In a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Lord of the Rings fans have now got the chance to stay in The Shire itself. Although you won't be able to have tea with Frodo Baggins, or his Uncle Bilbo, or even have your garden tended to by Samwise Gamgee, the prospect must be thrilling.
Starting on December 13, a very small number of extremely lucky guests will be able to book a stay at what is being labeled "Hobbiton" - the physical shooting location for both The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit series of films. Located in New Zealand's stunning Waikato region, the area became known as Hobbiton after the rolling green hills and luscious greenery proved to be the perfect homestead for the comfort-loving hobbits, and now, fans can stay there in a short-term rental, Airbnb announced on Tuesday in a press release.
You'll need to have luck on your side, however. The listing entitled "The One-and-Only Hobbiton" goes live on December 13 at 9 pm GMT, and it only costs $6 USD ($10 NZD) per night - but only three individual two-night bookings (for up to four guests) will be accepted, according to Airbnb. Stays will be hosted in 2023 on March 2-4, March 9-11, and March 16-18.
Hobbiton Co-Founder Russell Alexander has made the location available for rental to fans, and he added:
“For more than two decades, we’ve welcomed millions of passionate fans to the Hobbiton Movie Set, but never before has anyone had the opportunity to spend a night in Middle-earth. I am delighted to share the beauty of my family’s farm and pleased to be hosting this iconic location on Airbnb for fans from around the world.”
Guests will have private access to their personal Hobbit Hole, enjoy an evening feast in The Green Dragon Inn, and take a behind-the-scenes private tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set. And they'd better bring their appetite too, because not only will guests receive Second Breakfast, but Elevenses is included too.
The Lord of the Rings trilogy was a vital booster for the New Zealand economy. In terms of money generated purely from tourism, Tourism New Zealand conservatively estimates that travelers who visited the islands just to see Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit locations have brought in $620 million since December 19, 2001. Alexander adds: “There’s such diverse scenery and landscapes here in New Zealand. It ties back to how Tolkien describes things in the books. From here, I can go a couple hours south and go skiing in the mountains, or 45 minutes to Mount Manganui and I could be surfing. New Zealand has contrasting scenery, it’s all relatively accessible, and it fits into everything Tolkien described.”
For more information about the Hobbiton listing on Airbnb, or to apply to book at 8 am AEDT / 7 am AEST / 10 am NZDT on Wednesday, December 14, head to the Airbnb website.