Brooklyn man builds igloo in backyard and lists it on Airbnb; website takes it down

BY Molly Crane-newman, Nancy Dillon

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Updated: Tuesday, January 26, 2016, 8:26 AM

He built a romantic “boutique” igloo in his Brooklyn backyard – then got the cold shoulder from Airbnb when he listed it for $200 per night.

Patrick Horton used the vast quantities of powder from the weekend’s historic storm to build the artisanal accommodations outside his actual residence on India St. in Greenpoint.

“We figured someone might want to take their Tinder date there and would be willing to pay for it. How many girls could say that they were taken on a date in an urban igloo? Not many,” Horton, 28, told the Daily News.

EAST COAST RECKONING WITH ‘TOP 10 SNOWSTORM’

Patrick H. Horton

Patrick Horton built this igloo outside his residence on India St. in Greenpoint.

Sadly for the aspiring proprietor, Airbnb.com iced his listing in a matter of hours Sunday, leading him to consider other options, he said.

“I think we’ll try to put it on Craigslist. We might even offer a Tinder special. Maybe throw in some Usher (background music) and a bottle of wine,” he joked Monday.

The heart-melting hideaway includes two candles for ambience, puffy pillows, animal print blankets over a tarp and even some landscaping in the form of a small tree placed near the entrance, he told The News.

Dripping with ingenuity and alt-lifestyle aura lays this Snowpocalypse’s most desirable getaway,” Horton wrote for the quickly yanked Airbnb ad.

“Built completely by hand all natural,” he said. “Come experience this chic dome-style bungalow with Bae.”

Horton even offered to throw in some shampoo.

Patrick H. Horton

“Come experience this chic dome-style bungalow with Bae,” Horton wrote on Airbnb.com before the website yanked his listing.

“We are happy to see that you guys are staying busy and having fun during Blizpocalypse. Unfortunately, your igloo, while very well constructed, has failed to meet our occupancy standards and has been removed from search results,” a rejection letter from Airbnb said.

“As an appreciator of fine igloos around the world, I did want to offer you a coupon that you can use to book your first reservation as a guest,” the letter said. “Be sure to pick a place with running water, electricity, and a roof that doesn’t melt.”

Horton was disappointed, especially considering other igloos do rent rooms on the website, he said.

“It’s way stronger than we thought,” he argued to The News. “We had four or five people in there last night. Even if you bump up against the wall, nothing falls on you. The walls are two feet thick.”

An advertising art director originally from Seattle, Horton said he and his two roommates cooked up the idea for the igloo at least two months ago, watched how-to videos online and waited for enough snow to fall.

“Unfortunately, your igloo, while very well constructed, has failed to meet our occupancy standards and has been removed from search results,” a rejection letter sent by Airbnb says.

“We had obviously never done it before, but we had fun with it, drank a couple beers,” he said.

They spent about four hours building a hard-packed pile about eight feet high on Saturday and then let it harden overnight, he said.

After another four hours spent digging out the interior Sunday and adding the finishing touches, they listed the cozy cave online.

Patrick H. Horton

The igloo was still standing Monday, he told The News, and he considered listing it on Craigslist.com.

“It was a joke, but we’re straddling the line between being satirical and serious,” he said Monday. “If someone wanted to pay $200, I would have done it. But I probably would have made fun of them.”

Horton claimed five people showed interest during the igloo’s brief window on Airbnb, but he lost the ability to contact them when the listing was deactivated.

“It was all disappeared,” he said with a laugh.

He admitted he doesn’t have igloo insurance.

“Even if it did fall, it wouldn’t kill you,” he said, mulling the idea of sleeping inside the structure himself Monday night. “Well, check back with me tomorrow.”

ndillon@nydailynews.com