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Every place books direct with its owner.
We're the Ruscos. We live here.
That's us — the family behind Lantern House Digital, right here in Emporia. And that's our Victorian glowing at night in the last photo, bunting and all: sleeps fourteen, hosting since 2020, booked direct at houseofrusco.com. It's the first house on this list because it's ours.
This directory exists for a simple reason: on the big weekends, Emporia fills up faster than it sleeps. Riders, disc golfers, and graduation families deserve a real list of real houses booked straight from the people who own them — and every owner on it deserves to keep what the platforms would have taken. We figured if we wanted that list to exist, we should build it — and keep it free.
The Ruscos, a few places we've brought to life, and our own Victorian — see the builds
Hosts first, builders second
Every fee this directory helps you skip is a fee we got tired of paying ourselves. We know the 2 a.m. lockout text, the cleaning-day scramble, and exactly how much of a booking the platforms keep — because it's our money too.
Why "Lantern House"
A lantern burning in the window used to mean something simple: we're open, we're home, and you can find your way to our door. That's exactly what a book-direct site does for your property — it keeps your own light on, on your own address, no landlord in between.
How we work
Win-win or no deal. No contracts, no jargon, no hidden fees, and your domain is registered in your name — yours forever, no matter what. The directory stays free whether you ever hire us or not.