Finding the perfect apartment, hotel, or home to rent for a vacation or trip can be tricky, but one couple had a five-star experience when a woman rented a room on Airbnb.
Jim Gonzales credits the popular vacation rental service with being the reason he met his wife, and in a viral post on LinkedIn that has seen thousands of reactions, he shared their heartwarming story.
Online short-stay vacation let service Airbnb was founded in 2008. Today it has listings in over 220 regions and more than 6 million active listings in all corners of the globe.
Gonzales was hosting a room in his parents' house in San Diego. Described as a "clean minimalist room," it attracted hundreds of guests and was frequently fully booked—it was only $39 a night after all.
But one guest was set to change everything. Recently graduated student Priscilla Nianhezi Liu was looking to give her parents a tour of California on a trip from China.
When they booked the room for the night, Gonzales was close to declining the reservation because he had been so busy—but eventually accepted because he needed the money.
But this one-night stay would, eventually, lead to a beautiful relationship and marriage.
Gonzales told Newsweek: "I tease Priscilla that it was 'love at first sight.' Our first interaction was actually quite short. We talked a bit about traveling and I shared with her recommendations for activities to do in San Diego."
After Liu and her parents stayed in the room for one night, Gonzales sent a message a few days later to ask how the trip was going.
"She didn't message me back for a few days since there was no reception in Sequoia," he explained: "She eventually replied, and the back-and-forth texts started to happen."
The pair exchanged messages about travel and food—something they are both passionate about. After texting daily for a few weeks, Gonzales gave Liu a call on her birthday.
"It was always easy for me to talk with her and it never felt awkward over the phone," he said. "Eventually, she told me she'd be moving to LA and we planned to meet."
Exactly a month after their first meeting, the pair had their first date.
"Every time we went on a date, it felt like we had known each other much longer," Gonzales said.
A relationship quickly blossomed between the two, and three years later they booked an Airbnb together in New Orleans.
"The plan was to go full circle," said Gonzales. "I messaged her through the app, and told her my feelings, then went downstairs, got on one knee, and asked, 'Will you travel the world with me and marry me?' She said yes, and the rest is history."
The unusual love story has delighted LinkedIn users, with commenters writing that the meeting was "fate" and wishing the couple well.
"I had no idea I'd meet my wife through Airbnb," said Gonzales: "But I'm grateful I've met my soulmate in the most extraordinary way."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Alice Gibbs is a Newsweek Senior Internet Trends & Culture Reporter based in the U.K. For the last two years ... Read more
