In today’s era, where more and more people want to make the most of their time by following experiences that shape their minds and soul, coliving in the Canary Islands checks all the marks.

Coliving in Spain

• • Coliving Movement

Why Spain should be your first coliving experience?

• ByMarko
• November 18, 2021

If you are new to the coliving concept in Spain and you would like to learn more about it, we advise you to check out our main article about this topic, before continuing with this article! 👉

On the other hand, if you are already familiar with what co-living is, let’s find out why the Canary Islands are so popular for this lifestyle.

Let’s dive in!

Disclaimer: This article contains some affiliate links.  At no additional cost to you, we may earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

Why should you Experience Coliving in the Canary Islands?

Coliving in the Canary Islands offers a magnitude of options to choose from since the islands evolved to provide the best of both worlds to the new work-life balance. With the significant influx of people from all walks of life, especially digital nomads and remote workers, coliving the Canary Islands is easier than ever.

The Canaries archipelago now offers high-speed internet, various nomad hubs, and easy access to the scenic beauty that warms up your soul after a long skype call.

Why are there so many Colivings in the Canary Islands?

The reasons so many colivings have bloomed in the Canary Islands are plenty, but of them is that they are accessible and easy to reach. Cheap flights to and from the islands make them one of the most sought-after options when it comes to choosing your remote workstation.

In addition, high-speed internet in the numerous coliving hubs throughout the islands became a norm that gave peace of mind for freelancers, expats, and digital nomads, in general, to be connected to the work seamlessly.

Another stellar point is that different islands provide different experiences! This is what drives coliving in the Canary Islands, whether living with a flatmate from across the world or sharing the space with a local to witness the hospitality and deep-rooted culture. The islands have so much to offer in terms of life-long experiences.

The cost of Coliving in the Canary Islands

The cost of coliving largely depends on the coliving’s location, room type, and what the place offers. Some places offer additional services included in the price of accommodation, such as daily yoga, or other services like daily breakfast and family dinners.

A bed in a shared room would typically cost around 600 EUR per month, and the price of a private single room is in the range of 800 to 1200 EUR. For two people, a couple, or a pair of friends, a double room will most likely be from 1000 to 1500 EUR.  Have in mind that to support longer stays and slow traveling, most colivings in the Canary Islands offer long-stay discounts.

When you’re considering booking a coliving, have in mind the holistic experience that comes with it. While the price may sound expensive at first, when you consider it allows you to mingle with like-minded people, work remotely without hiccups with 600Mbps internet speed, and enjoy an abundance of activities, the dollar spent makes it all worthwhile.

Regardless of which option you opt for, rest assured coliving in any of the Canary Islands will be an experience of a lifetime as it offers a rich experience encompassing everything under the sun.

Remote-work-friendly Environment

Gone are the days when work had to be confined to a 4×6 windowless cubicle in a steel building where the only thing that was remotely natural was your little plant on the desk buried under piles of paperwork.

The perk of coliving in the Canary Islands is the spectrum of fun and finding like-minded people to have a platform for professional meet-ups and socializing.

The islands host freelancers, digital nomads, and expats from across the world; with the new normal where it’s easier than ever to pursue your career without compromising on fun and leisure, the Canaries have so much to offer for everyone.

Which Canary Islands should you choose for Coliving?

Now that you are sold on the idea of coliving in the Canary Islands, the million-dollar question is deciding which island to choose from.

Amongst the most popular are Tenerife and Gran Canaria. But you can also find coliving places on other islands, such as Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, or La Palma. We even had the opportunity to stay in one coliving in La Gomera, which is the second smallest of all Canary Islands.

However, we wouldn’t stress too much over which island to choose because most islands have at least one good coliving space. If you have more time and flexibility, you could also make a tour (similar to what we did). Many people actually opt for island-hopping because the islands are very well connected and offer such different things in terms of nature and vibe.

Tenerife

Tenerife is the biggest and the most popular of all the islands, as much for regular tourism, as a digital nomad destination as well. It is meant for those who are looking for outdoorsy, enthralling, and fun vibes and would love to be at the heart of the party as it attracts over 5 million tourists each year.

On top of that, it is also the island with the highest number of colivings.

Having that in mind, coliving in Tenerife is easier than ever because of the number of colivings to choose from, cheap international flights, culturally diversified communities, and natural landscapes to enjoy all year round. Tenerife provides everything one can ask for when it comes to opting for coliving.

Even though it’s the biggest island, Tenerife is perfect to explore all around. It consists of two main areas – Tenerife North and Tenerife South, both rich in different things, and definitely rich in colivings.

Tenerife South is the tourist center of Tenerife; a lively area, sunny all year round, with some of the best beaches on the island. On the other hand, Tenerife North is the area to dive into the local life, indulge in the history and culture of the locals, and enjoy mesmerizing nature.

It’s hard to point out the best coliving in Tenerife as there are so many great ones, but we recommend Maraya Coliving in Tenerife North and Cactus Coliving in Tenerife South. We had the opportunity to stay in both of these places during our Coliving Spain 2022 project. and had an amazing, but completely different experience.

Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is another popular coliving hub amongst those looking for the best options in the Canary Islands. The island itself is called a continent in miniature due to the diversity of its landscape.

But, besides that, it is also the second largest island, with its capital, Las Palmas, being the biggest city in the Canaries.

That is why this island attracts those looking to surround themselves with a bit more urban environment. Las Palmas has the biggest digital nomad community on all the islands, with plenty of daily events and meetups.

There are some amazing coliving places in Gran Canaria, most of them located in Las Palmas so be sure to explore your options. We had the opportunity to stay in Coliving 1907 in the historical center of Las Palmas and we had a very positive experience.

Lanzarote

Lanzarote is one of the latest additions to the coliving movement in the islands. With its unique landscapes, the island attracts more digital nomads every year and could soon become another popular remote work hub.

Currently, there is only one coliving space on the island – Pitaya Coliving, but considering what this island has to offer, and the rising number of communities of digital nomads and remote workers on Lanzarote, we have a feeling there will be more places very soon.

How to start with your search

If we got you interested in the Canary Islands and you are wondering where to start with your search, you can always reach out to us with questions, and we can direct you to a place that best suit your needs.

We hope that will help you start your new adventure!

We appreciate your support!

Thank you for reading our content and following our journey! We are working towards becoming full-time content creators and being able to share stories with you even more frequently. If you’d like to support us to be one step closer to that goal, you can do it through Ko-Fi! 👇🏽

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that, where more than 3500 native speakers are waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Coliving in Spain

• • Coliving Movement

How much can you save by coliving in Barcelona

• ByGala
• January 8, 2022

• • Coliving Movement

List of most unique activities that coliving places in Spain offer

• ByMarko
• April 13, 2022

The post Why are the Canary Islands one of the most popular places for coliving? appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

This beautiful family house, located in the historical and cultural heart of gorgeous Las Palmas in Gran Canaria can be your home for a few months.

Converted into a lively coliving in the city center in one of the most beautiful cities in the Canary Islands, Coliving 1907 can be your next digital escape.

Enjoy a relaxed atmosphere in an authentic Canarian house and connect with other like-minded digital nomads and artists.

Check out this interview about Coliving 1907 we did with its founder – Raquel.

How it all started

“You can’t just sit there and wait for people to give you that golden dream. You’ve got to get out there and make it happen for yourself”

-Diana Ross

1. When and why did you decide to open a coliving space of your own?

– I had been working at a local newspaper for 12 years and needed a career change. I had been looking for it for a long time, but I hadn’t found something that fitted in with my personal life. Then, in March 2021, I decided to open the coliving.

The coliving is housed in a family home. My mother lived there when she was a child.

At the beginning of 2021, she put the house up for rent. Several people visited and showed interest in setting up a coliving. So, I made up my mind and, with the help of my family, I started the Coliving 1907 project.

The improvement and refurbishment work went on from March to July. Then decoration, website, social networks, and a thousand other things.

On 1 November 2021, I opened the house. And the first guest arrived on the 6th of the same month.

2. Have you ever stayed in some other coliving space or any shared accommodation before you decided to open your own?

– During my time as a student, I lived in residency halls and shared flats.

3. Do you remember your beginnings and what was the most difficult for you when you started the coliving?

– The worst thing was the construction work. The coliving has 8 fully equipped rooms which, while preserving their original spirit, have been carefully refurbished to provide them with the best comforts to make a pleasant stay.

I wanted the tenants to be comfortable and to maintain the essence of the house at the same time.

I started the business from scratch. No social media, no reviews. It was amazing that the clients believed in me from the beginning. I will always be grateful to the first tenants who stayed here. I will remember them forever.

4. Is there something that you wished you knew when you started with coliving?

– Have well-defined house rules. Especially in the common areas. I think it is beneficial for everyone, and it creates a respectful atmosphere.

5. Have you had the opportunity to visit other coliving places since you opened yours?

– Personally, no. I have visited many websites of colivings. I also follow them on social media to see what they do and share opinions with them. In this sector, experience is very important.

6. What is the story behind you choosing Spain for opening your coliving space there?

– Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is my home city. I was born here and have spent most of my life here. It is a wonderful city to live in; culture, gastronomy, beach, and leisure.

The city has one of the best telecommuting communities in the world. You have everything you need to enjoy a productive stay while meeting and sharing with other professionals from all over the world.

7. What is your relationship with other colivings on the Canary Islands?

– I have relationships with several colivings in the Canary Islands. I know some of them personally. We talk from time to time to share experiences and concerns.

We also have a Whatsapp group with colivings and coworkings from the islands. Whenever we can, we help each other.

8. What are the advantages of opening a coliving in a remote place such as Gran Canaria, and are there any disadvantages?

– The main advantage is the climate. The island averages 22 degrees Celsius all year round making it the destination of choice for millions of tourists every year.

The location of Coliving 1907 is a privilege. It is situated in the heart of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and perfectly communicated with the whole city.

Walking distance to beaches, parks, museums, supermarkets, theatre, and shopping. It is in the Triana – Vegueta area that has a great life during the day and night. The bus station is less than five minutes walk away and links to any point on the island.

Management

“True hospitality consists of giving the best of yourself to your guests.“

-Eleanor Roosevelt

9. How much are you involved in the community and daily activities at 1907? Do you consider yourself as an equal part of the 1907 community?

– From Monday to Friday I work in the coliving. Sometimes in my office and sometimes in the common areas with the others. I don’t live in the coliving, so I don’t participate in the daily activities.

On Mondays, there is “Monday dinner! Better together“. The idea is that they all cook together.

Another day we play padel. We play against other digital nomads or against local players. The important thing is to have a good time.

Some guests have recommended I do more activities and thus achieve a stronger community. I am already in contact with several companies on the island for wine and coffee tastings, guided tours, learning how to make cheese, and more. We are working to incorporate activities for guests.

I am learning that this leads to more connections and therefore, a better community. This is what my guests are asking for and I am working to gradually build on this.

10. How much time do you spend inside the coliving?

– I am here every morning from Monday to Friday. In addition, once a month I organise a dinner with everyone in the coliving; pizzas, typical Canarian food, barbecue.

11. What additional activities are included for people who stay at your coliving? And what approach do you practice when organizing those events?

