LOOK: Quaint Church Lands on List of Best Airbnbs in Louisiana

St. Martinville, LA (KPEL News) - People visit south Louisiana for a plethora of reasons. We lure them in with our variety of accents, have them craving the best food on the planet, and seal the deal with the opportunity to see some of the most unique topography in the country. They can take in the sights and sounds of the Atchafalaya Basin and find accommodations that are as unique as our culture.

Lafayette is known as "the hub city" of the Acadiana area, but that's only one of the cities you'll want to visit when you're there. A contributor to Road Affair listed the best Airbnbs in Louisiana. About half of her selections are situated within an easy drive to Lafayette: New Iberia, Breaux Bridge, and St. Martinville. The compilation includes only rentals available from superhosts. Airbnb superhosts, the author says:

... have a proven track record of providing exceptional hospitality and well-rated accommodations.

Louisiana has some fantastic and quirky Airbnbs, and you can find details on others at the end of this article Each one has a quirky character and welcoming amenities. Several can be described as quaint.

Airbnb has become one of the most popular sites for owners to offer their space for short-term rentals. Typically, would-be guests book and interact directly with the property owner. The site is easy to use and makes it easy to communicate with the person who owns the room, apartment, or house.

One such quaint offering sits in St. Martinville, not far from the banks of the Bayou Teche. St. Martinville's proximity to Lafayette makes it a great location to both relax and enjoy the food and fun the entire area has to offer.

THE CHURCH IN ST. MARTINVILLE

For eight years, a superhost identified on Airbnb as R has been renting a church-turned-cabin. The pictures show that it offers a cozy charm, and visitors will have a great story to tell after they've spent a night or more inside the century-plus-old accommodations.

From the outside, it appears to be simply a church, complete with stained glass windows. The owner's description is simple:

My home is a Church, built in 1904, located in the heart of Cajun Country.

When you step inside, the wood has been beautifully restored and the interior beckons to you to rest a while. The listing notes that there are two bedrooms, each with a queen bed. The first bed is in the open downstairs living and kitchen combo area.

The second bedroom appears to be upstairs. The church/house has one-and-a-half bathrooms.

Makes you wonder if the upstairs loft was once for the choir. One of the bathroom is in the white square space in the corner. Nifty!

The open floorplan allows you to do everything you need without having to go very far. If you look carefully at the photos, you'll see that the owner likely used pieces from the previous church in the decorations including pew benches and spindles from what may have been an altar. Whether they are original to the building or not, they certainly add just the right touch to underscore the fact that it was once a church.

The stained glass windows surrounding the space remind you that you are staying in a unique place with lots of history. You could use it as your home base and go in search of other historic places in the south Louisiana area.

The place rents for less than $100 per night, so it's incredibly affordable for anyone who wants to get away from the hustle and bustle for a bit. If you decide to stay at the church in St. Martinville, please let us know what you think.