Calling all Hogwarts.
“Harry Potter” fans (and those just looking for whimsical digs) can book a stay in a two-story “Harry Potter”-themed Airbnb rental created by uber-fan Kim Waits and her boyfriend, AJ Rassau, both of New Kensington.
It’s the latest creative Airbnb endeavour for the couple, who own and operate two additional Airbnb properties — one in Plum and another in New Kensington.
For Waits, the DIY project transforming what initially was a regular Airbnb in their 1920s home pivoted to a “Harry Potter”-themed adventure after the couple stayed in a “Lord of the Rings” themed Airbnb in the Laurel Highlands.
That stay led to the couple taking a few months to redecorate the “castle-like” interior of their home into all things “Harry Potter.”
“AJ talked me into it. I’ve been a ‘Harry Potter’ fan since I was 12,” Waits said.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter listing includes five bedrooms, two bathrooms and free parking.
The couple bought the home four years ago from longtime New Kensington resident Thomas Straub. It features original wood floors, marble windowsills and the former servants’ stairs were reconstructed to house Harry Potter’s meager dwellings described as a “cupboard under the stairs” in the book.
The couple lives on the first floor and guests have private access (no shared living spaces) to the second and third floors, use of a covered patio and an outdoor hot tub.
The decoration was the fun part, they say.
“There was a month or two of finding the right trinkets,” said Rassau, originally from Harrison and owner of Preserving Record Shop in Downtown New Kensington.
The decor spotlights “Harry Potter”-themed accessories such as owls, wands, wizard robes, mood lighting, potions, imagery and bedroom televisions playing Harry Potter films.
They scoured area thrift stores for props and accessories to decorate the bedrooms, each representing the four houses featured in “Harry Potter:” Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin.
The year-round rental allows up to nine guests.
They ordered some specific “Harry Potter” merchandise online and Wait’s mom hand-sewed the tissue box covers made of “Harry Potter”-themed fabric.
“We are making it cooler and cooler. I try to include a little bit of everything,” Waits said.
Airbnb guest online reviews about the property include plenty of praise.
“There are so many details here that a true Potterhead will go crazy over,” wrote previous guest Josh of Exton, Pa.
“This place is so cool. We aren’t super fans of ‘Harry Potter,’ but that didn’t even matter. The level of detail put into this place is absolutely insane,” wrote Kate of Chapel Hill, N.C.
Local artist and previous resident Erin Burkett painted a large mural on the first floor that leads to a sleeping area dubbed Harry Potter’s “cupboard under the stairs.”
“We had a bachelorette party stay here and I believe the bride-to-be ended up sleeping in there,” Waits said. “And last week we had three kids show up with their family wearing ‘Harry Potter’ cloaks. They were ready to go.”
Booking rate ranges from $350-$500 per night, with weekends being most in demand and priced higher.
The third floor is named The Burrow after the magical home of the Weasleys and was a second home of sorts to Harry Potter.
That space features a Slytherin green and silver bedroom, a main living room area and Hagrid’s kitchen.
The couple is thrilled to share their “Harry Potter” house with others.
“Kids love it,” Rassau said. “But you don’t have to even be a ‘Harry Potter’ fan to appreciate this.”