NYC's FAO Schwarz Toy Store To Be Airbnb Host

New York City's famous FAO Schwartz store will be listed on Airbnb for someone to stay in for a night on Dec. 21 this year, Radio.com reports.

The booking will only be available for one New York City family of four, all living under the same roof, for just $25 plus taxes.

The host, according to Radio.com, will be a "real FAO Schwartz toy soldier" who will give guests a private tour of the building, which is a two-story 20,000-square-foot toy store, with the appropriate COVID-19 social distancing and cleanliness standards in place.

In addition, the stay will include a "fancy feast" at FAO Schweetz, a music lesson on the giant dance-on piano at the store that had become an icon in years gone by, which Tom Hanks used in the movie "Big," a Build-a-Bear workshop session, a science experiment described as "immersive" and an opportunity to build a remote-controlled car and race it through the store's halls.

For sleeping options, the store boasts a giant sleigh bed and bunk beds with a slide, and Radio.com reports that the family will also get to "go on a shopping spree" at the store, courtesy of Airbnb.

Airbnb has had a rocky go of it during the COVID-19 pandemic, having to adapt to the new conditions in which travel was discouraged. In August, the company implemented a ban on large parties, setting an occupancy limit of 16 people globally, set to remain in effect indefinitely. The company said unauthorized parties have always been banned at its locations, with almost three-quarters of global properties already banning them. Last year the company launched a 24/7 hotline in which U.S. and Canadian users could report larger gatherings.

Airbnb, readying for its initial public offering (IPO), saw shares soaring over 110 percent from the IPO price of $68, finishing the day Dec. 10 at $144.71. CEO Brian Chesky said he was thinking of the ways customers are changing their trips to accommodate COVID precautions. While customers who have the means to travel have been enjoying Airbnb during the pandemic, a vaccine and a shift back toward pre-pandemic normal could change things.

Interested parties can book the site starting Dec. 15 at airbnb.com/happyholidays.