Discover the 11 Finest Airbnbs for Stargazing Featuring Glass Ceilings, Telescopes, and More

Calling all amateur astronomers: If your ideal vacation night means stepping into the darkness to admire the breathtaking, star-filled sky, there are numerous stellar Airbnbs available worldwide. Some boast glass roofs for celestial viewing right from your bed, while others include advanced telescopes for a closer look at faraway planets, and a select few even feature full dome observatories that provide a personal planetarium experience. These rentals are especially perfect in the Northern Hemisphere during the August peak of the Perseid meteor shower, where you can witness 50 to 100 shooting stars per hour. Here are 11 of the most extraordinary Airbnb rentals for your stargazing adventures.

Desert house in California featuring an observatory

Located about a 20-minute drive from Joshua Tree National Park, Observatory Retreat claims to be the world's sole vacation rental offering guests exclusive access to an automated dome observatory. Simply walk in, select a celestial body on a screen, and watch as the dome and telescope automatically adjust to provide the optimal view. You'll spend the night in a charming three-bedroom house decorated with high desert flair (including cactus-themed wall art) and equipped with various entertaining amenities for those less interested in astronomy, such as foosball, air hockey, billiards, and skeeball.

Glass cottage with a hot tub in Iceland

To witness Iceland’s iconic aurora borealis, you must escape the city lights. This cottage in southern Iceland, surrounded by 1,200 acres of lava fields, is an ideal spot. From the cozy glass-walled accommodations, you can gaze at the starry sky by night or admire the majestic volcanoes of Hekla and Eyjafjallajökull by day. The decor showcases Icelandic nature, featuring furnishings crafted from driftwood gathered along the shores of Ísafjörður, moss-inspired artwork in the kitchen, and cushions dyed with wool from a rescue sheep farm. If you’re up for braving the chill of a winter evening, a hot tub set to 102ºF awaits just steps outside.

Stylish cabin near Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park is open 24/7, making it an excellent location for stargazing, and the expansive skies above the lava-scarred terrain truly embody the nickname of the “Big” Island. Just a five-minute drive from the park entrance, Kūono at Volcano is a Norwegian-inspired design cabin nestled among a forest of blooming ʻōhi‘a trees. It boasts minimalist yet comfortable interiors (featuring a Casper mattress and Parachute sheets) and 14-foot floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook a firepit and a cedar hot tub, where you can lie back and appreciate the stunning starry sky free from light pollution.

Off-grid bell tent situated near Canyonlands National Park

Husband-and-wife team Keshia and Erik Joot established the off-grid, solar-powered Glamping Canyonlands, located about 40 minutes from Canyonlands National Park in southern Utah. Among its six unique accommodations is this special bell tent equipped with a sunroof for stargazing directly from your queen-sized bed. Shared amenities include an outdoor kitchen, a barrel sauna, and an impressive Orion SkyQuest telescope. Additionally, one of the communal bathrooms boasts a glass roof—proof that you can stargaze from anywhere. The campground also offers monthly astronomy tours, which will be complimentary for guests starting in 2024.

Eco-cabin perched above a vineyard in New Zealand

This eco-cabin, known as a PurePod, is nestled on a hillside overlooking the organic Greystone Winery, surrounded by lush regenerating bush, just 45 minutes north of Christchurch. Almost entirely constructed of glass, it offers unobstructed views from the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, and even the ceiling, making it easy to gaze at the Milky Way and Southern Hemisphere constellations. If you love the wall-less living experience of a PurePod, you can create an itinerary to explore other locations across New Zealand, including the Tokoeka PurePod on Stewart Island, situated within the world’s southernmost Dark Sky Reserve.

Midcentury desert home with its own private observatory

Lovingly restored and painted in a striking bubblegum pink, this 1961 midcentury-modern homestead cabin is located about 18 miles from Joshua Tree National Park and features its very own $25,000 private telescope observatory. After marveling at distant celestial wonders, you can relax in bean bag loungers and hammocks for some naked-eye stargazing, along with a variety of earthly delights such as a ping-pong table, a hot tub, outdoor swings, and a cowboy pool nestled in the shade of the iconic Joshua trees.

Guesthouse in Colorado featuring a private observatory

Darkskies Vacations offers nearly a dozen rental properties in and around Westcliffe, Colorado, a certified Dark Sky Community known for its low humidity and over 300 clear nights each year. This three-bedroom guesthouse, once owned by a retired architect, boasts stunning views of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and Wet Mountain Valley. It features relaxing amenities like a wood-stove-heated meditation chapel, a labyrinth, and a greenhouse filled with orchids, water lilies, and self-picking vegetables and herbs. Guests can also sign up for a tour of the nearby private observatory or partake in an astrophotography session for a suggested donation of $200 to the local Dark Skies organization. Keep in mind that slots fill quickly and that moon phases significantly affect availability, as space photography is only possible within a week of the new moon.

Geodesic dome close to a Chilean national park

Located about an hour's drive from Valparaíso and just under 1.5 hours from Santiago, this geodesic dome offers a serene escape, nestled on a sprawling property filled with lemon, apple, olive, avocado, and almond trees, all enveloped by native forest. Beyond the trees lies a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and La Campana National Park, where Charles Darwin ascended the mountain that bears its name in 1834. We’re confident the father of evolution would agree: Few sights are as unforgettable as a shooting star streaking across the southern sky.

Forty-foot-high observation tower in Oregon

Summit Prairie is nestled deep within Oregon’s Umpqua National Forest, yet you won’t have to worry about the dense Douglas firs obstructing your stargazing. This rental property is designed like a U.S. Forest Service fire lookout tower, elevated 40 feet above the ground. Ideal stargazing spots include the Adirondack chairs on the raised deck and the wood-fired, spring-fed hot tub. Keep in mind that the tower is open seasonally from late March to mid-November, and reservations fill up as quickly as a Taylor Swift concert; planning a year ahead is essential, so be sure to check the booking information for the best chance at securing your stay.

Mirrored glass cabin near Oslo

If you’re not paying attention, you might easily overlook this sleek tiny home: Norway’s first mirrored glass cabin camouflages itself by reflecting the tranquility of the surrounding Nordre Øyeren nature reserve. Located about 25 minutes from central Oslo, WonderInn boasts prime waterfront property where you’ll share the landscape with moose, beavers, deer, and eagles. As night falls, head to the firepit or the hot tub that extends over the delta for a dual view of the stars—both above you and mirrored in the walls of your temporary abode.

Boho-style Welsh barn featuring a stargazing balcony

Wales is becoming one of the premier destinations for stargazing, boasting two designated Dark Sky Reserves and, as of this February, Europe’s first Dark Sky Sanctuary—a title established in 2015 to honor the darkest and most remote areas while highlighting their vulnerability. The region is also home to over 30 smaller Dark Sky Discovery Sites, including the National Botanic Garden of Wales in Carmarthenshire, where you’ll find this charming bohemian barn. The atmosphere here revolves around cwtch, a unique Welsh term that translates roughly to a cuddle or a cozy nook, akin to the concept of hygge. In this setting, it might involve wrapping yourself in a blanket and sinking into a cushion on the stargazing balcony, warmed by a log burner.