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Guests will have the exclusive opportunity to spend the night on the Hobbiton film set, while enjoying an intimate and personal experience of Middle-earth.
Spending a night in a Hobbit’s bed is now a reality for Middle-earth fans.
Located between vast sumptuous hills of Waikato farmland, on a 2,500 acre property in Matamata, the Hobbiton film set drew millions from around the world.
As they gazed at the picturesque landscape dotted with Hobbit holes as content as Samwise Gamgee after a second breakfast, the attraction relied on facades embedded in the hillside to create the illusion of a thriving community .
But now guests will be able to open the door inside a real hobbit hole and – provided their bare feet are as clean as a respectable Hobbit – spend the night inside.
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To mark the 10th anniversary of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and 20 years on tour, Hobbiton has offered audiences the rare chance to book a night at The Hobbiton through Airbnb for just $10.
BROOK SABIN/ONFLIGHTMODE.COM
Brook Sabin, an avowed LOTR novice, banquets like a Baggins at New Zealand’s most extravagant feast. (Video first published on August 17, 2018)
Hobbiton Film Set host and CEO Russell Alexander will host three individual two-night stays for up to four people at “The Millhouse”.
“For over two decades we have 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,” he said.
It comes as organizers have seen a further surge in visitor interest since the release of the new Amazon TV series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power..
Hobbiton has partnered with Airbnb to host guests three times in March 2023.
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The hills and paddocks of the Waikato are an integral part of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings films. Here we see Sir Ian McKellen in a scene from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
Previously Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Director of the trilogy and co-owner of the movie set, Sir Peter Jackson has expressed his desire to see visitors be able to bask inside a Hobbit home.
“I’m thrilled that we can finally share with fans the experience of visiting a Hobbit’s home. Guests will see that, true to Professor Tolkien’s word, a hobbit hole is all about comfort,” Jackson said. .
It follows that “Bagshot row” was being transformed into a series of themed rooms.
The row features three Hobbit-hole dwellings nestled into the hillside, two of which will be excavated and outfitted with fully themed interiors.
However, as the organizers of Hobbiton put it, one cannot “just enter Middle-earth”.
In other words, as with any Airbnb stay, guests must follow certain rules.
Christel Yardley / Stuff
The director of The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit trilogy and co-owner of the film set, Sir Peter Jackson was delighted that visitors could bask inside a Hobbit house.
This included making sure bare feet were clean, not throwing unexpected parties, not wandering around at night, and not having pets on set.
But organizers were excited about Hobbiton’s listing on Airbnb and looked forward to welcoming lucky visitors.
“I am thrilled to share the beauty of my family’s farm and happy to host this iconic place on Airbnb for fans around the world,” said Alexander.
Reservations for the Hobbiton film set will be available from 10 a.m. on December 14.
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