Airbnb's Fully Functioning Floating House Arrives On The River Thames

Commuters had to do a double-take this morning as they spotted Airbnb’s latest London listing floating down the River Thames at sunrise.

The fully functioning Floating House will sail down the Thames to celebrate new rules that mean that Londoners – like the rest of the UK – can earn a 15 per cent pay rise by sharing their homes through sites like Airbnb. Passing under Tower Bridge before gliding past the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye on its maiden voyage, the House will meander along the river throughout the week until Saturday 22 May.

Like something straight out of an animated film, the home has two bedrooms, a living room, working bathroom and even a garden complete with real grass, a doghouse and an apple tree. Sitting at an imposing eight metres tall and weighing in at 70 tonnes, the structure was built by production company Star Events over the past four months.

Crossing local neighbourhoods such as Chelsea, Westminster and Canary Wharf, the house will hold community events and overnight stays throughout the week before opening its doors to one lucky winner and three guests, who will stay overnight on Friday 22nd May.  Hosted by a member of the Airbnb community, the guests will enjoy spa treatments from on-demand app PRIV, as well as a private dining experience with food personally prepared by Robert Ortiz, head chef of Peruvian and Michelin-starred restaurant Lima and Lima Floral.

The Floating House - just one of more than a million unique experiences available through Airbnb - will provide guests with unparalleled views of the city, as it takes in London riverside landmarks on its journey down the Thames.

The new rules on home sharing which recently came into force allow Londoners to share their homes with travellers for up to 90 days a year. This allows visitors to truly experience London as a local, while helping people make a little extra money from their homes to afford the costs of living. Airbnb has experienced significant growth in the UK and in the last year alone recorded an 86 percent increase in properties listed on the site.

James McClure, UK Country Manager commented: "The Floating House is the ultimate celebration of home sharing and an unforgettable travel experience to bring to the UK. London is already Airbnb’s third largest city globally and one of the World’s top tourist destinations. With these new, clear rules on home sharing we expect more and more Londoners to open their homes to visitors from across the globe.”

"Airbnb are an iconic, disruptive brand who want iconic, disruptive campaigns. The floating house is a perfect example of this. Creating it together has been a pleasure and we look forward to many more campaigns of similar ilk to come." Richard Stainer, CEO, TBWA\London

To win the chance to stay on board the Airbnb Floating House on Friday 22nd May enter at https://www.airbnb.com/night-at/floating-house by midnight on Wednesday 20th May.