“Fancy” categories on Airbnb | The Press

The search filters on the rental platform are quite specific, especially if you probe the various categories offered. Sometimes surprising themes emerge, ranging from the grandiose castle to the pink container house. We poked around in each of them to extract the most astonishing or charming ones, in Quebec or in the surrounding area.

Sylvain Sarrazin
The Press

Take it easy in a houseboat

In the “barges” category is suggested a cascade of floating dwellings, most being built on pontoons and not mobile. This is the case of this splendid modern and super soothing chalet on the water in Sainte-Brigitte-de-Laval, north of Quebec.

But if nomadism is close to your heart, you can also rent Le Koroc, a funny boat made in Quebec, and a real mobile home, available from April in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield (Montérégie). What to immerse yourself in beautiful moments of relaxation.

It rolls for this tiny house

Tiny houses are popping up everywhere in Quebec, from the most sober to the most perched in the air. This one, located in Foster, in the Eastern Townships, is more down-to-earth, but plays it on wheels: it is an old Airstream trailer converted into a micro-housing in the heart of a wooded area. The owners, who say they have sometimes been disappointed by their travel experiences, have adorned it with quality equipment and materials (there is a shower and a kitchen) to ensure the comfort of loving guests. A large terrace and hiking trails are within easy reach. So, by car, Simone?

castle galore

If no Quebec castle is for rent on the platform, there are on the other hand just on the other side of the border. The most flashy? Highlands Castle in Bolton, New York, on the shores of Lake George. Stained glass, armour, tapestries, lights… in one word: one-upmanship! The place, divided into three parts, can accommodate up to twenty people, and seems popular for lavish weddings. The most luxurious suite (and expensive, since it costs some $10,000 per guest per night) gives access to astonishing and very neat medieval common rooms.

Unusual home, Hobbit home

In the “unusual” and “organic houses” categories, the platform suggests this Hobbit habitat, nestled in Nominingue, in the Laurentians. Funny little house blending into the decor, it has a green roof, straw bale insulation and a natural lime plaster. Liveable in any season, it can accommodate up to four people and rents from $150 a night, for a rustic experience. If by chance you find a ring lost under a piece of furniture, we advise you not to touch it…

blessed island

Why rent a single accommodation when you can rent an entire island? Airbnb offers few options in Quebec, but be aware that New World Island, a private land of 55,000 sq.² in the heart of Lac Bois-Franc, in the Laurentians, could interest four-season outdoor enthusiasts. Accessible in both winter and summer, there is a chalet that can accommodate up to six people, private beaches (motor-free environment) and a host of activities, from skating on the winter lake to summer kayaking. Intimate, the places are not cut off from services, however, since Saint-Adolphe-d’Howard is located 1 km away.

A spectacular yurt

Many Quebec hosts have erected a traditional Mongolian tent, as evidenced by the vast choice in this category. Some are very similar to authentic yurts, with paintings on doors and woodwork, others are more modern. We love this one, located in Cap-Chat, in Gaspésie, offering beautiful wooden furniture, but above all a breathtaking view of the sea. It can accommodate four people and gives access to an adjacent building with sanitary block (toilets, shower and wireless internet) available at all times.

A contemporary Ontario mansion

Alongside the “castles” category, there is also the “mansions” section. The finest selections in this area are found in our American and Ontario neighbors. This Ottawa home that can accommodate 14 guests with all the activities you dream of has been renovated with style. The big luxury for rent, but without the medieval dust.

In the suggestion box: the container house

Mansions not your thing? There are also container homes for rent, in a specific section. Airbnb directs us to two addresses in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean: one in L’Anse-Saint-Jean, with a beautifully designed spacious chalet, the other at Domaine des Trois-Îles in Saint-Félicien, with a skewer of pretty habitable colored boxes. It offers six different models, from 216 to 360 ft.², all equipped with kitchenette, shower and toilet. Are we going clubbing tonight?

Swimming pools that don’t flop

Let’s say Airbnb has the “amazing pool” easy, because search results in this so-called category presented us with very, very ordinary above-ground pools. Digging a little (a lot), Mont-Tremblant seemed to stand out. Our choice fell on condos for rent at the Tremblant-les-Eaux complex, which give access to a multitude of beautifully appointed swimming pools, with whirlpools and waterfalls, all in a beautiful setting. They are part of the common areas intended for guests, but offer good privacy from the outside.

Amazing rentals on your screen

The grass is always greener — and the sand warmer — next door: around the world, countless units for rent have something to make your mouth water. If you can’t afford them, you can stay there by proxy by following the two seasons of the show. These amazing vacation rentals, streaming on Netflix. Frustrated abstain…