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5 New Shades of Glamping

Latest luxury camping alternatives for your outdoor getaway

Once it was only celebrities at festivals who could afford to go ‘glamping’. Now though everyone seems to be getting in on the trend of posh camping.

Whether you feel like slumbering underneath the stars in luxury yurts, or getting close to nature with wooded tree-top hideaways, the new designs in camping alternatives are coming in thick and fast.

So for those of you who don’t like to spend nights atop damp ground proof sheets on rocky floors, why not take a look at some of these recent innovations designed to revamp the peg-up tent into a relaxation station?

Stackable sleeping cells
stackable cells

‘Did you ever live in a beehive before?’ says co-inventor designer Barbara Vandhorre.

These honeycomb-shaped wooden cells were designed by a team of Belgian designers called B-and-Bee, who were fed up with sleeping in tents at music festivals. The separate capsules are great for avoiding the muddy or flooded floor beneath: plus everyone gets their own individual pod (so no disturbance from all the other sweaty bodies around you after a night of dancing!)

Each pod contains a king sized bed, which can be transformed by day into a comfortable seating area. And the best bit is locks, lights and power are all included, meaning you’ll still be able to keep your gadgets buzzing throughout the trip!

The QUQUQ camping box
QUQUQ-instant-camper-van

With one of these European-designed camping boxes, you can transform your van into a two-person camper in under one minute. Crack open the top to find a miniature kitchen inside, complete with a 2-flame stove, a freshwater sink and storage space, as well as a comfy bed for two.

When compared to other campers-in-boxes, the QUQUQ is not only more fun to say, it also appears to be simpler to transport and transform. It’s effectively a home in one, and means you can switch that mouldy old tent for a cool, compact camping compartment.

De Markies mobile home
de markies

For the laid back roadtripper, the De Markies (Danish for ‘The Awning’) is a perfect way to live and breathe those wide, open roads. When driving along it measures just 2.00 metres by 4.50 metres, but once you’ve arrived at your destination, it opens up and the space can increase threefold in a matter of seconds.

One side of the Dr Markies hosts a private boudoir, whilst the canvas on the other side is completely transparent, allowing for breath-taking views of the countryside from the comfort and warmth of your cosy camper.

Orange, stainless steel, and crisp white complete the vintage-looking design, which is both stylish and contemporary.

Glisten Camping
glisten-camping

Glisten Camping brings a truly unique glamping experience to the south-west of France. The brainchild of Cornish-based camper Simon Thomason, Glisten selects the best locations in south-west France then sets up the distinctively stylish geodesic domes. Each dome sleeps a family of up to six.

These camping pods have hanging beds for kids, tonnes of head room, partitioned bedrooms and luxurious king-sized beds and are the true essence of glamping. As Simon puts it, “the great outdoors deserve a beautiful indoors”.

Indoor Caravanning
indoor caravanning

Although combining indoor and outdoor is usually the worst design faux-paz known to man, bringing the outdoors inside has proved fabulously popular in Germany.

The Huttenpalast (meaning ‘caravan palace’) in Berlin provides quirkily decorated vans within the comfort of an old vacuum factory. They even provide AstroTurf flooring for makeshift gardens, and hanging baskets galore, so you still get a healthy fill of the fresh outdoors without actually having to step outside. This is an ideal for the novelty-seeking glamper.

Have you noted any other glamping designs or trends in other countries? Let us know in your comments below!

All photos curtesy of Salop Leisure

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Glamping Gone Wild: When is it Too Much?

Glamping is a spreading phenomenon, and as it grows so do the ways in which people decide to “glamp.” And with anything that becomes wildly popular, at some point, someone somewhere will be annoyed, ruffled, or otherwise offended.

In a Glamping News article published in early Spring of 2014 called “Festival Glamping,” we reported the growing trend of festivals that offer glamping accommodations. The article listed festivals ranging from the Wakarusa Music Festival in Arkansas to the Alt Fest in Northamptonshire, England. Already in the Fall of 2014 there are many more, like the Wilderness Festival in Oxfordshire, England and Beyond the Valley Music Festival in Australia, with yet another one in particular causing a stir.

Wilderness Fest tents

The Wilderness Festival in Oxfordshire, England now offers everything from “canvas yurts to cosy gypsy caravans,” and bathrooms, hot showers and exclusive bar…just to make your visit to the Wilderness, that little bit more luxurious… you can wonder into the wider woodland, a private nature reserve, if the wild calls.” Certainly glamping at a fest called the “Wilderness Festival” seems appropriate.

Beyond The Valley

In Australia (where fest goers are referred to as “punters”) the brand new Beyond the Valley Festival (a music fest featuring indie rock, alternative, hip-hop and more) offers glamping straight out of the gate.

beyond the valley treats

They claim to take glamping “to a whole new level” at what it calls their Lux Campsite, with “fully furnished hotel style tents with amenities ranging from refillable “eskis” (Esky is an Australian brand of cooler) and wine chillers, toiletries, 1000 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets and access to luxury showers and a make-up and beauty parlour.” And if that’s not enough to satisfy anyone, it also comes with “a full buffet breakfast, daily housekeeping, and access to the event’s much-talked-about hangover spa,” and an “option to “pimp your tent” with a portable jacuzzi.”

