Renting allows you to temporarily live as “friends”
A “friends” themed Airbnb is now available in Ybor City starting at $250 a night.
TAMPA, Florida. – For ten years we have welcomed Rachel, Ross, Monica, Chandler, Phoebe and Joey into our living rooms. Now there’s a way to hang out in theirs…or at least one that looks like it.
Central Perk Friends fans can book a Tampa Bay getaway and stay at a Friends-themed AirBnB at the same time.
The Tampa Bungalow is steps away from the nightlife of Ybor City. Inside, you’ll be taken to a space that’s part of Monica and Rachel’s Manhattan apartment, the Central Perk cafe, and Chandler and Joey’s man cave.
Airbnb owner and Superhost Frank Albert, a self-proclaimed die-hard Friends fan, has sprinkled Easter eggs throughout the two-bedroom, two-bath block that other fans will love.
From the purple walls, green door frames and bright blue cabinets, to a foosball table and a copy of Stephen King’s “The Shining” inside the freezer (for safety reasons of course), l space is dripping with nostalgia.
“Almost all of the artwork is either replicas of the show or memorabilia that I think a lot of fans will appreciate as they browse through it,” Albert said.
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One room features brightly colored umbrellas reminiscent of the show’s intro. There’s even Joey’s penguin pal, Hugsy, plus other stuffed animals featuring Marcel the monkey, the chick and the duck. And of course, there’s also a toy lobster – a reference to Phoebe’s famous phrase, “It’s her lobster!”
You can recreate Rachel’s beef and raspberry creme trifle in the open kitchen or make a bubble bath for two (or was it just one?) in the clawfoot tub.
Designer Erin Wertman says that after abusing the show again, she spent months — and sometimes a surprising amount of money — researching the right Friends decor.
“I love how this kitchen came out. One of the things you always see in Monica’s kitchen is this timer. You’d think a timer would cost around $12, but I think there was one in the hundreds, but it’s a must-have!” laughs Wertman. “It’s one of those things you have to have to make it look realistic.”
The space also features an Instagram-worthy purple and gold framed photo wall, filled with a pink neon “I’ll be there for you” sign that Wertman designed herself.
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Albert owns and manages dozens of AirBnBs in the Tampa Bay area, but says this is the first time he’s tried a theme.
“It’s a gamble, but I feel like even people who aren’t fans of the show will appreciate the quality of the work,” he said.
(Courtesy of Tony Sica Photography)
Fans of the series certainly do. Within an hour of listing the house on Airbnb, Albert already had his first reservation.
It’s a pretty good “pivot” to your typical stay in Tampa.
The friends-themed AirBnB starts at $250 per night. Click here to book a stay on AirBnB.
To discover more designs and spaces from Albert and Wertman, you can find them on Instagram: @traveltampa and @erbnbtpa.
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