Guests can stay in a quirky Airbnb that has been made to look just like a UFO.
Martin Johnson, 56, and his wife Carol Anne, 58, wanted to create something unique for sci-fi enthusiasts.
They discovered a building shell on eBay for £3,000, which was originally used as a temporary structure to conceal generators during the London Olympics.
Martin found the unusual shape intriguing and decided to purchase it. As a self-proclaimed craftsman and Star Wars fan, he drew inspiration from 1950s visions of the future for the design.
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Before constructing the unique pod, Martin revealed he and his wife had a total budget of £7,500.
After half a year of work, the Spodnic UFO was finished and ready to invite guests in 2017.
Since opening to the public, they’ve welcomed visitors from all over the globe and it has even featured on Channel 4’s George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces.
Found in Pembrokeshire, Wales, the UFO-shaped glamping pod comes with a private enclosed garden with a hot tub, outdoor kitchen diner and a Tardis toilet and shower.
Inside the Airbnb -Credit:SWNS
It can sleep up to two adults in one double bed and two children in bunk beds.
Martin mentioned that curious passers-by often knock on their door to enquire about the peculiarly shaped building in their field.
“This time of the year you get glimpses of the road and you can see it and we’ve had people knocking on our doors and asking what it is in our field,” he said.
“Electricians were also once checking their power lines on their helicopter flying right next to it and taking photographs of it and thinking what that is.
“It does take people by surprise and then people want to come and have a look at it.”
The Airbnb has been a hit with guests all over the world -Credit:SWNS
He added: “It is hidden away so you park 100 meters away from the UFO and you walk down a little corridor of trees and all of a sudden there it is.
“It surprises a lot of people. It does have a wow factor about it and we have led lighting and we can put a smoking machine to give it a real UFO effect.”
Martin explained how the UFO Airbnb came about.
“The actual initial shell was built for the London Olympics as a temporary structure to hide generators and they built eight which were located in different places around the Olympics,” he said.
“It was advertised on eBay and I thought it was an unusual shape building.
“We were looking for something different. The glamping market is quite large and there are all sorts of different things out there.”
In order to enhance its originality, they even added a hydraulic operation door and an observation roof to the pod.
The double bed -Credit:SWNS
“It looks like a film setting of a UFO. Inside there are computer components and it looks like an electronic controlling of the space ship,” Martin said.
“Then we have got led lighting which gives really nice effects and the beds are made out of tubular scaffold pipes.”
And it’s not just locals who are intrigued by this unique accommodation. People from all over the world, including China and the USA, have booked a stay at this Airbnb – especially sci-fi enthusiasts.
“We have fantastic reviews. We have a visitors book where people leave hand-written stuff the good old way,” he said.
“Families tend not to tell children where they are coming to so it is a surprise for a lot of people where they are going.
“It is hidden away so you park 100 metres away from the UFO and you walk down a little corridor of trees and all of a sudden there it is.
“It surprises a lot of people. It does have a wow factor about it and we have led lighting and we can put smoking machine to give it a real UFO effect.”
It comes with a toilet and shower in a Tardis -Credit:SWNS
As well as the UFO pod, the couple have also built a tree house and a gypsy caravan.
He further stated: “I also built a replica of Doctor Who Tardis as a toilet. I made a sound effect when he flushes the loo when the Tardis takes off.
“We also have a tree house here which is our most popular of our units. It’s a proper tree house.”
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