Lord of the Rings and Hobbit Set in NZ

One of the coolest things about Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films is that if you travel to New Zealand, you can actually visit many of its real-life locations. But what if you could go a step further? What if you could live there?

At 4 p.m. EST on December 13, “The One-and-Only Hobbiton” located in Matamata, Waikato, New Zealand is going live on Airbnb. And the host isn’t kidding when they write “one and only.” It’s the actual, privately owned tourist location fans can visit and where Peter Jackson and his cast filmed not just the original Lord of the Rings films, but The Hobbit films as well. It’s the 10th anniversary of the first installment in that series, An Unexpected Journey, and that’s the inspiration for this incredible opportunity.

That’s the good news. The bad news is Hobbiton isn’t permanently becoming an Airbnb site. It will be open for exactly three two-night stays for a maximum of four guests at a time. But, if you do happen to lock in one of those dates (March 2-4, March 9-11, and March 16-18, 2023 are the dates in question) the experience will only cost about $6 per night, plus taxes, fees, and your own travel to and from. After that, you can still visit anytime, just not sleep there.

“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,” host Russell Alexander said in a press release. “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.”

With that experience, not only do you get full, exclusive access to all of Hobbiton, you get the following, via the press release:

• Cozy overnight accommodation curated by the trilogies’ Creative Director Brian Massey, including a writing nook, fit for Bilbo Baggins at The Millhouse.
• Private access to a personal Hobbit Hole, set up for relaxing moments of Preciousss downtime and afternoon tea.
• An evening banquet in The Green Dragon Inn with a feast featuring beef and ale stew, whole roast chickens, freshly baked bread, and plenty of ale, plus Second Breakfast and Elevenses served daily.
• A behind-the-scenes private tour of Hobbiton Movie Set.

For more information, the link to book, and many, many more photos, head over to Airbnb.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water.

One of the coolest things about Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films is that if you travel to New Zealand, you can actually visit many of its real-life locations. But what if you could go a step further? What if you could live there?

At 4 p.m. EST on December 13, “The One-and-Only Hobbiton” located in Matamata, Waikato, New Zealand is going live on Airbnb. And the host isn’t kidding when they write “one and only.” It’s the actual, privately owned tourist location fans can visit and where Peter Jackson and his cast filmed not just the original Lord of the Rings films, but The Hobbit films as well. It’s the 10th anniversary of the first installment in that series, An Unexpected Journey, and that’s the inspiration for this incredible opportunity.

That’s the good news. The bad news is Hobbiton isn’t permanently becoming an Airbnb site. It will be open for exactly three two-night stays for a maximum of four guests at a time. But, if you do happen to lock in one of those dates (March 2-4, March 9-11, and March 16-18, 2023 are the dates in question) the experience will only cost about $6 per night, plus taxes, fees, and your own travel to and from. After that, you can still visit anytime, just not sleep there.

“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,” host Russell Alexander said in a press release. “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.”

With that experience, not only do you get full, exclusive access to all of Hobbiton, you get the following, via the press release:

• Cozy overnight accommodation curated by the trilogies’ Creative Director Brian Massey, including a writing nook, fit for Bilbo Baggins at The Millhouse.
• Private access to a personal Hobbit Hole, set up for relaxing moments of Preciousss downtime and afternoon tea.
• An evening banquet in The Green Dragon Inn with a feast featuring beef and ale stew, whole roast chickens, freshly baked bread, and plenty of ale, plus Second Breakfast and Elevenses served daily.
• A behind-the-scenes private tour of Hobbiton Movie Set.

For more information, the link to book, and many, many more photos, head over to Airbnb.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water.