Last year, Wicked Part 1 transported us to Shiz University, whose hallowed halls and fine draped walls filled our screens with the magic of wizard university. But (spoiler alert) that magic was dispelled when Elphaba discovered the Wizard was a phoney at the end of part one.
As a long-time Wicked fan, I was naturally left reeling for more movie magic over the past year — yes, even after watching the film every time I had an ounce of a feeling. So when I learned that Airbnb were launching a Wicked experience, I dropped everything I was doing and jumped on my broom to California.
To rejoicify the release of Wicked: For Good on 21st November, Airbnb and Universal have collaborated to invite fans to their choice of a stay or an experience (hosted by Cynthia Erivo herself) at Elphaba’s Retreat.
A once in a lifetime glimpse into the inner world of the character and how Erivo brought her to life, Elphaba’s Retreat is a recreation of her sanctuary away from the Emerald City during For Good. "Elphaba taught me that our differences are what makes us powerful,” says Cynthia. “Her story transformed me, and I can’t wait to share that journey with you.”
And wonderfully different the retreat is. For those who missed a glimpse in the trailer, here’s a hint: it’s not Ozmopolitan. No surprises here, but Elphaba has chosen to hide far away from the hostile powers of Shiz and the Emerald City. She really means what she says in Defying Gravity; it’s towards the Western (coast) skies.
Nestled in the Ozian forest — or, IRL, a 25,000 hectare farm located in Thousand Oaks, an hour outside of Los Angeles — her hideaway is formed of twisted tree branches that make it almost indistinguishable from the surrounding flora.
If it weren’t for the orange poppies that guard the entrance there are no clues she’s hiding out there, so immersed is it in nature.
But when I walked in, I was immediately whisked into Elphaba’s state of mind entering Part 2: Scorned, used, and determined to fight for justice from the Wizard’s misdeeds. In the middle of the room is a burning fire, with a teapot dangling above it, and a chair and footstool that holds the sacred Grimmerie (a real prop from the film).
Behind it hangs her broom, and a separate room with a moss-covered four-poster bed that looks out onto the starry forest sky.
Of course, Elphaba has a deep connection with nature, so the entire Retreat is covered in so many flowers, tinctures, books, and potions that it’s not hard to imagine her pacing the room with a fresh brew as she studies spells and devises a plan.
I even got to see where Elphaba had furiously stabbed a poster that said ‘Run if you spot the Wicked witch’ through a tree branch on her evidence board. Scattered with maps and newspaper clippings from the outside world, the board shows everything Elphaba used to take down the Emerald City from the top down.
If that wasn’t enough to encouragerise die-hard fans to sign up for the Wicked experience, best of all, next to the doorway hangs her black pointed hat — you guessed it, one really worn by Cynthia.
Being inside such a magical recreation of the set and being able to see real props from the film meant I left feeling like I’d had the chance to take an intimate glimpse inside Elphaba’s mindset, and the enchanting props that helped Erivo bring the character to life.
About the experience
If you can’t get enough of Wicked, good news! You can now book a stay at the retreat via the Airbnb website — and it’s completely free (you’ll have to pay for flights to and from LA). Submissions are open until 3pm on 13th November, so make sure you get in there quickly because only up to 20 lucky guests will get the chance to visit the retreat, hosted by Cynthia Erivo herself.
On 3rd December, Erivo will welcome guests into the experience, where you’ll join her and tea sommelier Michael Graney for a Wicked-themed tea ritual around Elphaba’s fireplace. As you pick Erivo’s brain about her bond with Elphaba and the magic of Wicked, you’ll also be given a basket to forage dried flowers from around the lair, before being led in a broom weaving class by floral designer and artist D’Ara Nazaryan.
How can I stay there?
Can’t make it to the experience? Don’t worry, because two guests will also be selected for an overnight stay at the Retreat. Immersing yourself in the nature surrounding the sanctuary, you’ll be able to sleep in Elphaba’s bed beneath the stars on the night of 6 December.
Bookings are open here until 3pm on 20 November. The stay, which features ‘immersive rituals, creative keepsakes, and thoughtful forest-inspired bites’ is totally free, although you’ll have to cover flights to and from LA.
But Wicked fans won’t want to miss it — it will change your life for good.
Honey is the Senior Sex and Relationships E-commerce Writer for Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health and Men’s Health. She covers shopping guides and reviews of the best sex toys; deals events — including Amazon Prime Day and Black Friday; and sex, dating, and LGBTQ+ trends.
Her journalism career started in 2020 when she started Sextras, a podcast and digital magazine about sex and relationships. Find Sextras on Spotify or Substack, where she writes and chats about everything from positive masculinity and how to practise sex magic, to why the latest kink or porn category is blowing up.
She has an MA in Magazine Journalism from City, University of London, and previously reported for HR magazine. Her features also appear in Glamour, Refinery29, The Independent, and more.
When she's not asking everyone she meets invasive questions about their sex and dating lives, you'll find Honey singing around her flat, teaching herself a new craft, or working her way through a new '90s/'00s box set with her flatmate.
