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Hobbits, elves and men: the time has finally arrived. That’s right, AirBnB is now offering the chance to stay the night in an actual, real-life Hobbit Hole (Second Breakfast and Elevenses included!)
Picture the scene: it’s 1998. On a 2,500 acre fully-functioning farm in New Zealand, Peter Jackson’s location scouts envisioned the gateway to another world. Middle Earth, to be exact. Tucked away in the valleys of Waikato, Jackson’s vision of The Shire was built, and there it remains to this day, welcoming millions of fans from across the world year upon year.
Or does it?
In actual fact, the original set was almost destroyed after three months of filming for Lord of the Rings wrapped in 2000. A first attempt to demolish The Shire left 17 Hobbit hole facades standing out of the original 39. Before demolition continued, the decision was thankfully made to launch Hobbiton as a tourist attraction and it opened to the public in 2002.
When filming commenced for The Hobbit in 2009, the set was rebuilt using long-standing, durable materials. A whopping 44 Hobbit holes now remain as a permanent feature of The Shire alongside a number of other well-known fixtures, much to the delight of Tolkien fans. Now one of the most popular tourist attractions in New Zealand, the Hobbiton Movie Set draws in around 350,000 fans per year to eat, drink, and be merry in true Hobbit style.
But now, for the first time, fans are not only being offered the chance to visit Hobbiton. They’re being offered the chance to stay – and we all know there’s no better hospitality than a Hobbit’s hospitality (those well-stocked pantries speak for themselves). To honour the 10th anniversary of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey being released in cinemas, farm-owner Russell Alexander is welcoming guests to stay the night in one of the famed Hobbit holes.
Alexander will be hosting three individual two-nights stays in March 2023, with a maximum booking capacity of four guests. Additional features of the stay include an evening banquet at the Green Dragon Inn, where guests can try the only brew for the brave and true, as well as a feast featuring whole roast chickens. Guests will also get a behind-the-scenes private tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set.
A list of tongue-in-cheek house rules includes an insistence on magical rings being kept secret and safe, no unexpected parties unless Gandalf is invited, and no laughing at live dragons. All stays are currently sold out and, as yet, there has been no word on extending the booking period.
Whilst those lucky enough to have booked a spot on a coveted stay are charting territories unknown, one thing is certain: they are surely doing so at the envy of fans across the world (us included!)
Words by Kate Padley
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