This Airbnb is a dream come true for anyone who wants to sleep on a gorgeous boat in the middle of Lake Garda, Italy.
The only way to get to the La Sirena di Sirmione (the mermaid of Sirmione) is by kayak, and you’ll get a free bottle of wine to enjoy while you watch stunning sunsets and starry skies. It’s ideal for a romantic escape or a relaxing holiday with your friends.
The boat, which can accommodate four guests, was recently added to Airbnb. Ana Savu, 28 and Amra Scotolati, 29 were the first ones to book it, and they had no reviews to go by.
Luckily for them, it was the ‘perfect’ place to stay for a long weekend in Italy.
‘My friend and I wanted to spend a weekend at Lake Garda, so we looked on the Airbnb website and decided to give the boat a try,’ said Ana.
‘It had zero reviews when we booked it as it was a new listing, so it was definitely a risky decision, but it turned out great.’

They stayed from Friday to Sunday, and only paid £140 in total.
The small boat has one double bed and two sofas, which Ana said could ‘technically’ sleep four, but that would be a ‘bit of a stretch.’
The boat also had a small but fully equipped kitchen and a toilet.
There’s no running water or electricity, but the host left clean towels, a power bank to charge your phone, and a light.
The downside? No real shower.
‘There’s only a water hose to refresh, but it wasn’t too much of a problem for us, as we jumped in the water instead,’ said Ana.
What makes this Airbnb really special is that it’s only accessible by kayak, and is exactly 100 metres away from the shore.
For Ana and Amra, this was no problem. They faced up to the challenge, which ended up being hilarious
‘The journey to the boat was always a challenge, but we got pretty good at it by the end of our stay,’ Ana said.
‘I arrived there before my friend and met the Airbnb host. He explained to me what to do, but I was a bit confused, to say the least.
‘I asked him if he had five minutes to make the kayak journey with me and show me properly around the boat, and I’m so happy he did because I don’t know how we would have managed otherwise.’

Ana said the best part of staying on the boat was the view and the tranquility.
‘The view was amazing, especially during sunset and sunrise. We also enjoyed the complimentary bottle of wine that the host left for us,’ she said.
‘It was very peaceful and quiet, we felt like we had the whole lake to ourselves. We also loved swimming in the clear water and seeing the fish.’
Ana said she would definitely recommend the boat to anyone looking for a unique and relaxing experience.
‘It was one of the best Airbnb experiences I’ve ever had. It was very different from anything else I’ve tried before,’ she said.
‘It was perfect for a weekend getaway, but I think it would be too much for a longer stay, as it’s quite basic and you have to kayak every time you want to go somewhere.’
If you’re interested in booking the boat, you can find it on Airbnb here.