Thanks to Airbnb, you don’t have to spend a fortune to stay in some beautiful places while on vacation! Not only do you feel like a local by staying in someone’s home, you can also find some really unique places that might end up the highlight of your trip. For this post, I’ve put together a list of my favorite and most memorable Airbnbs with links to where you can book your own stay.
My list of Top 5 picks includes: a villa in Saint Lucia, geodesic dome in Costa Rica, troglodyte cave in France, beachside yurt in Iceland, and (the most recent) glamping tent in Portugal.
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Tip: Airbnb just added a new category to their website called “Airbnb Plus,” which makes discovering these types of accommodations even easier. Any time I come across a unique place, I’ll add it to my Wishlist. I’ll occasionally plan a whole trip around the accommodation if it’s special enough.
1. Villa with Piton views in Saint Lucia
Breathtaking view of the Pitons from the infinity pool
To celebrate my 30th birthday, Dan and I headed to the small island of St Lucia in the Caribbean. We felt like we struck gold when we happened upon a listing on Airbnb at a property named Caille Blanc Villa. The photos on the website were beautiful, but we were still blown away by the property and its absolutely breathtaking views of the famous Piton Mountains.
We stayed in the Sunset Suite, which is the smallest of the rooms but significantly cheaper than the other accommodations on the property. The room was beautiful with a small private terrace and semi-outdoor bathroom, where you can shower with the most amazing views of the ocean.
View from the semi-outdoor shower in our poolside Sunset Suite
Beautiful view of the Caribbean sunset
There are five other suites on the property, 2 of which were occupied during our stay there. The thoughtful layout of the property gave each couple plenty of privacy, but you can also rent the entire house on a weekly basis through the villa’s website if you want to have the place to yourself. The property has a full-time staff including two chefs that make some delicious tropical cocktails and will even prepare a private dinner for guests on request.
You could easily spend your entire stay enjoying laying by the pool, but if you want to take a dip in the Caribbean Ocean, some of the island’s best beaches are just a short walk from the property. The owners have a good relationship with the nearby Anse Chastanet Resort, so guests are able to access the beautiful private beaches and restaurants of the resort. There are two beaches, one of which has a place to rent snorkeling equipment and a couple of dining options. The other one is a bit of a walk but more secluded and worth the trek.
Anse Chastanet Beach
Book your own stay in the Sunset Suite with Piton views here!
2. Geodesic Dome in the Cloud Forest of Costa Rica
Table for two with a view of the cloud forest – photo courtesy of the property
Our first ever “glamping” (glamorous camping) experience was on a road trip around Costa Rica in 2016. Costa Rica has an amazing amount of wildlife due to its climate and range of habitats — nearly 4% of the world’s species are found in this one small country. On our fourth day of the trip we entered Monteverde, which has a specific ecosystem known as a cloud forest.
As the name suggests, we found ourselves quite literally in the clouds as we pulled into our Airbnb accommodations for the evening, a geodesic dome or as we liked to call it, our “Dome, sweet Dome.”
Our Dome, Sweet Dome in Monteverde, Costa Rica
Interior of the dome – Photo courtesy of the property
The dome was built on a platform on the edge of the wilderness with views to the valley below. The location gave you the sense of being fully immersed in the jungle; toucans and howler monkeys frequented the treetops above and a coati (a Costa Rican raccoon) even raided our outdoor kitchen in the night — some dirty paw prints gave him away.
Timelapse of the clouds rolling in as seen from our Dome
The platform surrounding the dome had a small dining table for two, where you could sit back and watch the clouds roll in every evening. You’ll feel as though you’re miles from civilization, but the center of Monteverde (with all of its creature comforts) is actually just a few minutes away. Also just a short drive away is the entrance to both the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, where birdwatchers flock to spot the famous Resplendent Quetzal.
The famous Resplendent Quetzal spotted through the binoculars in Monteverde
Book your own stay in the cloud forest here!
