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“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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.