– The coliving has agreements with different companies in the city, and we offer discounts to our clients (surfing, diving, guided tours, weekly menus).

In addition, it is very common for guests to organise get-togethers to go to the beach, for a walk or an excursion.

Community

“At 30 you finally start to catch up to those dreams you’ve been chasing for the last 10 plus years.“

-Bonnidette Lantz

12. What is the profile of people who are most likely to stay at your place?

– It is very varied. Mainly digital nomads and freelancers.

13. What is the average age of people who are visiting your accommodation?

– Between 30 and 40 years old.

14. How long do people usually stay at your place?

– The average stay is 1 month. Some people stay for a week, and others have been there for almost six months. Stays of more than one month allow you to get to know the other guests and the island better.

15. Do your visitors tend to return to your place?

– I hope so! The coliving has only been open for seven months. Many of the people who have been there, told me that they really enjoyed the house and the experience and that they will be back, so I hope to see them again!

Many guests have extended their stay – a good sign!

16. Is there some trend where people from specific countries come to your place?

– Mainly from Europe; Germany, Finland, France, Malta, Israel, Spain, Italy, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Ukraine, and the Czech Republic.

We have also been visited by several people from the United States.

17. Do you have some special offers for startups and group bookings?

– No. Special offers are for long-term stays and couples.

About the Coliving Movement

”You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”

-Dale Carnegie

18. Do you think that coliving is only dedicated to a specific group of people such as freelancers, digital nomads, and remote workers, or do you think there is a possibility to gain popularity beyond that group of people?

– I don’t think so.

Artists from different fields (musicians, photographers) have stayed at Coliving 1907.

Even for people born in the Canary Islands who have lived abroad for many years and decide to spend some time in a coliving when they return to the island. I think it is suitable for any activity.

19. Do you think that coliving cannot exist without a coworking space?

– This is not necessary. Our rooms are perfectly prepared for work and with all the comforts. You can also work in the dining room or on the roof terrace.

From what I have seen so far, everyone prefers to work in their own room. The common life is done in the kitchen or on the rooftop during non-working hours.

20. One of the main selling points of colivings is the possibility to meet new people, share experiences and maybe even develop new partnerships. Is that really the situation?

– Meeting new people and sharing experiences, of course. It is one of the wonders of living in a coliving. You exchange views on jobs and ask each other for advice.

Developing new partnerships is more complicated.

21. Do you have some examples where people who had the opportunity to meet at your place later managed to develop successful partnerships or relationships?

– Not professionally. Many of the guests keep in touch and maintain friendships after they have left from here.

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that! You will find more than 3500 native speakers waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Disclaimer: This article contains some affiliate links.  At no additional cost to you, we can earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

Coliving movement

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Vivarium: Urban nook for the city-loving nomads in the center of vibrant Valencia

• ByMarko
• April 22, 2022

• • Coliving Movement

Why are the Canary Islands one of the most popular places for coliving?

• ByMarko
• February 8, 2023

The post Coliving 1907 – A historical house telling a unique story of Las Palmas appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

The truth is that luck has little to do with it. What really matters are our attitude and actions. The moment you start opening yourself to new experiences and people and start letting others enter your life, you’ll notice that you’re finding many valuable people with whom you connect on multiple levels.

Just like that, by opening themselves to new experiences, Claudet, Laura, and Scott met and realised they belonged with each other. Feeling lucky that they found these amazing people, and understanding the value of these relationships, they decided to make space for others to find their clique as well.

With a lot of work, dedication, and great energy, they built Vineyard Eladio, a community-focused guesthouse. Now, they welcome everyone who shares their values and offers them a community for a lifetime.

Vineyard Eladio is meant for everyone who loves the outdoors and nature, has a bit of adventure inside him/her, and is looking for genuine human connections.

Disclaimer: This piece of content may contain some affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase or book through one of our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

How it all started

“Find a group of people who challenge and inspire you, spend a lot of time with them, and it will change your life”

-Amy Poehler

1. Could you tell us about how you decided to open Vineyard Eladio and a little bit about the journey that led you to that decision?

– We (Claudet, Laura, and Scott) met in a surf camp in Tenerife that also happened to be a community, we worked and lived in the same place so we were basically 24/7 together.

We all come from different backgrounds but after connecting with one another we realised that we had the same vision of life and started imagining a life project together. So we decided to put words into action and created Eladío together.

2. How would you describe the concept behind your place?

– Our vision is to build a community in which the participants can live a comfortable and joyful life by giving the opportunity to connect through outdoor activities, agriculture, and spiritual practices. Our concept is linked to this vision, we want the guests to experience the same and have a real feeling of community life.

Learn more about themselves, join the adventurous sports this island has to offer such as surfing, climbing, and diving, and learn more about the permaculture projects that we do here in the Eladío land.

3. Have you had the opportunity to stay in some other coliving space or any similar type of accommodation before you decided to open your own place?

– Yes, TwinFin, where we met was our school and home.

4. Did you find inspiration in some other coliving spaces in Spain (or beyond) that influenced your approach to building your own space?

– Yes, we did a lot of research before opening our coliving space and we were inspired by so many places. But in particular TwinFin and Maraya Coliving.

5. You have opened very recently; what was the thing you were struggling with most in the final phase before opening?

– We’ve only been on our property since 1/05/2022 and when we arrived everything was a mess, we had 3 months of hard construction, and after it was time to open.

Our biggest struggle before opening was the heat wave that Europe had this summer and that we opened in low season for Tenerife so the flow of clients was a little slower than expected.

6. Is there something that you wished you knew before starting this project?

– More business knowledge would’ve been great, as well as more information about Spanish laws, it’s not always easy to get a clear answer over here. And let’s not forget the concept of Canarian time, this can slow things down.

7. What is your relationship with other coliving spaces on the island? Do you receive support or advice from some of them?

– We have a really good relationship with other coliving spaces around the island. The owners of Maraya Coliving gave us a lot of advice before we opened and helped us to unsolved many doubts we had.

8. What is the story behind you choosing Tenerife as the location of Vineyard Eladio?

– We all came to the island for a definite time, we had an idea of what we wanted to do and then we were going to pursue our journey somewhere else but this island just gave us a place that we could call home.

This island is a treasure box, the weather is always good, you have endless possibilities in terms of outdoor activities, people here are so nice and have a tremendous heart, we can breathe a relaxed atmosphere all around us.

Like this simply the definite became indefinite for us, we saw a door for possibilities and we made the decision that Tenerife was the place to start our dreams.

9. What are some advantages and disadvantages (for you as owners) of building a place like this in Tenerife?

– Advantages: being able to accomplish our vision, follow our passion on a day-to-day basis, and live in a community full of love, honesty, empathy, and respect. Feeling alive each time we wake up, create one with nature

Disadvantages: Meeting incredible people along the way and seeing them go, even if they will stay forever in our hearts and memories.

10. Which uniqueness do you think Vineyard Eladio will offer compared to other similar places in Tenerife and other islands?

– The uniqueness of Vineyard Eladío is its people, here we have a saying that is « we accept everyone just the way they are » and it’s something you can see as soon as you arrive, everyone presenting themselves as their truest self, seeing this place grow with all the people that make us us, has been a wonderful adventure to live.

Some of our guests said: “the happiest place I’ve been, the place screams love, the moment you enter through the gate, you feel good vibrations.” This is something we work and live for.

Management

“Enlightened leadership is spiritual if we understand spirituality not as some kind of religious dogma or ideology but as the domain of awareness where we experience values like truth, goodness, beauty, love, and compassion, and also intuition, creativity, insight, and focused attention.“

-Deepak Chopra

11. What type of management will you practice?

– Our management is internal, the team lives and works on-site providing the service and creating the community.

Our core values: love, honesty, empathy, and respect, and development values: collaboration and the creativity we try to lead our team with these values.

12. How much will you be included in the community and daily activities of Vineyard Eladio?

– We are part of the community, we invest our time making sure that our values are present here, and we want to be present for the guests. A passion of ours is to meet new people from all countries of the world, we love showing them the island through our eyes and learning from each other.

13. What kind of activities are included for people who decide to stay at your place?

– Depending on the package of the guest the activities can vary.

If the guest decides to discover our surf package they will live a week of discovering different surf spots, a picnic above the clouds, yoga classes, special dinners, a night out, and much more.

If the guest decides to stay with us for a long term they can enjoy game nights, bonfires, different workshops, meditations, and many other activities.

We also offer other activities that are not included in the price such as an afternoon of climbing, surf classes, a hike on Teide, diving, kayak, windsurf classes…

Community

“Connection and connectedness are other words for community and communion.“

-Parker J. Palmer

14. What profile of people do you want to attract with Vineyard Eladio?

– We’re trying to attract people that want to live in a community, that share a love for outdoor activities, that want to discover self-growth, and that are interested in nature and permaculture.

We are creating a space where creative minds meet and explore the wonders of life.

15. What do you expect the reasons for people to choose Vineyard Eladio to be?

– Living in a community, forget about stressful city life and connect more with one another and nature. A place to relax, come closer to your true self, live in the now, and enjoy every step of the journey.

16. What is the ideal length of stay for your place to fully emerge in the experience you have created?

– We think that the ideal length of stay is a minimum of a month to fully emerge in the community.

To live the surf experience it’s ideal to stay for a week.

17. Do you have some special offers/discounts?

– Yes, we offer a special price for guests that book for a month (includes 5 dinners and 7 breakfasts per week) and for couples.

We also offer discounts for specific events such as retreats.

About the Coliving Movement

”We are all different, which is great because we are all unique. Without diversity, life would be very boring.”

-Catherine Pulsifer

18. Do you think that coliving is only dedicated to a specific group of people such as freelancers, digital nomads, and remote workers, or do you think there is a possibility to gain popularity beyond that group of people?

– Definitely not. We think this place is suitable for all kinds of people that want to live a joyful life.

At the moment we have a mother and a daughter, the mother is a masseuse that uses our space to do massages for external clients and the daughter fills the camp with playfulness and joy. We also have a DJ that produces music during the week and does performances on the weekends.

As we mentioned before, we accept everyone just the way they are, being in a community helps you to fulfill yourself through others and pushes you to go out of your comfort zone.

We also encourage people who suffer from depression, burnout, chronic diseases, anxiety, etc. to come and join in and try to find peace among us.

19. Do you think coworking is a crucial component of coliving?

– We feel that coworking is not crucial for coliving because we think that people can also work outside the coliving. But we do offer different working spaces with a good internet connection for all of our guests that work remotely.

20. One of the main selling points of colivings is the possibility to meet new people, share experiences, and maybe even develop new partnerships. Is this something you also had in mind when opening your place?

– Yes definitely, meeting people from different backgrounds and cultures gives you the opportunity to gain new perspectives. One of our development values is collaboration, in which you help each other out and create new opportunities.

21. What do you think will be the best value Vineyard Eladio will offer for the coliving and coworking community?

– Love, as we say here: “Love is all”

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that! You will find more than 3500 native speakers waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Disclaimer: This article contains some affiliate links.  At no additional cost to you, we can earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

Coliving movement

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

FEM Coliving – The house of the Pyrenees, Community, and Personal Growth

• ByMarko
• July 9, 2022

• • Coliving Movement

Why are the Canary Islands one of the most popular places for coliving?

