For fans of the J.R.R. Tolkein fantasy series, the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings, rentals are starting to pop up that might tickle their fancy.
In Woodfin, North Carolina, right along the Asheville border, a rental home is being set up in a hillside to resemble the Baggins’ (Bagginses?) residence from Tolkein’s literature. While 90% of the structure is set to be built “underground,” it will contain one bedroom, one bathroom, and be roughly 800 square feet in size.
“What we want is to just have an area where people can come and bring their kids and just leave with an unforgettable experience,” said owner Mike Parrish.
Parrish and his wife decided to build the unit, being life-long Tolkein fans, to allow others to live out the fantasy they had envisioned.
The dwelling will also include a kitchen, a mountainside view, and will be furnished by a local woodworker, John Fenwick. It will intentionally be set up to look like it was handmade by hobbits. The establishment is expected to be completed by March.
This isn’t the first Shire for hire to appear in the US. Along with this one, there is also the Shire-inspired Airbnb in Vermont. This one has two bedrooms, two baths, air conditioning, and a functioning fireplace. WiFi and laundry are also available on site.
Oregon also has a Hobbit-inspired Airbnb for rent. Located in Orondo, this unit, along the Columbia River Gorge mountainside, has a similar space to the unit in North Carolina. Though this unit lacks a lot of the modern amenities that the Vermont location offers (including the kitchen!), it does have heat and a working fireplace.
So if you’ve got terrible cabin fever and want to escape to a far-off land, perhaps making a stop at the shire isn’t too far fetched an idea. Or, at the very least, planning your next getaway might be a bit more fun.
Please let me know when they set up an Airbnb designed to look like the Millennium Falcon.
Related Article: Ranking all ‘Star Wars’ Lightsaber Duels (Before ‘Episode IX’)
