[Update] Break from the norm: the rise of unusual accommodation

Unusual accommodation is any accommodation that has a unique or different feature to what one would call a 'classic' hotel or hostel. A gothic castle converted into a hotel, a B&B in a converted brownfield site or a tadpole-shaped cottage for rent are just some examples of the trend. So many different shapes, stories and designs to seduce guests after two years of lockdowns and health restrictions. The phenomenon predates the pandemic but has gained momentum since 2020. This momentum could be explained by travellers' desire to break the monotony of everyday life and rediscover a little glamour or mystique.

This trend has become so popular that Airbnb decided to create a category dedicated to unusual accommodation. According to the American company, more than 30,000 accommodations worldwide joined this offer in 2021 and the OMG! category has been viewed 2.5 million times since its launch last May.

Falling into this category, for example, is the famous windmill that crowns the Moulin Rouge. Airbnb offered three travellers the opportunity to stay for one night each in this emblematic monument of the city of Paris. The filming locations of many movies and series are also becoming a real marketing tool for the sector. The American giant recently offered its customers pop-up stays in the house from the film Home Alone, in the villa from House of Gucci, in the villa that served as the Corleone family home in the cult film The Godfather and in a Lithuanian prison that appeared in the Netflix series Stranger Things.

Recently, Airbnb announced the creation of a new fund dedicated to designing and building of the ‘world’s craziest listings’. The $10 million fund will help finance 100 projects. Those with an original idea can submit it and the successful applicants will each receive...