Gustave Eiffel famously put a small, secret apartment inside the 984-foot tower he built, for those moments when he wanted to really lord it over the city. (Only the lucky few had access—Thomas Edison was one such VIP.) If you've ever dreamed of following in Eiffel's footsteps, HomeAway has outfitted a 2,000-square-foot apartment (not Gustave's) inside the first floor of the Eiffel Tower, which four lucky contestant winners now have access to, for one night each.
The apartment—fully functional, with a kitchen, two bedrooms, urban greenhouse, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a lounging area—can fit several people and was transformed from a conference space by French interior designer Benoit Leleu in just 48 hours. To win this envy-inducing experience, the winners had to submit a creative answer to HomeAway's question: "What would you do if the Eiffel Tower was all yours for a night?" Each winner, in Paris just in time for the Euro 2016 soccer championships, gets three free additional nights in HomeAway rentals across the city's arrondissements and can bring up to five guests with them.
More than 75,000 Americans alone applied for an overnight in the apartment, so if you didn't win, you're not alone—and there's also still hope. Starting July 2, the apartment will host a romantic party overlooking the city to a select group of winners to celebrate love (think: proposals, vow renewals, and more). To enter and win a three-night stay in Paris, apply on the HomeAway sweepstakes page.
This article was originally published in May 2016. It has been updated with new information.
