Roughing It, Royally

How Britain’s William and Harry see the world.

From palaces and princely hotels to oil-magnate mansions and mega-yachts, members of the British royal family stay anywhere they please. But how do they prefer to experience the great outdoors? You might be surprised to find out just how down-to-earth Princes William and Harry really are — or you may be surprised by just how luxe some rustic accommodations can be. Continue reading “Roughing It, Royally”

Glamping Gets an Oscar Nod

Who needs a gold statue when you can go glamping?

Spoiler Alert: Reese Witherspoon did not go glamping in the Oscar-nominated hiking-camping-and-coming-of-age movie, Wild (but you should see it anyway). However, as a nominee, she and her fellow runners-up in the Best Actor/Actress, Supporting Actor/Actress, and Director categories, as well as host Neil Patrick Harris, received a six-figure swag bag, which includes a $12,500 USD seven-day glamping getaway.

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The upscale wilderness experience pairing luxury camping with private chef-prepared meals and fine Napa Valley wines was offered to Oscar contenders such as Meryl Streep, Emma Stone, Julianne Moore, Bradley Cooper, Steve Carell, and Benedict Cumberbatch so they could flee into the arms of nature and unwind after a busy award show season.

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While nobody likes to lose, in this case, it pays to be in contention. TerraVelo Tours’ glitzy-come-outdoorsy escape takes Hollywood’s elite from the red carpet into the most awe-inspiring alcoves of Wyoming, California, and Utah. Here, guests are wooed with A-list amenities from plush memory-foam beds with Frette linens to a “transportable luxury bathroom” stocked with C.O. Bigelow toiletries and Turkish towels. Couple these frills with the option to surf, cycle, go hot air ballooning, or do sunrise yoga, and we’d like to put our name forward to be Bradley Cooper’s +1.

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This is not the first time Oscar has given a nod to glamping. Back in 2013, one of the presenter perks was an elephant safari and four-night stay for two at Abu (tented) Camp in Botswana, valued at $15,000 USD.

In case all this talk of upper crust camping is making you think it’s easy to insert a star-studded stay into Oscar bag territory, making the cut is no small task (read: near-impossible), which is why we’re ecstatic glamping is taking center stage.

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Photo Credit: TerraVelo Tours

Pine Mountain Camp California

If you’re looking for a great glamping option for a group retreat or get-together, a peaceful place for an intimate wedding, a place that’s relaxing and allows guests to reconnect with nature, a place that not only provides tranquility and seclusion but also great recreational opportunities if a guest should be so inclined,
I have a couple of places to present to you. Each of these places is great for family gatherings, religious and corporate retreats, weddings, and both have had their share of high-powered celebrity guests. I would also consider both as exquisite glamping locations.

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If you have a minimum of 16 people in your group, may I suggest to you the ultimate glamping playground, with two private beaches, tennis courts, a wide selection of water-sports equipment, personal chefs, swimming pools, stunning views, spa treatments, and an aero-submarine that travels 100 feet below the ocean’s surface. The place, you may ask? It’s Richard Branson’s Necker Island, yours for a mere $62,000 per day. Yowza!

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If however your family, group or business doesn’t have that kind of coin, then I have the perfect suggestion for you. It’s the Pine Mountain Camp near Lake Arrowhead, California, where you can have the entire property starting for a mere $1800 a night (2 night minimum) with all the seclusion, nature and recreational opportunities that forty acres of pristine wooded beauty perched high above a picturesque mountain lake can offer.

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In fact, for a true group outing experience, one that provides connection and rejuvenation, I have to say that Pine Mountain Camp is by far the better of the two.

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I do not mean to suggest that you would not enjoy a stay at Necker Island, but it is more likely to cause group distraction than connection. A place that has it’s own submarine is not going to inspire me to “regroup with others” or “restore my inner resources.” I’ll be too busy playing Captain Nemo!

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And how could you possibly “relax with a book” at a place that costs $62,000 a day? Wouldn’t you feel the pressure to do everything the place offers all at once? Sounds like a vacation that requires a vacation from vacation- we’ve all had one of those. So, relax. There’s no risk of that kind of stress with a group stay at Pine Mountain Camp.

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The Pine Mountain Camp website makes the claim, “Be in nature, within luxury accommodations,” which succinctly sums up the essence of glamping. Guests enjoy “wireless internet and flat-panel TVs” at a resort set deep in the heart of the San Bernardino National Forest, and can instantly step away to smell the mountain pine and feel the breeze.

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Remember, it’s not just a retreat- it’s a resort. Hiking, biking, boating, swimming, water-skiing, fly fishing, hot springs, there’s plenty to do in the summer, and you can even catch a movie nearby or shop if you can believe that! I’d like to be here for one of the weekly summer concerts at Lake Arrowhead Village.

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With activities like skiing and sledding, wintertime group outings are a great option, too.

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Stay in the luxurious Ponderosa Lodge, which sleeps 13 with a main floor master suite, a bunk-room for 6, and 2 upstairs private bedrooms.

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The lodge has a fully appointed kitchen (cooking classes available with advance reservation!) and a cozy, spacious central living area set with a warm and inviting stone hearth fireplace.

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If you want to get away from the group a bit, you can always opt for one of the two “enchanting” cabins, or even “brave” the tepee. It’s a pretty cool tepee, on an elevated deck, with 2 futons inside and is nicely appointed with a nearby eating area and restroom. The tepee is described as a “Lakota-Sioux design, but with more durable and weather-resistant fabrics.” Kids dig the tepee, and you might, too.

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I’ve been to plenty of lodges, and many of them are way too “lodgy,” over crammed with deer and moose antlers and woodland tchotchkes in every possible space. While the lodge décor here isn’t subtle, it isn’t over the top, either.

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I don’t want my lodge to be subtle. A place like this has to be confident in it’s identity, and Pine Mountain Camp understands it’s character, a beautiful woodland retreat perched above Lake Arrowhead nestled in 40 wooded acres and the décor strikes the right balance. (Thank you, Pine Mountain Camp).

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I’m sorry, Necker Island, I didn’t mean to bash you. I’m sure you’re amazing but you helped me make my point- for a place for groups to get their glamping rejuvenation on, Pine Mountain Camp is the place to be. I do hope, however, that Glamping.com will send me to review you someday. Wish me luck!