Business booming for B.C.'s most-wanted 'hobbit house'

A unique cottage on Mayne Island has been named one of the most desired travel listings in the world on the rental website Airbnb.com. Jan. 18, 2016 (Courtesy Airbnb)

A rustic, cosy little cottage in B.C. has been named one of the most desired Airbnb destinations in the world.

The "Unique Cob Cottage" on Mayne Island, B.C., is "sculpted of local, sustainable natural materials," and situated on a "lovely acreage with sheep, gardens and orchards," according to its listing on the Airbnb website. The place sleeps up to two guests in one bed, and renters get the full run of the house for $140 a night.

Nicknamed the "hobbit house," the cottage ranked No. 4 on Airbnb's annual list of most-wishlisted properties for 2015.

Co-owner Emmanuel Borsboom says, ever since the list was released last week, bookings at the cottage have gone through the roof.

"A couple of days ago we started getting a lot of bookings," Borsboom told CTV Vancouver. "And we were like, 'What's going on?'"

Borsboom says the cottage is a hit with guests because of its "rustic" appeal, and because it’s situated on scenic Mayne Island. The island is about halfway between Vancouver and Victoria, and boasts "lots of beaches, beautiful hiking trails, some nice restaurants and galleries, and generally a peaceful atmosphere," Borsboom said.

A night in the cottage costs about the same as a stay at a four-star hotel. However, anyone hoping to book a stay had better plan well in advance. The cottage is almost completely booked up through to September.

The most desired home on the Airbnb list was a treehouse in Atlanta, Georgia. Other popular destinations included a seashell house in Mexico, an off-the-grid home in California, a "Pirates of the Caribbean Getaway" in California and a treehouse with a pool in Bali.

With files from CTV Vancouver Island