• ByMarko
• February 8, 2023

The post Vineyard Eladio – Community, creation, and living to the fullest appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

This philosophy is exactly what inspired the creation of FEM coliving – a place that connects all those who want to explore and create their paths with others; all those who realized that success is much deeper than an accomplished monthly target.

Surrounded by nature and simplicity, colivers in FEM can find their inner peace and growth by sharing thoughts, skills, experiences, and stories with others. Nature is both simple and complex, and being surrounded by it can inspire us to find the same balance within ourselves.

We spoke to FEM’s founders, Joan and Elena, about their story and the creation of FEM, their beginnings, and where they take inspiration from. We hope you’ll enjoy the interview!

If you missed the previous interviews that we did, you can check them out.

How it all started

“The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself”

-Mark Caine

1. Could you tell us a bit more about you and your partner and the journey that led you to FEM Coliving?

– FEM was born from having believed the story that success is professional success and, despite having achieved some goals, realising that we were still exactly at the same point from a personal point of view.

Then, there comes a time when you realise that, perhaps, you were looking outside or in the professional field for things that are actually much deeper and are much more linked to the impact that we generate on other people, the environment, the relationships we establish…

We can say that FEM is a search for coherence and integration between our professional interests and concerns and what impact we want to generate in our environment.

We are Joan and Elena, common people with an obsession of uniting innovation and quality of life. In this sense, FEM is not just a coliving and coworking space in a rural place, but a way of doing things; more leisurely, more from the soul, with good intentions. FEM materialises in a coliving, but it could be anything that seeks to generate a positive impact on society and the environment, anything that seeks viability close to nature, respecting the rural world and supporting it whenever possible.

Joan Massó is a branding consultant and service designer born in Barcelona. He has been working as a freelancer for many years and now he is having the opportunity to do it from FEM Coliving while pushing the project forward with Elena.

Elena de Arana, also a native of Barcelona, ​​comes from the world of advertising and public relations. She is also a ski instructor, which she loves because it allows her to work in contact with both nature and people. She also had the opportunity to work on the FEM project, that they took on two years ago, with great enthusiasm.

2. When and why did you decide to open FEM Coliving? Can you tell us a bit more about the history of your place?

– FEM Coliving was born during the lockdown. Although obviously, it was already in our minds from before.

During the lockdown, we realised that changes were coming and there were two ways of taking it: in a proactive way and deciding how we wanted to live it or resigning ourselves and waiting for everything to return to normal. We decided to act.

3. Have you ever stayed in some other similar accommodation before you decided to open your own? Did you take inspiration from some places?

– When we developed the idea of FEM, we didn’t know about the concept of coliving. We realised after some weeks of working on FEM Coliving that there were similar projects that were called coliving.

4. Do you remember what was the most challenging for you when you started as a coliving?

– The biggest challenge was finding a farmhouse that met all the requirements we had. We were searching for an inspiring place, well connected and with excellent internet connection. We searched a lot and were very lucky to find La Folcrà, a beautiful farmhouse from the 14th century, surrounded by nature and, in turn, very well connected with different towns.

In addition, we share the outdoor space with Xevi, Gemma, and their little cow farm. They are one of the reasons why we decided to start the project in this location. Living close to them allows us and our colivers to learn from them. Sharing the day-to-day with them allows us and the colivers to better understand the primary sector, the culture, and the lifestyle of those who live in this rural area.

5. Have you had the opportunity to visit some other coliving places since you opened FEM Coliving?

– We haven’t visited any other coliving yet, still we are in touch with the main rural colivings in Spain, it always helps to exchange opinions and ideas with similar dreams and situations.

6. What is the story behind you choosing Spain for opening your coliving space there?

– We are from Barcelona (Spain) and we were already living in the Pyrenees!

FEM is a space where professional development is at the service of quality of life and not the other way around. We were living in this area loving the lifestyle and the fact of being in contact with nature, so we always imagined FEM being part of this beautiful place in the Pyrenees.

7. What are some advantages and disadvantages of having a coliving in a rural place?

– It’s hard to find a downside. This area gives us a lot, we have friends, beautiful mountains where we can walk, ski, ride a bike, rivers during summer, and, in addition, FEM allows us to share it with restless, creative, and open-minded people.

Plus, we are not far from Barcelona, just 1h30 by car and we also enjoy going to the city from time to time.

8. What is your relationship with other colivings in Spain?

– We have a good relationship with other rural colivings.

Management

“We have an infinite amount to learn both from nature and from each other.“

-John Glenn

9. How much are you involved in the community and daily activities at FEM Coliving? Do you consider yourself an equal part of the community?

– As we live in the same house and share the common spaces with the other colivers, we are a part of the community and have a very close and friendly relationship with everybody. After two years we can say that one of the most beautiful things that FEM gives us are all these new friendships.

10. What additional activities are included for people who stay at your place? And what approach do you practice when organizing those events?

– FEM Coliving is a space where we all learn from each other, there is a lot of knowledge exchange. An interesting activity are the workshops that the colivers organise for the other colivers.

Also, we do a lot of activities in nature like mountain biking, skiing, trekking for two or three days along the Pyrenees where we camp in the mountains, barbecues, paellas, community dinners…

Community

“Nature is the purest portal to inner-peace.“

-Angie Weiland Crosby

11. What is the profile of people who are most likely to stay at FEM Coliving?

– We have a big mix of people who work in different sectors. It is interesting because people with different skills get in touch, live together, and learn from each other. That makes FEM a place with a lot of knowledge exchange and synergies arise.

12. What is the motivation behind people choosing FEM Coliving?

– People who come to FEM Coliving are remote workers, freelancers, or entrepreneurs who want to do so from a calmer environment, surrounded by nature and other creative and innovative people who are in a similar moment in life.

In addition, a high percentage of colivers come to FEM since they are considering leaving the city and going to live in a rural area permanently, FEM is for them a bridge between the city and the countryside, a place to try living in the mountains and to get to know the area and make networks in order to settle here in the future.

13. What is the average age of people who are visiting your accommodation?

– Between 25 and 40 mostly.

14. How long do people usually stay at your place and do your visitors tend to return to your place?

– We are convinced that living and working in contact with nature improves the quality of life and, therefore, the result of our projects and the way they impact the community and the environment.

For this reason, we offer stays between 1 and 3 months of accommodation and coworking in an emblematic farmhouse in the Catalan Pyrenees with people of similar interests in a slow, creative and innovative environment.

Most of our colivers end up staying with us for 3 months and this year, our second year, we are happy to start seeing people returning to FEM.

15. Is there some trend where people from specific countries come to your place?

– Most of the people who come to FEM are locals, they come from Barcelona and other places in Spain since we address people who are considering leaving the city and settling permanently in a rural zone.

That does not mean that on many occasions we also have foreign colivers who find us and are interested in living an immersive experience in the culture and way of doing things in the area.

Although our official language is Spanish and Catalan, both Joan and I speak English and our colivers too.

16. Do you have some special offers? (For start-ups, longer stays or group bookings, etc.)

– We are committed to slow experiences, for this reason, the minimum stay time is one month and depending on the time of the year we do special offers for the people who want to stay 2 or 3 months because we believe that it is the way to truly get to know, understand and enjoy the area, the people and nature.

About the Coliving Movement

”Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is a success.”

-Henry Ford

17. Do you think that coliving is only dedicated to a specific group of people such as freelancers, digital nomads, and remote workers, or do you think there is a possibility to gain popularity beyond that group of people?

– We address people who are entrepreneurs, remote workers, and freelancers since we believe that it is important that the people who come to live together are in a similar personal situation and share certain habits so that everyone can be comfortable.

Anyways, lately, we’ve seen other ideas around coliving such as spaces for elders which we think is a nice alternative to residences, where their autonomy gets compromised.

18. Do you think coworking is a crucial component of coliving?

– Yes. Even knowing that coliving is a way of cohabiting and that there are many different options, we believe that the coworking space is an identity sign of colivings because it ensures synergies and a creative landscape.

19. One of the main selling points of colivings is the possibility to meet new people, share experiences and maybe even develop new partnerships. Is that also the situation in FEM Coliving?

– Yes, it’s very frequent that this happens. In FEM we have seen some partnerships and collaborations built up and, naturally, this happens if we take into account that very valid people with similar interests and different knowledge live together, share time and become close friends.

Obviously, if you are developing a project and you need other professionals, if you are living with one of them, you will tend to count on these professionals rather than going “outside” to search for one.

An example: some months ago we had with us Daniel, a South African coliver owning an outbound marketing company. At the same time, there was Jordi, an SEO magician, and Olga, who among other things is dedicated to copywriting. Things ended up developing in such a way that Daniel hired Jordi for the SEO of his company and Jordi ended up collaborating with Olga for the copywriting. This is what we call a circular economy, isn’t it?!

20. Do you have some examples where people who had the opportunity to meet at your place later managed to develop successful partnerships or relationships?

– For sure, a beautiful story is the one of Franco and Mariona, they met here, in FEM half a year ago, nowadays they are a beautiful couple living together in Sant Pau de Segúries, the town next to us. We are neighbors and good friends, the local Fem Coliving community grows which is one of the things we like the most.

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that! You will find more than 3500 native speakers waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Disclaimer: This article contains some affiliate links.  At no additional cost to you, we can earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

Coliving movement

• • Coliving Movement

Why Spain should be your first coliving experience?

• ByMarko
• November 18, 2021

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

CoImpact Coliving – Community, ideas, and cityscaping in contemporary L’Eixample, Barcelona

• ByMarko
• June 30, 2022

The post FEM Coliving – The house of the Pyrenees, Community, and Personal Growth appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

Imagine a city full of cultural wonders, international stories, rich history, and eclectic vibrations, and then having the opportunity to explore it from the famous L’ Eixample, surrounded by creatives, entrepreneurs, and people hungry for new experiences and connections.

Meet one of the founders, Gian Franco, who will tell you the story about his love for Barcelona, hosting, and their journey to creating the CoImpact Coliving space and community.

How it all started

“To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often”

-Winston Churchill

1. Could you tell us a bit more about you and your partner (the founders of CoImpact Coliving) and the journey that led you to Barcelona?

– We are both from abroad; I am from Perú and Gonzalo from Argentina. We met in Barcelona in Business School; we both had come here to study business.

I personally discovered my passion for hosting through Couchsurfing. Some friends and I used to host travelers from around the world in our homes in Barcelona.

We really enjoyed meeting and sharing with people from different parts of the world. It was an amazing experience.

From this experience, I realized I had the skills to be a host and do it properly. So, while still learning business skills, I decided to open a small bed and breakfast with a friend.

Later I was approached by Gonzalo, who was interested in what I was doing at my bed and breakfast and from there, we decided to get together and start Sweet Accommodations.

2. Can you tell us a bit more about the history of your place/concept? How has it changed through the years?

– We started with Sweet Accommodations, managing bed & breakfasts, private apartments, and hostels. We expanded through the years, adding units and also expanding to Seville.

During the lockdown of the pandemic, we were forced to close down our Youth Hostel in Barcelona. Instead of leaving it empty, we decided to collaborate with a local association and host homeless people. We hosted 19 people from 10 different countries from March 2020 to September 2020.

