On Sunday, September 13, Will Smith (Bad Boys, Men in Black) and DJ Jazzy Jeff (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air) dangled a coveted set of keys while posing outside the iconic Fresh Prince of Bel-Air mansion on the star’s Instagram. “YOOOO!!” Smith enthusiastically greeted his Instagram followers “y’all think we should rent out the @freshprince house??” The announcement continued that, in honor of the sitcom’s 30th anniversary, Smith has collaborated with the rental app Airbnb to invite select fans for an overnight stay in his character Will’s private wing for $30 a night.
Variety reports that September 29 is the date for Los Angeles-based Fresh Prince fans to mark on their calendars, as the limited overnight slots at the mansion become available for booking that morning. This Bel-Airbnb experience is restricted to two Angelinos per overnight, with proof-of-residence in the same household required in order to comply to the app’s COVID-19 policies. For the lucky fans who meet these requirements, the dates available to chill and max out in Will’s private wing of the manor are October 2, 5, 8, 11 and 14.
While The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was shot on sets in a studio environment, the Brentwood manor famously served as the exterior of the Banks household, notably featured in the show’s catchy opening theme. The current homeowners have agreed to relinquish a wing to the Fresh Prince celebration and this area has been transformed into the ultimate 90s pad. Will Smith, the character, provides a quippy tour of all this Airbnb stay has to offer on the site’s official listing. Guests to “The Freshest Mansion Around” will stay in master bedroom decked out with graffiti art, Smith’s wardrobe, Jazzy Jeff records, a basketball hoop and, of course, the prince’s personal throne, via Airbnb.
The Fresh Prince experience doesn’t stop at atmosphere, lucky guests will get the full Will Smith treatment that honors his humble West Philadelphia origins. Cheesesteak dinner will be served on silver platters and can be enjoyed poolside, for guests who plan on taking a dip in the manor’s luxurious pool. Airbnb will be making a one time donation to the Boys & Girls Club of Philadelphia in honor of the show’s anniversary celebration, via Variety.
With a limit of 2 guests per stay, over a 5 night period, the extremely limited nature of this one-of-a-kind Airbnb event will only be available to 10 LA-based Fresh Prince fans. However, for those outside LA still seeking an involved Fresh Prince experience, DJ Jazzy Jeff will offer virtual DJ-ing lessons to fans on October 1. According to Variety, this expert DJ class can likewise be booked through Airbnb for $100, with no location-based restrictions.
In addition to these Airbnb offers, 2020 has brought plenty of exciting news for Fresh Prince of Bel-Air fans to look forward to on-screen. An unscripted reunion special has been slated for HBO Max this November, with first-look photos of the reunion being shared by actors on social media. DJ Jazzy Jeff tweeted handful of behind-the-scenes moments, delighted to be reunited on set with his “TV family” for the first time in 30 years. Furthermore, Deadline announced an hour-long dramatic reboot of the comedy titled Bel-Air in development for NBC’s streaming service Peacock.