100 out-of-this-world ideas: Meet the recipients of the $10M OMG! Fund

Key Takeaways

  • Recipients from 20 countries have been chosen to bring their ideas to life with $100,000.
  • Creations will be guest-ready by summer 2023, and will be a part of Airbnb's OMG! Category.

Key Takeaways

  • Recipients from 20 countries have been chosen to bring their ideas to life with $100,000.
  • Creations will be guest-ready by summer 2023, and will be a part of Airbnb's OMG! Category.

From tens of thousands of entries from around the world, 100 aspiring designers, architects, DIYers and makers hailing from more than 20 countries/regions have been chosen to bring their crazy space ideas to life as part of the $10,000,000 OMG! Fund.

The winning ideas stood out for their unique and inspiring design, sustainable consideration, and novel ways of offering immersive guest experiences. Recipients will each receive up to $100,000 USD to make their fantastical creations possible, and over the course of the next ten months, will design, construct and outfit their spaces to be guest-ready by summer 2023 – when you may find them available as part of Airbnb’s OMG! Category.

Selected by the OMG! Fund judging panel, including design and style icon Iris Apfel, architectural expert Koichi Takada, Airbnb Superhost Kristie Wolfe, and Airbnb VP of Experiential Bruce Vaughn, these elaborate ideas are expected to make the OMG! Category of homes 100 times more extraordinary once they’re made bookable on the platform.

“What an incredible journey it has been to be a part of the OMG! Fund judging process. There were so many inspiring stories and destinations that I had never heard of before that I’m now eager to visit,” said Kristie Wolfe. “As a builder myself, I can’t wait to watch these ideas come to life. These are more than just places to spend the night – each one offers an entire experience!” 

The OMG! Fund recipients have an opportunity to experience the powerful economic benefits of hosting on Airbnb – and many are already familiar, as over 50 percent are already Hosts. In 2021, the typical Host in the US earned over $13,800, an increase of 85 percent over 2019. Additionally, nights booked at unique properties increased globally by over 49 percent from 2019 to 2021. OMG! Fund judging panelist Kristie Wolfe experienced this firsthand when she invested $32,000 to create her unique listing, the Big Idaho Potato Hotel, and saw $208,000** in earnings in less than three years.

Giant Flower Pot on a Farm in Idaho created by Whitney H. from the United States

The tens of thousands of entries drew inspiration from the depths of the sea to sci-fi novels, but certain natural elements and architectural features proved popular:

  • 400 ideas offered spectacular stargazing experiences 
  • 961 ideas marched to the beat of their own drum, incorporating music in some way
  • 777 juicy designs were inspired by fruit 
  • 680 ideas were wine-inspired 
  • 7,931 entrants proposed using solar panels for sustainable energy
  • High in the sky, 1,214 ideas involved treehouses and 389 featured suspended structures 
  • 509 mushroom-inspired listings were ready to sprout from the earth

From a lighthouse in Sweden accessible only by boat, to an adobe fossilized dinosaur skull in the desert, the winning 100 expand the idea of what an Airbnb stay can be, and are fueled by the entrants’ passions. “The inspiration came from the works of many science fiction movies,” said OMG! Fund recipient Pablo C. from Mexico. “The idea was to do something out of the ordinary, never seen before, something rare and beautiful that would impress any human being. The result is an organic form spaceship – a six-meter high pillar, embraced at 360 degrees by trees.”

Others drew on local wildlife and tradition, like OMG! Fund recipient Ignacio R. from Chile, who stated his Floating Avocado House idea “is all about the connection with nature. I have spent most of my life on our family farm – the happiest memories of my childhood come from there. It has something so special that just resonates with me. That’s why I have this dream, this calling, of sharing it with more people.”

Some also expressed devotion to the environment as their main drive to creating something unique. “We want to remind guests of our connection and responsibility to the natural world,” said OMG! Fund recipient Kimberly S. from the US on her Giant Tire-Shaped House idea. “The structure will be fashioned by repurposing 1,000 old junkyard tires and other recycled materials. The effect will be a stunning, unique and unforgettable experience—a creative environmental solution to a deflating tire problem!”

