A new Airbnb is taking Harry Potter fans on a magical journey. Ever wanted to Potter around in Harry’s world? Wizard’s Way, part of the Champion’s Gate resort complex and a short broomstick ride away from Universal Orlando, is casting an accommodation spell on Potterheads.
Created by Loma Homes, it comprises 8 themed bedrooms and more fun than you can shake a broomstick at. “Step inside and find a sorting hat that’s ready to send you to your assigned house (bedroom), each meticulously designed to capture the houses and other themes from the movies” says the Airbnb website. “Are you destined to be roaring with the lions or slithering with the snakes?”
For a minimum charge of $405, you can rest your head in the lovingly-rendered rooms. These include Platform 9 and 3/4, complete with awesome steam train bed and Hedwig plus half-trolley disappearing into the wall. Meanwhile, alternate forms of transportation are available, with a Ford Anglia bed up against a stunning Whomping Willow mural. The walls are beautifully painted with scenes from the franchise, from the Forbidden Forest to the bricks of Diagon Alley.
The Diagon Alley room features a 3D wand shop window display and an Ironbelly dragon bedhead that watches over you as you sleep. Based on the Gringotts Wizarding Bank facade, it maybe isn’t the most relaxing experience. Though this exciting detached property ensures sleep won’t be high on the list of priorities!
Accommodation allegiances are formed through spaces such as the Hufflepuff room, with its warm tones and bunk beds. For something more dramatic, there’s the elegant Ravenclaw room with its blue, sparkling ambience. And if that sounds a little tame, how about the Slytherin room? Evildoers rest easy in this part of the house, bathed in ominous green light. A recreation of Prof. Dumbledore’s study is on offer for studious slumber-seekers.
Should little ones, or anyone else, want to escape into the mind of Harry himself, then a cupboard under the stairs has been kitted out in the style of his old bedroom from 4 Privet Drive. A cinema room is another world within a world, though watch out for the Dementors, who can be revealed via a UV light! Thankfully Harry’s Patronus charm also puts in an appearance, in the shape of a white stag.
The Quidditch games rooms swaps carpet for synthetic grass, whilst the fun continues outside with a giant chess board. Loma Homes, who spent a reported 2 months working on the property, also mention “Special effects, custom-carved beds … and ambient sounds + custom mood lighting”, so guests are “fully immersed in the HP universe.” A challenge involving the finding of 7 objects awaits guests craving adventure as soon as they get in the front door.
Magic aside, what are the practical features of this Potter-fuelled paradise? “The property also boasts five bathrooms, a large living room, a dining room fashioned after the Great Hall and a state-of-the-art kitchen” reports the Daily Mail, “where wizarding treats such as Hagrid’s tooth-breaking rock cakes, pumpkin pasties and Petunia Dursley’s ‘masterpiece of a pudding’ can be rustled up.”
The idea of a Harry Potter Airbnb is nothing new, yet this latest development surely takes the concept to another level. In late 2019 The Independent covered the Potter family cottage, aka De Vere House, available to stay at in Suffolk, England. “Despite not being the birthplace of both Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore, the house has received five-star reviews from its previous guests” the article says.
Another location to inspire Potter fans is the Edinburgh Wizarding Residence on West Bow. This area was in author J.K. Rowling’s mind when she was creating Diagon Alley. “The Wizard of West Bow once lived in this street in the 1600s,” reads the Airbnb listing, “an infamous person in Edinburgh’s history who led the town guard and was arrested after accusations of witchcraft!”
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It’s early days for Wizard’s Way in Florida, with the current world situation a cause for concern. However, devotees of the franchise are sure to be counting down the days before they can make the trip to the Harry Potter AirBnb.