It was a great learning and grounding experience. Being able to learn about their stories and understand how any of us can find ourselves in such a situation at any moment in life. It was a tough situation for us as a company, having to stop all of our operations, but we are very glad that we were brave enough to decide to give our place free of use to people in need.

After this collaboration ended, we started thinking of ways to transform our space into something different. Tourism was still not picking up. Since we had to invest in refurnishing and refurbishing the whole space again, because the association left our hostel pretty much in ruins, we decided to convert it into a coliving.

So we can say that our place has had 3 lives: youth hostel, social hostel, and coliving.

3. Have you ever stayed in some other similar accommodation before you decided to open your own? Did you take inspiration from some places?

– I have never stayed in a coliving. I took inspiration by reading and researching colivings around the world. Particularly, I took a lot of inspiration from the Conscious Coliving Movement.

4. Do you remember what was the most difficult and challenging for you when you started as a coliving?

– When we started, in early 2021, we were coming from a very difficult year as a business focused on tourism.

At first, it was challenging to say no to tourists and travelers that wanted to stay with us but did not fit with the community we were trying to build as a coliving. It’s hard to make these types of decisions when you are not very well financially.

Looking back, I am glad we stayed true to what we wanted to build with the coliving and clearly differentiated our touristic spaces from our coliving space.

5. Is there something you wished you knew before you opened CoImpact Coliving?

– We have recently added a community manager for our space. A person in charge of building a sense of community within our guests.

In the beginning, we didn’t put so much emphasis on these tasks. Maybe I wish we would have started earlier but I also think that everything takes a natural course and we are doing very well so I cannot complain.

6. Have you had the opportunity to visit some other coliving places since you opened CoImpact Coliving?

– I have contacted a couple of coliving spaces in Barcelona since I am also trying to build relationships with them to see how we can all be stronger together. I am yet to visit their spaces.

7. If you could choose again, would you still choose Barcelona for your coliving? Why?

– Of course, I would.

First, because we already had our space in Barcelona and we know the city very well. But also because Barcelona is an amazing city for people from abroad.

It’s welcoming, multicultural, and diverse; it has beaches and mountains, and it’s an amazing city for anyone trying to live a remote work or digital nomad experience.

8. What is your relationship with other colivings in Spain?

– I am currently creating a small networking group with fellow coliving operators in Spain. We just started, so we’re a small group.

We are trying to build a collaborative relationship to strengthen the position of the whole ecosystem. Collaboration beats the competition.

Management

“The best managers figure out how to get great outcomes by setting the appropriate context, rather than by trying to control their people.“

-Reed Hastings

9. What type of management do you practice at CoImpact Coliving?

– We have extrapolated many things from our tourism experience into coliving. I would say our approach is very proactive and hands-on. We like to get to know as much about our guests as possible before they come so that we can help them enjoy their experience with us.

As managers, I would say we are very experienced and have learned how to deal with uncertain and volatile situations. The management of a coliving requires a bit less of our time than the management of our touristic accommodations.

We also give a lot of freedom to our team. We gather once a week, to put things together, gather online and offline feedback, talk about upcoming events, and so on. We deposit our trust in them and know they understand exactly the kind of experience we want to create for our guests. So in our day-to-day, we give them space and the tools and power to make decisions to solve any issues that may arise.

10. Do you think managing a coliving differs from managing other types of accommodation (like hotels, hostels, etc.)? In what way?

– Coliving guests are more conscious and respectful of the space and travel destination than most tourists (most, not all). Therefore for us, managing a coliving brings fewer worries and issues than when we were in a hostel for example.

In terms of reservations, coliving guests reserve much more in advance which is also a good thing when creating budgets and planning for the upcoming months.

My advice for any new coliving owners would be to be very thoughtful of the space design. We want to make sure people feel at home.

They will be staying with us for longer periods and mostly also working from the space. Our space has to be designed in a way that feels warm, welcoming, inspiring, and comfortable.

11. How much are you (and your staff) involved in the community and daily activities at CoImpact Coliving? Do you consider yourself an equal part of the community?

– We have staff that is an equal part of the community. Part of our staff lives at our coliving spaces, receive our guests, and make sure the space feels like home at any time given. They are our guest experience team.

Then on a second layer, we have our community manager. She is full-time taking care of events and collaborations, speaking to our guests, and organizing our guest experience team.

Then on a third layer is the management team. We are looking more into the business and strategy-related tasks.

12. What additional activities are included for people who stay at your place? And what approach do you practice when organizing these events?

– We organize 2 events a week. One focused on professional development and one with a social feel.

We try to collaborate with local entrepreneurs, spaces, and event organizers. Our events are a great opportunity to connect our guests with the local community.

We also try to search for activities that have a positive social or environmental impact, allowing our guests to give back to Barcelona and leave a positive footprint. This makes everyone feel good and positive, and we love it.

13. You have a lot of partners that offer discounts and other benefits to your colivers. Do your colivers often use these opportunities?

– Yes. Not as much as we thought they would. The collaborations are a living system. So we are always talking to guests, seeing what they do in the city, and trying to bring collaborators that bring them value.

Community

“A ship in a harbor is safe, but it is not what ships are built for.“

-John A. Shedd

14. What is the profile of people most likely to stay at CoImpact Coliving? Also, since you have two places/locations, is there any difference in the profile of people who choose Bruc and Mallorca?

– We receive mostly remote workers and digital nomads from Europe or who already reside in Europe. I would say that’s about 80%-85% of our guests at the moment.

The main difference between our 2 coliving spaces is that Bruc is shared dormitories and Mallorca private dormitories.

Also in Mallorca, the stay is a minimum of one month. The people in both spaces are very much alike. Maybe it’s a budget or preference thing that differs the most.

15. What is some common motivation behind people choosing CoImpact Coliving?

– I would say our location and our great reviews are what attract people the most.

We are in the best neighborhood in Barcelona, the Eixample, surrounded by amazing modernist architecture, it is so inspiring.

Most people who come are doing remote working or workation.

16. What is the average age of people visiting your accommodation? Again, is the average age difference between Bruc and Mallorca?

– The average age is between 25-33.

17. How long do people usually stay at CoImpact Coliving and do your visitors tend to return to your place?

– Thankfully, we have many guests returning. For being in business for less than 2 years, it’s amazing how many guests have returned and/or extended their stays with us.

The length of stay varies a lot. We have people who have stayed with us for more than 6 months and people who have stayed with us for 7 days.

18. Is there some trend where people from specific countries come to your place?

– We don’t see a particular trend. They are mostly people living in Europe but we think it’s because of the current macroeconomic and social context.

About the Coliving Movement

”Being engaged in some way for the good of the community, whatever that community, is a factor in a meaningful life.”

-Patricia Churchland

19. Do you think that coliving is only dedicated to a specific group of people such as freelancers, digital nomads, and remote workers, or do you think there is a possibility to gain popularity beyond that group of people?

– I believe we will be seeing coliving spaces dedicated to several groups of people: divorced adults; young single people, artists, social entrepreneurs, and retired adults.

Coliving is about living as a community. I believe as a society we will be turning more into community living and community sharing. Globalization is great but we want to feel belonging to a tight-knit community.

20. Do you think coworking is a crucial component of coliving?

– It’s important for sure. I don’t know how crucial. Our working spaces are very comfortable. I even work with them sometimes.

Yet for people that are in the city for less than a month, I see that they want to work in different spaces. They usually try out cafeterias and coworking spaces also to meet other people and communities. That is why we collaborate we 2 coworking spaces as well. People like to try different things.

Of course, you cannot be a coliving if you do not offer a proper working space.

21. One of the main selling points of colivings is the possibility to meet new people, share experiences, and maybe even develop new partnerships. Is that also the situation in CoImpact Coliving?

– Our events and activities are where the meeting and sharing happen. We also have a WhatsApp group where anyone that stays with us can join and look for people to join them in their own activities around the city. This works very well, people always find someone to join them on a new adventure.

I personally do not know of many partnerships that have happened at our coliving. I know some people have collaborated and worked on things together, specific tasks and collaborations. I do not know of any long-term partnerships.

22. Do you have some examples where people who had the opportunity to meet at your place later managed to develop successful partnerships or relationships?

– I know people who have met in our space and then traveled together to another destination.

I also know of people who have collaborated on a project, someone, for example, working on the design for someone else, or a person giving consultancy to another guest.

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that! You will find more than 3500 native speakers waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Disclaimer: This article contains some affiliate links.  At no additional cost to you, we can earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

Coliving movement

• • Coliving Movement

Why Spain should be your first coliving experience?

• ByMarko
• November 18, 2021

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Alh’Patio – From the heart of Andalusia to the hearts of digital nomads

• ByMarko
• June 20, 2022

The post CoImpact Coliving – Community, ideas, and cityscaping in contemporary L’Eixample, Barcelona appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

This 16th-century renovated house with the traditional Andalusian patio and views of Alhambra will show you the best of this historical southern-Spanish city.

Enjoy drinks and tapas, and explore Alahmbra’s magnificent greenery on your next workation while staying in Alh’Patio.

How it all started

“A new reality is being written as we speak. We’re never going to go back to how the world was before the pandemic, and frankly, I think it’s a time of innovation, expansion, and opportunity”

-Kirby Rosplock

1. When and why did you decide to open Alh’Patio?

– Long story! I was working in France for a hotel. Then covid arrived and I just realised that my life wasn’t in France anymore.

And when I saw everyone working remotely, I thought about it. Why not a hotel with a coworking!?

I went to see my uncle and propose to him to enter into this adventure, and a few weeks later we were in Spain looking for a place! And here we are!

2. Have you ever stayed in some other similar accommodation before you decided to open your own?

– I have worked in hotels, hostels, and campsites in the past, with jobs going from animating activities to receptionist or hotel director. So, I do have some experience.

I also have travelled quite a bit in several countries. All this has given me experience and an idea of what I like and don’t like when it comes to the hostelry.

3. Do you remember your beginnings and what was the most difficult for you when you started?

– I think that, because I’m a young woman, nobody at the beginning was paying attention and taking me seriously, for example, the bankers, the owners, etc. They were all looking at my uncle when they were speaking to us.

So, it was difficult to establish my position in front of all, especially men older than me. But I believe that now they know who they are talking to, and I have their respect.

4. Is there something that you wished you knew before you launched Alh’Patio?

– Because I’ve always worked in hotels and big brands, there was always someone who was in charge of the website. I didn’t know how search engines and websites work. That was like another language to learn for me!

5. Have you had the opportunity to visit some other coliving places since you opened Alh’Patio?

– When I travel, I try to go and visit and talk to the people who run coliving spaces. We never know if that would help one of my customers.

6. What is the story behind you choosing Spain/Granada for opening your coliving space there?

– I wanted to go to Spain. I asked my uncle where he wanted to go because I was free to move everywhere. And he told me, Granada. And we found this amazing house! So that was brilliant!

7. What is your relationship with other coliving/coworkings in Spain?

– I’m following several colivings on Instagram, and as I said, when I’m traveling, I’m doing my best to contact the owner and visit the place.

Management

“It’s all about being a part of something in the community, socializing with people who share interests, and coming together to help improve the world we live in.“

-Zach Braff

8. What type of management do you practice at Alh’Patio?

– We are a perfect team, my uncle and I.

