Small Town, Big Luxury Glamping in Queensland

“People thought we were mad.  They wondered who the ‘new-to-town’ crazy women were.” Ruth said as she looked at Marion with a slight laugh and a smirk.  Their non-verbals told a story of triumph, creativity, and drive.  I knew I liked Ruth and Marion already – they were visionary, tough, and not willing to let others influence them – and yes, they were a little crazy.

Thanks to Ruth and Marion’s crazy visions, this quaint rural town of Stanthorpe in Southern Queensland knew what glamping was.  Now the town was not only known throughout Australia for it’s wineries, apple farms, and rural charm – it was also known as the first place in the world with a self contained glamping tent.

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When I first walked into the tent from the sliding glass doors of the porch it felt completely normal.  Decorated in a rich burgundy and gold, it was welcoming and luxurious.  There was a small sitting area with chairs, a big queen size bed, fireplace with a big flat screen TV above it, and art on the walls.  I walked into the kitchen and saw sleek silver appliances; a dishwasher, fridge, microwave, and stove – nicer than most kitchens I have been in.  Behind the wall of the sleeping area, there was a large modern shower and double sink vanity counter.  I sat down in the living area and took it all in.  That’s when I heard it – the familiar flapping of canvas in the wind.  The sounds you get when you are inside a tent on a windy day.  The sound was what made me finally focus on the fact that even though the villa seemed like a normal luxury accommodation, it was anything by normal.  The walls and roof were all canvas.   It was indeed a tent.

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It was as if my glasses were all fogged up and the fog was slowly dissipating allowing a clear picture to come into view.  As I sat by the fireplace I started to notice all of the unique details and it sort started to blow my mind.  This tent was built on a solid raised floor with all plumbing, electrical wiring, heating/cooling coming from the bottom up.  There were a few solid ‘wall’ dividers which sort of sectioned off the living/kitchen/bathroom areas, but the core of the structure was all canvas.  I was in awe of the architecture and design of Alure, a chandelier even hung from the canvas roof.  This was indeed a fully self –contained home in a tent’s shell.  I’m not new to glamping, and I’ve seen a lot of different tent designs that have wowed me – but Alure was really unique.  This took vision.

Ruth and Marion wanted to do something different.  They saw a photo of a similar custom tent in 2009 when they were still trying to establish the villa side of their business.

“Wouldn’t that be GREAT?!”  Marion said pointing to the image in the magazine.

“Yes, but not now” replied Ruth and the image and idea was shelved.  However, all good creative ideas find a way to life after time.  In 2011 they hired a daring builder and architect and he went to work on their vision.  The town of Stanthorpe referred to them as the crazy tent ladies, but soon the locals were singing the praises of this new fad of glamping.

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A Touch of Luxury

Alure is all about luxury and romance.  And even though I was visiting sans romance, I was enjoying the luxury.  The touches of luxury were evident inside the tent with the décor, and the homey small town touches Ruth and Marion provided.  Before arriving I had an email asking me about what I like to eat for breakfast and my preference of bread.  When I arrived I found a basket full of fresh baked bread and fruit from local nearby farms. The bread was still warm – baked specifically for us that morning. In addition to a stocked fridge, the closet was stocked with fluffy robes and slippers to laze around in.

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The luxury continued outside the tent on the back deck where there was a grille that would make any Aussie salivate and a beautiful hot tub spa.   After grilling out lamb I sat in the spa that night and enjoyed the night sky lit up by the millions of stars – perfect on a brisk fall night in the Australian countryside.

As tempting as it was to simply stay in the tent all day, the next morning I was ready to get out and explore the area.  Stanthorpe is full of charm with a variety of food and drink related activities for you to experience.  And Alure was perfectly located to get to the sights.  Ruth and Marion were full of advice for the area – better than any guide book!

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What To Do Around Stanthorpe

Visit Wineries  – stop in at family run Ballendean Winery and award winning Symphony Hill a couple of the best in the region.  Be sure to sample the alternative varieties of the region.  In fact there is a whole wine ‘trail’ dedicated the alternative varieties of the area.  Just pick up a brochure about the Strange Bird Trail, choose a designated driver and start sampling!

