Glamping; what would you want?
Discussion
bloomen said:
Have a price that's actually realistic. You can stay in a pretty decent hotel for the cost of some of those places.
Is that the actual competition though? It is a different experience, camping is done as kids love it, and you want to be closer to the soil/nature/outdoors. You wouldn't go camping/glamping if you actually wanted a hotel experience as they are two different things.
bloomen said:
Have a price that's actually realistic. You can stay in a pretty decent hotel for the cost of some of those places.
A lot of them seem to cost more per night than the beautiful boutique hotel that we use when visiting the in-laws.It's probably why so many people are setting them up.
Hilts said:
How about a small on-site bakery?
I stayed in a camp-site in Amsterdam that had one, very popular. Baguettes straight from the oven.
Quite popular in France as well and def a winner imhoI stayed in a camp-site in Amsterdam that had one, very popular. Baguettes straight from the oven.
Also we stayed at one previously that had hot tubs next to the yurt under wooden gazebos which was nice
Thanks for the comments guys. All taken on board.
Regarding dogs; a difficult one, and I have dogs myself. A friend does Air B&B, and is dog-friendly. Last guest's dog decided to eat wallpaper and skirting boards. I know that a Romany van/yurt/teepee doesn't have either of those, but damage could happen. There is also the issue of possible barking, and the reliance on the owner to clean up after the dog. It wouldn't be possible to vet either the owner or the dog itself when booking. I can't help feeling that we'd be importing problems that are easily avoided, even if it does somewhat limit our market.
We'll not be doing this to make vast amounts of money, nor will we be relying on it to provide an income. Obviously we'll need to cover costs, but it's more something to do to keep us occupied. I'm lucky enough to have pretty much retired, and whilst I'm never bored, it would be nice to have something to focus on. The daily cost will be pitched to keep it affordable. I don't subscribe to increasing prices just because it's school summer holidays; there'll be no premium. The 'adults only' idea seems to be worth pursuing, so long as it doesn't attract people who think it's a passport to open-air shagging!
So far as site shopping goes, whilst the idea of a bakery or somesuch sounds good, but we're only looking at maybe half a dozen pitches, so don't think it would be either sustainable or financially viable. My wife, though, is keen to provide hampers for breakfast. This is something that a hotel we recently stayed at in Whitby did, and it was so much better than traipsing down to a dining room for breakfast.
Facility-wise, we'd look to provide toilets specific to each pitch, as well as somewhere to shower. Anything within the accommodation would be high-quality and freshly laundered. A central fire-pit, as well as individual BBQ's would be nice to have as well.
WRT to space, as said, we'd only want half a dozen pitches over an acre, so plenty of scope for privacy. We have yet to locate a suitable site. We'll have our house on site, but if we can find somewhere set in 7-8 acres then we won't intrude on the glamping space, nor would they intrude on ours. Hoping to remain in Norfolk/Suffolk; any pointers on location, eg proximity to local towns/pubs? Part of me thinks keep it remote, but another part says we need to be closer to civilisation.
Again, appreciating the comments...
Regarding dogs; a difficult one, and I have dogs myself. A friend does Air B&B, and is dog-friendly. Last guest's dog decided to eat wallpaper and skirting boards. I know that a Romany van/yurt/teepee doesn't have either of those, but damage could happen. There is also the issue of possible barking, and the reliance on the owner to clean up after the dog. It wouldn't be possible to vet either the owner or the dog itself when booking. I can't help feeling that we'd be importing problems that are easily avoided, even if it does somewhat limit our market.
We'll not be doing this to make vast amounts of money, nor will we be relying on it to provide an income. Obviously we'll need to cover costs, but it's more something to do to keep us occupied. I'm lucky enough to have pretty much retired, and whilst I'm never bored, it would be nice to have something to focus on. The daily cost will be pitched to keep it affordable. I don't subscribe to increasing prices just because it's school summer holidays; there'll be no premium. The 'adults only' idea seems to be worth pursuing, so long as it doesn't attract people who think it's a passport to open-air shagging!
So far as site shopping goes, whilst the idea of a bakery or somesuch sounds good, but we're only looking at maybe half a dozen pitches, so don't think it would be either sustainable or financially viable. My wife, though, is keen to provide hampers for breakfast. This is something that a hotel we recently stayed at in Whitby did, and it was so much better than traipsing down to a dining room for breakfast.
Facility-wise, we'd look to provide toilets specific to each pitch, as well as somewhere to shower. Anything within the accommodation would be high-quality and freshly laundered. A central fire-pit, as well as individual BBQ's would be nice to have as well.
WRT to space, as said, we'd only want half a dozen pitches over an acre, so plenty of scope for privacy. We have yet to locate a suitable site. We'll have our house on site, but if we can find somewhere set in 7-8 acres then we won't intrude on the glamping space, nor would they intrude on ours. Hoping to remain in Norfolk/Suffolk; any pointers on location, eg proximity to local towns/pubs? Part of me thinks keep it remote, but another part says we need to be closer to civilisation.
Again, appreciating the comments...
I'm a man of simple tastes - a must have for any tenting IMO is a fire pit.
Took the kids camping and on one occasion it turns out we're on a 'no open fires' site. Properly rubbish.
If I'm not sitting out after dark around a fire, chatting away with some food and drinks until the flames die down, then we may as well have booked a hotel room.
Took the kids camping and on one occasion it turns out we're on a 'no open fires' site. Properly rubbish.
If I'm not sitting out after dark around a fire, chatting away with some food and drinks until the flames die down, then we may as well have booked a hotel room.
AdeTuono said:
HOGEPH said:
Japveesix said:
bingybongy said:
A decent shower
A decent bog
No f
king dogs
That's it really.
I'm not sure poetry is for you really. A decent bog
No f
king dogsThat's it really.
Decent shower
Decent bogs
No f
king dogsJust needed a little tidying up.
I have heard of them but wasn't intentionally attempting one.
I don't see that not allowing dogs limits your market drastically. I actually like dogs but don't own one and never will. I also don't like being around other people's dogs.
There are a lot of people like me when it comes to dogs.
bingybongy said:
AdeTuono said:
HOGEPH said:
Japveesix said:
bingybongy said:
A decent shower
A decent bog
No fking dogs
That's it really.
I'm not sure poetry is for you really. A decent bog
No f
king dogsThat's it really.
Decent shower
Decent bogs
No f
king dogsJust needed a little tidying up.
I have heard of them but wasn't intentionally attempting one.
I don't see that not allowing dogs limits your market drastically. I actually like dogs but don't own one and never will. I also don't like being around other people's dogs.
There are a lot of people like me when it comes to dogs.
The OP however has stated he wont be going that route, which is understandable, i just personally see a gap for glamping with the kind of things on offer (Coke and hooker or fire pits) that allow dogs.
Hilts said:
How about a small on-site bakery?
I stayed in a camp-site in Amsterdam that had one, very popular. Baguettes straight from the oven.
Possible - at least a bread ordering service from a good local bakery. I don't mind paying a (good) markup if I don't have to get in the car and drive at 7am...I stayed in a camp-site in Amsterdam that had one, very popular. Baguettes straight from the oven.
A contact of mine runs canopy and stars and I was talking about exactly this with him just recently. The 2 key requirements are: complete privacy and making it an experience. Bearing in mind that he has people booking with him 18 times/year, then he probably has got his market nailed.
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