River Glamping Cabin Attracts Worldwide Attention

It’s a boyhood dream to build a tree house, to create a retreat from the everyday, a getaway perched high in some unforgettable setting with an amazing view, presumably difficult for adults to reach. This may be a common dream, but some who actually act on it often build them in uncommon places, and not always in trees.

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Behold the Drina River House, a structure born of that same imagination and inspiration. It was built during the summer of 1969, after a group of adventurous boys had expanded their sunbathing platform that they had built the previous year on a huge rock in the middle of the Drina River. Milija Mandic (who still owns the house) along with his friends built the structure that, despite being swept away by floods on occasion, has been returned to its perch where it has remained ever since. And just like the building of a tree house, where the difficulty of hauling the building materials to the site is half the adventure, the daunting task of building a cabin on a rock in the middle of a river was obviously part of the fun and challenge that motivated building it. They transported construction materials by boat and kayak and floated the bigger pieces downriver to the rock.

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Not only possessing incredible views, the river house is part of an incredible view as well. Hungarian photographer Irene Becker discovered the picturesque cabin near Tara Mountain on the eastern edge of the Tara National Park (bordering Bosnia), and her amazing photograph of it was featured as a Photo of the Day by National Geographic,  since attracting worldwide attention.

Those who wish to visit the house may not be able to stay there, but glamping options are available in the breathtakingly beautiful Tara Mountain Valley. Jasika Villa and Omorika Villa offer cozy A-frame cabins with stunning views of the valley. And even if you may not be able to stay at the Drina River House, its existence shows that sometimes the adventure of glamping is not always a place to find, but a place to build.

Luxury Submarines Are No Longer Just for Super-Villains

To set the record straight, Glamping is literally defined as a fusion of glamour and camping – a way to experience the great outdoors without sacrificing luxury.

Over the last few years, the term has taken on different meanings to different people.  For a property to be listed on Glamping.com, for example, we stipulate that it must somehow bring its guests closer to the natural environment in which it is located.  African safari tents and tree houses in California are two obvious cases in point.

To distinguish between the wide variety of glamping styles being offered today, we classify accommodations into separate categories.  This includes Tents, Villas & Huts, Cubes & Eco Pods, Yurts & Teepees, Tree Houses & Airstreams, Eco & Safari Lodges, and Cabineering.  In their own distinct way, each of these uniquely different options help travelers experience destinations in a much more “up close and personal” way.

So when we discovered that a holiday home-rental company called Oliver’s Travels is offering its customers the chance to spend the night in a specially adapted leisure submarine called “Lovers Deep”, we wondered just how far the boundaries of glamping could go.

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The underwater marine hotel called “Lovers Deep” takes its guests (mostly couples) to the bottom of the ocean floor in places like the Red Sea and the Caribbean.

For about $292,800 per night, guests can spend the night at the bottom of the Red Sea or cruising the reefs of the Caribbean.  They also get a captain, a private chef and butler, speedboat transfers and optional add-ons that include helicopter transfers, beach landing, two-person shower, and champagne-soaked breakfast.

Guests who book the submarine accommodations as part of a honeymoon package are also offered a free lovers’ dinner menu that includes oysters, caviar and chocolate fondant with essence of pomegranate.

According to a February 16, 2014 report in Malay Mail Online, Lovers Deep is the latest in a new travel trend rising to the surface. In response to the banality of skyscraping properties, more and more hoteliers are plumbing the depths of the ocean for new and innovative lodging experiences.

The Manta Resort, for instance, offers a striking underwater room off the coast of Tanzania that includes a suite built four meters below the surface of the Indian Ocean, backlit by underwater spotlights.

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Another example includes the Ithaa Undersea Restaurant at the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island hotel.  Set five meters below the surface, the fine dining restaurant features 180-degree views of the coral gardens. And the blueprints for a futuristic-looking luxury hotel in the Maldives reveal plans to build a spaceship-like edifice seven metres above water on five pillars. The lower deck, meanwhile, will be built up to 30 meters below the surface.

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So now we want to ask you, our readers.  What does glamping mean to you and should these unusual accommodations be classified as glamping?

Mobile French Nail Salon in Airstream Trailer

Gloss’UP of Paris has introduced ‘Le Nail Truck’ a business that seemingly blends glamping with an upscale French nail salon. Recently featured on inthralld.com, Le Nail Truck is best described as a “beautician on wheels” and the logical next step in a world of food trucks and other mobile services.

French-Nail-Truck-Airstream-Trailer-Design-2Photos: inthralld.com

Airstreams have always held a special place in the world of glamping. ‘Glamping’ is a new word for the same ideas that Airstreams have been central to for decades. Although originally built for private use, it’s a modern idea to have a 100% refurbished Airstream available for rent in an exotic location. Airstream glamping can be found from California, Belgium, and Spain. Airstreams are the perfect mix of retro, comfort, and adventure travel.

French-Nail-Truck-Airstream-Trailer-Design-6Photos: inthralld.com