Go Glamping is the leading luxury camping directory where you will find yurts, tipis, safari tents, airstream caravans and more.
Glamping is basically a mesh of Glamour and Camping and offers a very green, low carbon footprint alternative to hotels. What a fantastic concept! You are able to blend the best things about hotels, luxury and glamour and enjoy nature without all the unnecessary guilt that you’re wracking up your carbon footprints.
We are going to explore a few venues in various continents but this is really a small glimpse at the options available. Be sure to check out Go Glamping for an abundance of destinations.
United Kingdom
Cornwall: Ekopod
Ekopod in Cornwall serve up a refreshing take on luxury camping with their stylish geodesic tent complete with private kitchen and bathroom. Furnished with chic modern classics, the pods, as they are known, feature large clear windows in the front to frame the open countryside and unpolluted clear night sky. There are also adjacent en-suite bathroom and kitchen tents offering the best in luxury camping kit for the exclusive use of each pod. The pods are perched on the edge of Bodmin Moor in 3 acres of wild flower meadow directly above the Old Vicarage in St Clether, between Camelford and Launceston.
East Devon: Higher Manor Farm
For romantic couples wanting to relax and enjoy the unspoilt countryside at any time of year, this genuine shepherd’s hut is situated in the top field of Higher Manor Farm. Secluded in its own paddock with views over mares, foals and lambs, the hut has only one ‘neighbour’, the yurt, a good distance away, which may also be rented independently or together with the shepherd’s hut. Access is via a little woodland path, 50 yards from the farm entrance, a gentle stroll up a tiny lane, so you have no pollution or noise from any vehicles. The hut has a separate shower unit with loo and washbasin nearby, just a short stroll away and lit by solar lights at night. The owners are happy to get shopping in with ample notice and free range eggs are on the house, hens permitting of course! Although technically a few hundred yards into East Devon, the farm is situated only 5 minutes in the car from Lyme Regis in Dorset and the Jurassic coast, a World Heritage site.
Africa
Cape Town: Grand Daddy Hotel
Uniquely set on the rooftop of the Grand Daddy Hotel in Cape Town, the Airstream Penthouse Park is a collection of vintage Airstream trailers personally sourced in the USA. Lovingly revamped by a group of local artists, each of the seven trailers has been given a new lease of life through playful, eccentric and dazzling décor. Each Airstream is enclosed by a neat garden complete with US Postal Service mailboxes. All of the Airstreams are air-conditioned, incredibly well-insulated, have hot and cold running water, flushing toilets and showers. The communal areas include a comfy tented sky bar with generous couches and heaters to keep you warm during winter. The trailers are connected by a series of timber walkways and indigenous gardens. There is also a fully equipped open-air cinema, ideal for screening corporate videos or family movies.
Tanzania: Serengeti Migration Camp
A perfect example of old-world style mixed with contemporary luxury, the Serengeti Migration Camp is a collection of twenty spacious elevated safari tents each with hard-wood floors, rain showers and lavish furnishings. The camp is located at the starting point of one of the world’s natural travel wonders: the Serengeti, host to the largest overland mammal migration. Each of the luxurious tents are surrounded by private decked verandahs with rocking chairs from where guests can enjoy a 180 degree view of the Serengeti. Fully furnished, the tents are equipped with either king or twin beds, comfortable leather armchairs, coffee and writing tables, en-suite with showers and double vanities. Guest can enjoy romantic dining in the privacy of their own tent or in the camp restaurant overlooking the Grumeti River, where inventive dishes are served using locally sourced produce whenever possible.
Americas
Ontario: WildExodus Glamorous Camping
Open from May to November each year, Glamorous Camping by WildExodus is a rich and natural eco-tourism experience in the Boreal Forest, the wilderness region of Ontario. This luxury campsite is a genuine, nature-based, cultural and learning experience; wilderness exploration espousing to the principals of responsible travel and eco-tourism. The adventure is infused with natural history and laced with potent memories. A premier quality tourism product, it is uniquely identifiable and offers a high level of service. Rekindling of kinships; harmony with the elements of nature and a strengthening of bonds with those in your company is what can be expected from this experience.
California: Rosa Muerta
The brainchild of Robert Stone, a former punk rocker turned architect, Rosa Muerta is a unique open-air dwelling offering you the chance to re-frame and re-create your own world, if only for a weekend. This minimalist structure is made from concrete blocks and has four rooms: a spacious outdoor living room with spa, fire pit and barbecue; a bedroom; a bathroom; and a small but well equipped kitchen. Located just 10 minutes from the National Park the house is tucked against a rock outcropping just outside the edge of the city of Joshua Tree.
Europe
Hautes Pyrénées, France: The Yurt
This secluded eco-friendly yurt is completely private and ideal for nature lovers or those seeking a romantic retreat. The location is excellent for hiking in the mountains, bird watching, star-gazing, Thalasso Spas, cycling, or simply relaxing. The Yurt is a spacious hand-made Turkish style Ger, made out of sweet chestnut, oak and willow positioned on a wooden platform. A well-equipped kitchenette is located in the timber framed entrance, with kitchen sink, fridge, 4 ring gas hob and microwave. The yurt has it’s own private decked area, with patio table and chairs and BBQ fire pit. The bathroom has an eco-friendly, composting dry toilet and waste water is filtered through reed beds. The bathroom is also a “hide” for birdwatching, with viewing directly into the forest. Home-cooked meals made with the freshest local produce can be ordered from the owners for dining in the yurt. Located close to the National Parks of the French Pyrenees, The Yurt is ideally located for a memorable hike in the mountains, or a picnic by a lake surrounded by stunning scenery.
Sweden, Västmanland: Kolarbyn Eco-lodge
Sweden’s most primitive hotel is this collection of twelve cosy little huts located in a forest by the beautiful Lake Skärsjön. A natural refuge for silence, wilderness and adventure, the Kolarbyn Eco-lodge is set in dense forest by the beautiful Lake Skärsjön, just a couple of hours away from the capital Stockholm. There’s no electricity in these cosy little huts but that’s all part of the appeal. Families with kids seeking true adventure, and fun, will find it all here.
Spain, Andalucía: Altiplano Tipis
An intimate tipi campsite situated in a rugged area of Andalucia known as the ‘Lake District’ of Spain. Surrounded by an abundance of flora and fauna, Altiplano Tipis is a small alternative campsite offering accommodation in three tipis for no more than 6 guests at any one time. Each tipi has its own private shower, sink and toilet set within one of the nearby cave structures – an architecture that is very common in the region.
What beautiful places to enjoy a short breakaway or a lengthy holiday. With the variety of destinations available, there is sure to be something for everyone’s tastes. Remember that glampsites, like regular campsites, differ greatly. And luxury is defined differently at each commercial glamping venue. When considering a glampsite, here are a few important questions to ask yourself:
- What does the rental rate include? (Example, some offer free Wi-Fi, others don’t.)
- Is the rate per person or per night? Is there a minimum stay requirement?
- What special events and activities are offered, and at what cost?
- Are children and/or pets welcome?
- What are the food/cooking options? If campfires or barbecues are available, what in the way of utensils, cookware, plates are provided? Will you have a table or are tables shared? Distance to nearby restaurants? The rules governing alcohol consumption?
- If location and type of toilet and shower facilities are a concern, ask (they vary).
Remember, glamping — although comfy — is still a form of camping, so don’t forget the bug repellent, sunscreen and Band-Aids.
Happy Glamping!
For more information, visit Go Glamping.
Source: Go Glamping
Editorial Director
