Ten of the world's most spectacular fantasy properties we all wish we were in right now

Posted by: Amy Swales
Published: 2 years ago

As it's revealed 75 per cent of us browse travel websites in a bid to cheer ourselves up, Airbnb has released new data revealing the properties most commonly added to its users wish lists – and it turns out we're all desperate to ecsape to a treehouse (or three).

Coining the term ‘Desktop Holidays’ to describe the little lift one gets from a dose of escapism, the website surveyed 1,000 people, finding that our need for a travel boost is at its peak in January.

Thirty-one per cent of respondents said they needed to book a holiday to get through the month, while 37 per cent said they turn to old holiday photos to feel better.

treehouse Atlanta US — Our number one fantasy rental: a treehouse in Atlanta, US

Airbnb says this is backed up by their website data, as there's a 36 per cent increase in the length of time that users stay on the site in comparison to December.

And the getaways we're all dreaming of getting away to are revealed in the site's wish list feature. The top 10 most wish-listed properties (listed in full below) includes four treehouses and spaces that get back to nature, either in design or locale. There's also a minimalist mini-loft in Rome, a seashell-inspired home in Mexico and a few hidden-away cabins.

The Seashell House Casa Caracol mexico airbnb — Casa Caracol in Mexico is second on the list and known as The Seashell House

Neuropsychologist Dr David Lewis comments: “Grey skies, short days and a lack of sunshine can lead to bouts of ‘winter depression’ by increasing the production of melatonin by the brain’s pineal gland. The hormone can generate feelings of despair, guilt, a loss of pleasure in everyday activities, irritability and a lack of energy.

“One answer is to use the Internet to fantasise about your perfect holiday in the sun. This form of ‘Mind Travel’ causes feel-good chemicals such as dopamine, dubbed the ‘pleasure pedal,’ to flood into your brain making us happier, more energetic and more optimistic.”

So rather than taking your cue from the one in 10 surveyed women who resort to smelling sun cream for a quick boost, feel free to browse away in the knowledge you're not alone – especially as one in three admit to doing so when they should be working. Not us though, this is kind of our job, right?