I paid $400 to stay in a hobbit home with no electricity or indoor bathroom near San Diego. It felt like a magical fairy tale — take a look inside.

I love unique lodgings, so I'm always on the lookout for one-of-a-kind places to stay. One of my favorite ways to find these accommodations is on Airbnb's OMG! category page, which shares quirky homes of all sorts, ranging from a large potato to a yellow submarine.

So when I found a hobbit house north of San Diego that was just a two-hour drive from where I live, I had to book it. 

As a massive fan of the movie, I've always wanted to visit Hobbiton in New Zealand, but haven't been able to make such a far trip. This seemed like the ideal stand-in for the time being.

From the Airbnb listing, I learned that the hobbit house was located behind the host's main home but promised a secluded getaway close to wildlife. There was an outdoor bathroom, and no electricity, Wi-Fi, or cell service, which made me a little hesitant. But I decided it would be a nice way to unplug for a short stay.

I also noticed that the Airbnb was often booked but had a rare opening right near my birthday. It felt like the perfect excuse to splurge on myself and live out my hobbit dream, and after all the fees, the total price for a one-night stay was $412.

The Airbnb is located about 35 miles north of San Diego, tucked away in the Toft's backyard in a hilly, residential area.

The Tofts told me they originally wanted to build a guest house on the property, but couldn't find a flat spot. So they instead decided to build underground into one of the hills behind their home. That's when they got the idea to make it a hobbit house.

As fans of "The Lord of the Rings," they knew hobbit homes are built into the earth on a hillside and decided to go all out with thematic decor and details. When they were done, they determined it was so special, they wanted to list it on Airbnb when it wasn't in use by friends. 

Roy met me in front of the main house where he and his wife live and showed me how to get to the hobbit house, and how everything worked. 

The listing states that the walk from the host's home to the hobbit house is 250 feet. I didn't measure the path, but I thought it felt far enough away to feel secluded in nature. 

When I've seen movies like "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings," the Hobbiton in Middle Earth is always shown as lush and green.

While the plants are certainly different in Southern California than where the movies filmed in New Zealand, I thought there was enough greenery around to feel like I was in the California version of The Shire.

Once I reached the house, I lost my cellular signal. My host told me that guests can walk back up near the main house to get a signal if they need one.

Right away, I was impressed by so many details that reminded me of the movies based on the J.R.R. Tolkien novels.

For example, I thought the heavy front door was on-theme as hobbit houses should have a round door. I also thought the curving metal latch made it seem medieval.

And right next to the door, I spotted a sign reading, "Bilbo Baggins."

I thought the house felt cozy as it was comprised of just one room. If I had to guess, I'd say was roughly 150 square feet in size.

I loved that the space incorporated so many natural materials, from the rock wall to the wood ceiling and wooden furniture. Even the comforter was nature-themed, adorned with the birds and trees. All these details made it seem even more whimsical to me.

Clean towels were provided for two guests, and the cheese and Lindt chocolate truffles were a nice treat and welcome surprise. 

Next to the bed was a closet, and a cabinet stocked with plates, mugs, and utensils. On top of the cabinet the hosts also provided tea bags, coffee, and a French press. 

With no electricity, there was no refrigerator, but I was given a Yeti cooler to store and keep things cool for a few hours. However, since I didn't request a block of ice ahead of time, the hosts did not have any for me to use.

The house came with private outdoor space arranged with different types of seating from sun loungers to benches.

I couldn't see the main house from here and felt like I was completely alone in nature. I definitely enjoyed hanging out on the patio and taking in the fresh air. 

This area was also where I was given the use of an outdoor grill that seemed to have all the tools and utensils I would need to cook simple things. There was also a sink near the grill to make cleaning up easier.

Behind the home to the right was where I found the outdoor bathroom with a flushing toilet and hot water shower.

Having the toilet outside the house is certainly not convenient. I had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night and it required putting on my shoes and jacket and opening the heavy door. But I was thankful for the flushing toilet and bidet, which I thought was a step up from most camping situations I've experienced.

The shower has hot water, but since it was outdoors, the air was cold, and I was only staying one night, I skipped it.  

The host called this area a living roof, which is basically a roof covered with soil and plants as a result of being built directly into the earth.

I hadn't heard of this term before staying there. I Googled it later on and learned that it's said to help provide insulation on top of looking cool.

Here, it also functioned as a deck that was accessible by climbing steps built out of rocks. 

The host told me that he and his friends also made the chairs and tables on the roof, and I thought they looked really cool. 

I was surprised that the chairs were pretty comfortable to sit on too, since they looked like they were made from tree branches. The table was crafted from what appeared to be the remains of a tree trunk.

As I explored the home, I found tiny details that paid homage to the books and movies.

I saw quotes from "The Hobbit" carved on tree trunks displayed inside the house, like the famous greeting from the book, "The Hobbit," which read, "May the hair on your toes never fall out."

I also saw a drawing of a hobbit on the wall, though I'm not quite sure if it was meant to be the characters Frodo or Bilbo.

It had been a while since I read or watched "The Hobbit" or "The Lord of the Rings," so it was fun finding these details and remembering particular scenes from the stories, especially since I didn't have much else to do without Wi-Fi.

Related books were also stacked on the desk, including an illustrated version of "The Hobbit" that I had never seen before, and I enjoyed perusing the colorful illustrations. 

As someone who grew up in the tropical country of Indonesia and then moved to Southern California, I've never had to use a stove or fireplace before.

It took me a while to figure out how to properly turn the stove on, but I eventually did and thought it made the room feel warm. I sat in the rocking chair that faced it and appreciated my handiwork, wishing I brought some ale to drink out of one of the provided metal mugs.

I later went to bed, grabbing the blanket from the rocking chair for extra warmth. 

At some point in the night, the stove ran out of firewood and turned off. When I woke up in the early morning, it felt quite chilly and I didn't want to get out from under my blanket to restart it.

In warmer weather, I certainly wouldn't have to worry about being cold, but if I were to return in the winter, I'd pack a hot water pouch to sleep with since I'm prone to feeling cold. 

I didn't cook dinner but I did use a provided pot to boil water over the propane stove and make my tea.

I stopped by one of my favorite patisseries on the way to the Airbnb, and enjoyed my cake and tea on the desk, taking in the view outside the window.

When I had to use the bathroom at night, I was glad to have flashlights. There were also battery-operated camp lanterns that were useful for lighting up a larger area. 

I was also given a portable power station with different types of USB ports. The hosts recharge it in between guests, and I used it to charge my phone once.

Without electricity, there were no regular lights inside.

Instead, there were battery-powered candles on the walls, which, together with the lantern and flashlight, were the only lighting in the home.

I liked the candles the best. They were not very bright, but I thought they made the space feel cozy and magical. I also appreciated that the candles were operated using a remote, which made it easy to turn them off after I got into bed.

I loved how the hosts draped twinkling lights on vines that hung over the entrance. These lights were solar powered, and automatically turned on when it got dark.

Other than critters I heard outside, it was very quiet at night and in the morning. I never saw a single person around, not even the hosts.

The Airbnb owners emphasized on their listing that staying here is a glamping experience, but I felt it was so much more than that. Without electricity, Wi-Fi, or even a cell signal, this was a place where I was really able to disconnect. I could've walked to the main house to check my phone, but I decided not to. I loved all the charming touches within the hobbit house, and found the surrounding area to be serene and beautiful.

At $412 for one night, it wasn't cheap. But I thought it was unique, magical, and memorable, and the next best thing to visiting Hobbiton in New Zealand.