Want to sleep in ‘Up”s house? Airbnb opens extraordinary locations in a new category

Anyone who has always dreamed of spending a romantic night in a museum in Paris or going out with comedian Kevin Hart will soon be able to go to Airbnb. The company announces a new category: the ‘Icons’. They promise extraordinary experiences in places you never thought you could ever visit. Several big names from the music, film, television, art and sports world are also participating in the project. For example, you can book a living room concert by Doja Cat or experience a private performance by Kevin Hart. They also demonstrate their international character, you can experience something almost anywhere in the world.

8,000 balloons

For example, in New Mexico you can visit the iconic house from the film Up. “Everything is exactly like in the movie. A lot of work has gone into matching all the paint colors exactly and everything you see in the film is actually there. Moreover, the majority of objects are handmade: of course you cannot just buy Carl’s famous chair. And to top it all off, the house actually flies. There are about 8,000 balloons hanging from the house (it took two weeks to blow them up) and the house is hoisted up by a crane.”

Ferrari

In Italy you can sleep in the Ferrari Museum again. You can dream away in a bed made from all the materials used in a real Ferrari, which is also surrounded by eight prize-winning cars. In Paris you can visit the Musée d’Orsay, where you sleep behind the famous bell tower, you have the museum all to yourself and you can watch the opening of the Olympic Games on the Seine from the balcony.

“With ‘Icons’ you go to places you never thought possible. “Until now,” said Brian Chesky, co-founder and CEO of Airbnb. “Life is becoming increasingly digital and we would like to add a touch of magic to the real world. With Icons we have created the world’s most extraordinary experiences.” The company is announcing eleven iconic experiences today, with several more to be added over the course of the year.

These are the first eleven ‘icons’ that Airbnb proposes:

• Dream away Up’s house: sleep in one of Disney and Pixar’s most famous houses. And yes, it floats. In this accurately recreated home you will discover Carl’s world, complete with more than 8,000 balloons and surrounded by the red rock of Abiquiu, New Mexico.

• Spend the night in it Ferrari Museum: Immerse yourself in the world of racing with a stay at the Ferrari Museum in Maranello, Italy. You sleep on a bed made of the same leather as the seats of a Ferrari, race a lap with Scuderia Ferrari ambassador Marc Gené and go to the Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna as a VIP.

• Step into the world of X Men ’97: Live like the X-Men during your stay in a 2D animation of Marvel Animation’s X-Mansion in Westchester, New York. Discover your mutant powers and train in the Danger Room.

• Like a real VIP with Kevin Hart: American comedian Kevin Hart takes you to his Coramino Live Lounge, where all the celebrities like to come. You go out with Kevin and his friends to this secret bar, where they treat you to a tequila tasting and stand-up from the best comedians.
• Wake up in the Musée d’Orsay: stay in the famous bell chamber of this art museum in Paris. French designer Mathieu Lehanneur transformed this space into a luxurious bedroom. He also designed the torch and the sculpture for the Paris 2024 Olympic flame. From the terrace you can watch the historic opening ceremony of the Olympic Games along the Seine.

• Attend a living room session of Doja Cat: American singer Doja has just finished her world tour, but takes you on a much more personal experience. Enjoy an unforgettable living room performance by this Grammy-winning singer and hear her favorite songs and tracks from her latest album live.
• Stay in it Prince’s Purple Rain House: The American singer Prince bought the house in Minneapolis, Minnesota that is known from the legendary film Purple Rain, but has never been accessible to the public until now. Explore the home and listen to rare and special songs from the world of Prince during an exclusive studio session.

• Game with Khaby Lame: TikTok sensation Khaby Lame invites you to his hometown of Milan, Italy for an epic all-night gaming session. You will stay in a unique gaming loft that Khaby designed himself. There you compete against him in a Fortnite Battle Royale.

• Go on tour with Feid: spend a week with the Colombian reggaeton superstar on his FERXXOCALIPSIS World Tour. Help the crew with soundcheck, ride the tour bus and go backstage at every show.
• Get under the skin of Bollywood star Janhvi Kapoor: Janhvi Kapoor invites you to the legendary Kapoor family home in Chennai, India. Janhvi has never opened this house up like this before and will personally welcome you during this ultimate overnight stay. Learn her Bollywood beauty secrets and taste her favorite South Indian dishes.

• Valuable memories with Inside Out 2: In anticipation of the new Disney film Inside Out 2 (Inside Out 2) on June 14, you are invited to an overnight stay at the headquarters: the control center of Riley’s emotions. Your host, Joy, welcomes you to her vibrant world. There you see the emotions in action and you help keep things under control.

Golden tickets

“That must have a serious price tag attached to it,” Airbnb could have heard you thinking. But all ‘icons’ will cost less than 100 dollars (or 95 euros) or will even be free to book. A timer on the app or site indicates when an icon will become available. Interested parties can register in the system and submit a booking request. Airbnb selects the guests themselves, who then receive a ‘golden ticket’. More than 4,000 tickets will be available annually. It is clear that the idea was an immediate success. Just after announcing the new category, the site crashed. “Too many requests” it read.

The announcement of the Airbnb Icons took place in Los Angeles, USA. Present: the Up house that was flown in for the occasion and many famous faces. From internet phenomenon Khaby Lame to Zac Efron, Mila Kunis, Ashton Kutcher and the Belgian influencers Average Rob and Milan Cools were also present.