I stay most of my time in the coworking doing computer work, administration, emails, marketing, etc.!

And my uncle is the one who will fix things, maintain the house and help the clients! He is also a lover of culture and history so he loves to tell our customers all about Granada’s rich history!

9. How much are you involved in the community and daily activities at Alh’Patio? Do you consider yourself an equal part of the community?

– I’m working every day in the coworking space with them. We sometimes have lunch or grab a beer in a bar after work.

I want to be part of the community and not the „owner “.

10. What additional activities are included for people who stay at your place? And what approach do you practice when organizing those events?

– Because it’s private apartments, the people are indeed more independent; this is not like other colivings where you do everything with the others.

But we organise a lunch from time to time, and if not, Granada has a lot of events so I invite them to grab a beer. But for sure I’m always free to organise an expedition!

Community

“True Hospitality is welcoming the stranger on her own terms.“

-Henri Nouwen

11. What is the profile of people most likely to stay at Alh’Patio?

– We have every kind of people; couples, singles, from 23 to 50 years old. We try to make it very welcoming for everyone.

12. What is the motivation behind people choosing Alh’Patio?

– Most people staying in Alh’Patio for more than a month are digital nomads, people doing workation. We also have digital nomads who stay here for one week and work just a minimum so that they can visit Granada. And we have also tourists coming to Alh’Patio for a few days.

13. What is the average age of people who are visiting your accommodation?

– So, as I said, the age is between 24 and 50 years old.

But people who stay here for one month are around 28-38 years old.

14. How long do people usually stay at your place?

– We have an increase in people who stay now for a month and more. People can stay from 2 nights to 1 month and more. The price will depend on how many days you stay.

15. Do your visitors tend to return to your place?

– Because we only opened in September, we can’t speak about returning clients yet. But yes, I am maintaining contact, and most of them told me they would come back!

16. Is there some trend where people from specific countries come to your place?

– Not really, but 90% are indeed from Europe.

17. Do you have some special offers?

– We have a long stay price, a weekly one as well. Just contact us, and I can see what I can do!

About the Coliving Movement

”The miracle is this: The more we share the more we have.”

-Leonard Nimoy

18. Do you think this type of accommodation is dedicated only to a specific group of people, such as freelancers, digital nomads, and remote workers, or do you think there is a possibility to gain popularity beyond that group of people?

– I think the remote work movement is increasing a lot. And in the future, people will want to continue being together and share experiences with others. This will mean they will want a different living experience, which a normal hostel, for example, cannot offer them.

19. One of the main selling points of similar places is the possibility to meet new people, share experiences, and maybe even develop new partnerships. Is that also the situation in Alh’Patio?

– It’s a small space. We have only 9 places in the coworking, so, for sure you will talk to others during the day! That is the good thing – we have a family vibe.

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that! You will find more than 3500 native speakers waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Disclaimer: This article contains some affiliate links.  At no additional cost to you, we can earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

Coliving movement

• • Coliving Movement

Why Spain should be your first coliving experience?

• ByMarko
• November 18, 2021

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Coliving 1907 – A historical house telling a unique story of Las Palmas

• ByMarko
• November 5, 2022

The post Alh’Patio – From the heart of Andalusia to the hearts of digital nomads appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

More than two months ago, we started this project on the Canary Islands in La Gomera, only passing by through Tenerife.

Now, after visiting Galicia and Valencia, we’re back on the islands, and we have a second chance of exploring Tenerife and all its beauty, and we’re super happy about it.

Tenerife is a magical place tailored for nature lovers, rock climbers, and adventurers.

Sadly, many go without knowing that classical tourism in places like Tenerife hurts its raw beauty or that it doesn’t truly show what these places have to offer without artificial tourist attractions.

If you’re not a classical touristic type and you’re always looking for a way of connecting with the local community, learning about the culture, and experiencing what locals love to do when you travel, then you’ll love Cactus coliving in Tenerife South.

Disclaimer: This piece of content may contain some affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase or book through one of our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Tenerife’s new tourism model

In the past few years, or since the pandemic, Tenerife has become a favored spot for digital nomads, especially from Europe.

This has to go in hand with the fact that a lot of previously popular digital-nomad places were not accessible to European nomads anymore, so traveling nationally, or at least in the Schengen area, made more sense.

So, while the European mainland went through winter, people realized that the Canary Islands might provide the same escape from the cold as popular Asian and South American destinations, only much closer and much more accessible.

That is how this destination, which was previously popular only for a few weeks of a hedonistic escape, started to receive attention from remote workers, digital nomads, and younger expats looking for a place to settle down for a few months or years.

As it is already familiar, digital-nomad-focused tourism calls for a completely different business model than that of classical tourism and this is why Tenerife started blooming in new colivings, hostels turned into coliving spaces, coworking cafes, and many more opportunities tailored for the digital nomad lifestyle.

Still, many property owners designed their places only for extended stays, but their behavior towards the island stayed the same. The opportunities they offer are the same as the ones touristic agencies provide, and not many truly incorporate the life and soul of the island.

That’s why a need for a different approach was born. An approach that will give back to the island and emphasize its beauty through kind and natural touristic activities that do not disrupt the ecosystem and the culture.

And that need is also one of the reasons Cactus coliving was born.

The neighborhood

Cactus is located in Valle San Lorenzo, a small town in the province of Arona, just 10-15 minutes by car from well-known locations like Las Americas and Los Cristianos.

Unlike many other colivings, the house is not outside the town, so even if you’re not in the mood to take the car or a bus and go to the city, you can still find everything you need around the corner.

For example, literally around the corner, a minute from the house, there is a rather big supermarket, Alteza.

Still, if you don’t find what you’re looking for there, just down the street, on a 7-minute walk, there is a hypermarket Hiper Dino with an even more sizable choice of groceries.

When it comes to dining out and entertainment, there are also a few cafes, restaurants, and bars around that you could visit to have a quick barraquito or a Saturday night cocktail.

On top of everything, because Roque de Jama is close by, you will enjoy gorgeous views while strolling through the town or, even better, chilling on the Cactus rooftop.

The house

The Cactus house has quite a story behind it.

It’s more than 200 years old, and it was one of the first and most important houses in the town that supplied the whole town with gofio and electricity.

Originally, it was a part of two more houses with a total of six immense water tanks that fed their gardens.

With the development of the town and the infrastructure, the houses split, and this one was left in the keeping of the church.

Some decades later, the church put the house for sale to the public and that is when Maria’s (the Cactus coliving founder) family bought it.

There were some periods that the family lived there and some when the house was empty, but Maria more or less grew up there.

Before opening the coliving, nobody lived in the house for a decade, but during the pandemic, Maria decided to move back into it, which, step by step, gave birth to what it is today.

The name

Probably one of the most beautiful stories about this coliving is the story about its name.

Apparently, when Maria was born, her mother planted some cactuses in the house’s backyard.

And despite periods when the family rarely visited the house, and nobody was there to care for the property or the plants, the cactuses survived all these years and not only survived but thrived.

Today, 27 years later, they are still standing tall and powerful, overlooking the house and stretching more than 6 meters in the sky.

For that sake, it only felt right to name the house after its most loyal keepers, and that is how Cactus coliving got its name.

Thinking about it, it truly feels like a perfect name because it tells the story of the house, the family, and the founder, but also about Tenerife, its history, and the raw and strong nature that makes this island exceptional.

The rooms

Cactus house has twelve rooms in total – one dorm room and the rest private single and double rooms.

The house is spacious thus the rooms are nicely scattered across it.

If you’re not deliberately counting them, you could go without knowing how many rooms are there and where all the rooms are.

The whole house can be divided into two main parts – the old one and the new one.

• The old part is close to the kitchen and opens up to the front yard. This part of the house has five rooms on the ground floor.
• The new part is the rear side of the house that connects with the main coworking area that opens up to the backyard. This area has two rooms on the ground floor, from which one is a duplex, so it also occupies the upper part and the other three rooms on the first level.

Besides these two main groups of rooms, there is also one more room on the rooftop and a dorm room on the upper level of the house.

What is intriguing and captures the spirit of the Canaries is that every room carries the name of an endemic plant species native to the Canary Islands.

Some of these plants are endangered so carrying their names, the rooms also spread awareness about them in a way.

The coworking spaces

Another valuable asset of Cactus coliving is its coworking spaces. Without a doubt, Cactus has one of the best indoor coworking spaces that I’ve seen.

They have two massive coworking areas that are at disposal to their colivers at any time, as well as one all-purpose room perfect for coworking in a smaller group setting and one private conference room.

The main coworking area

The main coworking area is a luminous, ample open space with two big desks with approximately ten seats.

This space is always full of natural light as it opens up to the backyard with a big glass door, and it has a quarter of the ceiling open so the fresh air and natural light can flow through the space.

Some of the things that make this space inspiring and relaxing are the ceiling that is approximately 10 meters high, space openness, and the best part – a tall palm tree growing right next to you.

There is a perfect indoor-outdoor balance in this space, making it the favorite spot for working among Cactus’ colivers.

Other than the chairs and desks, this area also has two cozy lounge areas where you can lay down and work or catch something on the TV. This corner can either play as a living room or simply as a more comfortable working area.

The main coworking space is the one that occupies the most seats, however, it’s designed for a more casual working environment.

That is why another coworking area exists in the house for those who need more silence and tranquility or don’t like the open-space vibe as much.

The silent room

The silent room is just a fun name for the indoor office space in Cactus. Because it’s completely indoor and stands a bit further away from the rooms than the other coworking area, it’s decided that this would be a more tranquil and silent space for work.

This room is also a proper coworking space with four long tables and a lot of chairs. Even though it is rarely fully occupied, it can fit all the colivers if they wanted to be there.

This area is a bit colder during the day as it doesn’t have as much sunlight, so it can be a good space for chilling out if the other space gets too sunny or just having a bit of a private escape.

The silent room also has a super cozy lounge area. The cozy couch can also be another half-private spot for working when you’re in that “working from the bed mood” but don’t want to stay in your room the whole day.

The conference room

A concept of a conference room is something that we have only seen in Cactus, so far. But, when you think about it, it’s a very useful amenity.

Beside the door, you will notice a small whiteboard that serves as a booking tool.

You can write your name on the board and book the space for up to 3 hours per day, so you know you have a safe, private room if you need to be on a call, work on a project, study, or whatever else.

It’s a small room perfectly tailored for one person, so it’s a great place to have a video call, an online presentation, or maybe an interview of some kind.

If this room is occupied, or if you’re just looking for a cooler place during one hot afternoon, Cactus has another conference room that you might fit better, and it will surprise you what it is!

The wine cellar

Do you remember the story about the water tanks from this and the other two houses that date back to the early days of the town?

Well, the one water tank left in the Cactus house after the house separation is still there but with a new purpose – it’s converted to a wine cellar… and some other things.

This chilly room provides a downright space for keeping local wine and having wine workshops, but it can also work as a cool and peaceful working area when the house is too crowded or the temperatures are too high.

The booking principle is the same as for the small conference room inside the house.

The only difference between the wine cellar and the conference room is that the wine cellar can fit more people, so it might be the best place in the house for in-person meetings.

