Meet Angelo Mastropietro, a modern-day caveman who lives a life that’s anything but primitive. The 38-year-old Worcestershire native transformed a 700-year-old cave, hand-carved from 250-million-year-old Triassic sandstone, into his luxury dream home, the Rockhouse Retreat. Located near the historic English riverside town of Bewdley, the cozy cave dwelling boasts panoramic rural views as well as all the trappings of comfortable contemporary living (including Wi-Fi), and is even available for rent as a romantic getaway on Airbnb.
Surrounded by three acres of woodland, the cave was hand carved over 700 years ago with axe picks. The cave was abandoned in 1962, but it piqued the interest of Angelo Mastropietro, a former businessman who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2007. “I had a lapse that left me paralyzed essentially, which was really the catalyst to make me review where I was at, where I was going, and obviously my lifestyle,” said Mastropietro in an interview with Barcroft TV.
Starting in January 2015, Mastropietro made the restoration and renovation of the abandoned cave his next passion. He spent over £160,000 ($230,000) and did much of the work himself. He completed the 62-square-meter home in September 2015. He says he excavated approximately 70 to 80 tons of rubble by hand, which helped create the 100-square-meter outdoor terrace.
The Mastropietro’s luxury cave home includes a bevy of modern features, including underfloor radiant heating, a fully equipped kitchen with an electric range, a rainforest-like shower, fire pit, LED mood lighting, and Wi-Fi. All of the fresh running water is sourced on-site from an 18-meter-deep borehole that Mastropietro dug himself. Mastropietro doesn’t currently live in his cave dwelling full-time—though he has aspirations to in the future—and has, in the meantime, opened the Rockhouse Retreat up to visitors, who can rent “Britain’s first luxury cave house” for $286 per night on Airbnb.
