The jaded traveler is always looking for a new thrill; a fresh experience. The travel industry constantly looks to reinvent itself, so that it can offer people unusual, new and out of the ordinary experiences. So now, camping is all very well; glamping is the desirable new, high-end experience to have. And hotel rooms are apparently passé too – the open to air ‘rooms’ are the new kind of hotel experience to have!
This is camping for the glamorous – when roughing it out is not an option, the well-heeled head out for some glamping (glamorous + camping). So you can commune with nature and its creatures, just without any of the difficulties or hardships of the wild.
….A really, really fancy one. Not only will they have all the mod cons, they will be well appointed and luxurious. There may be tents, cabins, tree houses, lodges, huts and so on that offer the charm of camping but none of the inconvenience or discomfort.
There are glamping locations all over the Americas, Europe, UK, Australia, Africa and Asia, and one can choose the sort of experience they want: a traditional tepee, trailers, domes and eco-domes and more. Be prepared to pay for your experience though; glamping is not meant to be cheap.
ATV excursions, rambles through the wilderness, riding, mountain biking, fly fishing, rafting, enjoying the beach, skiing, snow-mobiling, wine tasting and wildlife tours are some of the activities to indulge in when you go glamping. Those looking for some wellness experiences /pampering can enjoy yoga retreats, spa treatments. And if it’s the traditional singsong and marshmallow toasting around a campfire; that’s available too!
Many seem to think that a hotel room without walls and/or roof is a great idea which permits one to experience the outdoors, look up and the sky and so on. In India, where being out of doors means no A/c, suffering intense heat, voracious mosquitoes, dust and general discomfort, sleeping out of doors doesn’t present a very attractive option; but that’s just me. Maybe I would change my mind if this with its own private plunge book and the spectacular view was on offer.
This hotel in Switzerland called Null Stern (in German which translates to zero star) is just the bed – at about 6,400 ft above sea level and nothing else: no walls, no roof, no doors or windows. The nearest bathroom a five minute walk, but there is a butler to do your bidding if you want room service. For some reason, people loved the idea; the ‘hotel’ is booked solid; even though it costs $210 a night!
This open to air hotel in Kenya overlooks the African wilderness and claims to be the ‘biggest bedroom in the world with the night sky as the ceiling and the hills in the distance being the walls.
This Mozambique hotel lets you enjoy a night right on the sea shore. The canopy of stars is all very well and the sea breeze will probably keep one cool as well, but I’m still worried about the mosquitoes and creatures that creep in quietly from the sea in the night!
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