J.R.R. Tolkien’s series of books centered in the mythical land of Middle Earth always had a cult following. The books gained popularity when Peter Jackson’s film trilogies: The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit were released. But if you weren’t following the movies for the epic battle scenes or the amazing plot line, you were probably watching it for the hobbits and the equally fan-favorite hobbit house.
For any true Tolkien fan, the hobbits though small in stature, are key characters to any book or movie. Their village—the Shire, represents a quaint and rested lifestyle on the hillside. It’s no wonder many architects and designers have opted to build houses much like those fictional dwellings. The hobbit house actually has a lot of practical applications in the real world. For one thing, the fact that these homes are built in hillsides means there will be savings on heating and cooling. Also, the fact that these homes exist means that any fan can venture out on their own mythical journey to visit a hobbit house. So here are our favorites:
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Journey to Visit a Hobbit House:
1- The Hobbit Cottage – Pennsylvania, USA
Courtesy of Archer & Buchanan Architecture
Peter Archer’s design of this cottage looks like it was taken straight out of the Shire. The home itself serves as the dwelling place for a collector who uses the house to contain his Tolkien memorabilia. This hobbit house takes up a 600-square-footage. Interestingly enough, Archer constructed the home from recycled stone and handmade tiles of clay from France. The circular wooden front door is reminiscent of the movie; however, in a statement to the New York Daily News, Archer points out that the home wasn’t meant to be an exact replica of the movie: “We wanted it to be timeless”.
2- Le Troglo Hobbit Home – Eastman, Quebec
Via Entre Cimes et Racines
While eco-lodges are not for everyone, this hobbit-inspired ecolodge certainly fits the bill. It takes some adjusting before you can truly stay in this home since there is no running water or electricity, but that is where the charm of this cottage lies. It gets you off the grid. The cottage allows you to experience the lifestyle of a genuine hobbit. You can retrieve your clean water from a nearby well, and there are logs to put in the fireplace to heat the home itself. The home comes equipped with all kinds of kitchen utensils so you can also curate your own Lord of The Rings inspired recipes. A few steps away, a pavilion offers wireless internet for those who aren’t in for the full Shire experience.
3- The Hobbit House – Tomich, Scotland
Via reddit user: KahlumG
It’s hard to believe Stuart Grant didn’t see the movies when he built this Tolkien inspired home in Scotland. 84-year-old Stuart Grant built this home in 1984. Having just moved back to Scotland from Australia, Grant set about creating the cottage of his dreams. The circular doors flanked by twisted tree trunks bring back images of the movie itself, but Grant states that any resemblance between the two is purely coincidental. Grant’s cozy home features a toilet encased in a wooden stump, a small winding wooden staircase, and mullioned windows.
4- Baan Suan Noi Resort – Sikhio, Thailand
Via Chanikul/Airbnb
This whole resort purposely looks like a mini little Shire. Although this hobbit house is in a tropical location, it lacks nothing in charm and beauty. The resort features four rooms facing a grassy area where lodgers can enjoy their meals in the outdoors. The resort even comes equipped with Lord of the Rings costumes so fans can re-enact scenes from the movie. Getting to the resort requires an adventure a little less than Frodo’s trip to Mordor. A four-hour bus ride outside of Bangkok lands you into Thailand’s version of the Shire. The accommodation is going to include several more units in the future so that larger groups can stay and form their own fellowships.
5- Villa Vals– Vals, Switzerland
Photography: Iwan Baan
Though this villa wasn’t really meant to be a hobbit home, there are many hobbit influences. The home owes its design to Bjarne Mastenbroek and Christian Müller, of the architectural offices SeARCH and CMA. Creating a home that leaves nature unspoiled is the main reason behind their hillside villa. In fact, to keep nature undisturbed and combine the villa with the landscape, the only access to the villa is through a tunnel which is approached via a shed that lies a few paces away from the villa. The eco-friendly home features furniture by Dutch designers who matched the interior with the overall industrial architectural style of the villa. Additionally, the sloped façade of the villa gives a full view of the mountainside valley facing the home.
6- The Hobbit Hamlet House – Wales, U.K.
Via Simon Dale/Being Somewhere
Simon and Jasmine Dale didn’t imagine their home would ever go viral. The couple, expecting their first child fifteen years ago, collected all kinds of materials to build their own home in the countryside. The house took them three years to plan and nine years to build, using materials, like mud, clay, straw bales, and wood. The home features a rustic storage area for firewood and a bigger living space close by. The couple prides itself on sustainable living, using only recycled materials and eating only food grown on the land itself. Another cool feature of the Dales home is the greenhouse where the couple conveniently grows their crops all year round.
7- Forest House – Orcas Island, USA
Via pnwbeyond.com
This treehouse owes its design to SunRay Kelley who is known for his rustic cottages and naturally built structures. Though hobbits wouldn’t likely leave their hillside homes, this home does have a very Lord of the Rings feel to it. The structure is composed of 3 pods, each connected together through a wooden deck. The property is owned by Suzanne Dege who offers it as a tourist-lodging in the island. If you’re not afraid of heights, the place certainly warrants a visit.
If you’re looking to discover more fictional places in real life check out: Where to Find Hogwarts, Hobbiton, the Red Keep, and other Fictional Places?
