The world knows and loves Airbnb for its marketplace of short- and long-term user-listed vacation rentals; but in the past, the company has also put some epic one-in-a-lifetime experiences on offer including stays at Barbie’s Malibu Dreamhouse, Shrek’s Swamp, DJ Khaled’s legendary sneaker closet, and Ted Lasso’s favourite pub.
If you weren’t able to catch those (given how limited the spots were), you’d be thrilled to know that Airbnb has taken things up a notch with their experiences through Icons – a new breed of unconventional experiences and stays in the most unimaginable places across the world, hosted by some of the most prominent names in music, film, television, art, sports, and more.
Tapping into the power of pop culture, each experience is unique in its own right with some of the most striking ones being a stay in the iconic Up house from the Disney-Pixar film while it remains afloat in the air in New Mexico, and the Ferrari Museum in Italy paired with a rare opportunity for a lap with Scuderia Ferrari ambassador driver Marc Gené.
“Icons take you inside worlds that only existed in your imagination – until now,” said Brian Chesky, Airbnb co-founder and CEO. “As life becomes increasingly digital, we’re focused on bringing more magic into the real world. With Icons, we’ve created the most extraordinary experiences on Earth.”
These Icons will be listed under its own category on Airbnb’s homepage. While most of them are free, others will be priced at under US$100 per guest. In order to be one of the lucky ones to secure an Icon-ic stay, check the countdowns for when each Icon goes live and request a reservation. Over 4,000 digital golden tickets will be up for grabs in 2024.
For the summer season, Airbnb has dropped 11 Icons on its website and promises to unveil more of these cool experiences throughout the coming year. Here are six of the most intriguing stays you may want to try and snatch up:
The Up House
Adorned with 8,000 colourful balloons just like in the film, guests will be able to stay inside one of the most renowned Disney and Pixar homes as it floats in the air. Explore Carl’s world in this elaborate and dreamy re-creation of his home while taking in the scenic views of Abiquiu, New Mexico.
Ferrari Museum
This golden opportunity allows Ferrari fans to not only immerse themselves in the world of racing in Maranello, Italy, but also sleep on a bed crafted from the same leather as Ferrari, take a lap with Scuderia Ferrari ambassador driver Marc Gené, and attend Emilia-Romagna’s premier race as a VIP.
Prince’s Purple Rain House
Featured in the acclaimed film Purple Rain, Prince purchased this Minneapolis home eight months before he died in 2016. It’s never been available to the public until now, so guests can go crazy and also explore special tracks from Prince’s world in an exclusive studio session.
Musée d’Orsay
The art museum’s magnificent clock room has been transformed into a luxurious bedroom by Mathieu Lehanneur, the designer of the Paris 2024 Games torch and cauldron. Guests will also witness the historic Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games along the River Seine.
Be a VIP with Kevin Hart
Fancy one-on-one time with the American comedian and actor? This experience allows guests into Hart’s members-only Coramino Live Lounge for an A-list evening, joining the man himself and his friends as they treat you to a tequila tasting and live stand-up by top comedians.
Inside Out 2
In conjunction with the release of Disney and Pixar’s new movie, guests are invited for an overnight stay at Headquarters – the control centre of Riley’s emotions. Your host, Joy, will welcome you into her vibrant world to witness the emotions in action and help keep things in balance.
To celebrate the launch of Icons, Airbnb also announced several new features that make group trip bookings way more seamless. Amongst those are:
Shared wishlists: You can now share wishlists with buddies on your trip, inviting them to add homes, write notes, and vote on listings. When you share listings with others, Airbnb automatically creates a wishlist with these homes.
New Messages tab: Now redesigned, the Messages tab lets everyone on a trip communicate with the host in a group thread. Everything is consolidated under one place, making it much easier to search across messages. Users and hosts can also respond with emojis, with an AI tool that helps hosts suggest quick replies to instantly answer common questions.
Trip invitations: Once you book a trip, you can invite others to join you with digital postcards of your destination, illustrated by artists worldwide. Everyone joining the trip will be able to access reservation details, including the full address, Wi-Fi password, and check-in instructions.
Additionally, Airbnb introduced a slew of upgrades for hosts, expanding the earnings dashboard with interactive performance charts and automated earnings reports. The updated Listings tab will provide hosts with more control when creating and editing a photo tour to showcase their space. Over on its app, it is also much easier to switch between the guest and host interfaces.
Airbnb Icons and the new aforementioned features for group trips are now available. On the other hand, upgrades for hosts are accessible for those enrolled in Airbnb Early Access via the app.
