The concept of Airbnb is genius: Hosts open up their home for extra income and a chance to meet people from around the world, and guests are able to stay in areas of town they may never have had the option to due to a lack of hotels, inns, and/or bed and breakfasts. On top of that, there are some pretty spectacular Airbnbs out there, as well as some pretty bizarre ones (did you hear about the NYC “snow fort penthouse”?).
We searched far and wide, and here’s what made our list of the coolest Airbnbs in America:
5.) The Great Escape Lakeside, Clermont, Florida
The closet in this room is actually Monopoly jail!
Calling all board game aficionados: We have found one of the coolest Airbnbs (if not the coolest) for you (and your 42 closest friends). Seriously, it will blow your mind.
Located just 22 miles west of Orlando in Clermont, Fla., this 13-bedroom lakefront house is entirely themed around your fave board games. Rooms are in the themes of Monopoly (with a “jail” closet), Scrabble (unscramble the letters on the wall and win a prize), Pictionary and more.
If that wasn’t enough, it has a life-sized Operation game, a giant Lite Brite wall, a 7-foot in-floor piano, a laser maze and even an escape room (based on the game Clue). There’s also an arcade, a movie theater, a casino and a giant chessboard floor game! In addition to its lakefront location, there’s a pool with a lazy river, hot tub and two waterslides!
Cost per night: $1,465
Sleeps: 43 guests
4.) Adobe Dome in the Desert, Terlingua, Texas
As off-grid as you can get …
Need to go off the grid for a bit and don’t mind getting a bit rugged? This remote dome is one of the coolest Airbnbs for you. Terlingua is located in the western corner of Texas (aka Far West Texas) on the Mexican border, just a 25-minute drive outside of Big Bend National Park. It sits in one of the few territories under a “dark sky ordinance,” and as such offers unparalleled views of the night sky. It also boasts unobstructed views of the horizon, which makes for fantastic sunrises and sunsets.
It is an earthen structure with a cob (adobe) barrier to protect from desert elements (heat, cold, winds, rain) and is entirely powered by solar power. It has a newly built kitchen with two-burner stove and oven, as well as a refrigerator. The kitchen sink pumps in water from a cistern that collects rainwater. While there is WiFi, there is no shower nor flushing toilet. Bathroom needs are accommodated in an outhouse next to the dome with a composting toilet.
Cost per night range: $88 to $120
Sleeps: 3 guests
3.) The Love Nest, Morongo Valley, California
Perfect for animal lovers
Are you an animal lover looking for a little R&R? The Love Nest is one of the coolest Airbnbs for you. The Love Nest sits on the property of The Genuine Draft Ranch, a 5-acre horse ranch in Southern California. It is located in Morongo Valley, which is just 20 minutes outside of Palm Springs and 30 minutes outside of Joshua Tree National Park.
The “nest” is a private room above the barn. It features an extra-large deck, an old-fashioned claw-foot tub, and an outdoor shower overlooking Mt. Sanjacinto. Aside from the occasional animal noise, the nest is very quiet and offers amazing views of the stars at night.
Guests are also invited to visit the Draft House Saloon (located on the property) to play pool or horseshoes. And, of course, guests are invited to fraternize with the ranch’s menagerie of animals which (at present time) includes: horses, mini horses, goats, pigs and chickens, among others!
Cost per night range: $105 to $130
Sleeps: 2 guests
2.) The Hobbit Hole, Orondo, Washington
It’s like stepping into a magical fairy tale world
If you are claustrophobic, this will not be one of the coolest Airbnbs for you. However, if you love Lord of the Rings and have always fantasized about stepping into J.R.R. Tolkien’s world (but with higher ceilings), then this is the place for you.
The underground cubbyhole is located in Orondo, Wash., in the center of the state and approximately halfway between Seattle and Spokane. It is nestled two miles up in the Columbia River Gorge mountains and offers breathtaking views. If you’re looking to get away from civilization (and cell service) for a few days, this is the perfect place. Your only neighbors will be deer, rabbits, birds and grouse.
Enter the Hobbit Hole through a round green door; the green symbolizes tranquility & harmony to all who enter. As it is nestled in the hillside, the interior of the abode remains a constant 55 F year-round – perfect for staying cool in the summer. The fireplace helps keep guests cozy in the winter months when there can be lots of snow.
Amongst the reviews from guests, the most commonly used words to describe this abode are “magical” and “charming.” One guest gushed: “I really felt like I had stepped out of my real life into a storybook.”
Cost per night range: $200 to $250
Sleeps: 2 guests
1.) Secluded Intown Treehouse, Atlanta, Georgia
Live Like Peter and the Lost Boys
Do you have severe Peter Pan Syndrome – where not only do you never want to grow up, but the thought of living in a treehouse delights you to your core? If so, then Atlanta’s in-town treehouse is one of the coolest Airbnbs for you.
A suite of three rooms set high up in the trees, it’s Airbnb’s “most wished-for listing worldwide.” The rooms are connected by rope-bridges and represent mind, body and spirit.
“Mind” is the sitting room. It is decorated with antique furnishings, including 80-year-old windows of pressed butterfly wings and a plaster cast of a Siberian tiger paw. It also features a balcony view down into the woods.
“Body” is the bedroom. It features a double bed on wheels (with Egyptian cotton sheets!) that can be wheeled out onto a platform overlooking a stream below. The bedroom features a tin roof, which makes the room even cozier during rainstorms.
“Spirit” is the name for the hammock deck, an open-air platform built around a 165-year-old Southern short-leaf pine tree.
If you’re looking for a cozy retreat in the midst of city living, Atlanta’s treehouse cannot be missed.
Cost per night: $375
Sleeps: 2 guests