Cortado Stays really started with a feeling. I lived in Paris during college and in the French countryside when I was in high school, and that experience shaped so much of how I see the world. I was drawn to the European lifestyle, where people live and work, not work to live. Long walks through the streets, sipping coffee at my favorite cafe without rushing, and those unexpected moments of connection that just happen when you slow down. That way of living stayed with me.

Before getting into short-term rentals, I worked in film, television, and later food photography. My job was all about creating a mood, setting the scene, and paying attention to the details most people don’t notice, like lighting, composition, and how everything comes together to create a feeling.

When I started Cortado Stays, I wasn’t trying to create just another place to stay. I wanted to create spaces that feel the way those moments felt to me. Thoughtful, a little slower, and intentionally designed.

Each home is approached the same way I would build a scene. I think about how you’ll move through the space, where you’ll gather, how the light hits in the morning, and how it all comes together to feel easy the moment you walk in. I want it to feel elevated, but still comfortable. Designed, but still lived in.

The name Cortado felt right because it represents that balance. Equal parts bold and soft, structured and easy. A small pause in the middle of a full day.

That’s what I hope these spaces give you.

A place where you can go out and explore, or stay in and feel like you’re exactly where you need to be. Where conversations last longer than expected, mornings start slower, and time together feels a little more meaningful.

Because for me, that’s what a great stay should do.