It’s not a traditional Airbnb arrangement.
In those instances, guests sign up and the owner hands over the keys. Whatever happens happens (and half the time you probably don’t even want to know. Just make sure to get the place professionally cleaned.)
In this setup, HuffPost‘s Editor-in-Chief Arianna Huffington — a self-described flat shoe lover and sleep evangelist — is inviting two people to stay in her Manhattan bedroom for the night to promote the release of her book The Sleep Revolution. Winners will take part in a pre-bedroom sleep consultation with Arianna. You won’t pay a dime.
But there are eight house rules:
- No sleeping meds.
- No pets on the bed.
- No phones. All phones must be charged outside of her bedroom.
- No spicy food before bed.
- You can read, but it must be a real book that does not involve work. It also must be a real book made with paper or a device that “does not emit blue light.”
- There’s chamomile and lavender teas if you want them.
- You must wear pajamas, not clothing that would be considered gym clothes. “Nightdresses” are recommended.
Before you sleep, you’ll join “guests” for a traditional Green dinner.
Details of her bedroom sound enticing: “A canopy bed topped with luscious pillows and bedside tables overflowing with flowers, candles, and an old-fashioned analog alarm clock (no digital devices allowed in my bedroom).”
According to Airbnb, if you wake in the middle of the night, there will be a notebook to write down your dreams and a pen with a flashlight at your disposal.
This isn’t a must, but before you sleep, Arianna’s offering up her sunken bathtub where she recommends you soak with epsom salts.
There isn’t a forced bedtime. But there will be breakfast awaiting you in the morning and the chance to appear on the site’s morning program, HuffPost Rise. Not to worry if you sleep like hell, make-up and hair people will help you look human for the show.
To enter the contest, you’ll sign into your Airbnb account and answer a question: “What would you do with your day if you got more sleep at night?” No “vulgar, violent, or profane” response is allowed.
This won’t be a private affair. If you win, you must allow Airbnb and HuffPost to use your name in any promotional announcements and write-ups. Airbnb says the prize is worth $3,500 and includes two plane tickets to New York City.
And it’s not like you can go to Arianna’s place and trash it.
“Engaging in any inappropriate or illegal conduct during any prize-related activity may result in removal from the premises where the event is occurring,” says the fine print. There will also be a background check.
Sorry HuffPost employees. You are not allowed to enter the contest. Neither are your relatives.
Come on. What would it look like for an employee to sleep in the boss’s bed?