Other than that, when it’s not booked (and rarely is), everyone is free to go down and chill, work, or have a conversation down there.

Other working spaces

Besides the official working spaces, Cactus has a lot of other corners that you can go to with a laptop.

For example, one of the more casual but popular places for working is the hammock in the front yard. There is a tall coffee table in front of the hammock that you can move around, but it’s the perfect height for sitting in the hammock and having the laptop on it. This nook is also in the back of the front yard behind an avocado tree, so it gives you some privacy as well.

Another place where you could either go to work or have lunch is a table with a bench behind the kitchen. People often choose the long table on the main porch for either eating or working outside, but if you’re not in the mood for being around a lot of people, this place behind the kitchen can be equivalent.

And of course, while we’re on about outdoor places, another option for early morning or evening work is on the rooftop. During the day, the rooftop gets super sunny so it might be hard to see the screen, but when the sun is already down, or not yet fully above us, there are a few spots where you can chill and work from. In fact, I’m in one of the rooftop corners as I’m writing, chilling in the hanging egg chair and overlooking Roque de Jama. 🙂

Lastly, all rooms have a desk with a chair, so if none of these spaces work for you, you can always work in your room. The wifi is reliable, strong, and fast throughout the property, so it doesn’t really matter if you choose the rooftop, the coworking, or the wine cellar.

The activities

Every week, a new set of activities is pinned on the bulletin board in the kitchen, as well as sent out in the Slack group.

The bulletin board works great as the first announcer since Slack sometimes doesn’t push notifications, but also as a reminder throughout the week.

Every time you walk into the kitchen, you’ll notice the board, and if you need to remind yourself when the activities are happening, this is a good way. But, signing up for the activities is through Slack.

Of course, Maria or the volunteers send a kind reminder to the group a day before a big activity or on the day of the smaller ones. What we loved about the activities in Cactus is the fact that they are very simple but very enriching.

Maria really provides you with a value that you probably wouldn’t be able to have without her because they are not classical tourist activities but something that keeps you in touch with the local culture and surroundings.

Being a local, Maria can show you places that only locals know.

Maybe some secret shortcuts and cool spots that tourist agencies don’t know about, but above all, Maria works hard to connect with local businesses, organizations, and the community, and that’s what makes these activities so unique and valuable.

So, even if it would be easy for Maria to quickly organize something for a group that doesn’t know anything about the Canaries, she puts a lot of effort into it.

With every activity, you can tell that she did her best to make the experience most worthwhile for the colivers but also the area.

Here are some activities that we participated in during our stay, and some that you can expect if you come:

Local-cuisine workshops

One type of activities Maria loves to organize bi-weekly or monthly so that everybody can participate at least once are these local-cuisine workshops.

Mojo (Rojo and Verde) workshop

The Canaries have quite a few typical dishes, but one of the most famous ones are tasty spreads Mojo Rojo and Mojo Verde (the typical red and green sauces).

These spreads either go with the bread as an appetizer or as a sauce with the main dish, and they’re super tasty!

Barraquito workshop

And when it comes to traditional drinks, Tenerife has a typical coffee drink called barraquito. This is a sweet coffee-based drink with citrus liquor. It’s a delicacy and the locals drink it as much as the tourists.

But, most tourists come to love both the mojo and the barraquito, so Maria decided to organize workshops and teach Cactus colivers how to make them.

It’s not only a fun activity, but it also lets travelers bring a part of the Canarian culture home. It’s a way of spreading the word about the Canaries that’s beyond the tourist attractions.

Hiking Tenerife

The area is full of amazing hiking spots and luckily, Maria is a knowledgeable hiker.

Every week, there will be at least one hiking activity in Cactus that Maria will take you to. Most hikes are beginner-friendly, and, like Jasper, Cactus’ longest coliver, says, hiking spots are different almost every time.

Hiking in Roque de Jama, Tenerife South

The only hikes that will happen from time to time are the hike to Roque de Jama and the hike on Teide.

Roque de Jama is the closest rock to the Cactus house. It’s a very local hiking spot with not many people around.

Maria loves to take the colivers there and share a bit of her knowledge on the geography of Tenerife. She likes showing what is where from looking from the top of the rock and just giving a fun lesson on the area while you’re enjoying the hike and the views.

It’s a very fun hike and super beginner-friendly, and you get bonus points if you spot the Cactus house from the top! 😀

Hiking in Teide

Subsequently, hiking on Teide is one of those must activities when coming to Tenerife.

Teide is the highest point in Spain, and that said, you can choose trails for beginners or more advanced trails. When Maria organizes the activities for the group, they will normally be light enough for everyone to join so it can suit the group.

For example, we went this May with Maria to see the blooming of a beautiful flower, tajinaste native to Tenerife. It was a light, but worthy hike. And yes, if you were asking yourself, one of the rooms in Cactus is, in fact, called Tajinaste.

Of course, if you want to go to an advanced hiking trail, you can ask Maria to give you some tips, or maybe join her when she’s doing it outside the group activities.

Daily yoga

Cactus has a few volunteers, and most of them are here to help out with the house maintenance but also to teach yoga.

Many colivings offer yoga lessons as one of their selling points, and even though Cactus doesn’t emphasize this because there are many other things to experience there, they too organize yoga every workday.

Sometimes, the yoga lessons are on the rooftop, sometimes in the garden, and sometimes in a nearby calisthenics park.

Connecting colivers with the local community and culture

One of the biggest goals that Maria wants to accomplish with Cactus is to promote the real Canarian culture, show the colivers what the area is really like, support small business owners, and showcase the need of practicing sustainable tourism in the Canary Islands.

As previously mentioned, she connects with many local businesses and organizations that help the island (Canary Green, Rotary, etc.) as well as local shop owners, farmers, etc., to build a unique and sustainable experience for Cactus’ visitors.

One of the many ways she inspires travelers to participate in sustainable tourism is by providing them with locally grown food, and taking them to the local farmer’s market every week.

She also wants the colivers to connect with the local culture, so she always tries to show them local events if there are any around.

For example, during our stay, there was a town festival that we visited all together and went to with Maria’s family and friends all dressed in traditional costumes that she got for us. It was such a wholesome experience.

These experiences will always be different because they depend on what is around the time you’re visiting. But, Maria will make sure to be informed and allow colivers to participate in something like this.

Connections with other colivings

Cactus is also well-connected with other colivings in the area, so by staying here you will have the opportunity to participate in events with other colivings and the digital nomad community in Tenerife.

This can be an amazing way to meet new people, share experiences, and just have fun.

During our stay, we had two events that other colivings organized that we were invited to because we were in Cactus.

So, if you want to explore other places as well, Cactus is a great place because it nurtures support and collaboration with other places rather than competition.

Community

Lastly, the community in Cactus is very diverse, both age-vise and country-vise. But, somehow, the people find that they’re connected here because they were all searching for something like this.

Maria herself doesn’t live in the house and is not a core part of the community, but more of an external link. The volunteers, however, are a part of the community that, in a way, feels like a family.

The reason for that might be the house itself and how the rooms are laid out. The communal areas inspire spontaneous and casual conversations but the house is big enough to find your safe spot where nobody will impede you.

Some people came to Cactus, went on to other parts of Tenerife, then came back to Cactus because they liked the atmosphere.

Even though you can stay for 10, or 15 days, Cactus is a perfect house for long-term stays like 4, 6 months, or even longer. Maybe the best one yet.

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Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that, where more than 3500 native speakers are waiting to help you with your Spanish.

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Cactus Coliving – Tenerife’s gem for digital nomads

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• May 12, 2022

• • Coliving Movement

Why Spain should be your first coliving experience?

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The post Coliving Spain 2022: #5 Cactus – The perfect long-term coliving experience with a local impact appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

Rich in so many different activities such as meditation, wine tasting, and skill-sharing, Cactus Coliving makes a perfect destination for a digital nomad or a remote worker looking for new experiences and new connections.

Read our interview with Maria, the owner of this unique experience, and find out the story behind it.

How it all started

“In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive use of solitude.”

–Rollo May, American psychologist

1. When and why did you decide to open a coliving space of your own?

– I was working for the American Online Travel Agency, Expedia Group, in the Malaga office and the lockdown came. At that moment, I decided to move to my childhood house in Tenerife South (a historical house more than 200 years old).

The house was uninhabited for more than 10 years and I worked remotely from there. Due to the situation, I decided to think about a plan B. Thanks to an article I read in an economist paper about the concept of coliving, I realized that I had my plan B for the house and me.

2. Have you ever stayed in some other coliving space or any shared accommodation before you decided to open your own?

– Not before I decided to open Cactus, but I had the opportunity to experience other colivings before Cactus Coliving was officially opened.

3. Do you remember beginnings and what was the most difficult for you when you started your coliving?

– The construction and refurbishment was the most difficult part.

4. Is there something that you wished you knew when you started with coliving?

– I would like to have known the dynamic of a growing and changing community.

5. Have you had the opportunity to visit other coliving places since you opened yours?

– Yes. I visited most of the colivings in my surroundings.

6. What is the story behind you choosing Spain as the location for opening your coliving space?

– Tenerife South is my home and the lockdown gave me the opportunity not only of coming back but also to develop an idea that links people with my home place.

Tenerife is in Spain, and the Spanish people are friendly and easy-going, which is another reason that I chose this location.

7. What are the advantages of having coliving at a remote rural place, and are there any disadvantages?

Adventages

– From my point of view, the location of Cactus has many advantages such as being out of the touristic zones of the south, the peace of the rural area, easy access to bio and eco fruits, veggies and eggs from our neighbors, walking distance to the mountains, etc.

All this doesn’t mean that we are not well communicated because we have a bus stop 2 minutes walk from our place.

Disadvantages

– If I had to choose one disadvantage, I would say that there is no nightlife or many cultural events in our village.

Our community

“At 30 you finally start to catch up to those dreams you’ve been chasing for the last 10 plus years.”

–Bonnidette Lantz

8. What is the profile of people who are most likely to stay at your place?

– We are primarily aimed at entrepreneurs, digital nomads, freelancers, and those who want to become one.

9. What is the average age of people who are visiting your accommodation?

– Mainly our colivers are from 33 to 40 years old but we also have younger and older.

10. How long do people usually stay at your place?

– The average stay in Cactus Coliving is 1 month.

11. Do your visitors have the tendency to return back to your place?

– Yes, very often, as the connection they get to the Cactus community is very strong.

12. Is there some trend where people from specific countries come to your place?

– The trend varies depending on the colivers that are staying.

13. What additional activities are included for people who stay at your coliving?

– Daily yoga, hiking, different workshops, family dinners, surfing, skill-sharing, etc.

14. Do you have some special offers for startups and group bookings?

– We organize workation meet-ups for groups depending on their needs.

About the Coliving Movement

”Surround yourself with those on the same mission as you.”

–Anonymous

15. Do you think that coliving is only dedicated to a specific group of people such as freelancers, digital nomads, and startups, or do you think there is a possibility to gain popularity beyond that group of people?

– The coliving can be as strong as the community gets, meaning that it can be extrapolated to any human activity.

16. Do you think that coliving cannot exist without coworking?

– I think that it can, as coworking could be replaced with the fulfillment of other needs.

