One of the world’s most iconic attractions, the Eiffel Tower in Paris has been visited by more than 250 million people since it was completed in 1889 as the entrance to the World’s Fair. Throughout its history, the tower has never been open for overnight stays—until now.
On June 10, HomeAway, an Austin, Texas-based sharing economy startup that offers vacation rentals for families and groups, unveiled a pop-up apartment constructed inside the Eiffel Tower. The temporary living space was created in less than 48 hours and designed by Benoit Leleu, who transformed an empty conference room into a comfortable living area that combines Parisian Haussmann style with modern sensibility. The space includes an urban greenhouse and two bedrooms furnished by Italian design house Lago. The apartment offers spectacular views of Paris and its surroundings.
The apartment will host four groups of HomeAway’s #EiffelTowerAllYours contest winners for a night packed with French activities and cuisine. The winners will also spend three additional nights at HomeAway vacation rentals in Paris. More than 150,000 people entered the contest on Twitter, which invited people to share what they would do if they could spend a night in the Eiffel Tower.
“We had a big idea to create a HomeAway where no one would believe possible, and now the day is here to make the Eiffel Tower All Yours,” said Mariano Dima, chief marketing officer for HomeAway. “We can’t wait to share the apartment that floats 57 meters above Paris.”
Brian Sharples, co-founder and CEO of HomeAway and one of the nine contest judges, said that going through the thousands of entries was inspiring and heartwarming.
“From clever entries that rhymed, punned, and made us laugh to stories of families reuniting, celebrating, and working to overcome challenges, it was incredibly hard to narrow it down and even harder to choose just four,” he said.
See the apartment below:
