‘Bearbnb’ inspired by the Winnie the Pooh house available for an enchanting woodland stay (but strictly no heffalumps)

• A Winnie the Pooh-inspired ‘Bearbnb’ has been built in Ashdown Forest, East Sussex – and it’s available to rent
• It was created by Disney illustrator Kim Raymond, who has been drawing Winnie the Pooh for over 30 years 
• The den is decorated with ‘hunny’ pots and Pooh wallpaper, and tree trunks wrap around the doorway
• A few house rules apply – no heffalumps are allowed inside, and it’s mandatory to play a game of Poohsticks

 Holiday rentals don’t get much more enchanting than this – a ‘Bearbnb’ inspired by the Winnie the Pooh house.

The abode is available on Airbnb and was designed by Disney-appointed Winnie the Pooh illustrator Kim Raymond, who has been drawing the beloved bear – created by author A. A. Milne – for over 30 years. 

Built in the forest that inspired Milne’s Hundred Acre Wood, the charming den has tree trunks framing the doorway and, inside, the shelves are piled high with ‘hunny’ pots. A few house rules apply – number one, strictly no heffalumps are allowed inside.

The enchanting ‘Bearbnb’, pictured above, was inspired by the original Winnie the Pooh house

A charming illustration of the house that Kim drew for Airbnb. Its design marks Disney’s 95th-anniversary celebrations of Winnie the Pooh

The den – which is described as a ‘perfect place to do nothing’ – has tree trunks framing the doorway. A few house rules apply – number one, strictly no heffalumps are allowed inside the property

Kim drew inspiration from the original book illustrations of E.H. Shepard when it came to designing the treehouse, which was built to mark Disney’s 95th-anniversary celebrations of Winnie the Pooh.

He said: ‘I have been illustrating Winnie the Pooh for 30 years and I continue to be inspired by the classic decorations of E.H. Shepard and the more recent Disney stories. The “Bearbnb” is a unique experience that brings the charm of Pooh to life for fans, whilst honouring the original adventures that have been so important to many people for 95 years.’

Echoing the children’s books, ‘Mr Sanders’ is inscribed over the doorway of the home – located in Ashdown Forest, East Sussex – and the walls are lined with bespoke Pooh wallpaper, patterned with acorns and stripes.

The property is kitted out for a cosy night’s stay – there’s a double bed and guests can clamber up wooden ladders to two matching bunk beds.

According to the house rules, ‘multiple naps’ in the snug Airbnb are encouraged.

Guests can tuck into a ‘smackerel’ or two in the lounge area – a snack of ‘a little something’ is encouraged at 11am – which features homely seating and a kettle.

Kim drew inspiration from the original book illustrations of E.H. Shepard when it came to designing the treehouse

Guests can tuck into a ‘smackerel’ or two in the lounge area, pictured, which features homely seating and shelves piled high with ‘hunny’ pots

For bigger feeds, locally sourced ‘hunny-inspired’ meals will be served in a delightful picnic area outside the ‘Bearbnb’.

There’s one temporary bathroom, located ‘a few steps’ from the house, fitted with a toilet, shower, and sink, as well as toiletries and towels.

As for pets, only Roos, Tiggers, Eeyores and Piglets and Pooh Bears are permitted to spend the night.

During their East Sussex stay, guests can enjoy a guided tour of the surrounding Ashdown Forest

LEFT: The walls are lined with bespoke Pooh wallpaper, patterned with acorns and stripes. Kim designed the wallpaper specifically for the ‘Bearbnb’. RIGHT: One of Kim’s sketches for the furniture in the home. He says: ‘I continue to be inspired by the classic decorations of E.H. Shepard’

Bear in mind, a few more house rules apply. Hands are to be kept out of the honey pots, and it’s mandatory to play a game of Poohsticks – the game that first appeared in the 1928 book The House at Pooh Corner. It involves throwing branches over a bridge and letting the stream carry them, waiting to see which branch appears first on the other side.

During their stay, guests can head to Poohsticks Bridge to play Poohsticks and can enjoy a guided tour of the surrounding forest.

Kim will host two separate stays in the Airbnb on September 24 and 25 for £95 per night, and the booking fees will be donated to children’s charity Together for Short Lives.

The custom-built home sleeps a family of four, and only current UK residents are eligible to book

LEFT: One of Kim’s sketches of the exterior. ‘The “Bearbnb” is a unique experience that brings the charm of Pooh to life for fans,’ says Kim. RIGHT: A sketch of an armchair and a wooden chair ‘for eating honey’, drawn by Disney-appointed illustrator Kim

The custom-built home sleeps a family of four, and only current UK residents are eligible to book.

Ahead of the treehouse’s unveiling, Catherine Powell, Airbnb’s Global Head of Hosting, said: ‘Winnie the Pooh is a childhood jewel beloved by families the world over. 

‘This year, the original books celebrate their 95th anniversary. What better way to commemorate A.A. Milne’s classic work than with these two once-in-a-lifetime stays in the original Hundred Acre Wood. A perfect place to do nothing. As Pooh said, “doing ‘Nothing’ often leads to the very best Something”.’

Locally sourced ‘hunny-inspired’ meals will be served in a delightful picnic area outside the ‘Bearbnb’, pictured above 

The house is built in the forest that inspired Winnie-the-Pooh author A. A. Milne’s Hundred Acre Wood. This illustration was created by Kim for the Airbnb Pooh house

Pictured are a selection of accessories in the Airbnb. Disney says: ‘We hope guests are able to sit back and relax in the “Bearbnb”, and “be more Pooh” for the day’

Tasia Filippatos, Senior Vice President of Consumer Products, Games and Publishing at The Walt Disney Company, added: ‘For over 95 years, Winnie the Pooh has inspired generations with his memorable words, experiences and adventures. These timeless tales explore life’s simple pleasures and in that spirit, we hope guests are able to sit back and relax in the “Bearbnb”, and “be more Pooh” for the day.’

Booking dates for the home will go live on September 20 at 2pm, and Airbnb anticipates a very high level of interest in the property.

To view the ‘Bearbnb’ home on Airbnb, visit airbnb.com/winniethepooh.

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