunk as we expected, this drop was less than six inches and we were able to pad her fall. She got the hang out of the bed fairly quickly (with some pillow guardrails!), and she had fun exploring the little cave we made her bunk into. If your kiddo is 4 or under, I would bring a baby gate to place near the entrance. This is to keep them from the captivating buttons the Skoolie has - which as an adult, were super cool parts of the decor - and to keep them from the steps (ours loves stairs but can’t judge depth).
The Skoolie became a perfect crash pad for our adventures (blog with details coming). With it being only 35 minutes from home, we were able to easily head back up to Carterville intermittently throughout the weekend to let out our dogs and grab anything we forgot. It is less than ten minutes from the Tunnel Hill trailhead at Vienna City Park, a gem in itself.
In the mornings, we were greeted by the sun rising over a misty pond, with deer drinking from it’s banks. This was amazing to watch with a cup of coffee, brewed from grounds by Crown Brew Coffee that were generously provided with our stay. I loved the open clearing behind the bus, and began brainstorming many photo shoots that could take place here.
The Skoolie is officially on our list of recommended stays, check it out for yourself!
