iN VIDEO: This Tolkien-inspired B&B could be hobbit-forming

PENTICTON – There’s a new Airbnb listing in B.C. that is turning the tiny community of Bridesville, east of Osoyoos, into a destination hotspot.

The Halfling Hideaway is the creation of Will and Wendy Bardes of Courtney Brown Road in Bridesville.

It’s a 600 square foot fantasy hideaway right out of the imagination of  J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Will says business took a bit to get going after the Hobbit house was first listed on Airbnb back in May, but after posting a YouTube video on the house, a couple of B.C. Tourism employees got the accommodation listed in Boundary tourism brochures and the calls started to roll in. 

In mid-July, the AirBNB posting had more than 500 views and the interest resulted in Bardes’ calendar being fully booked through August and September.

"There are 12 to 14 days left in October, and 2020 is starting to book up,” Will says.

Will says the idea to build a house based on Tolkien's imaginary human-like race of Hobbits came about shortly after the couple’s first year working their 400 acre ranch, located just north and west of the tiny Boundary community of Bridesville.

“The first year we had bought used equipment and everything broke down. We were sitting around one night having a beer, re-evaluating how the farming was going, and my son suggested, ‘You can build anything. Why not build a Hobbit house and focus on AirB&B?’” Will says.

The design of the house evolved as the build went on in a project that took 18 months to complete. Their first rental was May 11 of this year.

Will, who is a Tolkein fan as well as a highly experienced carpenter, says the project presented “a cool set of challenges” to build.

“We really didn’t expect we’d go for a 100 per cent booking,” he says, but fans of Tolkien’s novels have been finding out, and making a pilgrimage to Bridesville and the Halfling Hideaway.

"Bridesville hasn't exactly been a tourist destination in the past," Will says.

“We’ve had a lot of guests on honeymoons and anniversaries this year, too."

When he and Wendy were designing the interior, she had ideas for the bedroom’s design, creating a sort of fairytale setting with airy bed curtains, a high window and tapestries on the wall.

“Wendy said it was going to be all about women. It turns out about 95 per cent of our bookings are made by women,” he says.

“There are quirky things going on here. Guys aren’t so impressed but wives are super happy and entertained,” he says.

Wood for the doors and accents in the house came from two giant cedars that had to be cut down on a former property of the Bardes.

“I’ve been milling off these trees for the last six years. An old fence on the ranch here was repurposed into flooring and some old panelling in our ranch house was used to create wainscotting,” Will says.

He says the idea was to create an effect of the house being small or “Hobbity," as you enter the building through the round door that is still six feet high.

“You still kinda duck when you enter. The bedroom was designed to be more expansive, with the high ceiling and windows and curtains around the bed,” Will says.

The bedroom also has a modern bath and shower ensuite, with a uniquely carved wooden door and antique vanity.

The house also contains various other quirky items, books and knick-knacks designed to give it Hobbity feel.

“Hobbit houses are kinda cluttered,” Will says.

The setting for the Halfling House is also wild and awesomely quiet, located several kilometres north of Highway 3. Built into the hillside, the house looks out on a clearing of several acres, which is itself surrounded by trees.

“There’s 400 acres. It’s a stunning property. We fell in love with it the first time we saw it two and a half years ago,” Will says.

The old ranch is also laced with kilometres of old roads, perfect for nature walks.

He says the whole project has been stimulating.

“It’s just sort of fun. It was kind of like a roll of the dice,” Will says.

“In the beginning, we had as many bookings from Hong Kong as from Kelowna, but more local people are getting to know about us. Most people are happy to come up and just relax with those they are with. We have cell coverage, but there is no Wifi,” he says.

"We knew we had to do something unusual,” he says.

Looks like they nailed it.

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