Starting in 2015, Airbnb launched a unique program that created one-of-a-kind stays. Their focus was Halloween and they launched with a chilling night for one lucky—or unlucky—winner to become the only person to wake up alive in the Paris catacombs. The stay also included a dinner and private concert before allowing you to retire in a real bed where a storyteller leaving you with nightmare inducing tales. More locations followed annually, including Dracula’s Castle and the Sanderson Sisters' cottage from Hocus Pocus 2.
Capitalizing on the success of their Halloween experience, in 2024, the company launched their Icons experience. These range from staying in Shrek’s Swamp or Barbie’s Malibu house to going VIP with Kevin Hart or staying in the last Blockbuster. We couldn’t help but include two of the more incredible Icons experience that any SFF fan would love.
But that doesn’t mean these limited offerings are the only way to enjoy your favorite fandom. Whether it’s through film locations maintained with loving detail or simply creative hosts designing mind-blowing creations throughout their home, we found nine Airbnb stays—seven that you can book today—perfect for anyone who wants to jump into their favorite SFF world.
The Vampire Diaries
Welcome to Lockwood. The mansion was home to one of Mystic Falls founding families, and now you can visit the estate used to film the show in Covington, Georgia. Guests stay in the fully furnished Carriage House, so sleeping in the same bed as Damon or Stefan isn’t included. But you do get a private tour inside the mansion, access to the Lockwood gardens, and the chance to stroll the gorgeous grounds inside the gated property. The Carriage House is filled with memorabilia, and the hosts are a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes info.
Stranger Things
After three seasons in Hawkins, Indiana, the Byers wanted a fresh start. Even though they moved to sunny California in the show, the house they filmed in is actually located in Albuquerque, New Mexico. And now you can travel back to the '80s for a fun relaxing stay in this blast from the past. While the technology and appliances have been updated, the rest of the house has been kept as authentic to the set as possible, including a basement filled with '80s arcade games and fun Stranger Things memorabilia sprinkled throughout the house.
Up
Carl Fredricksen wasn’t always open to the idea of meeting strangers. But his experience in Paradise Falls changed him so much that as part of their Icon program, he opened his doors for a limited time. Complete with ballons—and a crane to lift the entire home—this one bedroom came complete with mini adventures allowing guests to earn their Junior Wilderness Explorer badges. But don’t get too comfortable. This experience was for one night only as a limited run to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the film.
![camera-icon]()
- Photo Credit: Airbnb
X-Men
It’s not every day you can jump into the comics and visit your favorite superheroes. But for a few lucky New Castle, New York visitors, that’s exactly what they were able to do. For a limited time, guests could crash at the X-Mansion and enjoy a mutant sleepover. Activities included training in the danger room, exploring Beast’s lab, hanging in Professor X’s library, and even trying on Cerebro in the War Room. As part of the Airbnb Icon stays, there were staff there to make the experience once in a lifetime.
Star Wars
Want to sleep in a TIE fighter? Or in an Ewok tree hut? Or maybe even floating in Cloud City? In this incredible property listed as Rebel’s Retreat Galactic Outpost in Four Corners, Florida, those are just a few of the options in this luxurious eight-bedroom house. Explore your favorite rebel retreats as you pass ships, planets, and stars, complete with lighting and details located throughout the home. It’s also a short drive from Galaxy’s Edge, ensuring this stay will elevate your visit to a galaxy far, far away.
Twilight
Charlie Swan is the underrated hero of the Twilight franchise. And while he doesn’t come with the house, fans of the movie can stay in the Swan House. This is the exact house the movie was filmed in, and the rooms were kept the same, allowing you to take photos recreating any scene from the movie. Sit at Charlie’s dining table, sleep in Bella’s room, and view the closet displays with movie memorabilia including Bella’s comforter.
![camera-icon]()
- Photo Credit: Airbnb
The Hobbit
If staying in a hobbit hole is your dream, there are any number of hosts all over the world who have recreated those magical earthen homes. But the one that absolutely blew us away was the Hobbit experience in Fairfield, Virginia. Meticulously decorated to recreate a home in the Shire, the hosts offer workshops to guests who stay more than one night where you can make a wizard pipe, a hand-tied dragon wing whisk broom, and more. Be sure you read the house information carefully, though, as this home does not include many modern amenities such as a television (and has a limited kitchen as well).
Tony Stark’s Endgame Cabin
This charming lakeside cabin provided Tony Stark a small measure of peace, and it was also where his family put his arc reactor in its final resting place. Now you can enjoy the quiet solitude of this gorgeous property in Fairburn, Georgia. Located on a 2,000-acre farm, guests can hike, kayak, and explore the land. If you’re lucky, you might get to watch a movie set get built or even witness a film in progress—from a distance, of course. And if you’d rather stay in, the cabin comes complete with all the Marvel movies.
Haunted Mansion
Sometimes you want to leave normal behind, and the owners of this four-bedroom house in Fullerton, California, are ready to haunt your dreams. Inspired by Haunted Mansion, the attention to ghoulish detail is nothing short of incredible. The photos move, the lights flicker, and each room has its own ghostly tale to tell. But don’t worry, if the illusions are a bit too much, the owner can turn them off remotely, ensuring the ghosts appear only when called.
