A beginner’s guide to glamping
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So, you love the idea of camping in the great outdoors, but you cant quite say goodbye to your creature comforts? Glamping is the perfect solution. Featuring all of the best bits of camping with a little luxury and glamour thrown in, glamping can be a great experience.
What exactly is glamping?
Glamping is exactly as its name suggests: the perfect combination of outdoor living and hotel comfort. The concept has actually been around for a few years now, but is really starting to take off especially with those looking for an alternative to beach holidays or city breaks.
According to David Troya, founder of Glamping Hub, a glamping site needs to essentially have two elements: immediate access to outdoor life rather than a hotel lobby and the comforts you might find in a hotel (a comfortable bed, hot water etc.). So you might choose to stay in a yurt with a double bed and wood-burning stove or you could choose a beach hut with a door opening out onto a beautiful beach. The options are endless.
Is glamping right for you?
With so many glamping experiences available, this type of break should appeal to anybody. Couples, families, singletons and even honeymooners are choosing this type of holiday today and glamping is also becoming more popular as a corporate team building option.
Glamping is also perfect for those planning a staycation – thats where you choose to have a vacation in your home country or just a few miles from home. Youll also find that more and more music festivals are offering glamping options for their customers that also give you VIP access to music areas and other exclusive offers.
Whats the first step in finding a glamp site?
If youve decided that glamping is the holiday of choice for you, its time to start planning. Think about where you would like to go geographically. Are you looking to tour Europe, go to Africa or are you looking for something a little closer to home?
You will also need to set your budget. Glamping can be a lot more expensive than camping and most prices are closer to what you would expect to pay for a night in a boutique hotel. The thing to remember here however is that you are also paying for a unique experience as well as the accommodation itself. The beauty is that the camping elements of your trip can save you money. For example, you can cook dinner over a campfire instead of eating at a fancy restaurant or enjoy a few drinks under the stars.
What to take with you
Youll still need to consider how much youll be outdoors when packing your overnight things. Wellington boots, wet weather gear, gloves, hats, warm clothing and a torch are just some of the items youll need to pack. What you take will largely depend on the weather and where you are going, but its always best to be prepared for everything especially if you are going to be far away from civilization.
What to expect when choosing a glamping holiday
Dont always assume that you are going to find a truly glamorous experience. Even if you stay in a yurt with a woodburner and comfortable bed, you might still find the odd bug here and there, experience damp and draughts and strange noises outside your door.
The thing with glamping is that it is more camping than glamour in most cases, and it has to be. When glamping, you are essentially on your own in the great outdoors, close to nature and away from the insular protection and luxury of solid walls, room service, air conditioning or conventional heating. The good news is that the majority of glamping sites dont require you to have any gear and offer amenities that you would not usually find at a traditional campsite.
There are many glamp sites featured on Tripadvisor today and its a great idea to do your research first. What did people do, how did they rate the site, what activities and amenities are on offer?
And when you find a great glamp site, you can experience camping at its best. Whether you want to toast marshmallows as the sun goes down, camp out in a tent in the African bush or enjoy cocktails in your very own treehouse, there is a glamping holiday to suit your needs and your budget.
Daniel Abrahams is Co-founder and CEO of Did you enjoy this article?
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My glamping experience was at the Four Seasons Tented Camp up at the Golden Triangle where Thailand, Burma and Laos meet. The ‘tent’ was more like a luxury hotel room with a canvas top and the exotic destination was phenomenal. I’m really hoping to try glamping in another country. I think the folk at the Park Kenmare in Ireland have opened up a glamping property – it’s on my list.
Would love to try this (at least) once, for Africa! It also seems to be a great way to stay safe while really close to the wildlife.
I feel absolutely amazed by this idea! This is the first time I hear about glamping, but I have immediately felt it is the ideal compromise for wildlife adventures. It is much more comfortable than simple camping, while still outdoors just around nature. Glamorous combination of good night sleep in a cozy bed that gives you enough energy to explore wilderness the next day! Thanks for the tip!
Glamping is the perfect marriage between getting back into the outdoors and having luxury at your finger tips. Glamping in southern Ontario even has wifi! The kids will love it, highly suggested however ,to leave the kids at home! King and queen size beds with the open air… Not sure when you get a better nights rest than that. I’m a “glamper” and proud of it!!
We are campers at heart but in recent years have also started to explore the idea of glamping and have to say we do enjoy the idea of a bit of luxury especially at the end of a holiday. We have stumbled across some great glamping sites both in the UK and further afield and love the freedom that you get whilst still being able to enjoy that ultimate bit of blissful indulgence.
Same here! I’m a camper who recently discovered glamping and fell in love immediately! I like to be cozy and comfortable, and glamping allows me to do that while still experiencing the great outdoors!
I’ve wanted to try Glamping for Years! I’m not outdoorsy at all but I think I would have a lot of fun with Glamping!
I love this new trend of ‘glamping’. I’ve long been a fan of the idea of camping, but the reality has never been that much fun for me. Having recently experienced my first glamping experience in Australia, I’m now a firm believer that it’s the perfect way of getting your outdoor fix without having to compromise on comfort.
I agree! I grew up camping with my family and have now moved into glamping. I’ve found that so many people are willing to glamp, who otherwise would be reluctant to do primitive camping.
My glamping experience was at the Four Seasons Tented Camp up at the Golden Triangle where Thailand, Burma and Laos meet. The tent was more like a luxury hotel room with a canvas top and the exotic destination was phenomenal. Im really hoping to try glamping in another country. I think the folk at the Park Kenmare in Ireland have opened up a glamping property its on my list.
Glamping sounds amazing. I wonder if the price will be between budget camping, and a normal hotel room? Or if it’s at the top of the luxury list?
Hi Heather – thanks for dropping by. It obviously varies wildly, but in my experience it tends to be nearer hotel room costs (or even luxury hotel room costs) than budget camping costs.
Love this brief, concise guide to glamping! It’s exciting to see so many people hopping on the glamping bandwagon. I feel like it makes camping so much more accessible to people who would otherwise feel intimidated by spending time outdoors.
Nice Article!!
Thanks for writing about this.