Glamping; what would you want?
Discussion
Thanks for the feedback all.
Just an update; we've put an offer in on a property with 5+ acres, which has been accepted. Now getting ready to sell our house to allow the purchase to proceed.
And just took delivery of this wagon to set us on our way. This will be the first of four or five.
Current plan is to spend the next 18 months making sure everything is as perfect as we can get it before embarking on the glamping season 2019.
Just an update; we've put an offer in on a property with 5+ acres, which has been accepted. Now getting ready to sell our house to allow the purchase to proceed.
And just took delivery of this wagon to set us on our way. This will be the first of four or five.
Current plan is to spend the next 18 months making sure everything is as perfect as we can get it before embarking on the glamping season 2019.
Just looked back at the 1st thread and had missed the Romany Caravan bit.
Curious as to whether other members on here like it?
As for me it would look a bit pretentious and hipster-ey, just wouldn't rent it, more so after David Cameron's (paid?) publicising of his similarly wheeled item recently. Might be just me, so curious as to other people opinions?
Would still come though, and rent the teepee
Hope the sale and purchase go smoothly for you.
Curious as to whether other members on here like it?
As for me it would look a bit pretentious and hipster-ey, just wouldn't rent it, more so after David Cameron's (paid?) publicising of his similarly wheeled item recently. Might be just me, so curious as to other people opinions?
Would still come though, and rent the teepee
Hope the sale and purchase go smoothly for you.AdeTuono said:
Thanks for the feedback all.
Just an update; we've put an offer in on a property with 5+ acres, which has been accepted. Now getting ready to sell our house to allow the purchase to proceed.
And just took delivery of this wagon to set us on our way. This will be the first of four or five.
Current plan is to spend the next 18 months making sure everything is as perfect as we can get it before embarking on the glamping season 2019.
Good luck with the adventure! Looks like you could have some ready-made guinea pigs here to test things out on if you wish ;-)Just an update; we've put an offer in on a property with 5+ acres, which has been accepted. Now getting ready to sell our house to allow the purchase to proceed.
And just took delivery of this wagon to set us on our way. This will be the first of four or five.
Current plan is to spend the next 18 months making sure everything is as perfect as we can get it before embarking on the glamping season 2019.
Cheers
Good luck with the venture. I've been thinking about doing something similar but can't quite get the activation energy to put any plans on paper.
From the years I've been camping I've often thought that the key to a good experience is to provide a bit of isolation and for the owners to make people feel welcome.
Last week I stayed on a site that had individual pitches mowed out. Each tent had it's own little spot that you could get to without walking through other people's pitches. It was quiet and well run. Even though the facilities were pretty basic (basic showers and loos, no EHU, no WiFi), the environment and attitude of the owners made me want to go back (the owners came round to each pitch on the edge of dark handing out free glow sticks for the kids to play with).
Compare that to a site I went to last year that had all mod-cons but treated it's guests as a commodity to be exploited. The tents (even the glamping yurts/bell tents) were close enough that guy lines overlapped and every little thing cost money; eg if you turned up early they charged you a fee, if you left your pitch late, even a few minutes, they charged you a fee (whilst we were packing up a campsite employee came to make sure we didn't overstay), if you wanted a fire you had to hire their fire-pits and then buy their unbelievably expensive logs (the bags worked out at nearly 2 quid a log....), if you wanted WiFi you had to pay (an extortionate amount for almost unusable internet). It left a bad taste.....
From the years I've been camping I've often thought that the key to a good experience is to provide a bit of isolation and for the owners to make people feel welcome.
Last week I stayed on a site that had individual pitches mowed out. Each tent had it's own little spot that you could get to without walking through other people's pitches. It was quiet and well run. Even though the facilities were pretty basic (basic showers and loos, no EHU, no WiFi), the environment and attitude of the owners made me want to go back (the owners came round to each pitch on the edge of dark handing out free glow sticks for the kids to play with).
