You can now stay inside a flawless replica of the witches' cottage from 'Hocus Pocus'
Does anyone else have a longstanding fascination with Salem, Massachusetts, and the idea of some real-life, ancient sister witches living in a dope house there, stalking children and stealing their souls every time they're resurrected?
If you're of the millennial generation, you sure dang should on account of Disney's 1993 cult classic Hocus Pocus — one of the greatest Halloween comedy films of all time (Don't step to me on this. I know it has a terrible RT score. It's still a delightful romp.)
The iconic Sanderson sisters (Winifred, Sarah and Mary) are so beloved that Disney recently decided to produce a sequel to the first movie — 29 years later — featuring the same three superstar actresses as the sister witches: Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker.
Hocus Pocus 2 is set to be released this week (on Sept. 30,) and fans of the nostalgic flick couldn't be more excited... or rather, they couldn't have been before Airbnb dropped the news that it had converted a "creaky old cottage" into a near-identical replica of the Sanderson sisters' spooky abode.
"Enter by window or water wheel, but watch your step – a cobweb or two and the smoke from our cauldron await you inside," said Airbnb by email to blogTO this week.
"Amidst the broomsticks and apothecary bottles, the Black Flame Candle flickers and our beloved Manual of Witchcraft and Alchemy sleeps deeply — lest something (or someone) wakes it. It's a magnificently eerie scene certain to get guests in the Halloween 'spirit'."
"It's all a bunch of Hocus Pocus at the Sanderson Sisters' cottage, where, for the first time ever, guests can run amok this Halloween season," reads a press release from Airbnb entitled "a spectacularly spooky stay in Ontario in honour of Hocus Pocus Cottage on Airbnb."
Sadly, despite the confusing title of the release and language contained within it, the Sanderson Sisters' cottage is not in Ontario.
Rather, it is nestled in the remote woods of Salem, Massachusetts, approximately 1.5 hours away from Toronto by plane and 9.5 hours by car.
The Sanderston Sisters' timeworn cottage can be booked by any fan from around the world, however, Canadians included.
Booking opens on Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. ET, and you can bet that competition for this unique and highly-coveted Airbnb experience will be fierce.
"Prior to slumbering in our humble abode, guests can try their hand at enchantments enshrined in the ancient spellbook that guided us in all our mischief..." reads the description for the rental property, a price for which has yet to be revealed.
Guests can also view a "special screening" of Hocus Pocus 2, streaming on Disney+ beginning Sept. 30.
"To support the next generation of the historic city, Airbnb will make a one-time donation to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Salem, which aims to ensure that success is within reach of every young person who walks through their doors," reads the listing.
While the cottage has been decked out to look exactly like the Sanderson sisters' home, down to every last detail, it's important to note that the cottage itself is privately owned and operated.
"Those looking to book should note that this stay's rules require strict adherence with local COVID-19 guidelines," reads the listing.
"On-site staff will follow applicable local, state and federal guidelines as well as Airbnb's COVID-19 Safety Practices, which include wearing a mask and practicing social distancing when required by local laws or guidelines, and abiding by our five-step enhanced cleaning process."
"We're back, witches," write the cottage's owners, quite appropriately.
"To celebrate our resurrection, we're inviting guests into a land of enchantment with a stay at a recreation of our Salem cottage, where those with a penchant for mysticism can explore our spine-chilling haunt as All Hallows' Eve approaches."
Helynn Ospina
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