Glamping: Dream Holiday or Nightmare?
Every December there are stories in the news about people turning up to Winter Wonderland pop-up parks and being disappointed by the quality of the offering, which often never comes close to the promises made on the promotional material. This expectation curse has struck glamping, as some companies try to cash in on the staycation boom and create pop-up glamping sites that leave a lot to be desired.
Families booking the Cloud 9 glampsite in the Cotswolds were left as deflated as one of the cheap airbeds they had to sleep on after paying around £250 per night to stay at the site, which on paper boasted a spa, bespoke cocktail bar, hot tubs and an on-site fairground. On arrival, some guests found the bell tents hadn’t been cleaned between visitors, so were left with a muddy floor to contend with – hardly the relaxing break they had anticipated. Pictures posted online show cheap inflatable mattresses with pillows and duvets without covers or sheets. The hot tubs did exist, but those expecting a private tub with a view of the rolling countryside were disappointed to find each one enclosed in a row of flimsy gazebos – hardly private when you can hear the group next to you talking, and no views to speak of.
The bespoke cocktail bar was another let down with a pint in a plastic cup costing £6.50 – champagne prices for a decidedly lemonade experience. Instead of gourmet food, there was a fish and chips van and a stall selling mac and cheese, while the spa appeared to be located under an open canopy, giving no privacy to anyone who dared have a massage or treatment. All this was located in an unremarkable field, with such basic facilities that there was one shared sink for guests to wash dishes, brush their teeth and wash their hands.
Now, there are plenty of campsites with basic facilities that do very well catering to the guests who want the authentic under-canvas experience, but you’re looking at paying around £40 for a long weekend at this type of site, rather than £1,000 for the same at the Cloud 9 pop-up venue. Faced with that cost difference, these guests would have been better off spending that money on renting a bell tent and splashing out on luxury touches to create their own glamping experience at a standard campsite, than wasting that money on an experience that doesn’t live up to the hype.
Many established glampsites were booked up weeks in advance of the summer holidays, so it is no surprise that unscrupulous money-makers took advantage of the demand for UK based glamping holidays, but it pays to scout around and check for reviews before booking anything, even at well-known sites you’re not personally familiar with. There have been successful pop-up sites this year which have catered to groups, couples and families looking for a relaxing getaway without the threat of quarantine, but like the Christmas markets and Wonderland experiences, not all of them hit the mark.
It’s a real shame for the people who did book what they thought would be a high-end, enjoyable glamping experience in a beautiful part of the country. Our advice is always to thoroughly check out the place you intend to stay before you book, but for these temporary sites it’s not always possible to get reviews if you want to book before the spaces fill up. Exercise some caution when booking something totally new, and be prepared to shift your expectations away from the promises made in promotional material. The other alternative is to DIY your glamping holiday at a campsite which has the facilities you need, in an area you want to visit, taking the luxury with you. Once you’ve invested in glamping kit you can use it again and again for a holiday experience that won’t let you down.
