Kuala Lumpur, 21 March 2024 – In June 2022, tens of thousands of aspiring designers, architects, DIYers and makers from around the world submitted their most clever, creative and downright crazy listing ideas as part of Airbnb’s US$10,000,000 OMG! Fund. One hundred recipients were hand-selected to receive US$100,000 each to help bring their accommodation dreams to life.
Today, we’re revealing some of the imaginative spaces that are now available to rent on Airbnb, and sharing the inspiring stories of the Hosts who built them:
CocoHut Hosted by Abhi A. (Mae Taeng, Thailand)
Whether born from passion projects or initially scribbled down on napkins, all recipients shared one thing in common: a dedication to turning their creative ideas into reality. For CocoHut Host Abhi, the past year has been an “incredible journey” spent learning and growing. “There were a lot of different pieces that came together to put the house together. We dug ponds, made a road, learned how to keep bamboo furniture well, and much more. [It went] from a small napkin drawing to a house with a real fence, water system, electricity, and a pool! It’s been such a journey to connect everything together and build this house on our farm.”
Enchanting Rainforest Beehive House Hosted by Esteban A. (Pocosol, Costa Rica)
Esteban had no prior design or architecture background before embarking on this journey, but his dedication helped bring the Enchanting Rainforest Beehive House to life. “I applied to the OMG! Fund hesitant, but to my surprise, I got selected with no previous background in architecture or design. Tonight, I’m sitting in this HUGE beehive house and submitting what I promised to deliver. It has been a year of challenges, gigantic leaps of faith, and crazy risk-taking, but I’m beyond thankful for the outcome of this endeavor.”
Flower Pot Hosted by Whitney H. (Burley, ID, United States)
During the build process, some Hosts faced obstacles due to the nature of such ambitious creative concepts, like Flower Pot Host Whitney, but that didn’t stop them from seeing their visions come to life. “We are so excited to have our listing out into the world! The build was a difficult one because of the size and taper of the flower pot. We had dozens of contractors try to talk us out of the build because of the difficulty. Nevertheless, we continued forward knowing that the flower pot would be an incredible experience for guests and the community. The property the flower pot sits on was farmed by my late grandpa – I think he would be proud of us for allowing others to see firsthand what small farm town Idaho is like in an OMG-worthy space.”
Bubble Retreats Hosted by Timothy H. (Agnes, Australia)
Many concepts from OMG! Fund recipients were developed from a place of desire to share something special with other people. For Timothy, his two Bubble Retreats (1) (2) were built upon his passion for sharing the gift of connecting with nature. “OMG!” was my reaction while sleeping under the stars when traveling through Europe two years ago. Not long after I tried to put the feelings I had into words. For the past two years, my mission has been to re-create this same feeling and magical experience for others. It’s been one wild ride, but we made it. We hope you enjoy your stay at the Bubbles!”
The Lens Lodge Hosted by Matthew F. (Elijay, GA, United States)
For Matthew, the journey of creating The Lens Lodge has already been met with the reward of bringing unforgettable new experiences to life for guests. “This build was an absolute adventure! Trying to figure out how to design, engineer, and permit a camera lens that is suspended 15 feet off the ground turned out to be quite the task but we made it happen and I couldn’t be happier with the final result. Guests are absolutely loving it so far, which has made my year and a half of insanely hard work and sleepless nights all worth it already. I am so thankful for this journey and can’t wait to see where it goes.”
The Nut House Hosted by Ty G. (Aubrey, TX, United States)
Ty wanted to create a space that immersed guests in nature with an immersive treehouse experience, and that has already paid off in spades. “Hosting at The Nut House has been every bit of the reward we were hoping for at the end of this process. We are having a really fun time getting to welcome people from all over the world. People are not just coming for the night but they are coming to The Nut House for a vacation and an experience. It makes everything about hosting more exciting when you know you get to be a part of something important in each of our guest’s lives. It’s been fun hearing why people are coming into town whether it’s a honeymoon, anniversary, birthday trip, or some sort of special occasion that they are celebrating.”
World’s Only Disco Ball Stay Hosted by Jeffrey H. (Paso Robles, CA, United States)
After assembling the World’s Only Disco Ball Stay piece by piece with his wife and young son, Jeffrey’s anticipation to welcome his first guests was nerve racking, but this shimmering stay has already won over the hearts of guests. “You build this way outside the box structure, someone books it, and you hope what you’ve built lives up to their expectations. My wife and I were in the disco ball up until the last minute making sure everything was just right. The guests were so blown away they told us they spent most of the night calling all of their friends and families to share their experience with them. One of the best stays of their lives. That feedback made all of the hard work worth it.”
Stay at a giant clog in the countryside Hosted by Jantine R (Zaandam, Netherlands)
Located in Het Lage Noorden, surrounded by green fields and a short drive from the North Sea, this remote yet culturally rich area boasts art along the dyke and charming towns like Marrum and Dokkum. Jantine and her husband submitted their application with hours until the deadline, with the timeline tight – they managed to think of a concept that was the perfect intersection of art, culture, and family tradition. “In designing The Dutcher, I wanted to create an ode to my father as well as my country. On the outside, it would be the traditional yellow clog that we all know and love – a little whimsical – but on the inside it had to be pure luxury. A glass roof, a full kitchen and bathroom, a freestanding bathtub, a bed under the stars. And all within the limits of a rather small amount of space. And there would be art. As many great Dutch artists as we could fit.”
In 2022, Malaysian Muhammad Hakim Azly was among the recipients of the inaugural Airbnb OMG! Fund, for his winning idea “Coconut Drifting in the Sea”. Now available for booking, the coconut-inspired floating home is located just off the shore of Langkawi’s Tanjung Rhu beach, and offers a unique glamping experience overlooking stunning views of the surrounding landscape.
To explore OMG! Fund listings and other one-of-a-kind stay destinations, visit Airbnb’s OMG! Category.
For those with an out-of-this-world space interested in sharing their home with guests around the world, Airbnb has made it easier than ever with Airbnb Setup, an easy way to Airbnb any home, with free one-to-one guidance from a Superhost. Learn more at airbnb.com/host/homes.
*These homes are independently owned and operated.
