We live in the golden age of vacation rentals. However unexciting or mundane the previous statement might be, though, it holds a good deal of water. With Web-based giants like Airbnb and VRBO making vacation rentals more and more affordable to the average joe with each passing year, there are thousands of unusual rental locations popping up all across the globe. The best part? Most require nothing more than a basic down payment, a quick email exchange, and a registration. From Caribbean villas to luxurious superyachts, below are 10 of the most absurd vacation rentals on the market.
Stargroves (The West Indies)
Mick Jagger’s Japanese-themed island villa is staffed with two full-time gardeners, one butler, and one chef. The complex spans seven builds and rests above a stream, conveniently linked with a wooden walkway. Stargroves is merely one of two island property rentals Jagger owns on Mustique, a tiny Caribbean island that’s the preferred vacation spot for the British Royal Family. Oh, and Paul McCartney honeymooned at Jagger’s tropical estate in 2011. However, a week-long stay will set you back somewhere between $16,000 and $24,000 before taxes and gratuity.
Sharma Springs (Bali)
Overlooking the Ayung River valley, this Bamboo house has the look and feel of a six-floor tree house. It showcases a full kitchen, pool, and private garden, along with a guest house on the side and an enormous bamboo entryway that’s accessible via the fourth floor. It’s also outfitted with a personal butler and a slew of bedrooms, each of which is appropriately furnished with bamboo furniture designed to match the decor of the surrounding architecture and Green Village community. And to think, it only costs a cool $695 a night (without the guest house).
Majestuous Cathar château (France)
This 13th-century castle only sleeps 16, which in modern terms, is pretty much the equivalent of a SUV that only seats two. Nonetheless, the 10-bedroom structure touts a swimming pool and rests a mere 45 minutes from the Pyrenees, a massive mountain range that serves as the border between France and Spain. It’s a frickin’ castle, though, one infused plenty of history regarding the Middle Ages and the Knights of Malta. It runs $1,133 per night.
The Treehouse (Los Angeles)
“Meta” is one way to describe this lofted room residing in L.A.’s Brewery Arts Complex. The small space supposedly accommodates up to three people and a bit of baggage, offering little more than four walls and full-size bed for sleeping. However, it does come with access to several common areas — i.e. the bathroom, kitchen, and bar — and free Wi-Fi, so it has that going for it. It’s also conveniently located right in the middle of town, meaning you can jump into traffic any which way you choose. It’s a vacation rental inside a vacation rental, for $46 a night.
The KISMET Yacht (The open seas)
The ultra-luxurious KISMET Yacht runs a staggering $1.4 million dollars a week. Let me emphasize — $1.4 MILLION. Moreover, the 312-foot yacht is equipped with two jet skis, a movie theater, a gym, Jacuzzi, helipad, sauna, spa, and pool. It takes a total of 18 crew members to keep her afloat and she tops out at 17 knots, with the option to sleep up to 12 guests throughout the 8 staterooms and master suite. The exotic woods, rare marble, and bragging rights also come standard.
Headfort House (Ireland)
The Headfort House offers 70 beds, a 12-capacity ballroom, and an eerie statute of a kid getting pummeled in the schoolyard. It’s only available a few months of year given its still a fully-operational boarding school serving children between ages 3 and 13, but the sprawling estate still touts extensive sports facilities, a small theater, woodlands, and an abundance of gardens for those in need. It runs $1,431 per night and resides just outside of Dublin.
Necker Island (The Virgin Islands)
Considering Richard Branson is the founder of Virgin, it’s not particularly surprising that he owns an entire island in the British Virgin Islands. The robust Balinese house sleeps 30 people with its eight guest rooms, while the other private houses located elsewhere on the island accommodate a range of guests. Furthermore, the island resort features infinity pools, dining halls, a 30-capacity hot tub, and floating sushi bar — because, why not? Renting a single room costs $28,805 a week, so you can only assume renting the entire island would be absurdly expensive.
Cozy and Charming Conan TV Studio (Burbank)
When Conan O’Brien first listed his studio on Airbnb in 2011, the going rate was $1 per night. Amenities included a mangy, 25,000-foot warehouse, one “celebrity-grazed sleeper sofa,” and a kitchenette stocked with its own intern. He received thousands of potential renters, eventually narrowing the selection down to a trio of woman from Mexico. It seemingly was a good time, but poor Andy was likely forced to sleep elsewhere. Shame.
Sir Richard Branson’s Mahali Mzuri Kenyan Safari Camp (Kenya)
Apparently, the notion of tent camping has a different connotation for Branson. The billionaire’s exuberant Safari Camp, located in the Kenyan National Reserve, features a five-star restaurant, private safari tours, and a spa. There’s also access to 13,500 hectares of bush to explore, so long as you can throw down the $25,ooo required to rent the camp for a single night. Still, not every vacation spot lets you witness a lion mow down a antelope at breakfast.
Converted Airplane Apartment
More so a publicity stunt than an actual rental property, KLM parked its luxurious plane in Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport as part of a contest promoting the airlines. The high-flying space included a master bedroom, two kids’ beds, and eight separate bathrooms. The number of bathrooms is odd, especially when you consider the consumption of alcohol is not allowed. Surprisingly, the contest also prohibited the guests from roasting marshmallow with the jet engines.
