7 Rural, Alternative Accommodations | Airbnb

When we think about vacation rentals, the go-to accommodations may be mansions or traditional homes. But as we know from Airbnb’s properties, anything can be a vacation rental.

We decided to research the top Airbnb properties. Owned and managed by Superhosts, we narrowed down our list to 7 unique accommodations.

Our team voted (based on visual appeal and location) to give you the top 3 alternative accommodations. You get to learn about the full property, its price, and local attractions.

7. Mushroom Dome Cabin | Aptos, California

The Mushroom Dome Cabin made the list for its unique architecture. Perched on a cliffside overlooking the woods, this cabin is adorable. A unique selling point is its geometric windows.

Among the Futurestay team, the mushroom cabin placed #7.

Description

1 bedroom, 1 bathroom cabin on 10 acres of land. Access to goats and hummingbirds at this dog-friendly property. The cabin is “Centrally located on the Monterey Bay:

• 10 minutes from the beach (Rio Del Mar and Seacliff State Beach)
• 20 minutes to downtown Santa Cruz
• 25 minutes to the Beach Boardwalk
• 45 minutes to Monterey and the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium
• 50 minutes to Carmel
• 1 1/2 hours to Big Sur going south and San Francisco to the North.”

Cost

$125/night

Review

“The Mushroom Dome is everything you hope it to be. Beautiful scenery! A warm and friendly host! And the ocean just minutes away! You won’t be disappointed.” – Michael, Feb 2018

6. Super Cute Retro Airstream | Wimberley, Texas

The vintage charm in this Airstream voted it to #6 on our list of Alternative Accommodations. What’s best about this Texas property is the nearby river, trees, and privacy.

Description

1 bedroom, 1 bathroom renovated, retro Airstream. “This cozy retreat is nestled in an elm grove along the banks of Smith Creek on 10 beautiful acres shared with the owners. You’ll really feel like you’ve escaped to nature, yet the fabulous shopping and dining of downtown Wimberley are only 3 miles down the road. It’s the best of both worlds!”

Cost

$130/night

Review

“The Dixie Daisy is a wonderful place to have a nice, romantic get-away. Situated just close enough to Wimberley, and just far enough from the outside world, you’ll love your time there. From waking up and seeing deer outside, to visiting town and taking advantage of the hot tub and outdoor shower, the place is absolutely wonderful!” –Brian, Jan 2018

5. Cabin #3 – Alfie the A-Frame | Sechelt, Canada

This cabin’s architecture places it at #5 of our list. The view from the upper bedroom over the mountains is beautiful.

Description

1 bedroom, 1 bathroom cabin with a “wonderful view of the Sechelt Inlet. There is hiking and mountain biking nearby (Coast Gravity Park is just up the road) as well as plenty of events and festivals to be enjoyed, especially during the summer months. A-Frame Cabin is a perfect retreat for anyone interested in experiencing the best of British Columbia.”

Cost

$97/night

Reviews

“Alfie was the perfect place get away and relax for a long weekend. The cabin was clean, cozy, and perfectly accommodating for reading, cooking, playing games, and drinking wine. We enjoyed two nearby (easy) hikes to Burnett Falls and Chapman Falls. We intentionally planned our trip during the rainy season and the cabin is absolutely dreamy during the rain.” –Thomas, Nov 2017

4. Serene, Peaceful Tower Retreat | Carmel Valley, California

#4 reminds us of Rapunzel’s Tower. It has a private sitting area that overlooks the valley and nature.

Description

Studio, 1 bathroom, “Converted water tower with phenomenal views of thousands of acres of parkland for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Is close to town and activities. Carmel Valley also boasts many excellent restaurants for your enjoyment. Carmel, Big Sur, Monterey, Pacific Grove are all within fifteen minutes to an hour’s scenic drive and offer many wonderful restaurants, activities and festivals.”

Cost

$175/night

Review

“Chandler was a great host, waiting for us to arrive to give us a tour and tips. The place is breathtaking, simply magical. Great to enjoy day (beautiful view, birds watching, sunbath on the terrace) and night (star gazing). It is quiet, you hear only nature. We took off in the morning to Big Sur State Parks which is just an hour away.” –Clemence, Feb 2018

3. Trullo aromatic green | Ostuni, Italy

Now we get into the Futurestay team picks. Ranking at #3 is this Italian villa. Beautiful interior and surrounding property with close access to other towns.

Description

2 bedroom, 2 bathroom villa. “A 300-year-old building with traditional trullo cones. Set on 4 acres, amongst 110 olive trees…As well as a huge number of towns and beaches to visit, many other activities are available in the area: golf, horse riding, scuba diving and snorkeling, kite-surfing, cookery courses, pasta making, gourmet tours, yoga (nearby classes or private lessons at Trullo aromatic green).”

Cost

$107/night

Review

“Isabella’s Trullo is a magical place in the southern region of Puglia and is one of the best places we have ever stayed in on Airbnb (and we have been traveling all year!)…Isa decorated the Trullo with beautiful hand-carved furniture and art. The location is perfect for exploring the Puglia region and all of the historic little towns around it…We spent a little over 2 weeks at her home and it was one of the most beautiful, relaxing and memorable experiences of our lives. I can’t recommend it enough.” –Antony, Sept 2017

2. The World Famous Seashell House ~ Casa Caracol | Isla Mujeres, Mexico

One of the most popular accommodations among the Futurestay team. The architecture and hand-crafted details of this property, places it at #2.

Description

2 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom Seashell house. Located “On the rocky North side of the island, 15 minutes from the best north beach. You are not right in the middle of all the tourists but getting to the most beautiful beaches is easy with a golf cart or taxi. El Garraforn snorkel park is a short distance in the opposite direction. The nearest port is Puerto Juarez (downtown Cancun adjacent) or Playa Tortugas (Cancun hotel zone). Cancun International is the nearest airport.”

Cost

$308/night

Review

“A more beautiful place could not exist. It looks great in photos but it looks EVEN BETTER in person. Easy to get to, daily housekeeping, perfect pool, quiet location. Just paradise with a full moon. Grateful to experience a place such as this.” –Shay, Feb 2018

1. Stunning All Bamboo House on Pristine Valley edge | Bali, Indonesia

Our #1 pick is this stunning, all-bamboo home on the edge of a valley. Stunning views and original materials make this property a show-stopper.

Description

3 bedroom, 3 bathroom bamboo home “perched on the edge of the Ayung river gorge. Located 25 minutes from Bali’s cultural center of Ubud, and 30 minutes to Sanur beach. First established in 2010, it is part of a master-planned community of luxurious bamboo villas with distinctive blonde roofs.”

Cost

$335/night

Reviews

“Sunrise house is an amazing home, most beautiful architecture one can imagine. Pure magic. The Green Village, where the house is located, is a beautiful place filled with the most lovely people, delicious food, and incredible hospitality.

They took care of our every need, from taxis to dinner reservations to even picking up our lost luggage from the airport. Our children took a bamboo model-making workshop and we learned to make a play the jegog. Besides the amazing architecture, there is so much to experience at Green Village. I cannot say enough positive things.” – Leah, Dec 2017

Futurestay’s Vote

How did our team divide their votes? Either by the visual appeal of the property at first glance (size or unique qualities). Or by the area and the potential nearby activities.

What’s your favorite rural accommodation?

Do you have a favorite alternative accommodation? Either from our list or other Airbnb properties? What makes it unique? Tell us about it in the comments.