Compare that to a site I went to last year that had all mod-cons but treated it's guests as a commodity to be exploited. The tents (even the glamping yurts/bell tents) were close enough that guy lines overlapped and every little thing cost money; eg if you turned up early they charged you a fee, if you left your pitch late, even a few minutes, they charged you a fee (whilst we were packing up a campsite employee came to make sure we didn't overstay), if you wanted a fire you had to hire their fire-pits and then buy their unbelievably expensive logs (the bags worked out at nearly 2 quid a log....), if you wanted WiFi you had to pay (an extortionate amount for almost unusable internet). It left a bad taste.....
marcg said:
Hot tub fed by the logburner? Not sure how complicated this would be but this would differentiate from the rest. Only works if properly private of course.
I know it's a very personal thing, but I just don't 'get' hot-tubs. Would you get in a bath with your mates? Always seemed a bit odd to me. MrBrightSi said:
Those caravans look rather quaint and cool. Would love to see how you develop them inside. You got any ideas/pics of the tepees you're planning to use?
The whole plan is pretty fluid at the moment, and will morph as we go on. I think we'll ditch the tee-pees; there may well be planning issues which, hopefully, will be negated by having mobile accommodation.Mrs. Tuono is in charge of the 'vans. Currently trawling eBay and visiting antique fairs; she's in her element. But all will be kitted out with quality sheets/duvets, crockery etc., as well as complimentary tea/coffee/cakes/wine on arrival.
AdeTuono said:
The whole plan is pretty fluid at the moment, and will morph as we go on. I think we'll ditch the tee-pees; there may well be planning issues which, hopefully, will be negated by having mobile accommodation.
Mrs. Tuono is in charge of the 'vans. Currently trawling eBay and visiting antique fairs; she's in her element. But all will be kitted out with quality sheets/duvets, crockery etc., as well as complimentary tea/coffee/cakes/wine on arrival.
Without wishing to urinate on your chips, you have set the wheels in motion in terms of buying the site and selling your house, but are talking about planning issues in terms of "may" and "hopefully". As you are putting so much into this business, you really want the planning position nailed.Mrs. Tuono is in charge of the 'vans. Currently trawling eBay and visiting antique fairs; she's in her element. But all will be kitted out with quality sheets/duvets, crockery etc., as well as complimentary tea/coffee/cakes/wine on arrival.
Edited to add: planning use for the site as well as planning permission for the caravans.
Edited by Europa1 on Thursday 17th August 09:38
RTB said:
From the years I've been camping I've often thought that the key to a good experience is to provide a bit of isolation and for the owners to make people feel welcome.
Last week I stayed on a site that had individual pitches mowed out. Each tent had it's own little spot that you could get to without walking through other people's pitches. It was quiet and well run. Even though the facilities were pretty basic (basic showers and loos, no EHU, no WiFi), the environment and attitude of the owners made me want to go back (the owners came round to each pitch on the edge of dark handing out free glow sticks for the kids to play with).
Compare that to a site I went to last year that had all mod-cons but treated it's guests as a commodity to be exploited. The tents (even the glamping yurts/bell tents) were close enough that guy lines overlapped and every little thing cost money; eg if you turned up early they charged you a fee, if you left your pitch late, even a few minutes, they charged you a fee (whilst we were packing up a campsite employee came to make sure we didn't overstay), if you wanted a fire you had to hire their fire-pits and then buy their unbelievably expensive logs (the bags worked out at nearly 2 quid a log....), if you wanted WiFi you had to pay (an extortionate amount for almost unusable internet). It left a bad taste.....
And that's exactly where we're coming from. We're not in it to make money, but to give us an enjoyable lifestyle. Obviously we'll need to cover our costs, but outgoings will be minimal, once the 'vans are paid off. If you can't provide £20's worth of 'freebies' on arrival for your daily rate (research seems to indicate anywhere between £70-£120/day; seems a lot to me, but...) then I reckon you're not in it for the guest. I hate the 'gimme gimme' approach; it always leaves a bad taste. If we respect our guests, then hopefully they'll respect the site. Last week I stayed on a site that had individual pitches mowed out. Each tent had it's own little spot that you could get to without walking through other people's pitches. It was quiet and well run. Even though the facilities were pretty basic (basic showers and loos, no EHU, no WiFi), the environment and attitude of the owners made me want to go back (the owners came round to each pitch on the edge of dark handing out free glow sticks for the kids to play with).
