‘Airbnb for pools’: Website lets Waltham woman rent her pool by the hour

BOSTON — Swimming pools are expensive and difficult to maintain, but who wouldn’t love one during a heat wave.

Now there is a way to cool down without a problem. “It’s just like Airbnb for swimming pools,” explained Erin Moriarty of Waltham. She rents out her swimming pool by the hour on Swimply.

Plug in your location and the site shows you all the pools available for rental in your area. You can compare prices, check photos, read reviews and book your slot.

“It’s a great way for people to hold an event, it’s more fun than just going out to eat, families can have fun,” Erin said.

You can organize a small family reunion or, at an additional cost, a larger party.

Erin is expecting dozens for an event a local businesswoman has planned for her employees.

For the most part, her experiences have been positive, with the exception of a gender reveal party she hosted last year. “They had balloons filled with confetti and we keep picking up pieces of confetti in the yard,” she said.

She’s earned more than $20,000 since last summer, but has reinvested much of it back into the property by adding extra seating, a fire pit and a port-a-potty so guests don’t need to. use his bathroom in the basement. Any improvements she hopes for will allow her to charge more for the rental.

“It was lucrative, helped pay for itself.”