3. Beachside Yurt in Iceland
The view from the yurt (and me on our rental car!)
We’ve taken several trips to Iceland and have stayed in many Airbnbs around the country, but the most memorable was our stay in this tiny yurt near Vik along the southern coast. It’s a rustic space but very comfortable and cozy. There’s no WiFi (except at the owner’s house nearby), so it’s a great place to disconnect from it all.
The highlight of our stay was late in the evening when a large herd of Icelandic sheep and their babies surrounded the yurt, grazing and bah-ing as they passed by.
It may not look like much on the outside, but the yurt is surprisingly spacious and cozy inside
Icelandic sheep visiting our yurt
The yurt is literally just a few steps from the famous black-sand Reynisfjara beach with its jagged coastline and basalt columns. In fact, this is the closest accommodation to the beach, which means it’s a great way to experience the area tourist-free with early morning or late night strolls on the beach.
Checking out the basalt columns of the nearby black sand beach
The yurt is definitely one of the most popular places to stay along the sparsely populated southern coast and stays booked year round, so be sure to check their calendar to see which nights are available well in advance of your trip.
Book your own stay in the beachside Icelandic yurt here!
4. Troglodyte Cave in Amboise, France
Inside our room in the caves of Amboise
With three weeks in Paris this spring, we decided to venture out of the city to spend a few nights exploring the French countryside. We chose Amboise in the Loire Valley, which is just a 2 hour train ride from Paris and known for their chateaus and vineyards specializing in sparkling wines. There are of course plenty of places to stay in Amboise proper, but we opted for a more unique experience and stayed at an Airbnb that’s built into the “troglodyte” caves to the north town.
From the outside, the B&B looks like, well, a cave. But inside, the room are pristine and beautifully decorated in a French-cave-chic sort of way. The clawfoot tub and other thoughtful touches give the cave room a luxurious spa-like feel, but the highlight may actually be the breakfast, which is prepared by the B&B’s owners and served in their dining room.
Entrance to the cave Airbnb
Enjoying some of the regional wine from a small terrace outside the Airbnb
Breakfast prepared by our Airbnb hosts in their home
Since we arrived by train and didn’t have a car, we rented bikes from the owners as a way to get to and from Amboise. We also biked a bit further to what ended up being my favorite of all the chateaus we visited in France: Château de Chenonceau.
Biking to Chateau de Chenonceau
Don’t miss my full post about our trip to Amboise as well as a video of our magical hot air balloon ride over the Loire Valley.
Book your own stay in the caves of Amboise here!
5. Glamping Tent on a Farm in Portugal’s Algarve region
Our glamping tent at Quinta Alma in Aljezur
Always a fan of glamping, I couldn’t pass up the chance to stay in a tent while visiting the Algarve in Portugal this summer. We booked one of the Superior Safari Tents at Quinta Alma, an eco retreat and growing organic farm near the town of Aljezur.
The property has a variety of tent sizes and options for rent, all of which are organized about a large tent that acts as the reception and a gathering place for groups (the shared outdoor kitchen is also located here). The individual tents are strategically located to give each one beautiful views of the valley while also screening the neighbors and giving some privacy. WiFi is only available in the main tent but the tents are equipped with outlets, a sink, and a composting toilet — showers are shared and just a short distance from the tents.
View from our tent at Quinta Alma eco retreat
Breakfast in the main tent
Resident chicken at Quinta Alma
Aljezur is located about a 45 minute drive north of the more touristy town of Lagos. The beaches in this part of the Algarve were just as beautiful as the southern coast but not nearly as crowded, even in August when we visited. We made trips to several of the nearby beaches, but the most beautiful scenery came from a scenic driving tour along the coast that we stumbled upon near Praia da Bordeira.
Praia da Bordeira
Book your own stay in the Algarve glamping tent here!
Have you stayed at any memorable or unique Airbnbs? Let me know in the comments below!
