Forest dome listed for rent on Airbnb

For those wanting the experience of living sustainably in a dome, one in Georgia has just the offer.

A Monolithic Dome in a concentration of domes has recently been put up for rent on the booking website Airbnb. For $59 a night, you can enjoy the accommodations of a dome in the woods. The structure is located in Lakemont, Georgia, a town about 100 miles northeast of Atlanta near Lake Rabun, making it a beautiful spot to escape the stress of life.

This dome is part of 12 Monolithic Domes that were built by the late Peter Kelly. These domes were the first to be built in the state of Georgia. Originally called Farside Estates, they are the largest concentration of domes on the east coast of the United States.

The owner of the dome, William Rodriguez, bought the building seven years ago as a place to raise his family. He owns a graphic design company, and started an organization known as Archaic Roots, which specializes in creating indigenous instruments and holding workshops. His 3,000 square foot dome simultaneously serves as his home and base of operations for workshops and retreats.

Listing the property on Airbnb seemed like a natural step forward for the property, as well as a way to make some extra income.

“We listed it two weeks ago,” Rodriguez stated. “We’ve gotten a lot of responses already.” Many of those inquiries were for the solar eclipse in August that will pass across the United States. Despite the great interest, Rodriguez already had the property booked for that time, doing a solar eclipse retreat with Archaic Roots.

How did this all get started? Rodriguez found the dome listed for sale and started doing research on the structure. Several components of the dome structure drew him to buy it. He was intrigued by the green aspect and energy efficiency. Also convincing was the large open floor plan.

Another selling point was the structural integrity of the dome. Rodriguez got a test of this point during the winter of 2016 when a large tree fell on the home. “It really just did damage to the foam and paint,” he said, “but no structural damage.” Another testament to its strength, the insurance company told him if his home was a conventional structure, the tree would have caused a lot of damage.

After settling into the home, he began to building and repairing instruments. This grew into hosting workshops about these instruments and ethnic cultures. This has now evolved into renting out the upper room of his home, allowing people to experience life like he does. The family has animals that roam freely around the property, allowing guests to interact with them.

All in all, he enjoys his life in the dome in the woods, and is allowing other people to experience it as well. “I’ve really enjoyed living in this kind of structure,” he stated. He also lives quite sustainably, getting water from a nearby well. His ultimate goal is to be completely off the grid. “My next step is adding solar panels. I’m saving money up for that.”