Sydney’s short-term rental housing is taking a bizarre turn as homeowners install rare features to stand out from the crowd, with recent listings including a hobbit home, neon pink “lover’s den” and a home turned into a medieval-style castle with a moat.
Property owners are leaning into unusual features and offerings to maximise yield, turning decor and unique structures into destination experiences and a promise of an unforgettable stay.
One example, the clifftop cave that is built onto a natural rock platform, ‘The Enchanted Cave’ on Airbnb.
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The Hobbiton-like door to The Enchanted Cave on Airbnb
Inside the Enchanted cave Airbnb
Opening a small, round wooden door likened to Hobbiton, inside you will find a spa, fire and vistas over the Blue Mountains, that rents for around $6,000 for five nights.
Operating as a romantic accommodation known as The Lover’s Den, a Sydney apartment that was turned into a by-the-night rental for loved up couples to “embrace the magic of seduction” is listed for sale as an “eccentric investment” opportunity.
Complete with mirrored walls, mood lighting and sumptuous decor, listing agent Ty Demirezen of Ray White Eastern Beaches said the accommodation rents for roughly $300 per night and “sometimes a lot more”.
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‘The Lover’s Den’ couples accomodation
The one-bedroom couples accomodation commands prices around $300 per night
“With a standard apartment and what it would lease for on Airbnb versus what this is getting, it’s getting a 20, 30, sometimes 40 per cent premium just for what it is,” he said.
At 100 Blaxland Rd, a re-creation of a castle into an English Tudor mansion boasts distinct medieval features from parapet walls, an operating moat and drawbridge to a tower entrance that has been operating as an Airbnb in recent years.
“One family has consistently taken it on every Christmas and has had their Christmas at the castle,” listing agent John Chapman of John Chapman Superior Sales said.
“The castle is an obvious one to command a high price, simply because it is so unique.”
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100 Blaxland Road, Wentworth Falls
The property has been rented in recent years on Airbnb
Other quirky properties in NSW include a bubbletent located around 220km northwest of Sydney on the western verge of the Blue Mountains.
From a rotating bed that converts into a ping-pong table, an eco-friendly flushing toilet and a rain shower overlooking the world’s second-largest canyon, tents range from $575 to $1,250 per night depending on the tent and day of the week, with the most popular experiences being two-night weekend stays.
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Bubbletent rentals on the verge of the Blue Mountains
The tents range from $575 to $1,250
The ‘Secret Treehouse’ stay in the Blue Mountains allows guests to sleep among the forest treetops while offering a spa, kitchenette, queen bed and fireplace.
Treehouse by Love Cabins can be rented for around $1,100 per night
Inside the treehouse accomodation
In Palm Beach, Lilypad is a full-service floating villa that can be booked for overnight stays with an all-inclusive stay starting from $2,150.
Airbnb pricing is set individually by hosts, who consider factors like local demand, property features and seasonal trends
Susan Wheeldon, Country Manager for Airbnb Australia, said many hosts were trying to stand apart from “traditional options” by offering something unique.
“From eco-friendly earth homes to tiny houses perched on the side of cliffs, these extraordinary stays invite travellers to discover unexplored regions and hidden gems,” she said.
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Lilypad rental affords all-inclusive stays starting from $2,150
Palm Beach’s iconic “floating house” Picture credit: @lilypadpalmbeach
Ms Wheeldon said unique properties are often in demand because they offer what traditional accommodation simply cannot: an unforgettable experience.
“Whether it’s a secluded cave, a castle-style home, or a creatively themed retreat, these listings provide a level of novelty and personalisation that travellers seek,” she said.
Ms Wheeldon said many of these homes are located in areas where traditional accommodation is limited or non-existent, making them a primary option for visitors.
“This exclusivity, combined with their one-of-a-kind appeal, naturally drives demand,” she said.
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