Adelaide Airbnb hosts hoping to capitalise on 2024 AFL Gather Round by listing properties for the extended weekend

It’s slim pickings if you’re yet to book Gather Round accommodation unless you’re willing to pay $10k plus. See inside some of Adelaide’s cheapest Airbnbs.

Visitors for this year’s Gather Round face paying five figures for four nights at top end Airbnb accommodation for the festival of football – and are some charging a $1000-plus premium for the weekend.

At the start of the month 23 properties were listed at more than $10,000 for guests arriving Thursday, April 4 and checking out Monday, April 8, while another 17 had asking prices in the high four figures.

Industry figures show hotel occupancy booking rates over Gather Round are currently between 69 per cent for Thursday night and 82 per cent on Friday and Saturday nights.

Expensive Airbnb properties in Adelaide for Gather Round. Pictures: Airbnb

This is double for the same time last year, when the event was not on, the data shows.

The most expensive listings on the global holiday rental giant are spread from Angaston where a three bedroom homestead was listed for $12,980 to Aldinga Beach where a seven bed house was advertised at $9257.

The prices, style and size of the homes in the mix vary as wildly as the characters in the AFL teams.

Top price is for a palatial six bedroom Hawthorndene spread with pool, tennis court, indoor squash court and full size billiard table. It had been advertised in February for $23,960 but has dropped to $21,280.

A tad less palatial was a “stylish” two bedroom city apartment listed for $11,646.

The palatial Hawthorndene home on Airbnb. Picture: Airbnb

The “stylish” two bedroom Adelaide CBD apartment on Airbnb. Picture: Airbnb

On the coast visitors can pay $9358 for a “room in Grange, stay with Emily,” where “you’ll share parts of the home with other guests”.

There is also a beachside three bedroom home at Somerton Park for $8151 which is “kid and pet friendly,” a four bedroom home in the same suburb for $8038, or bring the team and stay at a home sleeping 16 at North Brighton for $17,483.

While some had the same price for all three extended weekends, others had an addition of more than $1000 in what appears to be a bid to cash in on football fans.

At the start of the month a three bedroom North Haven town house was available for $15,959 for Gather Round or for $14,474 the following Thursday to Monday, a four bedroom Allenby Gardens home for $14,323, or for $13,275 the following four-night weekend, while a four bedroom West Beach house listed for $18,103 drops to $16,777.

However the North Haven site has since dropped to $11,239, while the Allenby Gardens and West Beach properties are no longer listed.

North Haven home with a view on Airbnb for Gather Round. Picture: Airbnb

Four bedroom West Beach home on Airbnb. Picture: Airbnb

Allenby Gardens Airbnb advertised for Gather Round. Picture: Airbnb

Bucking the premium trend is a four bedroom, three bathroom home with pool at Glenelg advertised as being reduced from $8609 to $7635.

Country Manager for Airbnb Australia and New Zealand Susan Wheeldon said pricing of listings was determined by individual hosts.

“Big events like the Gather Round and LIV Golf attract tens of thousands of fans to not only get a piece of the action but to also see more of what a city or state has to offer,” she said.

“Airbnb hosts help cater for this increased demand by providing a range of accommodation options in both the city and regional areas allowing people to experience places like a local while ensuring the benefits generated go to local families, cafes and restaurants in the community.

“The pricing of listings is determined by individual hosts and periods of high demand can drive price increases across all forms of accommodation including hotels, not just short-term rentals.

“The same is usually true for other travel services such as airfares and car rentals. That’s why during peak periods, we encourage people to book ahead to nab the best possible price.”

Glenelg venue on Airbnb at a reduced price of $7635 for Gather Round. Picture: Airbnb

The Simpsons bedroom on Airbnb near the Central Markets. Picture: Airbnb

For something different there is a Simpsons king bed room for $954, near the Central Market, which boasts: “This private room is inspired by the Simpsons. Designed to keep you and your family entertained during your stay in Adelaide”.

With the whole “family” apparently sleeping in the one bed. Possibly having nightmares.

At the cheaper end there is a “female” room at Plympton for $191, a room at Brooklyn Park with the main display photo showing a kitchen full of dirty dishes for $213, rooms at Mawson Lakes ($208) and Northfield ($273) plus for the mobile minded, a 1978 campervan for $222.

Plympton “female” room on Airbnb. Picture: Supplied

Display photo of a Brooklyn Park property on Airbnb. Picture: Airbnb

Campervan advertised on Airbnb for Gather Round long weekend for $222. Picture: Airbnb

Australian Hotels Association SA chief executive officer, Anna Moeller, said there was “no question” that tourists booking through Airbnb contributed towards a 20 to 30 per cent hotel vacancy rate.

“Forward bookings are strong but there are still bed nights available and that is obviously because Airbnb is a competitor in the hotel accommodation market,” she said.

Tourism Minister Zoe Bettison said Airbnb was a private market and the state government did not set prices.

“It’s fantastic to see hotels, caravan parks and all other accommodation offerings in high demand as thousands of visitors book in for Gather Round,” she said.

“Every dollar an interstate visitor spends here is a boost to the South Australian economy. “All types of accommodation, including hotels, regularly adjust their prices based on demand.”

Tourism Industry Council South Australia chief executive officer, Shaun de Bruyn, said demand was strong from the “hottest ticket in town”.

“The inaugural AFL Gather round was an unbelievable success and is shaping up to be even better this year,” he said.

“Through the government’s investment we have seen Adelaide become arguably the hottest spot in the country to watch AFL Footy outside of the grand final weekend.”

If you think Gather Round’s top end Airbnb venues are a little pricey, research by BestBrokers found The Riverbend House in Aspen, Colorado ranks as the most expensive Airbnb in the United States.

This luxurious villa commands a staggering $55,729 per night.

“A week-long July stay totals $390,100 – more than the US national median home price and the amount the average American earns in seven years working full-time,” BestBrokers say.