“Are you in New Zealand? asked my Kiwi friend excitedly on Instagram after seeing my last post. Deceptively, I am not. I’m less than two hours’ drive from London, a wine estate in the Rother Valley, East Sussex. It wasn’t the photos of the wine or the vineyards that made it look like I had flown halfway around the world for the weekend. It was the only accommodation.
Following their recent summer launch, you can now find all kinds of accommodations on Airbnb. Additional categories allow you to search for a range of property types and unique locations, from creative spaces to caves, national parks and houseboats. You can also search earth housesmore commonly known as Hobbit Houses, coined from the the Lord of the Rings and famous available to visit in Hobbiton in New Zealand.
Set the scene
After two hours of driving from London we stopped in the winding driveway of the winery and were greeted by a tractor. Behind the wheel was America Brewer, a Brazilian who greeted us warmly and immediately impressed us when we realized she was driving the tractor in dizzying heels. America owns and lives in Eastbrook Estate with her English husband Nick, and their adorable golden retriever Laura, who dutifully greeted us at the door of the Hobbit House.
The place
The concept of a Hobbit house might sound twee, but the hideaway – with a thriving meadow on the roof – looks more like something out of a grand designs episode than a gimmick. The bulbous doors are custom made and the stars on the blue dome ceiling are hand painted. It’s also surprisingly spacious, with a round, open-plan living, dining and kitchen area, flanked by two bedrooms with generous en-suites either side. Everything is comfortable and neat, from the toiletries in the bathrooms to the fully equipped kitchen with a coffee machine. The set up is ideal for a family, or two couples to share.
If the sun is shining, expect to spend much of your time in the front garden. There is a dining table, plus a barbecue, a hot tub with views of the vineyard and birdsong from everywhere. It is also the room to dig into the welcome basket of crackers, local cheeses and, of course, a bottle of Oastbrook sparkling wine.
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