Lights, Camera, Airbnb

Anyone who has ever dreamed of sleeping in a camera on top of a mountain can do so in Ellijay, Georgia.

Matthew FitzPatrick, a 2021 Auburn University alumnus, used his passions for business, customer service and real estate to create The Lens Lodge, an Airbnb designed to look like a giant camera.

The Georgia native’s one-of-a-kind rental property located in the town of 1,900 has enthralled visitors, ranking among the top 5% of Airbnb properties in the United States.

FitzPatrick’s idea earned him $100,000 as one of the 100 people to win Airbnb’s $10M OMG! Fund competition.

Life-changing competition

FitzPatrick learned about the competition while working on yachts in Florida in the summer of 2022. Due to working in real estate and getting his Georgia real estate license during college, he knew he wanted to buy a rental property as his first big investment. He was living full-time for free on the yachts he was working on in order to save as much money as possible but did not have enough money yet.

“I was scrolling through Instagram one night, and a Forbes post popped up about this Airbnb contest to help fund 100 of the most creative ideas in the world for Airbnb,” he said. “I knew what I wanted to do was make unique, tiny home stays, and I knew if I could get that money, then I would have enough to build an Airbnb.”

For the contest’s first round, FitzPatrick proposed the idea of creating a house to resemble a giant camera.

“I knew I wanted a big glass area for the house, so I thought of items that had a big glass area that I could make a window for the bed to be by,” he said. “I’ve done some photography and videography in the past, so I thought of a camera and began to design it in my head. I realized I could put the bed in the lens, and the lens would be a huge glass window.”

Advancing to the second round, FitzPatrick had to submit architectural plans, including designs, sketches and renderings. While many contestants entered because they didn’t have enough money for the projects they had already started, FitzPatrick had no real plans yet. He spent nights on the yachts making plans for the Airbnb and sent his plans, ideas, a mood board and a chunk of change to a rendering company to bring it to life.

After submitting the plans to Airbnb, FitzPatrick was selected for the final round. He then chose the location for the Airbnb and bought the property in hopes that owning the land would give him a better chance of winning the contest. He submitted to Airbnb a full timeline for building, the budget, the permission to build, the deed of the property and a video explaining his idea.

Four months after entering the contest FitzPatrick found out he was a winner.

“I was in the bottom of a yacht, working and cleaning, when I got an email that said Airbnb fund, and my heart was racing,” the 26-year-old FitzPatrick said. “I opened it up, and it said, ‘Congratulations, you won; you’re one of the 100 winners.’ That was the craziest moment ever.”

Challenging camera construction

The building process was not easy for FitzPatrick, who had to meet three checkpoints throughout to receive the funds from Airbnb. He was successful in meeting the checkpoints, receiving all the funds and completing the project 13 months after winning the contest.

“We got the certificate of occupancy at the end of October 2023, and then I moved in and ended up setting the rest of it up myself. I did all the interior design, put up all the shelving, put up all the faucet handles and all that kind of stuff,” FitzPatrick said. “I had my first guest on Nov. 17, and I literally finished everything as they arrived.”

The Lens Lodge has been hosting guests for the past year-and-a-half, with five-star reviews flowing in for the house’s unique features, the location and FitzPatrick’s customer service.

The Airbnb is secluded between two popular North Georgia mountain towns, Ellijay and Blue Ridge. The lens, which houses the bedroom, is 15 feet above the ground, offering views of the nearby mountains.

Other features include a full kitchen, laundry room, bathroom, dining area, living room with a pull-out couch, hot tub, fire pit — with s’mores supplies included — and two acres of wooded privacy. The 850-square-foot Airbnb also has two Polaroid cameras for guests to use to document their stays.

“My biggest responsibility is making sure guests have the most seamless and incredible experience possible,” FitzPatrick said.

FitzPatrick has been rated as a “superhost” on Airbnb due to his exceptional customer service and his commitment to providing great stays for guests.

Impact of Auburn

FitzPatrick attributes the success of The Lens Lodge to his time at Auburn. Learning how to be an Auburn man, he said, influenced his Airbnb journey more than what he learned in specific classes.

“Learning how to become this Auburn man and being so involved in the community there translated directly into the creation of The Lens Lodge and what I have to strive for every day as an Airbnb host,” FitzPatrick said. “I want to show all my guests the highest level of hospitality they’ve ever felt and facilitate a space that allows the opportunity for couples, families and friends to bond over a common adventure or experience.”  

The Lens Lodge has surpassed every goal FitzPatrick had for the property. Now, he is focusing on running it, trademarking it and developing a direct booking website for it.

“What this endeavor has taught me is that, down to the core, I’m an entrepreneur, creator and someone who loves adventure and a little risk,” FitzPatrick said.