It even had a real bathroom, which was so cool to me at that time. We took a trip to a state park in New Jersey (where I grew up) with another family and, because of the limited sleeping capacity, the girls got the camper and the boys got the tent and four sleeping bags.
The first day was amazing, from setting up our camp site, to our kayak trip, and finally with our camp fire on which we made smores. The joyfulness ended later in the evening when the rain started and all of us "tent dwellers" woke up in the middle of the night soaked through our clothing. We quickly jumped into the RV and took command of the vehicle from the women. -and thus ended my camping days.
Forty years and a major pandemic later, camping has become a booming business. Nature and the outdoors are, for many, the utmost luxury: the chance to live completely free and connected with the environment and to be disconnect from technology. COVID-19 has resulted in record sales for the RV industry, and there is a growing market for alternative "hospitality" solutions, including "glamping".
Glamour in the Great Outdoors
Put simply, glamping is the experience of camping in high luxury, a concept that developed in the early 20th century when wealthy Americans and Brits wanted to go on exotic African safaris without sacrificing the comforts of home. It was adventure within limits, an escapade that included perfectly appointed tents, linen sheets, refined rugs, and, of course, 24-hour butler service. Tents, yurts, and teepees have existed in one way or another since the 6th century, but these safaris brought the experience of "the great outdoors" to a different level.
Modern glamping has its own attraction. In many cases, we can find the highest luxury experiences in places where hotels, either for economic or geographical reasons, could never be built. Visiting these spots makes us feel we are living something unique, disconnected from everyday life and all its troubles, and on the other hand, in touch with the environment, our family and friends, and maybe even more importantly, ourselves. It's a particularly seductive option for not only Millennials searching for an authentic experience, but also for most of us who have so gravely blurred the lines between work and home. It is filling a pent up desire to have a quick escape which can provide the ability to disconnect and recharge.
On www.glamping.com, visitors will find hundreds of luxury camping choices, from yurts to Airstreams to sophisticated lodges. There are infinite possibilities to escape the urban jungle and step into a real one or a slice of paradise around the corner.
Finding Luxury in a Former Fort or Brickyard
One company that caught my eye a few years back is Collective Retreats, in part because it operates in two of my backyards: New York City and the Hudson Valley. Pre-pandemic, the company launched a glamping site on Governor's Island, a tiny strip of land-172 acres-located a short ferry ride from Manhattan or Brooklyn. Originally a fort defending the New York harbor and later a headquarters for the US Coast Guard, Governor's Island is now a vibrant public park that comes to life in the summer with bike trails, art exhibits, concerts, and even a sandy beach where visitors can soak up the sunshine and play volleyball. Previously, overnight accommodations were unavailable.
But now, Collective Retreats offers visitors some of the most spectacular views of the harbor and the city from two types of tents or a tiny house/mobile luxury cabin with indoor plumbing, an elegant bathroom, 1500 thread count bed linen, a king-sized bed, full electricity, and high speed wi-fi. The experience is centered around food, with sumptuous farm-to-table dinners prepared by Collective Retreats chefs. With rates between $500 and $1,100 per night, it is not the most economic option in New York City, but is probably the most unique. And that's what glamping is all about.
In my other "backyard," the company has launched Collective Hudson Valley just outside of the ever-posher town of Hudson, NY in the heart of Columbia County, a place that, like much of the Hudson Valley, has experienced booming growth and popularity during the pandemic. New Yorkers looking for an escape to natural and open spaces have pumped up the prices of real estate and the few hospitality options in this area. Collective offers a glamorous upstate "farm experience" in a luxury tent that includes comfortable bedding outfitted with exquisite cotton sheets, full private baths with rain showers, wood burning stoves, spa amenities, and other treats formerly available only in traditional hotels.
During the stay, you can watch magnificent sunsets with a wonderful view of the Catskills, pop into downtown Hudson for a day of antiquing and shopping, or indulge in one of the many wonderful Hudson Valley culinary treasures. Collective has created similar outposts in California, Texas, and Montana, among other locations, with equal success.
Airbnb has also jumped into the glamping action with a variety of alternatives around the world. You can choose options like "off the grid," "yurt," or "camper" on the Airbnb website to find the most extraordinary, unexpected places in even the most remote locations, from Dome houses in Sweden to treehouses in California or restored Airstreams in upstate New York at prices ranging from $24 for tents to $1,000 for tiny houses in desirable locations. In fact, some friends of mine with farms have put in multiple airstreams or purchasing tiny houses, which can be easily moved in and off property, and generate thousands of dollars in additional income. The range of experiences is wide, from bare bones to high luxury.
Go North-or Head South and Look Up
One of my favorite local glamping locations is Hutton Brick Yards in Kingston, NY. Located on the banks of the Hudson River, the property was, as its name suggests, a former brickyard. After many years of renovation, the site served as a music and event venue until about three years ago when it was transformed into a popular glamping destination. The tents were in such high demand that the owners recently invested in creating a mobile park of posh tiny houses/cabins. All provide luxury accommodations inspired by the Hudson River Valley design aesthetic, which I like to call Brooklyn North.
If you want to go further off the grid, you can visit my adopted country of Chile. A place with an astonishing landscape and many beautiful natural sites, from the Patagonian fiords to the Atacama Desert, Chile is one of the most popular countries in Latin America for travelers looking for adventure in high style. For a special treat, you can book a luxury stargazing experience in a fabric-covered dome at the Elqui Domos. Elqui, a gorgeous valley just a few hours north of the capital city of Santiago, provides unobstructed night sky views not far from one of the most important observatories in the world. Besides sky watching in your own posh micro cabin, you can also enjoy the best of the beach and the desert in a highly curated experience that includes, among other options, rafting, wine tasting, and fly fishing. Though a bit more rustic than some of the forementioned destinations, this is still no budget retreat.
Our standard brick-and-mortar hotels and resorts, though I can almost guarantee that they will not disappear, have plenty to learn from the evolution of camping to glamping. The last two years of COVID-19 have transformed the hospitality market, and we must adapt to a new generation of consumers who can afford to work remotely and who desire a new and powerful relationship with nature and the outdoors. In addition, the appeal of drive to destinations and "stay-cations" has also had a number of hoteliers rethink strategies, many of whom (including many clients of our) are gobbling up smaller unique and independent properties that bridge the traditional and non-traditional concepts of lodging.
The concept of luxury has changed in the last few years, a change accelerated by the pandemic, and today it is impossible to think of a high-end hospitality experience that doesn't include terms such as "sustainability" or "environmental consciousness." Nature is the ultimate destination-the farther the better-but that doesn't mean we need to lose the perks that a traditional luxury alternative offers. Guests will continue to demand more unique and authentic experiences and be willing to spend more money to have them. If this pandemic has taught us something, it is this: we need to appreciate the small and simple things in life-a walk on the beach, a night under the stars-but they are greatly enhanced by decadent soft sheets, feather duvets, and bottles of fine wine.
By David Ashen Principal & Founder, dash design
