Beatles-themed Airbnb draws visitors to rural Alamance County

A house bought on a whim in rural Saxapahaw now boasts an unexpected feature for this agricultural landscape — a submarine.

Along a tucked-away country road, a Beatles-esque behemoth rises from a sea of green. OK, it’s actually just grass. And in the middle, sits an eye-catching lifeboat retrofitted to depict the band's iconic Yellow Submarine. 

This Beatles-esque behemoth is like a 3D billboard advertising one of Alamance County’s more unusual businesses: an Airbnb with a '60s twist.

This sub doesn’t transport anyone physically, but if you’re looking for a trip through time, you’ve come to the right place.

It’s all the idea of Cary transplant Kathy Hansinger, who bought the property on a whim.

"I saw this and it was pretty much a blank slate, it was all beige, and I said, 'Well, do something with this," she said. "Then it slowly evolved into The Fab Four House.”

The Beatles-inspired homestay has hosted guests from around the world. Complete with a mid-century modern interior, each piece of furniture and decor has been handpicked at thrift stores and yard sales. The home boasts four bedrooms individually themed for John, Paul, George and Ringo. 

To complete the look, she hauled in a surplus submarine that’s land-docked next to the house. The ‘submarine’ is actually an enclosed Navy lifeboat around the size of an airstream trailer that she, of course, painted yellow.

“I wanted to give off what people say are good vibes," she said. "That might sound like a '70s thing, but it gives off good vibes. People come here, families come here, and they say it just feels like home when you walk in."

No matter why people visit, Hansinger says she hopes to provide a peaceful rest for her guests in this musical oasis in rural Alamance County.