Elevated tent home with rainbow slide
The Ultimate Music Lover’s Hideaway created by Madeleine T. in the United Kingdom
A five hexagon home with glass walls and windows
Sustainable Beehive House in the Rainforest created by Esteban A. in Costa Rica
An earth home in the shape of a pig with terraced gardens of flowers and greenery
Giant Pig in Meadow at Pig Sanctuary created by Tracey S. in the United States
A colorful home with pinks, reds and blues and 'Cereal' written on the exterior wall, situated in the middle of the woods.
Modern Cereal Lover’s Paradise created by Trey D. in the United States
Desert home in the shape of a triceratops skull
Adobe Fossilized Dinosaur Skull in Desert created by Haylee M. in the United States
Home in the shape of a sideways avocado
Floating Avocado in an Avocado Farm created by Ignacio R. in Chile
A group of guests sitting around a bonfire in front of a blossoming wood home
Building That Blossoms Like a Flower created by Pol G. in Ireland
A black container home in the shape of a camera
Giant Camera Atop a Georgia Mountain created by Matthew F. in the United States
A desert home shaped like a fossilized snail with an open ceiling
Livable Giant Fossilized Snail in the Desert created by Diego A. in Mexico
A pineapple shaped home with a fenced in yard and outdoor garage
Himalayan Fruit Shaped Bedrooms created by Arun M. in India
Ten tent treehouses suspended in the air with connecting bridges and ladders
10 Elevated Rooms Matching Orion Constellation created by Edmundo M. in Mexico
A home in the shape of two stacked tires with greenery growing out of the grooves
Tire-Shaped House Made of Junkyard Tires created by Kimberly S. in the United States
A wooden sphere shaped home nestled in a pile of boulders
Stargazing Sphere Suspended in the Rocks created by Orien R. in the United States
An a-frame metal cabin with a plane situated on top with solar panel wings
Bush Plane in Alaska Ghost Town created by Lisa B. in the United States
A wooden, smooth-edged home with a rooftop garden
Modern African Earth Retreat in the Bush created by Juane V. in South Africa
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Here is the full list of the 100 OMG! Fund recipients:

23m Tower with 360 Degree, 40 Mile Views
Matthew G., United Kingdom

A-Frame on Top of a Norman House Surrounded by Nature
Anne T., France

Acorn Library With Treehouse Outdoor Acorn Bath
Peter C., United Kingdom

Adobe Fossilized Dinosaur Skull in Desert
Haylee M., United States 

Ancestral Lava Cave in a Volcano
Fernando B., Chile

Atomic Oasis in the Chihuahuan Desert
Cari B., United States 

Bauhaus Bao House in the LA Mountains
Rei W., United States 

Big Foot’s Cabin: Big Everything, Big Fun
Alexis D., United States 

Board Game Haven in Huge Stacked Dice
Olivia S., United States 

Building That Blossoms Like a Flower
Pol G., Ireland 

Bunch of Bedrooms in the Shape of Himalayan Fruit
Arun M., India 

Bush Plane in Alaska Ghost Town
Lisa B., United States 

Cactus Cabin With Natural Hot Springs
Alie L., United States 

Campsite With Caves as Rooms Built Into the Earth
Joanne C., Taiwan 

Coconut Drifting in the Sea
Muhammad-Hakim A., Malaysia 

Concrete Shelled Dome, Sustainable Off-Grid in Joshua Tree
Michael O.l, United States 

Contemporary Pyramid in Epic Pine Forest
Jose L., Mexico 

Cozy Giant Teapot and Cup Studio
Martinique B., United Kingdom 

“Crash Landed” Retro Luxury Airliner Fuselage and Cockpit
Jennifer C., United States

