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Home / Travel

Barbie's $94-a-night Dreamhouse Airbnb is plastic fantastic

NZ Herald
20 Oct, 2019 09:32 PM3 mins to read

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C'mon Barbie, Let's go party: Guests have the chance to explore the many lives of Babie in this life-sized Dreamhouse. Photo / Supplied, Airbnb

C'mon Barbie, Let's go party: Guests have the chance to explore the many lives of Babie in this life-sized Dreamhouse. Photo / Supplied, Airbnb

"Hi I'm Barbie. . . " reads the Airbnb host profile with an uncanny familarity.

Mattel's plastic doll - who turns 60 this year - shows no sign of aging in spite of having held over "200+ careers" . Apparently the latest profession Barbie has turned her hand to is 'holiday rental host'.

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Airbnb and Mattel have teamed up to offer Barbie fans the chance to stay at the doll's Malibu Dreamhouse. With space for four and every shade of pink, for two nights only the rental website has listed a life-size recreation of Barbie's plastic playset.

Rather than Valley of the Dolls, the very real Dreamhouse with four bedrooms and a pool is located in the hills of Malibu's Pacific coast.

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Explore the giant pink playhouse. Photo / Supplied, Airbnb
Explore the giant pink playhouse. Photo / Supplied, Airbnb

"As a homeowner and entrepreneur, I am excited to be hosting my Dreamhouse for the first time on Airbnb," reads the chirpy property description.

She's taken it to her new role with aplomb, outlining the house rules and facilities with the same breathless, aspirational enthusiasm she is known for.

Plastic fantastic: The beach house comes in every shade of pink plastic. Photo / Supplied, Airbnb
Plastic fantastic: The beach house comes in every shade of pink plastic. Photo / Supplied, Airbnb

"My home is on a septic system, so that means no flushing anything besides toilet paper," reads the listing, oozing upbeat energy. "Remember, you can be anything!"

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Unfortunately, Emergency Plumber Callout Barbie is still not one of the 200+ jobs the toy has tried.

Not actual size: Mattel's Barbie Dreamhouse first appeared in 1962. Photo/ Supplied
Not actual size: Mattel's Barbie Dreamhouse first appeared in 1962. Photo/ Supplied

However, around the three-storey, seaside pad you'll find various other paraphernalia from the doll's hundreds of other incarnations.

From 1975's Yoga Teacher Barbie's bright pink leotard to the fetching camo-patterned 1992 Desert Storm US Marine Barbie fatigues, the house is a giant dress-up box museum.

There's more to a job than the right accessories. Photo / Supplied, Airbnb
There's more to a job than the right accessories. Photo / Supplied, Airbnb

Astronaut Barbie's space suit, complete with goldfish-bowl helmet, is another eye-catching outfit.

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Short-Lease Holiday Host Barbie™ realises that there's more to a job than having the right accessories.

To help "inspire guests" the company has enrolled some of the Barbie Role Models to help run activities for guests at the Dreamhouse. The Role Models, chosen from inspirational women who have excelled in their field, have been honoured by having their likeness made in doll form.

Role model: Ibtihaj Muhammad will instruct you on fencing. Photo / Supplied, Airbnb
Role model: Ibtihaj Muhammad will instruct you on fencing. Photo / Supplied, Airbnb

Over your stay, fencing champion Ibtihaj Muhammad will be on hand for lessons in swordplay, chef Gina Clarke-Helm is running a demonstration in the Dreamhouse kitchen and aerospace engineer Jill Meyers will be taking a tour to the nearby Columbia Memorial Space Center. Better pack that Barbie space suit.

Otherwise guests will be at their leisure to explore, use the pink pool slide and enjoy the novelty of the giant playhouse.

Arts and Crafts Barbie: explore the life-size Dreamhouse. Photo / Supplied, Airbnb
Arts and Crafts Barbie: explore the life-size Dreamhouse. Photo / Supplied, Airbnb

The stay from 27-29th October will be a once-only event for four guests. Those wanting to be considered will have to book by 23rd October. A $94 per-night fee will go to The Barbie Dream Gap Project, encouraging women to pursue careers in STEM.

Last year Barbie teamed up with National Geographic magazine to help develop a range of dolls exploring the natural sciences and travel.

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