In a celestial spectacle that will turn eyes towards the heavens, Monday’s solar eclipse has transformed Indianapolis into a bustling hub of anticipation.
With the rare phenomenon set to cast its minutes-long shadow over the city in the path of totality, Indianapolis isn’t just preparing for a natural event — it’s shutting down entirely to accommodate the influx of eager eclipse-watchers.
One unsuspecting Airbnb host, Isida Malko, found herself at the epicenter of this frenzy when her rental listing was snapped up a whopping six months in advance — a timeline that even surprised her.
“I usually have a six-month opening. So as soon as the date opened, it was immediate, it was basically the same day,” Malko said.
The reason? The solar eclipse, indeed.
Guests, hailing from as far as Washington DC, are flocking to Indianapolis for what promises to be a dazzling weekend of astronomical wonder.
Malko’s guests are making the most out of their trip, arriving well in advance and staying until Tuesday to soak up all the additional events that have sprouted up and to avoid all of the traffic.
The demand is so intense that some prospective guests have attempted to sweeten the pot, offering Malko more money for a stay in a bidding-war scenario. But Malko remains steadfast, refusing to cancel existing reservations for the sake of a higher bid.
“My guests are coming from afar and they have a whole weekend plan, I will not cancel their reservation for more money — they’re looking forward to it,” Malko said, adding, “I did not double the price per se, and it’s perfectly fine to me because at the end of the day, they’re staying a lot longer than just a day or two.”
Known as the Midtown Haven, located in the heart of the city, Malko’s listing offers three bedrooms and two full bathrooms, an office space and a large sitting area. There is also a woodburning fireplace and the Monon Trail is nearby for hiking — all offered at a relative bargain $274 a night, including cleaning and service fees. Many American eclipse-seekers are paying much more, in the thousands, for their experiences.
Meanwhile, Malko is still set to make a hefty profit from another Airbnb she only lists for very special events — like the solar eclipse.
Listed at a whopping $3,000 a night, the Dungeon Castle was once a church transformed into a three-level condo with three expansive bedrooms and three full bathrooms.
“We only rent this out for events like the eclipse or Indy 500. Something that a lot of people come out to and experience,” Malko said, adding that despite the price, the condo’s promise to show unparalleled views of the eclipse “booked really quickly.”
“It is a great opportunity to give the local individuals that live here the opportunity to actually experience this with a lifetime phenomenon,” Malko remarked. “Businesses, especially the local government, have taken that into consideration and have decided to shut down the the city for the day so everybody can experience it.”
Malko, who relocated to Indianapolis in 2011, also has some fun lined up. She’s planning her own special event, a cookout with friends, to mark the occasion.
“I’m already afraid,” Malko said. “We are wanting the weather to be very clear. And we keep watching the weather. As of right now, it says it will be a bit cloudy. So we’re hoping that the weather stays clear.”
As the countdown to the show begins, Indianapolis finds itself at the center of a celestial craze, with Airbnb witnessing an unprecedented surge in demand along the eclipse’s path.
With the promise of up to 268 seconds of day turned to night, this event is capturing the imagination of people from Mexico through the US and into eastern Canada.
In the US alone, Airbnb is reporting nearly 90% occupancy along the path of totality, with one out of every four guests booking a stay specifically along the eclipse’s trajectory.