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Airbnb has plenty of popular accommodations. The most popular listing on Airbnb is a Mushroom-doom cabin in Aptos, California. But the most popular room is in Cahercastle in Ireland. The Cahercastle is full of quirks and makes for a very fun and exciting place to spend a night (or weekend or even week). It is not for people looking for luxurious modern accommodation - at over 600 years old, it is far from modern. It offers a fun and memorable experience that one will not forget.
One of the more quirky accommodation options in Mexico is the Seashell House on the island of Isla Mujeres, just off the coast of Cancun. The most popular room on Airbnb is also quirky - it is a real-life castle (not an intimation castle built in the 1800s).
Cahercastle Medieval Tower: From Ruin To Airbnb
Cahercastle (or Caherkinmonwee Castle) is a later 5-story medieval tower that today hosts people from around the world. It was likely built in the 15th century, with records mentioning it in 1574.
- Built: Late 1400s
- Age: Over 600 Years Old
- Purchased: By Peter Hayes In 1996
For over two hundred years, it was left in ruin. That is until it was purchased by Peter Hayes in 1996. Under his watch, the old castle underwent a large restoration project but still retained some of the original features (like bartizans on all four corners, a spiral staircase, and other features).
It has now been restored to its original state with traditional materials. Local stone, limestone, and oak beams were used to make the castle as traditional as feasible while modernizing it to include modern conveniences (like solar water heating and plumbing).
Airbnb's Most Popular Room
In 2019 Airbnb stated that the Cahercastle was the most popular room on their website. Plan ahead, and one can book it today.
- Airbnb Host: Peter
Guests should bear in mind that this is a castle - so it does have cobwebs and some amount of dust (which could be important to asthma sufferers).
- Note: The Castle Has Cobwebs And Some Dust
- Mobility: Guests Need To Be Able To Climb The Spiral Staircase
Guests stay in the master bedroom - the highest room in the castle. The master bedroom has access to the turret, a living room, a dining room, two guest bedrooms, and some storage rooms.
The castle still has two rooms that are still under restoration.
Remember that the castle was built at a different time for a different purpose. Castles weren't designed with bathrooms and showers - this means that the restorers have had to improvise. But nothing is perfect. To take a bath, one will need to come downstairs to the living room (the living room is the quirkiest part of the castle).
The castle has a huge fireplace complete with a cooker to keep the place warm - as well as more modern underfloor heating. The hosts stress that the castle is a real castle experience - not pristine like a hotel or a tourist attraction like Blarney Castle.
One should expect lots of winding staircases and a real castle experience. It is located in a peaceful and quiet area with plenty of sheep and cows munching and wandering about.
Booking The Castle And Getting To It
Cahercastle is around a 25-minute drive from the Irish city of Galway (it's a beautiful city itself to explore). It is also around two hours drive from the capital city of Dublin.
- Galway: 25 Minutes Drive
- Dublin: 2 Hours Drive
To get to the castle one will need to hire a car - it's around 2 miles from the nearest public transport.
This is a beloved home, and so the hosts like to see a written-out profile and a message of introduction (without that, they will decline requests).
- Capacity: Four Guests
- Price: $172 Per Night
- Rating: 4.95 / 5.00 With 1,417 Reviews
If one would like to stay, then plan ahead. As of the time of writing (August 2022), it was booked out to March 2023!
For another odd accommodation option, the world's remotest Airbnb is on the far (really far) flung British Territory of Pitcairn Island. Pitcairn Island is a destination extremely difficult to reach and is only to only around 50 residents.