'Twilight Getaway' Vacation Rental Home Offers Movie-Inspired Getaway
This Forks, Wash. Twilight-inspired farmhouseis the perfect getaway for any diehard fan who is with Team Jacob.
The Middleton family have turned their Washington state home into a vacation hot spot with rooms decorated to reflect the 'Twilight' and 'New Moon' series.
"It looks like the house in the movie so people started asking if that's Jacob Black's house and that gave me the idea," said homeowner Linda Middleton.
The home is nestled in the community of Forks-the same location where author Stephenie Meyer based her books and films-the home is fifteen minutes from Forks and sits on the peninsula.
It features four bedrooms with accommodations that can sleep 10 comfortably along with two bathrooms. After guests are settled in, they can unwind in not one but two sitting rooms with sweeping views of elk grazing outside.
"We're right on the tree line where the werewolves protect the treaty line from the werewolves, that's how I sell it to people," said Middleton.
Meals can be prepared in the full kitchen or kitchenette to feed even the smallest of werewolves. Just steps a few miles away from the home are river and lake access ideal for trout and salmon fishing. Middleton describes the area as timber community.
"When you think of Edward flying from tree to tree that's exactly what it looks like here," said Middleton.
With the help of her husband and sons, Middleton began transforming each room in her home to reflect the look and feel of the film. She hand painted murals in one bedroom with trees. She also cut up old pairs of her son's jeans and left pieces strewn throughout the home as if Jacob had suddenly transformed into a werewolf right there in the living room.
"Girls go crazy for that," said Middleton.
After three years, $10,000 in renovations, including a new floor, and hundreds of guests - Middleton continues to rent out the rooms in her childhood home.
"I rent it to older ladies that come in a group, families, people with young kids for birthdays, people that are joining the army and want a last hooray," said Middleton. "Lots of people are a fan of the Twilight series."
She has also used the house to help draw awareness to certain causes.
Middleton is the founder and executive director of Concerned Citizens, a Washington-based nonprofit organization to help those with developmental needs and other disabilities.
"I'm pretty community minded. I've rented pro bono to raise money for certain causes and help raise money for certain causes," said Middleton.
So how much will a weekend stay at this Twilight vacation home sent you back?
During the winter season, Middleton rents out the home for $200 per night. Sometimes, she divides the house in two halves for more privacy and rent each space for $98 per night.
During the peak summer months of July, August and September, Middleton will rent the halves for $125 per night and $250 to rent the entire home.
"It's comparable to the vacation rentals that are here in Washington. Except you have a big yard, lots of things to do, and the river is right there," said Middleton. "It's right between all the beaches and so it's a nice location."
'HomeAway' From Home
When Middleton's schedule became busier, she immediately enlisted the help of HomeAway, an online agency that markets unique vacation home.
Jon Gray, Sr. Vice President of HomeAway for North America said their agency has a number of house that are similar to Middleton's including Disney and Harry Potter homes.
"We're a market place for vacation rentals, for people looking to stay in a house as oppose to a hotel. They can book from the house's owner," said Gray.
Middleton said since the release of "Twilight," more homes and hotels are decorating with the "Twilight" theme and offering "Twilight"-themed packages. Gray said these homes are not any different than a themed hotel.
"They can make a room or house that fits in with that theme. The other thing to which happens pretty quickly is these are people's second homes; maybe they're a big Twilight fan and that's a secondary motive to market the house," said Gray.
Despite the demand surrounding everything "Twilight," there are only six rentals in Forks featured on HomeAway. The release of the last installment of the Twilight series has given Home Away a jump in traffic.
"The traveler demand for places in Forks is up 23 percent for the booking season for the first quarter of this year versus last year," said Gray.
HomeAway says often times it's better to rent a themed home as oppose to stay at a theme hotel because the home offers more amenities than a hotel including a kitchen, pool, game room, or movie theater room in some cases.
Also, it may even work out in the renter's favor because rates can be negotiated between the home owner and the guests.
"The home owner sets the rate based on seasonality and market conditions," said Gray.
