Could you take advantage of the rise of glamping?

  • 11th August 2017
  • News
  • Stewart Hindley

If you have ever searched for self-catering holiday accommodation, or are already ‘in the business’, you won’t have helped but notice that more and more proprietors are offering unusual ‘glamping’ holiday lets aimed at those looking to be more in touch with the outdoors on their holiday breaks.

The most popular structures to have emerged on the scene in the past few years include: lodges, yurts, pods, gypsy caravans, shepherds huts and tree houses.

As long ago as 2010, Sawdays, one of the first and leading directories offering handpicked and inspected Special Places to Stay, for example, saw the potential in this month.  They created their own spin-off website canopyandstars.co.uk, a collection of inspected and selected, quirky places for glamping.  They offer hundreds of different options for rustic-style holiday lets aimed at anything from honeymooners to families.

Here are just a few examples to give you a flavour of what can be done and how their owners ‘sell’ the proposition:

The Coombe at Penhein – Nomadic Tents in Monmouthshire

One of six Persian-inspired tents on a family farm, with woodlands for den-building and a stream to splash.  These are dome-shaped alachighs (pronounced al-la cheeg) of Persian design traditionally used by nomadic tribes in northern Iran. Nestled in a 3 acre ancient woodland in the Monmouthshire countryside, each has an individual colour scheme, a private flushing loo in a separate adjoining pod, its own fire pit and outdoor sitting area.

The Nancy Blackett – Shepherd’s hut in Somerset

A Shepherd’s hut for 2, the Nancy Blackett is perched on its own tiny island, completely surrounded by nature with a little wooden bridge to the mainland.  Guests can wake up on their own island, cook breakfast on the camp fire before rowing across for a swing in the hammock or to take a soak in the hot tub.

The hut’s footprint is small but cosy with its own wood burner; and guests also have the option to cook dinners and take hot showers in a separate wooden cabin on the mainland where there is even a wood fired pizza oven available for guests.

In Herefordshire, the New Inn Brilley offers a converted gypsy caravan – a completely original gypsy wagon full of unique touches located at the top of a wild hilly meadow with breathtaking mountain views.

The Roundhouse at Bodrifty Farm, Cornwall offers the romance of sleeping in an Iron Age Roundhouse.  Guests also have exclusive use of the Treehouse during your stay at the Roundhouse, built around a living tree, which has a kitchen, sitting room and bathroom.

Have you spotted a glamping business opportunity?

If you have land available in a beautiful location or setting, it could well be worth considering investing in providing suitable accommodation to offer glamping, as a useful way to earn additional income.  Purchasing tents, yurts, pods or huts  will involve some up-front investment so if you are looking for hospitality finance to fund your project our team at Stewart Hindley and Partners are here to help.

We understand the hospitality business through and through and are long-established specialists in securing hospitality finance and can offer you friendly and informative advice to help you build your glamping business.

Browse our site for case histories and more information about the process involved in securing hospitality finance or call us now to speak to our team of experts.

Stewart Hindley

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