Burning Man

Luxurious upgrades may be permissible at a music fest, but don’t expect to “pimp your tent” at Burning Man without a backlash. The organizers of the artist and community-centric festival held in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada annually has a stated purpose that attendees “dedicate themselves to the spirit of community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance,” departing a week later “leaving no trace.”

burning man blue

It is at this festival that, according to a report from the New York Times (A Line is Drawn in the Desert) a new group of attendees referred to as the “tech elite” of Silicon Valley, are causing a stir. Says one tech elite, “We used to have R.V.s and precooked meals… now, we have the craziest chefs in the world and people who build yurts for us.”

burning man desert

Having a “$2 million camps” built for you by “Sherpa helpers” at Burning Man obviously flies in the face of basic principles of the fest, the most obvious being that of “Radical Self-reliance,” where Burners (as attendees refer to themselves) are encouraged to “discover, exercise and rely on his or her inner resources.”

In this case, it isn’t the glamping itself that is the point of contention, but how the tech elite have chosen to glamp. Burners might be fine with it if the tech elite set up the camp themselves and conducted themselves in the spirit of “creative cooperation and collaboration,” rather than connect their lavish R.V.s “together to create a private forted area, ensuring that no outsiders can get in,” as reported by the New York Times. Glamping won’t be an issue if the principles of the festival are adhered to.

Wilderness Final

While people should be free to do as they choose, being responsible with your glamping will prevent bad experiences for others, and avoid giving glamping a bad name. So please glamp to your heart’s content, but also be aware of how it affects others. As anyone who enjoys the great outdoors is encouraged to Tread Lightly, always remember to Glamp Responisbly.

 

Photo Credits: Wilderness Festival, Beyond The Valley Festival, Burning Man

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Festival Glamping

Now that winter has officially ended, many of us are already ‘springing’ ahead with an eye towards summer.

Over the past several years, festivals have become all the rage with music lovers. Despite their growth in popularity, there’s a growing number of music fans who don’t want to deal with some of the hassles and discomforts associated with these large outdoor gatherings.

A recent Festicket survey found that a large percentage of festival goers were not only willing to travel long distances to events, they wanted to do so in comfort.  While only 8% of people stayed in a luxury hotel when attending festivals in 2013, a whopping 80% are planning to travel in style and stay in a luxury hotel this year.

To cater to this growing market, more and more event organizers are offering “glamping” as an alternative for their more discerning ticket holders.  Here are some examples:

firefly-music-festival-gear-patrol-slide-17

Wakarusa Music Festival– June 5-8th at Mulburry Mountian in Ozark, Arkansas:

The rapidly growing global trend of glamping has made it’s way to the Ozarks.  This is the classy and elegant way to experience the festival at its fullest.  So whether you’re going General Admission or VIP, specially designated glamping tents will give you the opportunity to rest up in luxuery (and privacy) in-between acts like The Flamping Lips, Michael Franti Spearhead, and String Cheese Incident.

Firefly Music Festival – June 19 – 22 in Dover, Delaware:

For 2014, Firefly camping will provide concert goers with unique and exciting amenities outside the festival gates including a farmer’s market, yoga, food trucks and even more live entertainment.  For $699, you can buy a Glamping Package that includes:

4 nights/5 days camping for up to 2 people

Private air-conditioned tent (12’ x 9.5’)

Minimum 20’ x 45’ site with space for a standard car or SUV

2 cots with pillows and blankets

Preferred check-in location

Power source for personal electronics

Glamping Lounge access

Complimentary shower fast passes

Private restroom facilities

Access to “The Post” for cell phone charging stations, ice sales, and water refills

tipi at alt fest 2

Alt Fest – August 15-17, 2014 in Northamptonshire, England:

If you’re into bands like The Cult and Marilyn Manson and want to survive The Alt in style, the organizers have you covered.  Compared to other festivals whose camping rates are based on a per-person charge, Alt Fest offers an inclusive flat rate to keep things simple.  Each of their glamping options comes with a variety of perks, such as memory foam mattresses, solar powered lighting, rugs, scatter cushion, and more.

The legendary US punk band, the Dead Kennedy’s once said, “Give me convenience or give me death.”  Thanks to glamping, attendees don’t have to lug all their camping gear back and forth and there will be no precarious tent-based construction to deal with.  Best of all, when the concert is over, you can simply walk away knowing that the Alt Fest “glamping gophers” will take care of everything.

altfest

The Indianapolis 500  – May 22-26th in Indiana:

Not all large gatherings revolve around music.  Although the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been used for a lot of things in its long and storied history, storied history, but never for anything quite like this.

For the first time, Indy 500 fans will be able to go glamping during race weekend.  The Speedway is offering packages ranging from $650 to $1,100 that include an assortment of luxuries, such as a tent with tarp floor and windows, queen-sized beds, a private shower area, electronic hookups and access to a glamping lounge.

All packages include four nights and five days.  Tickets for Coors Light Carb Day on May 23, Legends Day on May 24, and the race on May 25 are required and must be purchased separately.