17. One of the main selling points for coliving is the possibility to meet new people, share experiences and maybe even develop new partnerships. Is that really the situation?

– Yes, that is one of the strongest advantages of living in a community.

18. Do you have some examples where people who had the opportunity to meet at your place later managed to develop successful partnerships or relationships?

– Yes, we have several colivers organizing a vegan cafe, others helping each other with their works and projects, and many relationships developed thanks to all the activities we organize together.

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that, where more than 3500 native speakers are waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Disclaimer: This article contains some affiliate links.  At no additional cost for you, we can earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase.

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The post Cactus Coliving – Tenerife’s gem for digital nomads appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

Going remote is spreading quickly, and it is not a shock. Seeing your acquaintances traveling while working makes everybody think: Why would I wait for a vacation to see the world?. And people are right. With so many jobs being online these days, there are no reasons why you would sit in an office if that is not what makes you productive.

While working remotely, people have more freedom to choose how they create a life-work balance that suits them, and coworking and coliving places exist to make that easier.

With that exact philosophy, five friends, Ben, Domi, Lucca, Alex, and David, united around their love for surfing, nature, balance, and Tenerife, and decided to create a coliving and coworking space made for a perfect workation. And that’s how Maraya was born.

Disclaimer: This piece of content may contain some affiliate links. If you decide to make a purchase or book through one of our links, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Supporting the island’s philosophy

Tenerife just might be one of the best places to find this work-life balance, slow down from the fast-paced world, and find your inner peace in nature and by the water.

But Maraya’s house complements this lifestyle and what the island has to offer even more.

Their story is quite unique, and the creation of Maraya is a story in itself. Today, we’re safe to say that this is a perfect spot for somebody looking for a month-long workation escape.

With carefully designed outdoor spaces, dozens of areas to work, chill, or hang out, and an energy that just flows through the whole property, Maraya will inspire you to be in the moment and pamper yourself a bit.

How to get to Maraya Coliving

Maraya is in the small town of Candelaria in the north of Tenerife, a region known for beautiful landscapes and black volcanic beaches.

The town is only a 20-minute drive from the capital, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, 30 minutes from the Tenerife North airport, and 40 minutes from Tenerife South airport.

To get to Maraya from the north airport, you can either take a taxi for about 35 euros, a bus, or have Maraya staff pick you up for 30 euros.

The bus is the cheapest option, but it is also the longest. You will have to change one bus, and it takes about an hour altogether. Still, it’s not bad at all, and Maraya’s team will pick you up at the bus station.

Candelaria and the neighborhood

In Candelaria, there is simply everything you need: a small mall, a supermarket, a barbershop, etc. Since Maraya’s house is a bit out of the city center, it will take about 20 minutes walking the town and just 5 minutes by car. Either way, it’s pretty close.

The closest shop is 10 minutes on foot, but it’s a small one. For bigger purchases, it’s better to go to the town, but not to worry too much about logistics—Maraya has two cars that colivers can borrow, and they often carpool to the supermarkets, beaches, etc.

The neighborhood is cozy, quiet, and homely, so being tucked away but also close to the bigger town and cities kind of makes it a perfect nook.

How it all started

As the guys tell us, preparing the house, the yard, and the garden was a process in itself. Of course, every house renovation takes time and energy, but in Maraya’s case, they took it as a project on its own and poured their souls into these renovations.

Imagine five friends taking on this huge project on a super fun island, inviting a bunch of friends to help out, and just experimenting on the way. It sounds like a movie plot, right?

We can only imagine how it was, but the complete renovations took nine months, and about 30 people gave their contributions. In Maraya’s official video, there’s a special thanks to all the folks who helped build it.

These renovations gathered an awesome group of people and created new relationships, friendships, and even love. The whole building team was super international, and you could say it kind of set foot on what Maraya’s community will be like.

When we say they put their souls into it, we don’t only mean their focus, sweat, and hard work. We mean that every corner of the house has a unique story, and carries a special moment and memory of why and how it came to life.

Typically, when building a coliving, a hostel, a hotel, or anything like it, renovations are only one step towards the goal. What you can feel in Maraya is that working on the house was a goal in itself.

It’s kind of comparable to building a home. The process is completely different when you’re building and decorating a rental versus doing this for your home.

The coziness of a home is created only when people leave their personalities on every step, and that creates an energy that no rental can ever compete with.

Well, Maraya has this exact energy, and you can truly feel it the first step you take onto the property.

The rooms

The house has nine rooms, eight private and one dorm, with four shared and two en-suite bathrooms. Every room has a unique theme that goes with its name. You will find descriptions of each of the rooms on Maraya’s website, but, interestingly, as we learn, the names and themes were not planned at first.

As Ben, one of the 5 co-founders, explains, they were deciding whether they should name the rooms at all because they were struggling a bit to come up with names naturally and didn’t want to force it. Then, one day, David, another co-founder, came from Germany with a collection of artwork. It was a bunch of paintings and pictures with all kinds of different vibes.

So, they sat down and decided to categorize the artwork according to the themes and overall feelings they gave and add them to the rooms; and that is how they ended up attributing the themes to the rooms.

Even though the whole property has a certain focal design, something that I would describe as a mix between retro and boho, the subtle decor on the walls, desks, and bedding, is what gives each room a unique personality, so we suggest asking the founders about your room when you book it. The stories, inspiration, and work behind it are what will make it special.

A tribute to the Canaries

Throughout the whole property, the guys left small tributes to the Canary Islands. After all, they wanted to show their appreciation for their new home island.

The most notable ones are the San Borondon Room and little a something that you will discover in Room 1968. Keep reading, but remember – once you’re there yourself, asking questions will open you up to all sorts of secrets like these.

San Borondon Island

The room San Borondon is proudly named after a legend of a mystical island in the Canaries that seems to appear and disappear throughout history. Not only do some people actually claim to have seen the island but there are also representations of it on some maps. Although many people have sailed west to try and discover it, up to today, it’s still only a legend.

So—to go with the theme—the room San Borondon was not supposed to be a room at all! It was planned for the house to have only eight rooms, until one of the co-founders’ parents came to visit, and while receiving a tour, recognized that one of the empty spaces would make an amazing room. With ocean views, they thought it would be a waste not to use it.

The guys agreed, and, inspired by the story of an island that appears and disappears, they named it San Borondon. Also, being the only room overlooking the ocean, it was meant to name it after the island and subsequently, after a legendary surfing wave that carries the same name.

Room 1968

Another room that honors the islands’ culture is the dormitory, or room 1968.

This six-bed mixed dormitory is equipped with locally custom-made bunk beds, made from a special type of wood found only in the Canaries. The shared space evokes the period when community and communal exploration were at their prime – the late 60s, but also gives privacy and provides a cozy space for people to make their own nests.

All beds have an built-in storage space, a cozy lamp, and curtains made from traditional Canarian festive costume material that give you privacy.

We spent some time in this room ourselves and, honestly, it felt like how I imagine being on a transatlantic ship (just without the rocking ha-ha). It was truly a unique and super cozy experience.

The garden

The garden is another typical Canarian thing Maraya incorporated, and it actually had a significant role in their property choice.

They were already thinking how it would be cool to have a garden with their own produce that they and the colivers could use, and this property just had an amazing space for that. It needed work, of course, like everything else, but it was also something that the guys enjoyed doing.

During the construction of the property, many locals came just to see the garden and share their tips on how to care for it, what to plant, what not to plant, etc.

One of the biggest influences on their decisions came from a permaculture veteran, a lovely Cuban named Sergio, who helped the team understand how to sustainably grow fruits and veggies. Sergio passed away recently, so having this amazing garden today that feeds Maraya’s community is something like a tribute to this genius man.

The central area

The outside kitchen, which is also the main kitchen, is truly the focal point of the house and the community.

The fully equipped kitchen with cozy yellow lights for the ambience, good speakers to play music in the evenings, a big table to gather the community, and all that right next to a pool, is what makes this house alive.

This is the place where all 20-25 people come together four nights a week for the family dinner, share breakfast every morning, or just come to have a coffee together and hang out.

As Ben says, the outdoor kitchen is the place you should come to if you care for some company. Just go there, sit and relax, and someone will join in minutes.

Maraya’s Community

Maraya’s community is pretty big. As we mentioned above, there are typically between 20 and 25 people co-living at a time. A portion of that number goes to Maraya’s team and volunteers who help the place run and keep the community engaged.

In the one week that we were there, there were a few changes in the team: a few people going, and a few coming in, so I would say we met between 25 and 30 people in total.

Of course, you should not expect to connect with everyone, especially if you only spend a few days together, but normally, there will be at least 10 people with whom you can spend at least a week or two so you can make some workation friends.

Colivers

Most people who come are indeed working remotely, and they mostly stay 3-4 weeks.

During the workweek, the atmosphere is quite tranquil because most people work remotely, and in the afternoon hours, people are ready to disconnect. And that’s something that most colivers here have in common.

Most evenings, people often gather around the ping pong table or have some drinks and play a few board games. It’s something that connects the community and helps relax the group after a long day.

Maybe a bit different from other colivings is the fact that, other than individuals, many people come here as couples or friends. It might be more suitable given the number of colivers, so when you come with a friend or a partner, you won’t disrupt the group dynamics which can happen in smaller colivings with only 6-8 people.

Volunteers

As mentioned, another part of the community are the volunteers, and their presence definitely gives a special energy to the place. They also feel like a constant in a changing place. There will always be at least one of the volunteers outside, happy to have a conversation, help you out, share a laugh, etc.

Community building and activities

Maraya’s community is big, and there are sometimes people coming with their friends. And for some, it might feel hard to spark that connection with others because it might seem that everyone has a group.

Because of that, but also for the ultimate workation experience, Maraya’s team organizes activities that help people connect, strengthen their relationships, and just help the colivers have a fun and relaxing time.

Working 8 hours in today’s world, then relaxing with, again, your computer, makes it hard for some people to think of ways of relaxing without phones or laptops, and Maraya does a great job helping with that.

They stay organized and inform their colivers about the activities via Slack, but also by writing and updating the weekly schedule blackboard with activity names and staff members who will manage them.

Every week, a new weekly schedule is put in the kitchen area where everyone can see it, and the weekends are left so the group can decide together or guests can propose their own ideas.

Some activities are in the house and some outside like a road trip to a nearby town, a picnic on the beach, a hike, or similar.

Besides these unique group activities, there are also free yoga classes 5 days a week, and sometimes on the weekends.

Unfortunately, we couldn’t make time to join the sessions for the one week we were in Maraya, but others have told us it is quite nice. They do it on the rooftop so it’s quite lovely in the early mornings as a way to start a day, or in the evenings before dinner as a way to slow down.

Here are some of the activities that were scheduled during our time in Maraya:

Group ping pong

While ping pong is something colivers play with or without it being organized, having a dedicated ping pong night was also very exciting.

There are some games that you can play as a group, like standing in a circle around the table and playing until you drop the ball. The last man standing is the winner. Instead of playing two people at a time, or two doubles, everybody can join and experience the vibe. It can get pretty funny and competitive in a good way.

As previously mentioned, ping pong is such a simple activity that has shown so many benefits for after-work relaxation, group bonding, for shy people to loosen up a bit, and just as a good activity before going to bed.

