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Rustic Glamping- Camping with a Touch of Posh

The idea of glamorous camping is the combination of two things in apparent diametric opposition- camping, which is sleeping in the elements, with glamor, which refers to luxury. Here we visit properties on the other end of the scale for a more rustic travel experience. These are accommodations for those of us who are more nature lover than jet-setter, with the luxury still present but dialed down to a modest level- camping with a touch of posh.

The Ponds of DobciceThe Ponds of Dobcice

If you’ve ever imagined yourself living “off the grid” but want to try it before completely pulling the plug, consider a getaway to The Ponds of Dobcice. The Madlenka (pictured) and Valdala bungalows are perched over idyllic waters, but have no running water, no heat, and no electricity- heating and hot water is obtained by wood burning cook and boiler stove. Interiors are spartan but comfortable and appealing with clean lines. Here, you can reside for a short time as a true bohemian in Bohemia, the region of the Czech Republic where this resort resides.

Jungle's EdgeJungle’s Edge

The simplicity of accommodations in this category is often reflected in the name of the resort. Jungle’s Edge of Costa Rica is one such example. It is located near Playa Guiones, a well-known surfing spot in the Nosara region of Costa Rica’s Guanacaste province. Surfing is definitely on the menu as is yoga, but try your hand at martial arts with a Muay Thai boxing and fitness retreat, then retreat to your cozy open air jungle hut, costing a mere $50 a night double occupancy.

3X2KBqKpQBlSYGZnRzWxPhopvmlw2W04Kr9JXuSpiqoPalpatha Eco Safari Lodge

Stay at the chalet, the name given to the abodes at the Palpatha Eco Safari Lodge in Sri Lanka, which anywhere else might be called a casita or a palapa for sleeping. But let’s call them chalets anyway. Why not, when you will feel like royalty abroad while on a leopard safari at the Wilpattu National Park, a short 15-minute drive away, or perhaps you’d like to view dolphins and whales in Kalpitiya? Then return to your chalet for the evening after an authentic Sri Lankan meal with a traditional ‘village’ experience, which is all-inclusive starting at a mere $95 per night per guest.

Shanthi Kunnj HomestayShanthi Kunnj Homestay

The owners of Shanthi Kunnj Homestay refer to their place as “Paradise by the Riverside.” Situated on the scenic, guests have the opportunity for white water or still water rafting, and Bhadra Reserve Forest trekking. If you don’t mind trekking a little further, visit Bhadra Tiger Reserve to view tigers and elephants. The resort features handsome wooden structures with simple elemental names, like glass house, mud house, and log house. If you’re not familiar with India’s currency, then one glance at the price in rupees will make your jaw drop. It’s a bargain starting at 2750 rupees a night, or less than $50 USD.

hGP2reFEwmGfhX_7sJyZ8Z0RBei1TqNPMhKaNHv55pMDesert Days

The place is called Desert Days, which sounds like it could be a small town festival in Nevada. This however, is a resort in Negev, a desert in Israel, with nine “eco huts” built by hand, “according to the eco construction principles,” with mud and straw bricks, making them suitable for desert lodging. Spend your days in the desert at Desert Days in the three connected circular swimming pools, or practicing desert archery, and spend your nights relaxing in a hammock in view of the bonfire in your private yard, spending only $67 per night to start.

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Glamping on the Wild Side

Glamping is an adventure if anything, and if you are looking for ideas that are offbeat, unusual, or maybe even downright strange, you have a choice of unusual glamping accommodations around the world. Interestingly, the highest concentration of the truly offbeat seems to be in Europe, and in the UK in particular.

casa cubes
We’ll start off in Asia, where Casa de la Flora offers something unusual, intriguing, and highly luxurious. If you want your weird on the outside, but want it luxurious and modern on the inside, you’ll be happy with these cutting-edge cubes providing “architecture and unique design amid tropical nature.” The architects pay tribute to the namesake “flora” with living grass carpets covering the roofs of the villas.

whitepod
From cubes to pods: Whitepod eco-luxury hotel and alpine experience blends the unusual with the natural seamlessly. The pods truly look like they belong in the landscape, especially in winter, when guests of this four-season resort can take advantage of the private ski slopes and dog sledding.

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For a true “man cave” experience, check out Sextantio Le Grotte Della Civita in Italy, an amazing hotel of caves in the village of Matera in southern Italy. The proprietors of these ancient caves take their luxury seriously, going so far as to say, “Prehistoric man might never have ventured outside the caves if they had bathrooms like these.”

glamping thorpe bbq
Wagon ho! You won’t find the next two wagon accommodations on the frontier of the American West as you might expect. This first one, featuring a “gypsy wagon” as well as a “shepherd’s hut,” a “horse lorry,” and a “love shack” is located near Banbury, England, about an hour and thirty minutes drive northwest of London, should you decide to travel by modern vehicle.

NZ Wagon
You’ll find another wagon spot in New Zealand. The hosts of Wagonstays, Mike and Jasmine want you to know that their wagon has “all the authenticity and atmosphere from 1870, but with the comfort and luxury of home,” which is in evidence with satellite television, computer controlled showers, and glass doors that lead to a balcony.

tree pod
You’ve heard of pods and tree houses, but how about a pod in a tree? These glamping globes are referred to as “tree tents,” with the Red Kite Tree Tent resort found where else but the UK, this time in Wales. One look at it and you’ll immediately see how this round rental would make any Ewok envious. You can learn more by reading a previous blog entry by Kelly Thomson.

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Next up is Ecocamp Glenshee, another UK property that relishes the offbeat accommodation, with a myriad of oddball abodes from which to choose: wooden pods, a “monster” yurt, and “shielings,” or shepherd’s huts, which are found here in the beautiful wilds of Scotland. The Monster Yurt is furnished with “mementos from the Near East,” and Shieling Mohr has a llama theme, and you can go llama trekking with resident llamas Jet, Atticus, and Bradford.

canopy stars big green bus
If all these choices aren’t enough to decide, you can go to the Glamping.com listing of Canopy & Stars, “a colourful collection of quirky accommodation.” These curators of crazy crash pads list glamping properties across much of Europe, and feature wonderfully oddball accommodations ranging from hobbit houses and tree houses to boats, pods, and even a big green bus! No matter how you go glamping, it’s an adventure, so why be normal? Indulge your inner glamping geek at any of these offbeat accommodations.

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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.

necker-island

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.

ponderosa winter

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!