Shrek’s swamp, Barbie’s house, the flying house from the film Departure, or perhaps the Godfather’s house? The choice is crazy, as is the proposition of the popular Airbnb platform, which has offered customers the opportunity to stay overnight in iconic buildings from films, TV series or wider pop culture. Which one would you like to spend a few days in?
Shrek’s swamp on Airbnb
Shrek needs no introduction to anyone, the gruff ogre with a dove heart captured the hearts of audiences for many years and is still one of the most popular animations of all time. Who doesn’t remember the first moments of the film saga, when Shrek impetuously opens the latrine door and gleefully jumps into the swampy bath. It is then that we are first introduced to Shrek’s swamp. There are a huge number of hilarious scenes happening around the ogre’s house that will entertain us for a long time to come. Among the décor, we find almost everything that was actually in the animation from DreamWorks Animation. There’s the aforementioned latrine, there’s a sign that says ‘Beware Ogre’. There’s also a boulder. This is the really nice boulder. Pretty much, according to the hosts, the candles were made from wax from…. Anyone who has watched Shrek knows where the candles came from.
WHERE: Highland Council / Scotland, United Kingdom
Kendom – Barbie’s away, but Ken’s inviting.
The Barbie doll is an icon among toys. Most girls wanted to be Barbie, most boys wanted to be Ken. Now you can almost feel like them thanks to an extraordinary pink villa in one of the most prestigious locations in the United States – Malibu. The Californian capital of partying, glitz, wealth and glamour of all kinds has become even more ‘party’, as Barbie has left and in her absence Ken organises crazy sleepovers for her friends. There is no room for boredom at Kendom – the party goes on from morning to morning, all decked out in pink, pink and more pink. There’s also a pool with a slide, flamingos on a stick and thousands of original Barbie-related items. So what do you say – party at Ken’s?
WHERE: Malibu, California / USA
The Don, or rather the House of Corleone, aka the Godfather’s villa
The house from The Godfather in which the Corleone family lived is a sizable villa surrounded by a garden. Inside the building you will find five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, two living rooms, a library, a study, a gymnasium and swimming pool, an English-style pub hidden in the basement, and a games room with a pool table and poker table. Fans of the 1972 film will remember Don Corleone’s estate from the film’s opening scene, when Mafia boss Connie Corleone’s daughter Connie Corleone hosts her wedding reception. Several other sceneswere filmed on the estate, includingVito Corleone‘s heart attack .
The nearly 600-square-metre Tudor-style villa, which originated in 16th century England, is located in Staten Island, New York. The price per night is $50 (£235), which, looking at the size of the villa, its location, and the sizable garden with a pool, makes it a really attractive offer. It is worth noting that the filmed interior scenes were not filmed in this house. Most of the scenes inside the Corleone family home were filmed in studios located in Harlem, New York and Manhattan. Although the price per night is expected to be just $50, the landlord has indicated that rentals are only available for longer than 30 days. This listing is not part of the Airbnb Icons series, but we thought it was worth adding here.
WHERE: Staten Island, New York / United States
The house from the film Departure. Departure!
A pudgy kid, a slightly bitter old man, plus a not-so-smart dog and a big bird. Sounds strange. Add a house that flies thanks to thousands of balloons. A mad scientist, a pack of talking dogs and the beautiful, animated shots of Venezuela. A fairy tale. And literally. Airbnb invites you to experience a substitute for this madness with an overnight stay at the home of Carl Fredricksen (that’s the gruff old gentleman). The house from the film Departure is the next and currently freshest offering in the Airbnb Icons accommodation series. Suspended beneath a construction crane with attached balloons – of which there are 8,000 in total – the house looks great, provided you don’t have a fear of heights or seasickness – the house can swing a bit in the wind. “My greatest adventures have happened here and I’ve learned that the best ones are always with someone you love, so bring your friends along to start your own Book of Adventures,” says Carl Fredricksen, the main character of Up and host of the mansion.
WHERE: Abiquiú, New Mexico / United States
These aren’t all the accommodations in the Airbnb Icons series – there are quite a few. Among them are, for example, a night at the Ferrari museum, the X-men mansion, or the favourite pub of the series’ title character Ted Lasso. However, here it should be noted that most of these are only occasional nights on designated dates such as Halloween (Shrek’s Swamp), or the House from the movie Departure (the 15th anniversary of the film).
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