Article by Jennifer Miller

Photos by Miranda Murdock Photography 

There are places in Montana that invite you to slow down the moment you arrive. Red Lodge is one of them. Tucked at the base of the Beartooth Mountains, it has long been a destination for both summer travelers and winter skiers. But for some homeowners, it is more than a place to visit. It is a place to create something meaningful. 

For Jenna Jones, that meant designing a home not just for herself, but for the people who would come to experience it. “We love to travel,” she says. “And when we travel, we want to stay somewhere that feels rooted in the place we’re visiting. We want it to be part of the experience.” That mindset became the foundation for her approach to short-term rentals. 

Starting with the Experience 

Before choosing furniture, colors, or even a property, Jenna starts with a simple question. Who is the person coming here, and what kind of experience do they want? It is a question that has shaped every decision along the way. 

Rather than treating a short-term rental as a standard investment, she approaches it more like a hospitality venture. The goal is not just to provide a place to sleep but to create a setting where memories are made. 

“If someone is coming to Montana, especially to a place like Red Lodge, it might be a once-in-a-lifetime trip,” she says. “They don’t want it to feel generic. They want it to feel like Montana.” That led her to move beyond simple, neutral interiors and begin leaning into themes that reflect both location and experience. 

Choosing Red Lodge 

While several of Jenna’s properties are located closer to home in Billings, Red Lodge offered something different. “Red Lodge is more of a destination,” she says. “People are coming there for a trip, not just passing through.” That distinction changes everything. 

In Billings, guests often visit for practical reasons such as medical care, sporting events, or travel stopovers. In Red Lodge, the stay itself becomes part of the experience.  

It also influenced how she thought about the home itself. The property she chose is located in town rather than tucked into the mountains, which initially gave her pause. But the location began to make more sense when she considered how guests would use it, especially in the winter. 

“If you’re there in the winter, you’re not necessarily outside all day,” she says. “You’re skiing, and then you’re coming back inside. So, we started thinking about what that experience looks like.” That shift in thinking helped define the home's overall direction.  

Designing for Real Life, Not Just Looks 

One of the biggest differences between designing a personal home and designing a short-term rental is function. Jenna and her husband designed the Red Lodge home specifically for groups, particularly families traveling together. 

“We always travel with friends,” she says. “So, we thought, what would we want? We’d want two primary bedrooms and a space for kids.” That led to a layout that comfortably accommodates two families, complete with shared gathering spaces and practical details that make traveling easier. 

Small considerations matter more than people expect. Things like blackout shades, white noise machines, plastic cups for kids, and a well-stocked kitchen all contribute to how a space feels. Guests may not always notice each detail individually, but they notice when everything works. “You’re creating an experience,” she says. “It’s not just the house.” 

Leaning Into Place 

One of the most important lessons Jenna has learned is the value of embracing location. Early on, her rentals leaned more toward general interior design. Over time, she realized that what guests responded to most was something more specific.  

“The more we leaned into a theme, the better it performed,” she says. For the Red Lodge home, that meant building the design around an “après-ski” concept, a nod to the social, relaxed atmosphere that follows a day on the mountain. 

The space reflects that idea through intentional details. A drink station, games, layered textures, and cozy gathering areas all help create a setting that feels complete the moment guests arrive. 

It is not about overdoing it, but about giving people a sense of place. “If it just looks like something you could find anywhere, that’s not why people came,” she says. 

She also incorporates local elements whenever possible. Historic photos from the Western Heritage Center, vintage pieces from local shops, and materials that reflect the region all help ground the space in Montana. 

Creating Moments That Matter 

While design plays a major role, Jenna believes what matters most is how people feel in the space. “I want people to walk in and feel excited,” she says. “Like something special is about to happen here.” That feeling often comes from small, thoughtful touches. 

Working with designer Katelyn Hoefle, she focuses on creating what she calls “surprise and delight” moments. Spaces are styled not just to look good, but to feel lived in. A game set up on the table, a drink poured by the fireplace, a stack of books ready to be opened. It helps guests imagine their time there before it even begins. “You’re helping them see the experience,” she says. 

More Than a Rental 

At its core, Jenna’s approach is less about real estate and more about connection. “I don’t really think of it as just a property,” she says. “It’s creating a place where people can have meaningful moments.” That might look like a family trip, a weekend with friends, or even a milestone celebration. Over time, those moments become part of the story of the home itself. 

In a place like Red Lodge, where the pace slows and the landscape invites people to linger, that kind of intention makes all the difference. Because in the end, it is not just about where you stay. It is about how it makes you feel while you are there. 

Originally printed in the May 2026 issue of Simply Local Magazine

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