What looks like a desert dream might become a digital nightmare if you’re not reading the fine print.
A sleek, glass-wrapped mansion in the middle of California’s desert may look like a dream getaway, but for one Airbnb guest, the viral “Invisible House” in Joshua Tree turned into an unexpectedly expensive nightmare.
TikToker Sean Davis (@seanmdavis) shared his cautionary tale in a now-viral video — which has amassed over 1.3 million views — claiming he was “shaken down” for $10,000 after taking a selfie outside the $2,400 per night rental.
The mirrored, Instagram-famous home has been featured on Netflix’s The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals and has drawn visits from celebrities like Demi Lovato, Lizzo and Diplo.
Designed to blend into its surroundings with a mirrored facade, the 5,500-square-foot Invisible House was built by film producers Chris and Roberta Hanley on 90 breathtaking acres — comprising the largest privately-owned parcel of land abutting Joshua Tree National Park.
While it’s undeniably eye-catching — a 5,500 sq. ft. reflective monolith with a 100-foot indoor solar pool and “smart” features aimed at a carbon footprint of near-zero.
But Davis warned fellow travelers, “Looks cool, but is a complete nightmare.”
Davis rented the property for what he thought would be a simple photoshoot, only to find out after the fact that photography came with an unlisted price tag.
According to him, a friend’s girlfriend took a selfie in the bathroom, tagged a brand on Instagram, and that post was later reshared — triggering a clause in the rental agreement and a hefty fine.
“We didn’t actually shoot any brand content in the house,” he clarified in a follow-up post. “We shot outside, but they had an issue with a selfie.”
He also complained that despite the high price and seemingly serene setting, sleeping at the house is a terrible experience.
“You can’t see out of the house at night but can see in perfectly … worst part is it cracks like a skyscraper all night and is so loud.”
While Davis expressed shock over the surprise fee and his terrible time, some commenters were less sympathetic.
“My uncle has an Airbnb, and the daily rate is $1,000, but brand shoots are $10k. Seems pretty standard,” one person noted.
Others echoed that commercial photography often carries separate fees: “As someone who used to run a property with frequent filming, that’s about right. It’s industry standard to pay for locations for commercial advertising use. Welcome to the industry! No one makes this same mistake twice!”
Seems like the real invisible part was the fine print.