Compare that to a site I went to last year that had all mod-cons but treated it's guests as a commodity to be exploited. The tents (even the glamping yurts/bell tents) were close enough that guy lines overlapped and every little thing cost money; eg if you turned up early they charged you a fee, if you left your pitch late, even a few minutes, they charged you a fee (whilst we were packing up a campsite employee came to make sure we didn't overstay), if you wanted a fire you had to hire their fire-pits and then buy their unbelievably expensive logs (the bags worked out at nearly 2 quid a log....), if you wanted WiFi you had to pay (an extortionate amount for almost unusable internet). It left a bad taste.....
With a max of five 'vans, each should have 1/2 acre to itself, EHU (already on-site; property is currently run as a CC site), individual toilets for each pitch, a shed full of chairs/tables/boules/croquet/books etc etc for anyone to use. We'll have a communal fire-pit for those who want it, individual BBQ's for those who don't. Loads of farm-shops in the area, so a hook-up with one of those should see a ready supply of fresh meat. Little things, but they all add up.
It's quite sad, but my wife and I have spent a lot of time (pre-kids) sat in campsites around the world, glass of red in hand, analysing the surroundings and designing our "perfect" campsite. It's a dream for one day, far in the future, to buy a site and run it, and make it the greatest campsite in the world by combining the best bits of all the sites we've visited.
We have accumulated dozens of ideas, some expensive to implement, some cheap. You can have these ones:
Lighting for paths and buildings is an art form. Too bright, and you kill the mood and the stargazing. Not enough and everyone needs a torch to get anywhere. When it's just right, you'll know, but so many places clearly threw up whatever cheap outdoor lighting they could find. When lighting is done right, you don't even notice it, but when you start noticing it, you can't stop! Design the site like you'd design your living room. Lighting is probably 50% of the overall effect after dusk.
The difference in "feeling" between a site that uses hedges and one which uses fences is profound. Break up sight lines and sound travelling between pitches.
Radio playing in the shower/toilet blocks. This is probably the cheapest, most effective mood-enhancer we ever noticed, and yet it's rarer than you'd think. In the UK, Radio 2 is probably the best bet.
We have accumulated dozens of ideas, some expensive to implement, some cheap. You can have these ones:
Lighting for paths and buildings is an art form. Too bright, and you kill the mood and the stargazing. Not enough and everyone needs a torch to get anywhere. When it's just right, you'll know, but so many places clearly threw up whatever cheap outdoor lighting they could find. When lighting is done right, you don't even notice it, but when you start noticing it, you can't stop! Design the site like you'd design your living room. Lighting is probably 50% of the overall effect after dusk.
The difference in "feeling" between a site that uses hedges and one which uses fences is profound. Break up sight lines and sound travelling between pitches.
Radio playing in the shower/toilet blocks. This is probably the cheapest, most effective mood-enhancer we ever noticed, and yet it's rarer than you'd think. In the UK, Radio 2 is probably the best bet.
Europa1 said:
AdeTuono said:
The whole plan is pretty fluid at the moment, and will morph as we go on. I think we'll ditch the tee-pees; there may well be planning issues which, hopefully, will be negated by having mobile accommodation.
Mrs. Tuono is in charge of the 'vans. Currently trawling eBay and visiting antique fairs; she's in her element. But all will be kitted out with quality sheets/duvets, crockery etc., as well as complimentary tea/coffee/cakes/wine on arrival.
Without wishing to urinate on your chips, you have set the wheels in motion in terms of buying the site and selling your house, but are talking about planning issues in terms of "may" and "hopefully". As you are putting so much into this business, you really want the planning position nailed.Mrs. Tuono is in charge of the 'vans. Currently trawling eBay and visiting antique fairs; she's in her element. But all will be kitted out with quality sheets/duvets, crockery etc., as well as complimentary tea/coffee/cakes/wine on arrival.
Edited to add: planning use for the site as well as planning permission for the caravans.
Edited by Europa1 on Thursday 17th August 09:38
Not sure of you can put an application in on a property that you don't actually own yet; you probably can. The use of 'may' and 'hopefully' was strictly in order not to tempt fate.
Sounds like a great adventure OP, good luck!