Desert Flower Opening to Star-Filled Sky – Abraham V., South Africa

 DJ Booth Tower Mini Duplex
Jérémie, M., Thailand

Dome-House Floating in a Koi Fish Pond
Iacopo T., Japan 

Dragon Egg in the Forest
Martí­n J., Argentina 

Dragons Den Cave: Life-Sized Dragon Statue Atop Entrance
Julia N., United States

Eco Pyramid Bedroom Set at the Belly Button of the Land
Dominic H., Portugal 

Eco-Igloo
Catherine W., Australia 

Fallen Wine Bottle With a  “Wine” Pool
Martino M., Portugal 

Floating Avocado in an Avocado Farm
Ignacio M., Chile 

Floating Terrarium in the City
Mia P., United Kingdom 

Full Airplane House in Wonder Valley
Richard C., United States 

Galactic Glacier
Laura N., United States 

Geodesic Planetarium and Observatory Dome
Nick M., United States 

Ghost Town Gondola Town at 12,000 Feet
Ben C., United States 

Giant Camera Atop a Georgia Mountain
Matthew F., United States 

Giant Clog-Cabin in a Dutch Open Field
Jantine D., Netherlands 

Giant Coyote Head Casita on the Rim of the Rio Grande
Johnny D., United States

Giant Fallen Redwood Tree in the Forest
Frank C., United States 

Giant Flower Pot on a Farm in Small Town Idaho
Whitney H., United States 

Giant Mirrored Disco Ball Glamping House on Wheels
Jeffrey H., United States 

Giant Pig in Meadow at Pig Sanctuary
Tracey S., United States 

Giant Pony Pad in the New Forest National Park
Jordan C., United Kingdom 

Giant Red Mushroom, Cozy House in a Forest
David A., Mexico

Giant Tortoise Glass Shell for Stargazing
Reeyna D., United States 

Giant Vintage TV Perched Next to a Lake
Melissa W., Canada 

Grass-Roofed, Glass-Fronted Forest Adventure House
Kate C., Canada 

Habitable Human Size Skep (Beehive)
Pam W., United States 

Hansel and Gretel’s Chocolate House
Maria D., Argentina 

Il Pino, the Pine-Shaped Cabin in the Alps
Luca B., Italy 

Invisible Farmhouse in a Mango Orchard
Ankur A., India 

Jungle Eco Tree House With a Leaf Petal Shape
Elisa O., Mexico 

Kangaroom – Floating Pod Style
Matt D., Australia 

Kiwi Bird Nest With a Chicken-Eye View
Jacqueline Y., New Zealand 

Land-Locked Cargo Ship House in Veracruz
Álvaro M., Mexico 

Helicopter on Ten Wooded Acres With a Creek
Emily L., United States

Lighthouse in the Ocean Outside a Swedish Summer Island
Martin R., Sweden

Livable Giant Coconut Made From Mud and Coconut Coir in the Tropical Region of Chiang Mai
Abhi A., Thailand 

Livable Giant Fallen Tree in the Woods
J.R. S., United States 

Livable Giant Fossilized Snail in the Desert
Diego Z., Mexico 

Liveable Giant Mushroom Spaceship in the Middle of the Jungle
Pablo C., Mexico

Livable Giant Troll Nestled in the Woods
Victoria G., United States 

Livable Pop-Art Painting-Inspired Stay in Llano Desert
Jesse Y., United States 

Luxury Live-In Bear With Epic Woodland Views
Bianca C., United States 

“Mind the Gap” – An Up-Cycled London Underground Tube Carriage
Eloise S., United Kingdom 

Mischievous Mango Mansion
Rajan E., India 

Modern African Earth Retreat in the Bush
Juane V., South Africa 

Modern Cereal Lover’s Paradise
Trey P., United States 

Monocoque Cabin, Organic Architecture at Peace With its Rural Site
Peter M., United Kingdom 

Mushroom Mansion: A Farm to Nightstand B&B
Lenée G., United States 

Orion Constellation: 10 Elevated Rooms in Oaxaca
Edmundo M., Mexico 

Ozark Glass Dome Planetarium Treehouse
Natalie J., United States 

Portable Cheese Wedge-Shaped Cabins in Wisconsin
Etienne W., United States 

Redwood Stump Tiny House in the Forest
Melanie S., United States 

Rock Candyland Cottages
Justin M., United States 

Salt Cave and Forest Dwelling With Glass Bottle
Liezel M., South Africa 

Sculpture in the Woods
Julio V., Mexico 

Solve a Mystery in a Restored 40s Railcar
Winston W., United States 

Space Treehouse: A Futuristic Home for Sustainable Living
Daniel T., United States

Spend a Night With Your Honey… and Some Honey Bees
Jacob K., United States 

Sprout House – The Incredible Farm Stay!
Milind S., India 

Stargazing Sphere Suspended in the Rocks
Orien R., United States 

Stargazing Stone Igloos
Jaco B., South Africa 

Starhouse on Top of a Cliff
Andres C., Mexico 

Stay in a Volcano On the Big Island of Hawaii
Cassandra R., United States 

Sustainable and Habitable Giant Molar Tooth, Deep Within a Tropical Forest
Pewly D., India 

Sustainable Beehive House in the Rainforest
Esteban A., Costa Rica 

Sustainable Rammed Earth Desert Shelter Engaged Into the Landscape
Jonathan R., United States 

The Big Smoking Volcano and the Sky-Perched Nest
Fabian C., Mexico 

The First Bubble House in Mars: A Space Experience
Jorge B., Spain 

The Golden Egg
Jennifer W., Ireland 

The Nuthouse: Suspended, Hanging Giant Acorn Back in the Woods
Ty G., United States 

The Ultimate Music Lover’s Hideaway
Madeleine T., United Kingdom 

Tire-Shaped House Made of Junkyard Tires
Kimberly S., United States 

Titan II Missile on Former USAF Base
GT H., United States 

“Top Secret” Underground Atlas Missile Base, Abandoned by the Air Force
Matthew F., United States

Luxury Bubble On Top Of A Mountain
Timothy H., Australia 

Two Wooden Round Nests, Surrounded by Dreamy Blue Gardens
Nicolette T., United Kingdom 

Ultimate Airbnb on Plane at an Airfield
Mary C., Australia 

US-Skoolie as Mobile Airbnb in Germany
Marcus H., Germany 

Viking Ship in the Northwoods of Minnesota
Elena M., United States 

What It Feels Like to Live on Cloud 9
Tia B., United States

Interested in becoming an OMG! Host? Learn more at airbnb.com/host/homes.

*Jungle Eco Treehouse With a Leaf Petal Shape, Elisa O., Mexico

** Host earnings vary widely depending on many factors, including availability, price, acceptance and cancellation rates, occupancy rate and the demand in the listing location. Globally, the median earnings for Hosts in the OMG Category who were active on Airbnb between Jan 2018 and May 2022 was just over $48,000 USD.

Unique listings are defined by Hosts, these include but are not limited to; treehouse, yurt, barn, boat, castle, campsite, hut, island, plane, shepherds hut, train, treehouse, windmill, yurt, etc.