This probably isn’t one for those with a fear of heights.
Airbnb have shared a new accommodation advertisement that will appeal to a large contingency of movie-lovers.
If you’re a fan of the heartwarming Disney Pixar animated film Up, you’ll be delighted to know you can now have the ultimate fan experience by staying in the floating house from the movie.
The 2009 film follows Carl Fredricksen, a 78-year-old balloon salesman, who is determined to fulfill a lifelong dream. Tying thousands of balloons to his house, he flies away to the South American wilderness. But curmudgeonly Carl’s worst nightmare comes true when he discovers a little boy named Russell is a stowaway aboard the balloon-powered house.
The advertisement on the short-term stay website contains over 60 photographs of the exterior and interior of the property located in Abiquiu, New Mexico in the US.
The opportunity comes as part of the company’s new Icons collection that features stunning houses inspired by movies.
In addition to the iconic balloon-topped home, the company has also created a Prince inspired Purple Rain house and an ‘X-Mansion’ inspired by Marvel’s X-Men series.
The property is hosted by Carl Fredriksen, the lead character from the iconic movie, who describes himself as a retired balloon salesman.
As the images show, the house is suspended hundreds of feet above the ground thanks to a crane, and features over 8,000 real balloons attached to the roof, just like in the movie.
The opening paragraph of the advertisement reads: “I don’t always like visitors, but I guess it’s pretty nice to have them now that it’s just me and Dug. So, come stay in my cosy home I made with my dear Ellie.
“My greatest adventures happened here, and I learned that the best ones are always with someone you love. So, bring your pals to kick-start your very own Adventure Book and watch as my house drifts off before you depart.
“I’ve been on my fair share of adventures over the years, but never one as great as the adventure my wife Ellie and I shared in the house we built together. Join me as I give the old balloon house another whirl, and I’ll help you add to your own book of travel memories and list of shenanigans.”
Fredricksen adds: “You’ll arrive as Junior Wilderness Explorers and endure mini adventures to earn these badges. These include doing chores like fetching the mail and minding my house. Someone’s gotta do it, might as well be you. Another is heading out for wilderness excursions while the sun’s up.”
Under the ‘What You’ll Do’ section, Fredricksen writes: “Take a look around. But don’t touch anything, I just straightened up! Pretty nice, eh?
“This place used to be a dump but we fixed it up, my wonderful Ellie and me. Decorated it with stuff from all the trips we planned to take. I’m a bit old for adventure nowadays, but I know it’s still out there, especially if you stay here – but just for one night, don’t get too comfy.
“Say, if you are lucky enough to stay here, you could start your own collection of badges, travel mementos, trinkets … you know, stuff to remind you of your own adventures. I suppose I could help you with that. Ellie was the best adventurer, so you’ve got big shoes to fill.”
Airbnb brought Carl and Ellie’s house to life to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Up.
If you’re a lover of the movie and dream of staying in the Up house, you need to be quick to request a stay, as bookings will close on 13th May 2024.
Considering the company expects a lot of interest in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, there’s a lengthy selection process involved in securing a stay.
First up, you’ll need to choose your dates, add your guests, then answer a question about why you want to go.
Next, Airbnb will randomly choose a set of potential guests. Then, they’ll review their answers for unique perspectives and connections to the icon before inviting selected guests to book.
Fans reacted to the opportunity on social media with a mixture of excitement and humour.
One Twitter user wrote: “What if you forgot something in the car?”
Another commented: “What happens if the crane breaks and you are in the house…”
One other person wrote: “Wow it looks almost identical as in the movie!! Great work AirBnB!! I wanna stay a night in it and experience the vibe.”
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