A CONVERTED shipping container is being let out on Airbnb for £200-a-night at a Highland beauty spot as a “bespoke bothy”.
The 10ft by 10ft steel box has been branded an “eyesore” on social media and also compared to a “prison cell”.
The accommodation features a roughly-made wooden couch which also serves as a bed, and a wood-burning stove.
And holidaymakers will have to make a 1.5-mile uphill trek just to get to their holiday bothy overlooking Lochgoilhead, Argyll and Bute.
The owners of luxurious wedding venue Carrick Castle Estate, who are renting out the “bespoke” container bothy, appear to have tried to make the shipping container blend in better by painting brown stripes on the side.
The listing was uploaded to Facebook by Andrew Park last night captioned with: “Neat idea? Or at this price taking the mick?”
Nick Parish commented: “Total eyesore. Hope these don’t start cropping up everywhere. You can get a decent hotel for that too, including a cooked breakfast.”
Maggie Christopher commented: “Basically offering a prison cell in a nice area for a stupid amount of money, they’ll go out of business even before they start, it boils down to pure greed on their part.”
Jamie Floyd said: “£195 a night. WTF.”
Nicholla Ritchie wrote: “Absolutely disgusting that they put that eyesore there in the first place and then try to charge such a hideous amount. Hopefully there are not too many dafties willing to book it.”
Sean Fitzharris added: “Wow that place looks awful – cannot believe the price they are charging. £195 per night for something that has been furnished and decorated to such a poor standard. It looks no more comfortable than a tent.”
John Elder wrote: “F*** me. What is this? Some mad London person? £195 a night. And you’ve got to bring your own sleeping bag. Taking the p*** or what. Buy a tent and wild camp…
“I’ve got a loo and Carpet in my tent. Tell you what, I’ll give you an eight man tent with a loo for £195 for a week. I’ll even pitch it for you.”
Sonja Moore commented: “That’s not a bothy then is it, if you have to pay? This is a rusty old container stuck in the middle of beautiful surroundings. I’m sure there are much nicer bothies close by you can sleep in for nought”.
Carrick Castle describe the Airbnb as a “bespoke-made container bothy” and a unique space in which to “enjoy the outdoors and beautiful views over a secluded lochan in the picturesque Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park.”
It goes on to say it is both basic yet “comfortable” before adding: “The bothy is a mobile structure made from a shipping container, 10 ft x 10 ft inside.
“The interior has been carefully panelled to create a cosy and rustic feel and furnished with a folding down double bed which can be stored away when not in use to make way for sofa-like seating, plenty of shelving storage space, and a fully functional wood burning stove.”
The holidaymakers will be provided with basic tableware for meals and a kettle to heat on the wood burning stove and a solar panel that provides light and a usb charging facility and an extra heater if needed.
The price includes five litres of water, toilet paper, tea and coffee and a start pack of canned and dried foods with a spade for bathroom requirements.
However, it is up to the renter to bring additional food and drink and a sleeping bag.
Darius Mellet, manager of Carrick Castle Estate said: “Basically we have a container bothy up there, which we think is in a very beautiful area, that you can use if you want as well as pitching a tent.
“We put it on Airbnb for that price as it purely down to the location and servicing of the bothy. We find it insulting that people are having an issue with it. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea and some people love it. In Scotland they have a right to roam but it is own on our land”.
