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I don’t know if I would say I expected an owl-delivered letter from Hogwarts on my 11th birthday, but I was certainly disappointed when it didn’t come! I’ve always dreamed of running through the corridors and practicing magic spells with my wand. If you doubt that we actually dressed up to play Harry Potter in our front yard, here is the photo evidence:

#throwback #waaayback

Does it count as an obsession if I don’t wear my costume in public?

When our dad said that we would be staying in a Harry-Potter-themed AirBnB during our family vacation in St. Louis, I just about melted right then and there! This was our family’s first experience with an Airbnb. We almost always stay at hotels, so for this vacation, we decided to look into some places in the St. Louis area that had better deals than renting five hotel rooms for everyone! And let me tell you, this place absolutely exceeded our expectations! 

Disclaimer: My mom is NOT a Harry Potter fan, and she absolutely loved this space. (More on that later).

When you first step off the elevator, there is a hallway with huge Harry Potter posters leading to your room. (The other side has Star Wars posters leading toward the Star Wars room!)

The main door was wooden and really pretty!

The first thing I noticed when we walked in was that every room had very high ceilings, so the place looked enormous! It did take a few minutes for us to find the light, which was actually located OUTSIDE of the main door. This was a little weird, but not too big of a deal. Inside the main entrance, there is a big table with eight large chairs, two refrigerators (and freezers), and a kitchen.

View from entryway

The very first thing we saw when we walked in was a washer and dryer! This was so nice to have with so many kids on the vacation with us, since we had lots of little clothes to wash. It even had some little Tide pods waiting for us, so it was really convenient!

The kitchen also came fully stocked with all sorts of plates and cups, silverware, pots and pans, toaster, coffee maker, and a dishwasher. There were plenty of dishes for everyone to eat without having to wash dishes in between. The appliances and furniture were definitely brand new, and everything seemed in great condition. Attached to the kitchen, there was even a mini-bathroom as well!

Then, along the main hallway were the doors to the four rooms where we stayed. The rooms were themed as the four Hogwarts houses: Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.

Each room had five beds, arranged as a double bunk-bed and a triple bunk-bed. As mentioned, the high ceilings made even the triple bunk-bed a fairly comfortable distance from the ceiling.

Each bed came with sheets, a pillow, and a big fluffy comforter. The bedding was very clean and comfortable.

Inside each room, there was also a bathroom with a shower included. There were plenty of towels waiting on a clothing rack outside of the bathroom.

At the end of the hall, there was another big table with eight chairs! This was fun because it allowed us to have two different games or meals going at once.

Finally, in the back corner, you open a door to the “Common Room”, which was a big entertainment space. This meeting area had three couches and a huge TV and x-box. All of the kids were able to be kept busy in this room, and we also used the space later when all the adults got together to play games. In the cabinets, they had extra bedding for guests. And to our delight, two of the couches folded out into two extra queen-sized beds!

And lastly, there was a smaller room that had one extra-wide bunkbed and a desk, where my parents stayed. They were disappointed to not have their own bathroom in this room, but it was nice to have their room apart from everyone else’s.

Things to Consider

This AirBnB is an 11-minute walk from Busch Stadium!!! Go Cardinals!!

As mentioned, although most of us do love Harry Potter, there are a few family members that weren’t thrilled about the theme. Luckily, the decorations were subtle enough that someone who isn’t a fan would still be comfortable there. But, for those of us who do have a slight-obsession, we loved looking around the apartment to find the hidden details! It’s just an awesome space!

With so many showers, it made getting ready for the day less crazy.

The wifi was great! We easily had 10 people on it at once while playing a game, and my boyfriend was still able to do his homework online!

The rooms provided a nice separation, however, they are by no means soundproof. We could easily hear one another, even with the doors closed.

The owners ask you to clean your own dishes or load them into the dishwasher, before leaving. You are also asked to strip the beds, and leave everything on the floor so it’s easier for them to clean.

There were some bottles of shampoo and conditioner that seemed left-over from previous guests, but we bought our own.

The closest store was about a block away, and Papa Johns was about two blocks away. We easily walked there, which made dinner really easy! This

The place wasn’t very well dusted. It wasn’t uncomfortably unclean, but it definitely could have used more attention to detail.

You have up to 6 electronic key cards to enter the apartment, and there are locks on the individual rooms.

Overall, it was a very magical experience! We had so many people, and still it felt like there was so much space. We are definitely planning on returning, and want to recommend this place to everyone!

Click here to reserve it for your next vacation! 

-Makayla

Where do you stay when your family is on vacation? Comment below!