Airbnb helps 'Downtown Abbey' fans hobnob with the real-life Crawleys
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If you ever thought you’d fit in with the characters on “Downton Abbey," now’s your chance to rub elbows with the family that really owns the property.
Highclere Castle, the real “Downton Abbey,” will soon be open to guests on Airbnb.
The 100,000-square-foot castle has 300 rooms, each opulently furnished and full of history.
For about $160, two guests will get to spend the night in one of the home’s grand bedrooms, feast on “an extravagant dinner” in the castle’s iconic dining room and gain exclusive access to the building and its grounds, according to the listing.
Highclere Castle is the real "Downton Abbey." (Credit: Airbnb)
Guests will get to toast cocktails with the owners, the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, and be waited on by the castle’s butler. The next morning, breakfast will be followed by a private tour.
Don't expect to watch any "Downton Abbey" during your stay. Amenities include a fireplace, but no TV or WiFi.
Guests will feast on "an extravagant dinner" in the dining room, which is decorated with portraits of Carnarvon ancestors. (Credit: Airbnb)
The castle has been in the family since 1679, according to Lady Carnarvon.
“I am passionate about the stories and heritage of Highclere Castle, and I am looking forward to welcoming our future guests,” she said.
The castle's butler will serve guests dinner. (Credit: Airbnb)
Its opulently decorated and history-packed chambers include the saloon, which was completed in a gothic style in the 1860s; the state dining room, which features portraits of the Carnarvon ancestors who took part in England’s 1640s civil war; the library, which features more than 5,650 books dating back as far as the 16th century; the music room, with a 1730s baroque ceiling and 16th century Italian embroideries; the drawing room, decorated with French silk; and the smoking room, which features 17th century Dutch paintings.
Highclere Castle's library has a collection of books dating back centuries. (Credit: Airbnb)
Two main staircases are used by the family and guests, including the great oak staircase carved over nearly a year in the 1860s. Upstairs, guests will find dozens of bedrooms and offices. Each bedroom comes with an en-suite bathroom.
The castle is also home to a collection of Egyptian antiquities brought to England by the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, who was behind the excavation of the pharaoh Tutankhamun’s tomb.
The grounds include 1,000 acres of parkland, a “secret garden,” a lake, chapel, two lodges and other features.
The 100,000-square-foot, 300-room castle is surrounded by 1,000 acres of parkland. (Credit: Airbnb)
Fans of the show and new movie should check their calendars, because the castle will be open for one night only: Nov. 26. Bookings will open at noon British Summer Time on Oct. 1.