Inside the charming underground 'Hobbit house' now for rent on Airbnb

Leanna Garfield

Sep 19, 2016, 20:57 IST

Kristie Wolfe and her "Hobbit house."

Entrepreneur Kristie Wolfe loves J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Hobbit" - so much so, in fact, that she built a rustic home inspired by the one in the book.

Wolfe recently listed the "Tiny House in the Shire" on Airbnb for $200 a night, for up to two guests at a time.

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"Every nook of this little habitation will warm your soul. Every cranny will charm your expedition of repose," she writes in the Airbnb listing. "Up the pathway, tucked into the earth, an unbelievable adventure awaits!"

Airbnb

Though she lives in Boise, Idaho, Wolfe built the off-grid home in in Orondo, Washington, surrounded by the Columbia River Gorge mountainside. Measuring just 288 square feet, the semi-underground home features a bedroom, living area, fireplace and bathroom with an antique tub. The floors are made of reclaimed wood.

The "Hobbit house" is meant to resemble Bag End, the cozy home that belonged to Bilbo Baggins in "The Hobbit" and to Frodo Baggins in "The Lord of the Rings." It even has an emerald green door with a brass knob, just like the one described in the book.

YouTube/Kirsten Dirksen

Wolfe bought the 5.5 acres on which the home now sits for $18,000. She then rented a hydraulic excavator to dig a cave in the hill, and built the entire house from scratch earlier this year. The structure is located a couple miles away from the nearest town, and is powered using solar panels. The plumbing system uses septic and water tanks.