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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.

photo from rusava.me Ithaa

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?

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Glamping Down Under, Spicers Canopy, Australia

In the heart of the spectacular Scenic Rim region, a rich eco tourism experience can be found at Spicers Canopy. First change the image in your mind from ‘camping’ to ‘glamping.’ Although encounters with Australia’s unique plant and animal life are a central focus, Spicers Canopy caters to adventurers who are accustomed to life’s luxuries.

Spicers Canopy is a permanent campsite neighboring 8,000 acres of Australia’s most scenic private nature refuge. The camp is a 90-minute drive from Brisbane. Situated high on a grass-covered plateau, the air is fresh and crisp. The views towards Mount Mitchell, Spicers Peak and Mount Cordeaux are stunning. At night, guests look into skies so clear that satellites can be seen tracking past the canvas of stars. Be sure to take in the mountain views when they are most magnificent, at sunrise and sunset.

GG2476-800x600-Canopy-single-beds_0Photo: Spicers Canopy website

Offering 10 luxury tents, rest assured your stay will be comfortable and private. The tents are fully furnished, offering a king bed (or twin beds), luxury bed linen, lamps, armchairs, bedside tables, polished floorboards, and a covered deck with deck chairs. A place purposefully with no cars, computers, or TVs is where you can truly escape. This is safari-style camping at its finest.

Each Spicers destination provides a comprehensive gourmet experience. All Spicers restaurants are led by award-winning chefs with a passionate mandate to provide exceptional food and wine sourced from regional and international produce. The large communal and dining area is beautifully appointed with a stone fireplace and polished floors. At its center is a large custom-made table serving as the backrop for many gourmet meals. Sit back while your dedicated chef prepares all your meals and drinks.

There is plenty to do at Spicers Canopy, especially for those looking for natural beauty and serenity away from the city. Guided walks are great for exploring the private nature reserve. Domestic livestock and native wildlife co-exist in the quiet Australian bush. Take a dip in the private swimming hole or venture into the nearby bat cave. Spicers Canopy has a long list of other things to do including massages, horseback riding, 4WD tours, yoga, sporting clays, and more at the nearby Peak Lodge which is a sister property.

IMG_2342a_0_0Photo: Spicers Canopy website

The Austalian-owned Spicers has made it their mission to give guests a total experience that is intimately unique. The Spicers  boutique hotel group includes seven luxury travel destinations in Australia. Spicers Canopy embodies the glamping experience; it combines the individuality and service of a private bed and breakfast with the style and quality of a grand international hotel.

Spicers Canopy is for adventurers and groups looking for a different luxury holiday. Learn more about Spicers Canopy.

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African Safari Glamping at Sand Rivers Selous in Tanzania

Sand Rivers Selous is a secluded lodge in the Selous Game Reserve offering a view of the majestic curve of the Rufiji River. From its veranda, you can take in the magnificent sunset and the relaxing ambiance of the surrounding wildlife. The beauty of this glamping lodge was first made famous by Richard Bonham in 1984 who used this area of the Selous for his famous portered walking safaris, when the area was all but unknown.

Sand Rivers is set on a rocky peninsula with magnificent views over a vast sweep of the Rufiji River, its exposed sandbanks home to hippo, crocodile, and spectacular bird life. There are eight large and airy double, or twin-bedded cottages, each with its own spacious bathroom with flush toilets and powerful showers. Beds are four-postered with soft mosquito netting that ties back during the day. Each cottage is completely open-fronted, with an expansive veranda set on stilts, giving each a stunning and private view over the river. Electric lights, standing fans, and water heaters are solar powered.

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Enjoy a large open bar and dining area. There is also a swimming pool shaded by an ancient baobab tree on the banks of the river, in which you can cool off in the heat of the day. An unusual combination of steep wooded hills, open miombo woodland, grassy plains, and marshes interlaced with lakes and dry sand rivers, this scenic area boasts an impressive variety of game, bird life, and wild flowers.

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The main dining table in the central mess area is made of an enormous tree that was washed down the river by a storm and is the focus for lunch and dinner. Breakfast is generally a relaxed affair with guests either eating in the lodge or having a bush breakfast under the shade of a tree.

Outside the central mess area is the swimming pool, set into the rocks on the river’s edge, and shaded by an ancient baobab tree thought to be more than 1,500 years old. This is the perfect place for relaxing and gazing out over the view of endless water. Armchairs and sofas abound, and the bar is close by, along with a library well-stocked with books on the area.