Bella Casa: The Ultimate Luxury at Eastport
The Local Tourist
Mary Beard Grodsky
Previously in my Airbnb series, I covered the revitalization of the Eastport area and the rental properties owned by the Casabella Family. Needless to say, if you are familiar with the area, you know Bella Casa, the family’s main home perched atop the hill as you travel into Eastport from the water. And while I certainly knew the home since I completed a story last year on the artwork created on the seawall, depicting all of Pickwick Lake and all intricately drawn coves, I was surprised to learn this home was actually built with Airbnb rentals in mind.
Furniture entrepreneurs for decades, the family got into the short-term rental market around 20 years ago as a natural expansion to the business. With 20+ years of experience in the rental market, the family knew what was expected for a memorable lake rental. Having traveled themselves and understanding the comfort of where you lay your head, they designed the ultimate lake getaway, in the area they know best.
Bella Casa was constructed with 7 bedrooms in total, each one featuring its own bathroom, providing the perfect on-suite setup. Construction began in 2018, but with the setback of COVID and supply chain constraints, the home didn’t finish until 2020. But the result was well worth waiting for. On top of the bedroom and bathroom layout, it’s the ultimate entertainment space with waterfront access, separate kitchen spaces for upstairs and downstairs, and even an elevator to accommodate anybody’s needs. Because of the distance from downtown Iuka, the Casabella’s stock the house with everything you could possibly need to make sure your stay is as easy as possible. For example, such amenities as Keurig machines, creamer, ketchup, mayonnaise, charcoal, fishing equipment, worms, shampoo, and even 6 bags of ice to take on the boat come standard with your stay.
But since this is the ultimate luxury getaway, you can find more than just comfortable accommodations as they know how important the stay is, given their background in the furniture business. Each bed is top of the line, and while I was told how much each one was at cost, let’s just say you’ll be sleeping on a cloud. A Sonic ice machine, basketball goal, puzzles, cornhole, pool table, shuffleboard, and double fridges to store all your food round out the entertainment space to make sure you don’t ever want to leave. In fact, they’ve had guests they had to check on because they didn’t leave the house for a whole week!
Should you tire of lake life, the property features a stunning pool with a swim area for little ones at 4ft x 10ft with 1ft depth. And while that was constructed to cater to grandchildren when they do use the property, it’s a nice spot to relax for anyone. Want to warm up instead? Visit one of 2 hot tubs, the gas fireplace, the screened in porch, or the double decker sun deck for enjoyment.
This Airbnb review from a stay last summer summarizes the property of how I felt after touring it personally, “Family from one year to seventy-six had plenty of space to spread out. Sunrise and sunsets, expansive lake views from the screened-in deck and unexpected treats like the elevator, double dock with tanning area up top, and first class finishes in every room. We expected a nice house, but were not prepared for it to be a mansion.”
