Rhode Island resort offering experiences in 'hobbit houses'

Nov. 6 (UPI) -- A Rhode Island property is offering Lord of the Rings fans the opportunity to live out their Middle Earth fantasies in rental "hobbit homes."

The Preserve at Boulder Hills Club and Residences, a sports club with luxury residential housing in Richmond, said the hobbit houses have been under construction for 36 months and two of the structures are now complete and ready to be rented for events.

The houses are based on those used by the hobbits in the Lord of the Rings books by J.R.R. Tolkien.

"We will have five hobbit homes," Paul Mihailides, chairman of The Preserve at Boulder Hills, told WJAR-TV. "Three are under construction two are completed. They are always themed, right now the themed hobbit house is the pumpkin patch which will also be decorated for Thanksgiving and then Christmas and we actually do it in spring too with tulips."

Daniel Hostettler, the president of the Ocean House Management Club, which is responsible for resort operations for The Preserve, said the houses can be rented for groups of up to eight people to hold parties, dinners and other events.

"I think with COVID this is going to be a huge hit, absolutely," Hostettler said. "This is an opportunity to dine with a group of friends, or your family, in a private atmosphere with your own server taking care of you."

The rentals start at $660 and get more expensive as the number of guests grows.

"We had our first guests on Halloween and what better place than to celebrate Halloween," Hostettler said. "We wanted something that you would remember for a lifetime and that's what we're doing here."