If anyone sees this as a surprise occurrence then they haven’t been paying attention to pop culture and everything that goes with it for the last decade and more. With the success of Downton Abbey and the fact that there’s a movie coming out showcasing the popular program and most of its characters it’s no wonder that anyone and everyone is willing to try and cash in or experience any part of the show that they can. Airbnb is, as many should know, a brokerage that offers up vacations to many interesting locations, though they don’t own any of these places or have anything else to do with them other than providing a lavish vacation for those that want to spend the money to make the trip. The price that Mike Jones of ScreenRant has revealed is fairly low considering what it might have been expected to cost. A room within the spacious location goes for $159 US, which is cheap in comparison to what fans might be willing to pay for a chance to stay in the posh location. The trip itself isn’t cheap unfortunately, but the room isn’t all that bad compared to many other places that Airbnb deals with. Plus, the location is only 50 miles outside of London, so apart from being able to take in the location of one of the most popular shows to come out of England is the opportunity to visit London a time or two during the visit.
As Rob Picheta of CNN has stated, the bad part about this opportunity is that at present only two guests will be able to win the competition that is being held to enjoy this honor, and while those two that do manage to make their way England for this opportunity will be able to enjoy their experience, there’s also another snag. There’s no wifi within the castle or on the grounds, so those that might want to take pictures, if it’s allowed, and possibly post about their time spent in the castle, might find it a little difficult. It’s kind of amusing to realize this to be honest since we live in an era when people are hardly ever away from their phones or other devices and seem to have a serious breakdown when they have to let go of said devices for more than a few minutes. It’s almost as though we forgot a long time ago what it was like not to have a phone or a tablet glued to our hands, and for some it’s an experience they might not have ever had since those growing up today have existed with the current technology in one form or another. But getting into Downton Abbey, or Highclere Castle as it’s really known, will be an experience that many might agree is worth giving up one’s device for a short period of time.
It might pay to be a fan of the show to even bother trying to win the competition, but even if one isn’t a fan it’s still a nice vacation as the property that Highclere sits upon is quite vast and very expansive. Simply walking the grounds would be enough, depending on where a person is allowed to go since as you can imagine it’s not meant to be a place where tourists have complete freedom to do as they like. This is one of those rather fancy vacations that demands a person be on their best behavior and looks at things without touching, so obviously no kids on this one unless your kid happens to be a legal adult and is respectful of things that aren’t theirs. In other words, this is a place you go to in order to appreciate what it means, what it’s been through, and what it represents. Downton Abbey is the type of show that is the same way, as it might have its fair share of problems between the residents and those that come and go, but it’s still a show that is filled with the need for decorum and manners. That’s how a person should feel when visiting Highclere, as it’s a rather imposing structure but also one that looks as though it’s been through a great number of years and has weathered them all.
So really it would seem as though this could be a great deal for a couple of people that can foot the bill for a trip to England, but it’s also something that should be undertaken with a very dignified air and a feeling that the trip is supposed to be fun, but also respectful as those that win should remember to not act so much like overzealous fans or rude tourists and truly appreciate the chance that they’ve been given. If nothing else, don’t act like average Americans when making your way to merry old England.
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