Adorable mushroom-shaped cottage lets you live out your most ‘enchanting' Smurf fantasies
In celebration of the upcoming 'Smurfs' movie, Airbnb has partnered with Paramount Animation to bring the world to life and allow a few lucky fans to live like a Smurf for a day.
The four-hour experience will take place in the Belgian woods, the origin of the iconic blue characters, and will be hosted by Nicolas Tytgat, the grandson of 'The Smurfs' creator, Peyo.
6 The experience will be hosted by Nicolas Tytgat, the grandson of 'The Smurfs' creator, Peyo.
Alix McIntosh / Airbnb
'I grew up surrounded by the magic of the Smurfs, so to bring fans to Belgium, the birthplace of the Smurfs, and into the world that my Grandad created, is something truly special,' Tytgat said in a statement.
Fantasy fans are being beckoned to travel just outside of Brussels to the forests of northern Wallonia, the birthplace of the beloved characters, where they'll arrive at Papa Smurf's house while he is 'away on his adventures from the Smurf's village as seen in the new film.'
Guests will tour the mushroom house of Papa Smurf, complete with a brick chimney and interactive activities that will immerse them in the enchanting universe of the Smurfs.
Inside, visitors will find a wardrobe full of the iconic white hats the Smurfs wear that they can decorate and customize to be their own as they gather around Papa Smurf's table.
There will be activities outside too, such as archery and learning the secrets of the magical forest.
6 A choreographer will teach the dance routine featured in the upcoming movie on an open-air stage.
Alix McIntosh / Airbnb
6 Take a lunch break with a Smurf-style picnic outdoors.
Alix McIntosh / Airbnb
And guests can even bust a move, with a Smurf-trained choreographer present to teach the 'viral' dance routine from the yet-to-be-released movie on an open-air stage in the forest.
'It will be a day of blue magic, where guests don't have to worry about Gargamel,' Airbnb said in a press release.
Of course, some of the highlights of the day will be surrounded by food. Guests can fuel up by having the first-ever taste of a Smurfberry drink, a purple berry refreshment 'beloved' by Smurfs and is allegedly their 'primary source of energy.'
6 Inside, visitors will find a wardrobe full of the iconic white hats the Smurfs wear.
Alix McIntosh / Airbnb
6 Guests can can and customize their own Smurf hat as they gather around Papa Smurf's table.
Alix McIntosh / Airbnb
Take a lunch break with a Smurf-style picnic outdoors, featuring blue Smurfberry cakes and french fries, which happen to be Smurfette's favorite snack.
And you can't forget the sweet treat! As the host wishes guests a farewell, they'll end the day with a Smurfberry ice cream.
'We're so excited to bring The Smurfs back to the Belgian countryside – the place that inspired Peyo all those years ago,' Clement Eulry, the general manager of France and Benelux at Airbnb, said in a statement.
6 Guests can take a shot at archery in the enchanting forest.
Alix McIntosh / Airbnb
Booking for the adventure will open on July 16, 2025, at 12 p.m. EST. All activities and treats for the experience are included, though travel is not, and spots will be given on a first-come, first-served basis.
Airbnb is offering the exclusive Smurfy experience for free for two families up to four wit two separate four-hour sessions on August 3, 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
an hour ago
- Business Insider
The biggest tech shift in travel isn't AGI — it's real-time translation, says a luxury hotel mogul
Picture yourself in a tiny sake bar on Japan's Noto Peninsula, swapping stories with the chef in flawless, real-time translation. Such frictionless conversations, Banyan Group founder Kwon Ping Ho says, will "open up the boundaries of travel in a big, big way." Ho, who launched his first resort on an abandoned tin mine in Phuket, Thailand in 1994, has spent over 30 years in the hospitality industry. The 72-year-old told Business Insider that when it comes to AI, tools like simultaneous translation will make a big splash in his industry. "The one AI that I think will revolutionize our industry and travel is oddly enough, not AGI. That's science fiction because nobody can imagine what it's really going to lead to," Ho said on the sidelines of the International Conference on Cohesive Societies held in Singapore last month. AGI, or artificial general intelligence, is a theoretical form of AI that is capable of thinking and reasoning like humans. Experts are split on when exactly AGI will be achieved. Some say AGI will be ready in two years, but others say it is decades away. Real-time translation software, on the other hand, could have a similar impact on travel as budget carriers did, Ho said. "One of the biggest impediments to tourism travel is the language barrier, and the places you can go to. It's never been a problem for people to go on group tours and have a tour guide who speaks the language. But as you go deeper into experiential travel, you want to go and talk to people directly," he added. Ho said such software would make travelers more confident to venture into far-flung destinations even if they do not speak the local language. He compared it to the rise of budget airline carriers, which took off in the 1990s and 2000s and opened up lower-cost travel to more people. "When you get instant translation, that's going to make people go into so many areas they normally wouldn't go," he added. "People can go to the remotest village in Japan or Indonesia and not feel strange at all." Ho isn't the only hospitality mogul who said that AI will impact the industry, albeit in a limited fashion, given that the technology is still in its nascent stages. Brian Chesky, the cofounder and CEO of Airbnb, said on the company's earnings call in February that he didn't think AI is "quite ready for prime time." Chesky said Airbnb would implement AI in its customer service functions first before expanding it to other areas. "It's still really early. It's probably similar to like, the mid to late-90s for the internet. So I think it's going to have a profound impact on travel, but I don't think it's yet fundamentally changed for any of the large travel platforms," Chesky said.
UPI
4 hours ago
- UPI
'Superman' tops North American box office for 2nd weekend
David Corenswet (L) and Rachel Brosnahan attend the premiere of "Superman" at the TCL Chinese Theatre in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles on July 7. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo July 20 (UPI) -- Superman has topped the North American box office again, earning an additional $57.3 million in receipts in its second weekend, announced Sunday. Coming in at No. 2 is Jurassic World: Rebirth with $23.4 million, followed by I Know What You Did Last Summer at No. 3 with $13 million, Smurfs at No. 4 with $11 million and F1 at No. 5 with $9.6 million. Rounding out the top tier are How to Train Your Dragon at No. 6 with $5.4 million, Eddington at No. 7 with $4.3 million, Elio at No. 8 with $2 million, Lilo & Stitch at No. 9 with $1.5 million and 28 Years Later at No. 10 with $1.3 million. David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan attend 'Superman' premiere Cast members David Corenswet (L) and Rachel Brosnahan attend the premiere of "Superman" at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles on July 7, 2025. Corenswet portrays Superman, with Brosnahan as Lois Lane. Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
6 hours ago
‘Superman' flexes its might in second weekend with $57.3 million
NEW YORK -- NEW YORK (AP) — James Gunn's 'Superman' showed staying power in its second weekend at North American box offices, collecting $57.3 million in ticket sales and remaining the No. 1 movie in cinemas, according to studio estimates Sunday. None of the week's new releases — 'I Know What You Did Last Summer,' 'Smurfs,' and 'Eddington' — came close to touching Warner Bros. and DC Studios' superhero success. 'Superman' dipped 54% from its domestic opening, an average decline for a big summer film. In two weeks, 'Superman' has grossed $406.8 million worldwide, a good start for the movie DC Studios is banking on to restart its movie operations. A big test looms next weekend, when the Walt Disney Co. releases Marvel's 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps.' Strong audience scores and good reviews should help propel the $225 million-budgeted 'Superman' toward profitability in the coming weeks. For Warner Bros. and DC Studios, 'Superman' is key to kicking off a 10-year plan for the comic book adaptation studio. Co-heads Gunn and Peter Safra were tasked with rehabilitating the flagging operation. Next on tap are the films 'Supergirl' and 'Clayface' in 2026. But 'Superman' is far from flying solo in theaters right now. Universal Pictures' 'Jurassic World: Rebirth' came in second this weekend, with $23.4 million in its third week of release. The seventh 'Jurassic' movie, this one starring Scarlett Johansson, held its own despite the competition from 'Superman.' In three weeks, it accrued $648 million worldwide. Apple Studios and Warner Bros.' 'F1: The Movie' has also shown legs, especially internationally. In its fourth weekend, the Brad Pitt racing drama dipped just 26% domestically, bringing in $9.6 million in North America, and another $29.5 million overseas. Its global total stands at $460.8 million. But both of the biggest new releases — Sony Pictures' 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' and Paramount Pictures' 'Smurfs' — fell flat. 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' opened with $13 million, a fair result for a movie budgeted at a modest $18 million, but a disappointing opening for a well-known horror franchise. The film, directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson, is set 27 years after the 1997 original. Teenagers played by Madelyn Cline and Chase Sui Wonders are again haunted for covering up a car accident. The movie's reviews (38% 'fresh' on Rotten Tomatoes) were poor for 'I Know What You Did Last Summer' and audiences graded it similarly. The film notched a 'C+' on CinemaScore. The original collected $72.6 million in its domestic run in 1997. Paramount Pictures' 'Smurfs' debuted in fourth place this weekend with $11 million. The latest big-screen reboot for the woodland blue creatures prominently features Rihanna as the voice of Smurfette. But reviews (21% 'fresh' on Rotten Tomatoes) were terrible. Audiences were kinder, giving it a 'B+' on CinemaScore, but the $58 million-budgeted release will depend largely on its international sales. In 56 overseas markets, 'Smurfs' earned $22.6 million. Ari Aster's 'Eddington' opened with $4.2 million on 2,111 screens for A24. Since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, 'Eddington' has been particularly divisive. The pandemic-set Western features Joaquin Phoenix as the right-wing sheriff of a small New Mexico town who faces off with its liberal mayor (Pedro Pascal). While Aster's first film, 2018's 'Heredity' ($82.8 million worldwide against a $10 million budget) helped establish A24 as an indie powerhouse, but the less-than-stellar launch of 'Eddington' marks the second box-office disappointment for Aster. His 2023 film 'Beau Is Afraid' cost $35 million to make but collected just $12.4 million worldwide. 'Eddington' cost about $25 million to produce. Audiences gave it a 'C+' on CinemaScore. None of Aster's previous films have been graded higher. Yet collectively, Hollywood is enjoying a very good summer. According to data firm Comscore, the 2025 summer box office is up 15.9% over the same period last year, with the year-to-date sales running 15% ahead of 2025. Summer ticket sales have amassed about $2.6 billion domestically, according to Comscore. With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: 1. 'Superman,' $57.3 million. 2. 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' $23.4 million. 3. 'I Know What You Did Last Summer,' $13 million. 4. 'Smurfs,' $11 million. 5, 'F1: The Movie,' $9.6 million. 6. 'How to Train Your Dragon,' $5.4 million. 7. 'Eddington,' $4.3 million. 8. 'Elio,' $2 million. 9. 'Lilo & Stitch,' $1.5 million. 10. '28 Years Later,' $1.3 million.
