Wander Stories: A Guest’s Workcation Gets a Surprising Turn

You could say that Chris Lema has always been a Wanderer at heart. 

From growing up in Southern California to spending a few years in the Bay Area, he found himself a new home in Houston right after the pandemic started—and at Wander Bandon Dunes just recently. 

“I saw Wander online, likely Twitter, and loved what you were doing from the beginning,” he said. 

It didn’t take long before Chris ended up reserving a few nights at Wander Bandon Dunes for a workcation - he literally booked the day reservations were open! Chris brought along with him two close friends, whom he also worked closely with in the past 10 years, and this is their Wander story.

Working in style from a Wander

By day, he leads product teams at a software company. And in his spare time, he coaches startups and offers business advice online, which have earned him a decent social media following. 

“Working was so easy [at Wander]. I had daily coaching calls along with my day job and all of it was on video—the internet, camera, mic, and everything was perfect to get my work done,” he expressed. 

Throughout his stay, a bulk of his time was spent at the workstation, overlooking stunning views of the Oregon Coast. And just outside, a private trail to the beach is easily accessible, which his friends made good use of. 

When asked about the purpose of his stay, Chris said that they wanted to co-work and hang out for the week. But in between work meetings and relaxing by the fire pit, he was faced with an unexpected decision.

“What we didn't expect was that it would be the week where I would decide I might be thinking about leaving my current job - so I not only worked during the week, I also entertained several offers. One of those became the one that I would choose and head to next month. What a great way to think about making a job transition—in a Wander home with some close friends,” he explained.

Good things come in small packages

What makes each Wander home truly special can be found in the tiniest details. For instance, the beachfront location of Wander Bandon Dunes features an unobstructed view of the rustic Oregon Coast, and the decor inside the home also reflects that.

Chris agreed and said, “The architecture, large glass walls, location, and comfort of the furniture were all amazing. The floating shelves in the living room were a great touch.”

Even the wireless charger in the bedroom was a nice detail. “I really wanted that charger on the nightstand but I can't find them online anymore. I was tempted to steal one,” he joked.

More than that, he also recounted his favorite parts about his stay, “Honestly, the departure notes ("Take your stuff") are so different from the normal tasks at AirBnB. Also, the direct text access to your staff for any questions I had while we were there was great. And I haven't even started talking about the great workstations. Like I said, I loved it all.” 

Where to Wander next?

To say that Chris enjoyed his stay with us can be an understatement. Even before setting foot in Wander Bandon Dunes, he was one of the first people to get first dibs on Wander Joshua Tree—on the very day it was announced. 

As Chris waits for his next stay, he hopes to see a new Wander home open up in a state close to home such as Louisiana. While more properties are in the works, the newest addition is Wander Cave Creek, which can be found just outside of Phoenix.

So if you’re ready to Wander off to your next vacation or workcation, know that Wander Concierge is just a text away. Take it from a guest like Chris, “At one point we had a question about the fire pit and they were quick to answer. Knowing they were on call was fantastic.”

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Follow Chris Lema’s adventures at @chrislema on Twitter.

#WanderStories is a collection of real community stories by Wanderers and for Wanderers. If you stayed at a Wander home before and would like to share your story with us, reach out to hello@wander.com