Why hosts can turn unused spaces into real income with temporary use and space sharing.
When we visited Anna Maria in Oberursel this summer, we expected to see three interesting locations she planned to offer for short-term space rental: her Idea Garden, the Creative Workshop, and her restored circus wagon.
What we didn’t expect was how clearly these spaces demonstrate a growing trend: people increasingly look for flexible spaces, creative rooms, and unusual meeting locations that can be rented by the hour or by the day.
This is exactly the type of potential that ESPATU unlocks for hosts with unused or underutilised spaces.
Watch Anna-Maria´s video here.
Across cities and regions, demand is rising for spaces that support modern working styles:
small companies need meeting rooms for rent without long-term contracts
teams look for inspiring workshop spaces
creatives search for studios or maker spaces on a temporary basis
coaches and freelancers need quiet, bookable spaces for sessions
and many people want to escape the usual office environment for a fresh setting
This shift makes flexible space rental and temporary use more relevant than ever for potential hosts.
Anna Maria’s property illustrates this perfectly. Instead of leaving rooms unused, she provides:
an outdoor area ideal as an open-air workshop space
a workshop suitable for DIY activities and creative courses
a unique circus wagon perfect for team meetings, strategy sessions, or offsite retreats
Her approach shows how vacant space can become an active resource.
Many people underestimate the value of the spaces they already own. Common thoughts are:
“My space is too small,”
“too unusual,”
or “not central enough.”
But searches for:
“creative room near me”,
“rent a meeting room by the hour”,
“flexible workshop location”,
“unique event space around Frankfurt”
have increased significantly in recent years.
This demand creates real opportunities for hosts who want to rent out rooms on a flexible basis.
Whether it’s a small office, a garden house, a studio, a garage or a workshop – almost any space can become a short-term rental space if it’s safe and usable.
Hosts decide:
which days
which hours
and which types of bookings
fit their schedule.
Through ESPATU, spaces become visible to organisations and individuals actively searching for temporary spaces, such as freelancers, startups, creatives, coaches, or teams planning offsites.
Cities and economic development agencies increasingly encourage temporary space usage to reduce vacancy and support local activity. Hosts benefit from this momentum.
Sitting beneath the apple trees in Anna Maria’s Idea Garden, we immediately felt how strongly a place can support creative thinking.
It’s an ideal setting for people searching for an outdoor meeting space, a creative workshop area, or a small group retreat location.
This space is now listed on ESPATU for anyone wanting a change of scenery for their work, creativity or team sessions.
A circus wagon may seem unconventional, yet it is exactly the kind of unique meeting space users actively seek when planning strategy sessions or team gatherings.
Searches like:
“unique meeting locations Frankfurt area”
“creative offsite spaces”
“team retreat venue in nature”
are becoming more popular – and hosts with such spaces benefit directly.
The circus wagon offers exactly what many teams want: focus, distance from everyday office life, and an environment that inspires new thinking.
Anna Maria’s workshop is another great example of how temporary rental spaces can meet practical needs.
People often look for:
workspaces for DIY projects
temporary studios
rooms for creative courses
photo studios for rent
This workshop now supports makers, teachers, crafters and small creative groups who need a functional space for a limited time.
To become a host, you don’t need a perfect designer interior.
You simply need:
✓ a space that is not used all the time
✓ basic facilities
✓ openness to renting the space temporarily
ESPATU supports hosts with:
online visibility
a host profile
booking and calendar tools
communication features
secure payments
insurance-backed usage
increased reach through marketing
This allows hosts to earn money without complicated processes.
The market for short-term rentals, creative spaces, flexible meeting rooms and temporary workspaces is growing rapidly.
Hybrid work models, changing office habits and a desire for inspiring environments are reshaping demand.
People need flexible spaces – and hosts who offer them gain a real advantage.
The following types of rooms are especially in demand:
unused conference rooms
small offices
creative spaces and studios
garden houses
workshops
garages
hobby rooms
lofts
barns
rehearsal spaces
tiny houses
outdoor areas
training rooms outside business hours
All of these can easily be turned into rentable spaces through ESPATU.