We stayed in a Glamping place with Yurts on the Isle of Wight on our first wedding anniversary. It was generally pretty good but 4yrs down the line they are out of business.
The had gone the full 'eco tourism' model, but chatting to the owner when we were there I very much got the impression that his spin was "I can't afford to put flushing private toilets in for every unit, so we'll have one shared composting loo for every yurt to share and call it eco-friendly"
This was the bit that we really did not like - we are Glastonbury campers, so am used to s
tting in a well-used long drop if we have to. However, if I'm paying premium money for glamping, then I want my own flushing bog. Mrs PT concurs, and says it is a must-have if we do it again.
We stayed in a Glamping place with Yurts on the Isle of Wight on our first wedding anniversary. It was generally pretty good but 4yrs down the line they are out of business.
The had gone the full 'eco tourism' model, but chatting to the owner when we were there I very much got the impression that his spin was "I can't afford to put flushing private toilets in for every unit, so we'll have one shared composting loo for every yurt to share and call it eco-friendly"
This was the bit that we really did not like - we are Glastonbury campers, so am used to s
tting in a well-used long drop if we have to. However, if I'm paying premium money for glamping, then I want my own flushing bog. Mrs PT concurs, and says it is a must-have if we do it again. AdeTuono said:
The property is currently run as a Caravan Club site; initial enquiries with the DC and planning consultants indicate that there will not be a problem. Limiting numbers to 5 'vans sidesteps many PP issues. And if it transpires that it all goes tit's up, we'll have a lovely place to live, 5 1/2 acres of land, workshops, garages, in an enviable position. And some gypsy caravans in the garden.
Not sure of you can put an application in on a property that you don't actually own yet; you probably can. The use of 'may' and 'hopefully' was strictly in order not to tempt fate.
Not sure of you can put an application in on a property that you don't actually own yet; you probably can. The use of 'may' and 'hopefully' was strictly in order not to tempt fate.
I often camp when off roading and hot showers at these sites is the height of luxury, I'd say these are essential for glamping. Each pitch structure needs to be warm in winter and cool in summer, use your terrain to your advantage and protect people from the elements. When allowed we use open fire pits for cooking/BBQ, if you do this, at lease some fuel/wood needs to be inclusive.
A few weeks ago, some guy on TV was doing eco-glamping. He had a surcharge for hot showers to discourage use and save energy. This is fkwittery for me, camping is low footprint, glamping is not.
A few weeks ago, some guy on TV was doing eco-glamping. He had a surcharge for hot showers to discourage use and save energy. This is f
kwittery for me, camping is low footprint, glamping is not.4x4Tyke said:
I often camp when off roading and hot showers at these sites is the height of luxury, I'd say these are essential for glamping. Each pitch structure needs to be warm in winter and cool in summer, use your terrain to your advantage and protect people from the elements. When allowed we use open fire pits for cooking/BBQ, if you do this, at lease some fuel/wood needs to be inclusive.
A few weeks ago, some guy on TV was doing eco-glamping. He had a surcharge for hot showers to discourage use and save energy. This is fkwittery for me, camping is low footprint, glamping is not.
Again, totally where we're coming from. Property has a wooded copse, so fuel won't be a problem. And at £100 for a truckload of logs, which would probably last a month or so, I wouldn't have a problem including it in the price.A few weeks ago, some guy on TV was doing eco-glamping. He had a surcharge for hot showers to discourage use and save energy. This is f
kwittery for me, camping is low footprint, glamping is not.As for showers, probably not one per wagon, but there are outbuildings with a good power supply and drainage that lend themselves to conversion.
AdeTuono said:
MrBrightSi said:
Those caravans look rather quaint and cool. Would love to see how you develop them inside. You got any ideas/pics of the tepees you're planning to use?
The whole plan is pretty fluid at the moment, and will morph as we go on. I think we'll ditch the tee-pees; there may well be planning issues which, hopefully, will be negated by having mobile accommodation.Mrs. Tuono is in charge of the 'vans. Currently trawling eBay and visiting antique fairs; she's in her element. But all will be kitted out with quality sheets/duvets, crockery etc., as well as complimentary tea/coffee/cakes/wine on arrival.
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