Open Air Business April 2017
The UK's outdoor hospitality business magazine for function venues, glampsites, festivals and outdoor events
The UK's outdoor hospitality business magazine for function venues, glampsites, festivals and outdoor events
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GLAMPSITES<br />
empty field. This means we create the<br />
accommodation structure(s) from scratch;<br />
I’m often told that people find this the most<br />
challenging decision. To be fair, choosing the<br />
right structure for the location/guest profile<br />
can require some skill, especially when<br />
we have planning permissions and other<br />
factors to consider. Fortunately, there is a<br />
wide range to choose from, and professional<br />
companies are pushing boundaries with<br />
innovative designs. Adria have brought a<br />
super boutique mobile tent into the market,<br />
as have Eco Living Australia, and the UK’s<br />
leading bespoke treehouse designers, Blue<br />
Forest, continue to trail blaze with innovative<br />
designs. I’m also delighted to keep finding<br />
small, craftsman-owned companies who are<br />
willing and able to design and build bespoke<br />
structures.<br />
When it comes to buying the structure(s)<br />
do choose wisely, it can be a big investment<br />
and getting this right is crucial, not only<br />
in terms of appealing to guests, but the<br />
business’s long term success. Do note that<br />
occupancy rates and rental fees as suggested<br />
by some marketing brochures are not always<br />
achievable, so research ideas and potential<br />
results. Alternatively, seek objective advice<br />
from someone in the business (it doesn’t<br />
have to be me, just get as much sound<br />
advice as you can). It can be difficult to put<br />
things right with hindsight and, sadly, I’ve<br />
seen some costly mistakes.<br />
FIRST CLASS INTERNATIONAL<br />
Last year, one of the UK seminars I presented<br />
was ‘Inspiration from International<br />
Glamping’, which highlighted glamping and<br />
design features from around the world that<br />
caught my eye as outstanding. To be honest,<br />
I was on something of a mission because I<br />
ADRIA<br />
wanted to inspire more of us in the UK to<br />
create mind blowing glamping offers akin to<br />
the places I was finding on other continents.<br />
Internationally, manufacturers are<br />
responding to the demand for luxury<br />
glamping and new, stylish structure designs<br />
are launched every year, companies such as<br />
InTenta, Tentickle, Adria and Eco Structures<br />
Australia are among those leading the way.<br />
There are many others, and it is fascinating<br />
to see so many new concepts being created;<br />
I can barely keep up these days.<br />
One company totally blew me away when<br />
I discovered them a few years ago. Luca and<br />
his team at ‘LuxuryFrontiers’ have created<br />
stunning designer developments in South<br />
Africa, Italy and Spain. The company ethos<br />
is commendable and their environmental<br />
qualifications are impressive. They tick<br />
all the boxes for me, and I would love to<br />
see them create more developments in<br />
Europe and particularly the UK. So, if you’re<br />
ambitious and like their work we need to<br />
talk.<br />
Another example of exceptional<br />
international glamping is Richard Branson’s<br />
‘Kasbah Tamadot’ in Morocco, and ‘Mahali<br />
Mzuri’ in Kenya, which combine stunning<br />
locations with world class accommodation.<br />
If you’re looking for inspiration you will<br />
find it here, they are nothing short of<br />
breathtaking and, naturally, appropriately<br />
priced.<br />
RULE BRITANNIA<br />
It’s fair to say that we have a couple of<br />
challenges when it comes to creating<br />
glamping developments in the UK. Firstly,<br />
the climate limits the rental season for<br />
some structures, secondly, our planning<br />
regulations are more restrictive than<br />
elsewhere. However, these needn’t limit our<br />
imagination when it comes to luxury and<br />
GLAMPING HUB<br />
Warner Springs, California<br />
design, and whilst speaking to interested UK<br />
landowners, I’ve recently been encouraged<br />
to hear that more are interested in creating<br />
something exclusive.<br />
Outside of the USA, I have a sneaky<br />
suspicion that the UK is one of the leading<br />
countries in creating new glampsites each<br />
year, but don’t let that deter you because<br />
as I said earlier there are still profitable<br />
opportunities to create something in the<br />
high-end sector. The UK has more heritage,<br />
character and elegance than you can shake a<br />
stick at and there is no reason at all why UK<br />
glamping can’t compete on the international<br />
field.<br />
UNIQUE BY DESIGN<br />
At this level, it is 100 per cent about giving<br />
guests an experience they can’t find<br />
elsewhere, and facilities they’d never have<br />
at home. Luxurious interior design schemes,<br />
and opulent touches that guests wouldn’t<br />
think of putting in their own homes, add to<br />
the exclusivity. Showers and baths can never<br />
be ‘over the top’ as far as I’m concerned –<br />
and I love the imaginative, elegant bathroom<br />
furnishings at Canonici Sanmarco near<br />
Venice. In fact, grab a coffee and bask in true<br />
Italian gorgeousness, it’s totally inspiring.<br />
At the luxury level of glamping, we’d<br />
be remiss to overlook the use of outside<br />
space, and a dedicated area with generous,<br />
comfortable garden furniture sets the scene<br />
nicely. I’m excited to share a recent discovery<br />
with you – a company called Rivelin who<br />
create fantastic outdoor spaces using super<br />
stylish furniture. They also supply the most<br />
impressive Sheffield-made, gas powered fire<br />
pits, and when I say impressive, I mean it. For<br />
those of us who prefer a real crackling fire,<br />
or an environmentally sustainable option,<br />
then a heavy-duty, log burning fire-bowl is<br />
in order. This is luxury glamping remember,<br />
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