Seasonal Farms – Little farms are dispersed throughout the area.  Most are working farms, but many have also started little side businesses and sell our of their homes or they have created cafes or shops where you can learn more about their production.  My favorite was Suttons Apple Farm and Café known for their giant apple pies stuffed full of 22 apples in each one!  Also be sure to stop at the Jersey Girls Dairy and pick up some cheese to go with that bottle of wine you bought.  All perfect items to take back to Alure and enjoy on the porch while the sun sets and you soak in the spa.

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Restaurants – there are plenty of great restaurants in the region however most are open only Wed to Sunday.  I tried Varias Bistro at the Queensland College of Wine Tourism and enjoyed the creativeness of the chefs in using the local ingredients.  However, remember you have that amazing kitchen back at the Alure tent – so you can also just stop in at the local market and pick up items to cook for yourself.

After touring around the area, I realized Ruth and Marion actually fit in perfectly in this unique region.  Stanthorpe and Alure are really all about soaking in the uniqueness of it all – from alternative wine varieties, to ridiculously stuffed apple pies, to sleeping in a tent with a chandelier and fireplace.   Yet, to the locals in Stanthorpe, Ruth and Marion will most likely always be thought of as the crazy tent ladies.  But like most geniuses  – they were just misunderstood.

DIY Glamping

lotus belle glamping tent

Can’t wait until your next glamping vaca? Pin It has gone glam camping crazy, and we’re catching the DIY fever too.

The possibilities are endless. With all the glamping options out there it’s good to know what style of accommodations draws your attention. Canvas or dome? Isolated or in company? Check out this impressive lotus handcrafted tent running for $2500. It’s summer time and the intent of a glamping vacation is to be pampered and not worry about setup, labor, etc… but how about at the cabin or lake house? Adding an elegant canvas touch to refine the outdoors, a cozy zone for afternoon wine and cheese, can transform causal into tasteful.

But perhaps you’re looking for something to accommodate you while on the move. Or maybe the family wants to go camping but after a taste of glamping you just don’t find the concept of ‘roughing it’ appealing any more. We have a suggestion: The Camper.

Yes, the camper is back. It’s ‘cool again’ according to Mehrzeller, and their modern take on the camper trailer is the epitome of cool. This is a multicellular caravan customized before purchase, and it looks like a futuristic home-hive. Then there’s the more traditional fold out caravan to offer maximum space, such as “De Markies” (The Awning) by Bohtlingk. They feature their caravan set by a river with one side fully covered and the other providing shade for a fisherman dangling his feet playfully off the side of his temporary living space. A portable home and a dock all in one! Never a dull moment when searching through the trends…

Glamping is all about personalizing comfort. It’s for us nomads-at-heart who can’t bear to lose the finer luxuries when it comes to living indoors or out. Naturally, if you are as excited as we are, you’ll want to share the passion of glamping. What better way to do that than by incorporating the concept into your events? For the next family reunion try a modern tent festival. With A/C and chef prepared food, of course! Glamping has become a widespread theme for weddings as well. If you have ownership of any large and tranquil pastures it’s a theme you might want to consider. It’s all about Pinterest lately, so let’s continue the theme with some unique wedding accents to add to your glamping happily-ever-after occasion.

Glamping is rustic and ethereal. Candles are a must and candles in mason jars are even better. Flowers EVERYWHERE (for the ladies) and oak-barrel tables are something we can all obsess over. Vintage everything, and, naturally, you’ll want to add in some archery or potato bag races for entertainment. If you want to go to the extreme bring in some horses for an evening ride into the sunset.

Resorts might be offering the best of glamping, setting the bar high for DIY projects, but rising to the challenge is worth it. It may take storage and preparation time to add the subtle essentials like restaurant quality food and five star bedroom amenities – but watching the stars unobstructed at night with the promise of a signature hideaway is a payoff all it’s own.

[Image credit: http://www.happyglamper.com.au/glamping-hire/lotus-belle/]