I finally caved in and binge-watched Heated Rivalry over the weekend. The characters, the actors, the plot, and the soundtrack, all of it is still stuck in my head. I am fan-girling so hard that when I close my eyes, I can see Ilya’s sweet, dangerous, sinful smile and hear his Russian accent. Yes, I know it’s bad. But when I reached the final episode of the season, my attention was more on the cottage than on what was happening in the story.
The setting for Shane’s lakeside cottage in Canada is simply pristine, and I was swooning over the architecture. I kept imagining how amazing it would be to spend some time there. Fortunately, Airbnb wants to make that dream come true. The Barlochan Cottage, the Lake Muskoka home featured in Heated Rivalry, is now open to reservations on Airbnb for just $180 a night.
For those who still haven’t watched the hottest series, it is about hockey and a little bit of romance. The first season follows Canadian hockey captain Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and his on-ice nemesis, Russian captain Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie). What starts as a fierce professional rivalry soon evolves into a slow-burn, high-stakes romance that has the internet in a chokehold, including yours truly.
But for those who love romance and appreciate architecture, the last episode offered more than just the plot. The open-concept kitchen alone had me salivating for a tuna melt and enjoying ginger ale. You can go for a long swim in the lake, or perhaps reconcile with complicated feelings for your arch-rival. But I won’t dictate your itinerary. There should be no stupid Canadian wolf birds to scare you, but it helps if you have an accompanying Canadian hockey captain with you.
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Now, onto the cottage: It is a luxurious, modern home featuring almost 400 feet of private waterfront on Lake Muskoka. The three-bedroom cottage can accommodate six guests, should you prefer a friends or family getaway. Even your furry friends can join in as the Airbnb is pet-friendly. The amenities include a complete bathroom and laundry setup, an indoor fireplace, Wi-Fi, outdoor furniture, and a BBQ grill.
The main bedroom features an en-suite bathroom and electric curtains for a cozy night in. There is a state-of-the-art entertainment system for you to catch a hockey game or re-watch your favorite comfort movie or show.
The star of the show, for me, however, is the kitchen with full floor-to-ceiling glazing, bringing in amazing views of the surrounding forest and lake. The stone and wood interior adds the perfect balance to the rustic and modern styles. I am a fan of how much sunlight the interior gets during the day. It’s not just the kitchen that has ample glazing, but the entire house, making it a dream architecture for biophilic fans like me.
There is just one catch: Only a select number of guests can book the cottage for a weekend this summer. Four early access bookings are available (starting March 3) before the cottage opens for regular booking. These early stays are scheduled for the weekend of May 8-10, May 16-18, May 22-24, and May 29-31 in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada. Once the bookings are open, you can rent the Heated Rivalry cottage for CAD $248.10 (about $180) per night. I am uncertain what I am going to do if I don’t get the exclusive summer stays, but my bag is already packed.