It’s probably because it is an activity that disconnects your mind from the screen, your work, and your problems, and connects you to the moment, letting your mind have a rest.

That is probably one of the reasons that many companies also have ping pong tables in their leisure rooms, and that a lot of people in Maraya also choose to play a few games on their lunch breaks.

Backyard bonfire

One other community-building activity that we had was a bonfire. One of the volunteers made a bonfire, and we all relaxed around it, chilling and listening to music.

For the staff, it was quite a special night because two of their members (one was David, one of the founders) were leaving their positions in Maraya. It was a very intimate atmosphere. There’s something special in sitting and just listening to the fire crackling, looking at the flames, and warming up against it.

In Maraya, the activities are mostly like that—organized but very casual. The point is to relax and disconnect, enjoy the moment, and have a good rest for the next day. Everybody harvests the energy differently, so Maraya tries to spread out activities throughout the week that can answer different needs.

Someone needs a silent sit-down next to the warmth, and someone enjoys an active game of ping pong. For someone, that will be a hike, and for another person, a session of team-building games.

We’re all different, and with that many people, finding a balance can be challenging. But, that’s why Maraya has many volunteers who bring a unique energy and can offer different activities to the colivers.

Team building on the rooftop

Team building, or as Juli, one of the lovely volunteers, likes to call them—community building—is a great activity for people to get to know each other, loosen up a bit, and work together.

One night after dinner, a bunch of us got up on the roof and Juli led the community-building with some super fun activities that made us feel like kids again and helped us get to know each other through questions and answers, word games, and pairing up to resolve some small quests.

Chilean board game night

As we said, it’s best if the activities that are happening in a week have some uniqueness to them so that people can join the activities that really match their energies and that suit them.

Board game night was one of the activities for people who like to relax by switching their brain effort to a fun game, try to compete and win, and just experience a bit of that board-gaming adrenaline before going to sleep.

On one quiet Thursday night, another volunteer, Ramiro, decided that he would teach us a game that is very often played in his home country—a game called Cachos. It turns out that many countries have their version of the game. In English, it is known as Liar’s dice.

If you know about Liar’s dice, then you might guess that the quiet night became a bit crazy and that it was unclear until the end who would take the winning title.

The game was super-fun and the perfect activity to end the night with. There are also other board games available in Maraya, like Bang! and Catan, and many others. There’s plenty of room for board gaming, and if you have your own with you – you can add some spice yourself!

Showing other countries’ traditions through games (like the one with Ramiro) also seems like a great idea, but also simply sharing a game that you love. If people love it, it will be a nice memory to remember you by.

Day trips

As a part of their activities, the Maraya team often organizes day trips to nearby beaches, restaurants, towns, or other places on the island that are great for experiencing things like diving, snorkeling, watching the sunset, etc.

Of course, going to a restaurant or on a surfing trip will not be completely free, but you do get a free local recommendation, which is something of enormous value in a tourist place.

The guys have gone through the island from length to breadth, so they have some true recommendations of places they love and are willing to share them with you.

It’s a great way to explore the island and avoid tourist traps that are everywhere, especially in the south.

Get inspired for coworking

Now, if you’re coming to Maraya with your laptop, you’re probably wondering if the working environment is good enough for you to keep your routine. We’ll tell you—Maraya is truly such an inspiring place if you want to dive into this world of remote work and coworking, as it gives just the support you need for it as a newbie.

Just as an example—let’s mention food. Having ready-made breakfast every morning, and a fresh, healthy dinner four nights a week, is something many people said saves their time, helps them stay organized, and lifts the pressure off them.

Sundays through Wednesdays, everyone knows that around 8 or 9 PM, everyone will gather around the kitchen table and enjoy a nice home-cooked meal prepared by the staff.

Small things like these make this space a perfect workation spot. During the day, people focus on working, personal projects, or just some alone time, but after work, connections spark, nobody talks about work anymore, and stress gets lifted almost immediately. And that’s exactly what Maraya wanted to accomplish.

Maraya lets you stay connected to the modern world around you, but helps you reconnect with your inner child and find peace in slowing down and sharing your life more intentionally with others.

So—don’t wait too long to try Maraya out yourself—you know your soul needs it!

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Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that, where more than 3500 native speakers are waiting to help you with your Spanish.

Learn more about coliving

• • Interviews with Coliving Operators

Maraya Coliving – The house of community, good vibrations, and ocean views

• ByMarko
• May 3, 2022

• • Coliving Movement

Why Spain should be your first coliving experience?

• ByMarko
• November 18, 2021

The post Coliving Spain 2022: #4 Maraya – An oasis for remote workers in Tenerife North appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.

Located in a beautiful Tenerife North, Maraya is made to inspire you to experience life to the fullest while being at peace with yourself.

Check out the interview and meet Maraya, a nest for digital nomads and remote workers built by five creative friends – Ben, David, Alex, Lucca, and Domi.

When it comes to community, these guys understand better than anyone the importance of connecting with the right people to create something amazing. Their experience definitely shapes Maraya’s energy, making its community one of its strongest points.

We did this interview as a part of our second set of interviews with coliving owners in Spain. In case you missed other interviews we did in this or the first set, you can check them all here. 

How it all started

“Three keys to more abundant living: caring about others, daring for others, sharing with others.”

–William Arthur Ward Dare

1. When and why did you decide to open a coliving space of your own?

– We decided to open a coliving space at the end of 2019 / beginning of 2020, before the covid pandemic made it such a popular form of finding a balance between work life and travel life.

We decided upon a coliving because we always liked this approach to life. Sharing spaces, utilities, stories, dinners, and new experiences. We also always imagined a coliving would attract a varied group of guests from all over the world.

2. Have you ever stayed in some other coliving space or any shared accommodation before you decided to open your own?

– All of the team have spent a lot of time travelling and living overseas in some form of coliving or shared accommodation. This gave us a lot of experiences on the things we liked or disliked about spaces, facilities, structure, and the communities.

3. Do you remember beginnings and what was the most difficult for you when you started your coliving?

– Our beginning was only recently (we opened in October 2021) and I think our most difficult challenge at the beginning was the overwhelming demand mixed with still figuring out our structure and community.

We also renovated the entire space from the ground up by ourselves, that was also quite a challenge 🙂

4. Is there something that you wished you knew when you started with coliving?

– It’s still almost too early to answer this question as I’m sure there are many things we still don’t know and will have wished we knew in the future! But for now, I think the knowledge we’ve gained that’s been the most valuable has been related to our community.

We started with a lot of ideas and experiences but have learned so much about our community and in particular what a Maraya community looks like, but I’m also happy we didn’t know this before because it’s been a fun journey to figure it out!

5. Have you had the opportunity to visit other coliving places since you opened yours?

– We have, in fact. We have a good relationship with the other colivings on the island, we all feel working together to grow the entire digital nomad and remote worker community on Tenerife is by far the best possible experience for guests.

6. What is the story behind you choosing Spain as the location for opening your coliving space?

– The reason we choose Spain, and in particular Tenerife is for the sunshine, the surf, the culture, the pace of life, the language, the food, the diversity – so many things to list!

We love it. And we’re super happy to have our coliving on Tenerife.

7. What are the advantages of having coliving at a remote rural place, and are there any disadvantages?

– We’re quite fortunate that although we are surrounded by nature our guests can also be at the beach, or go to a supermarket in only a 25-minute walk. Of course, being in a city guests would have immediate access to conveniences but being rural provides a new experience, or reminds them of a childhood experience.

Many digital jobs pull people into the cities and being rural allows our guests to reconnect to nature. Be it sitting around the bonfire, star gazing, harvesting fruits and veggies from our garden, jumping in the ocean, or just breathing the air here. It’s different and it helps them to reconnect.

Our community

“You don’t have true freedom until you allow a diversity of opinion and a diversity of voices.”

–Don Lemon

8. What is the profile of people who are most likely to stay at your place?

– Our guests fall into two main categories, digital nomads (travellers who work online) or remote workers (workers who have had their jobs moved online and decide to travel).

These two groups bring a different set of experiences, ideas, and energies. This diversity is by far the number one positive aspect of owning a coliving/coworking space.

9. What is the average age of people who are visiting your accommodation?

– The average age of our guests is 25-35, but we’ve had a variety of ages, and often the more diverse the number the more interesting the connections!

10. How long do people usually stay at your place?

– Guests usually stay 1 month. Shorter stays mix up the energies more, but longer stays allow for deeper, more meaningful connections to be created, either to other guests or to the space/island.

11. Do your visitors have the tendency to return back to your place?

– We’ve only been open since the beginning of October, so it’s a bit early to say, but we’ve already had quite some repeat guests, so it looks like it could be – which would be awesome!

12. Is there some trend where people from specific countries come to your place?

– We tend to see the trend that winter attracts guests from northern Europe and we believe summer will attract guests from southern Europe, similar to the trend throughout the Canary Islands. But we’ll have to wait and see if this is the case for Maraya!

13. What additional activities are included for people who stay at your coliving?

– We offer a number of activities for guests during their stay. From family dinners 4 nights a week, daily yoga, surf lessons, movie nights, game nights, skill-sharing, listening sessions, hikes, workout circuits, trips to the beach, trips to the volcano, this list goes on and on and on 🙂

We believe activities build a stronger, more connected community, plus we love being active!

About the Coliving Movement

”Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape from.”

–Seth Godin

14. Do you think that coliving is only dedicated to a specific group of people such as freelancers, digital nomads, and startups, or do you think there is a possibility to gain popularity beyond that group of people?

– We don’t believe colivings are just limited to such a small group. We’ve had a number of creative guests (authors, artists, and even a musician) as well as a number of remote workers who are performing more typical office roles, simply remotely, along with the more typical groups.

We believe as technologies advance, so does the ability to work remotely however work looks for you.

15. Do you think that coliving cannot exist without coworking?

– We think without the coworking aspect, a coliving could simply be a short-term rental or a shared house/hostel. The coworking aspect definitely connects guests and is something special and unique.

16. One of the main selling points for coliving is the possibility to meet new people, share experiences and maybe even develop new partnerships. Is that really the situation?

– These are for sure important aspects of why people choose a coliving. A community brings energies and ideas together, and provides possibilities to either work or play together!

17. Do you have some examples where people who had the opportunity to meet at your place later managed to develop successful partnerships or relationships?

– I hope that this time next year we’ll be able to provide many examples of this because for sure this is one of the outcomes of a healthy community! For now, we’ve experienced people partnering up to share skills and experiences, meetups in different locations, and even some romance! Watch this space because I think it’s just the beginning at Maraya 🙂

Secure yourself the best coliving experience

• italki – Why not learn some Spanish before your trip and make your coliving even better? italki is the perfect platform for that! You will find more than 3500 native speakers waiting to help you with your Spanish.

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Coliving movement

• • Coliving Movement

Coworking nomads – How the world is adapting to new philosophy of work

• ByGala
• February 10, 2022

• • Coliving Movement

Why are the Canary Islands one of the most popular places for coliving?

• ByMarko
• February 8, 2023

The post Maraya Coliving – The house of community, good vibrations, and ocean views appeared first on My Coliving Space: Spain.