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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/]

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Jetwing Yala: Chasing Asia’s Leopards

As we drive off on board the safari jeeps, the dusty red, clay road ahead of us is only just a modest start to our prolific wildlife explorations for the day, at the Yala National Park – the Park is known to have one of the highest leopard concentrations in the world while it is also home to a number of Asian elephants, sloth bears, peacocks, crocodiles and a plethora of flora and fauna.

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Our driver, a young, funny fellow, well trained in leopard spotting from any considerable distance otherwise unattainable to the human eye, is a refreshing burst of jokes, combating our fatigue from the subduing heat.

Nothing on the road yet, some complain, until we suddenly come to a shrieking halt: an unidentifiable creature leisurely crossing our path.

This is how daily life unfolds at Yala, Jetwing’s newest hotel in the midst of some of Asia’s paramount wildlife. Blissfully insulated twenty minutes away from the main road, what initially looks like army quarters from afar is soon revealed to be a zen hotel surrounded by lush greenery, set on a 38 acre land adjoining the Indian Ocean. The panoramic views are sure to make you gasp!

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Jetwing Yala exudes simple elegance from every corner, while focusing on sustainability; it hosts the largest privately owned solar park in Sri Lanka. Whether it’s the surrounding wild habitat, or the interior’s colors and details, the property offers its guests a back to nature feeling. All guestrooms (with a choice of Superior and Deluxe accommodations) exhibit muted, earthy tones, with a splash of turquoise or red.

The King coconut I was zealously sipping out of as I walked into my room, perfectly matched the green tones of the canopy bed. The Superior room I would now call home was no ordinary space, but a spacious dwelling to rest, dine and lounge on my very own terrace.

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The finest feature, however, is surely the bathroom. Larger than most hotel rooms in other parts of the world, this bathroom teased me from the very beginning, with its showerhead under the clear blue sky and liberating feeling, due to lack of unnecessary doors, bulky bathtubs and slippery floors.

One other extraordinary feature is the infinity swimming pool, with seemingly fresh water from the ocean. Don’t be surprised to see guests stay well into the night into their robes, having transitioned from the pool onto the beach where cocktails are served. Jetwing Yala is just the place to do so. From a blanket full of stars to a first glimpse of a burning sunrise, your stay here is full of rewards.

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Dining is another. From lotus curries and the island’s spiciest dishes, to Western delicacies and Japanese delights, to a sinful palette of desserts, Jetwing Yala is a gastronomic journey in itself that is both diverse, as it is delicious.

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So grab your Lion (the Sri Lankan beer, what else?!), and join the beach party for the night. This may be Jetwing Yala, but no lions, or leopards, for you tonight …

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How Millennials Relate to Adventure and The Outdoors

As a Millennial, one of roughly 80 million Americans born between the early 1980’s and the early 2000’s, I know that understanding my diverse generation can be challenging.

While ample research and media coverage has focused on our addictions to cell phones, laptops and social media, more could be understood about how Millennials relate to adventure and the great outdoors.

For insight into this topic, let’s look at the shifting marketing practices of outdoor retailers — those responsible for “selling” nature.

Speaking at an Outdoor Industry Association trade event, Jill Levinsohn, who lead a research project on the future of outdoor retail conducted by design and innovation firm, IDEO, found that “many young people view the outdoors as something that starts at their front door, is part of everyday life and is best experienced with friends and family.” Levinsohn added that to reach Millennials, retailers must “think of it as going from ‘Outdoorsy’ to ‘Outsidesy.’

If you look at the marketing messages of outdoor and adventure retailers, you may notice a shift away from high-octane images, like a solo kayaker traversing a waterfall, to images of groups experiencing a picture-perfect nature scene in a more leisurely fashion. This is the idea of adventure and the outdoors that Millennials are drawn to. Here’s why:

1

Millennials want to be together

 Millennials are highly social creatures who, according to research conducted by HVS, a travel and hospitality consulting firm, “are more likely [than any other group] to travel socially with friends and family.” HVS also notes that more than any other generation, Millennials will travel to pursue their personal and shared group interests, such as food, entertainment, shopping and outdoor activities.

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Millennials want unique and special experiences (that they can share online)

There’s an old Millennial saying, “If you hike to the top of a beautiful mountain and don’t take a selfie, did it really even happen?” Alright, I’ll admit I made that up, but nonetheless, it holds truth.

According to a survey conducted by Chase Card Services, “Three in four Millennial travelers post to social networks at least once a day while traveling.” HVS add that when it comes to accommodations, Millennials search for “something extra” and the “cool factor,” as “they do not wish to Instagram a photo of a boring room to share that with their friends.”

3

Millennials want the finer things 

Millennials don’t like being too far from creature comforts. Leading travel and hospitality public relations firm, Turner PR, says, “Millennials are adventure seekers. [They] want to be immersed in the local culture while still maintaining the conveniences of home while on the road.”

Findings from the Chase Card Services also note that “Millennials are a tech savvy generation that values social connections, convenience and opportunities to indulge in luxuries.” The survey also found that more than any other group, Millennials are willing to indulge in luxury services while traveling.

What does this mean for Millennials and the outdoors?

When it comes to adventure and the outdoors, Millennials appear to natural born glampers. Here’s why:

  • Millennials want to be together – Like camping, glamping (glamorous camping) is an activity made better with the addition of friends or a significant other.  Simply put, sitting around a campfire alone is no fun.
  • Millennials want unique and special experiences (that they can share online) – With friends in tow, Millennials crave unique experiences that reflect who they are. Glamping experiences like sleeping in a safari tent on the beach in Fiji at Maquai Beach Surf Resort or in a treehouse in Costa Rica at Finca Bella Vista certainly fit the bill. Plus, glamping is guaranteed to produce a social media worthy photo.
  • Millennials want the finer things – The word ‘glamping’ can be misleading. It just sounds expensive. While you can indulge in splurge-worthy $1,000 per night accommodations, there are plenty of affordable ways to glamp that provide luxuries far beyond a tent with a sleeping bag on the ground — like staying in a cabin at Dale Farm Holidays in the United Kingdom, a yurt in Canada at Wya Point Resort, or an Airstream trailer at Santa Barbara Auto Camp in California.

Speaking from experience, I know that Millennials enjoy the great outdoors in different ways. No matter whether you like to get dirty or prefer a more refined experience, as long as you get outside and put down your cell phone (fine, just a few photos for Facebook) you’ll be on the right track.