Precious: A ‘Lord of the Rings’-inspired enclave has hit the market in Vermont
Complete with a round door and a pub, the property serves as an Airbnb and is on the market for $788,000.
For those tiring of the record-high home prices in Greater Boston, it may be time to explore a market far, far away. Middle Earth, perhaps?
It may be closer than you think.
Tolkein fanatics don’t have to journey to a new world to get a taste of The Shire. Located at 43 North St. in Middletown Springs, Vt., this Lord of the Rings-inspired Airbnb is less than a 3.5-hour drive from Boston, an easy commute compared with the “Hobbiton” homes in New Zealand, where “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies were filmed.
The hillside home is the creation of Pepper and Cynthia Clayton, who were inspired by the first “Lord of the Rings” movie in 2001, the Burlington Free Press reported.
Now the Bag End-themed getaway is ready for its next stewards. The one-bedroom, two-bathroom hillside home is on the market — along with a nearby one-bedroom, one-bathroom cottage — for $788,000, according to the listing on SpecialFinds.com.
The 1,100-square-foot Hobbit House, complete with a Shire-style round door and grass-covered roof, is separated into two sections: “Baggs Inn” and the “Double Dragon Pub.”
Baggs Inn is home to a kitchen, dining room, living room, sleeping nook, and bedroom with a walk-in closet that is currently occupied by a washer and dryer. The Pub features a full bar and an array of musical instruments and games, according to the listing. Stone and wood accents add to the Tolkien-esque charm throughout.
There’s radiant heat, as well as two wood-burning stoves for those extra-chilly Vermont days. The home is being sold furnished, Special Finds founder Brenda Thompson said, so new owners won’t have to scour antique stores to maintain the quaint ambiance.
The home took more than 6,000 hours to build and design, according to the listing, and those who have vacationed there have been been able to take part in quests including “The Quest for the Arkenstone,” “Hunt for the Ring,” and “Bard Bowman’s Archery Challenge,” according to the description on Airbnb.
It’s that attention to detail that has made the home popular among renters, picking up 90 five-star ratings since 2019 from visitors who commended the property’s “dreamlike beauty” and “Middle-Earth details.” Currently offered for $400 a night, the property is also a prime opportunity for those looking to invest in the short-term rental market. With Amazon set to release a new spin-off Sept. 2, interest in spending a weekend in the Shire may soon reach new highs.
The other structure included in the listing, dubbed “Spring Cottage,” includes an attached “mini-barn,” a one-room living area with a kitchen and a woodstove, as well as a full-bathroom with a shower and composting toilet. The three-season abode also offers a screened-in porch with views of the expansive property, which spans about 4 acres.
“The views are spectacular,” Thompson said, however, “The big draw is just the uniqueness.”
Subscribe to our newsletter at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp. Follow us on Twitter @globehomes.
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com