Glamping up the festival experience with boutique camping

A few years ago I wrote about “Glamping” and how much the word (much like Jedward) annoyed me. Also I couldn’t understand why you couldn’t have a bit of luxury in your own tent with a few extras. However as the years have gone on I’ve finally seen the appeal…

Last year we took both children to Latitude and found the whole “loading the car, stomping to the campsite and setting up a tent while trying to stop a 1 year old running away” rather tiring. Yet again we considered a campervan or even borrowing a caravan.

We also took both cars because we had so much stuff! This was ok as it’s only an hour away but not always practical if it’s 4 hours away.

This year we decided to take the plunge and book a Beaupad through Podpads for Camp Bestival. All we need to pack are sleeping bags, clothes and food. We would rock up to the podpads reception, find our tent and once the sleeping bags are laid out we are sorted!

I’m really very excited about the experience that awaits us but above all I want to be able to enjoy a relatively stress-free camping experience.

Boutique Camping

I feel a bit of cheat in a way. As a hardcore festival fan, happy camper and owner of 4 tents I’m pretty much set for anything but due to a knee injury last year and as I will have had knee surgery weeks before I thought a bit more comfort and less stress would be a good thing.

Boutique camping has opened up the world of festivalling to people who might have other wise been put off. Of course there is always the hotel option but speaking from experience it’s not quite the same being off site every night and missing out on the atmosphere in the evenings.

suite-huts

Boutique camping options are not only for the affluent. There are so many options to suit each pocket and many provide payment schemes to help you spread the cost.

We were attracted to podpads as it has a variety of options to choose from. There are also good toilets and showers available and at the reception free tea, coffee and squash is provided.

Pre-Pitched Tents

Tangerine fields is an excellent way to make the whole experience easier, a ready pitched tent complete with sleeping bags and air beds in a campsite with dedicated toilets. So you are still camping but without the hauling of gear across boiling hot fields in order to find a pitch to squeeze your family tent on. You can rock up and crack a beer open as soon as you arrive.

photo 5

Camp light take the stress out of camping by offering pre pitched, pre loved tents. Similar to Tangerine Fields They pick up a regular tent for you but they rescue abandoned tents from festivals and clean them up and give them a new lease of life.

When you book you don’t get a choice of what tent you get but if you book a tent that sleeps four it will sleep four – although the camping rule of thumb says that if there are four of you you should go for a 5 or 6 man tent to allow that bit extra room. Still it’s a wonderful concept and very affordable starting at only £10 a night per person.

VIP

photo 4However, If you really want the whole VIP experience why not splash out on hospitality camping?

Or even hire an airstream or a Winnebago?

Taking the concept of Glamping to a whole new level many of these come complete with ensuite facilities but of course you pay a premium for this.

 


3 thoughts on “Glamping up the festival experience with boutique camping

  1. I’ve recently started glamping and now its the only way i’d camp! I’m camping with Stoke Travel for Oktoberfest, they even have unlimited tea, coffee, beer and sangria!

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