An igloo listed on Airbnb didn't last a day, but long enough for the prank rental in Brooklyn to go viral on social media and get noticed by traditional media outlets.
Patrick Horton, 28, built the snow-domed igloo in the backyard of his home in Brooklyn's Greenpoint neighborhood with the help of friends after Winter Storm Jonas dropped more than 25 inches of snow in New York City this weekend, according to the website
Brokelyn.com.
"We decided we were going to do this two months ago," Horton, a freelance art director, told the website, saying he learned how to build it through YouTube videos. "We were sitting and joking around that we should build an igloo, and then we decided we'd actually do it. We were just waiting for a snow day.
"We built an eight-foot high pile of snow on Saturday, let it freeze overnight, and then spent three hours on Sunday digging it out," said Horton.
The igloo's posting on Airbnb for $200 a night quickly went viral Sunday, spreading onto Facebook and Reddit as well, according to
DNAInfo New York.
"Dripping with ingenuity and alt-lifestyle aura lays this snowpocalypse's most desirable getaway," the briefly listed Airbnb post read, said DNAInfo. "Built completely by hand all natural. Come experience this chic dome-style bungalow with Bae."
Horton said he actually received five rental requests before Airbnb stepped in and took down the listing but not before they contacted him.
"My name is Dustón and I work with the Airbnb Trust and Safety Team. I am contacting you regarding your new listing the 'Boutique Winter Igloo for 2,'" read an Airbnb message to Horton. "We are happy to see that you guys are busy and having fun during the Blizpocalypse. Unfortunately, your igloo, while very well constructed, has failed to meet our occupancy standards and has been removed from search results."
Horton told the
Huffington Post that he hopes to enjoy the igloo as weather allows.
"We definitely plan to get some use out of it and enjoy it before the weather warms up," Horton told the Post. "We learned this weekend that people love igloos."