Top 10 Glamping Sites around The World

What is glamping and how is it different from camping?

‘Glamping’ is increasingly popular, and for good reason, as it combines the fun of camping with the comfort of a hotel. Glamping sites are well-maintained semi-permanent or permanent structures, meaning fewer creepy crawlies and more creature comforts. So instead of a leaky tent you’ve had to put up yourself in a howling thunderstorm, stay in a pimped-up wooden wigwam or get back to nature in a ready-prepared yurt, complete with a full-size bed, rugs and even a dining table!

Where are the best glamping locations?

The whole point of glamping is that it’s not quite so dependent on the weather as your traditional camping, but it can be an incredible way to enjoy the scenery. Read on for 10 of the most beautiful luxury campsites out there…

1. Treehotel, Sweden

• Nearest town: Harads, part of Swedish Lapland and only 50km from the Arctic Circle.

The Treehotel in Sweden is a camouflaged cube of mirrors deep within a forest in northern Sweden. The owners were inspired by the film The Tree Lover by Jonas Selberg and with the help of some of Sweden’s top architects, they were able to create ‘tree rooms’ that are aesthetically beautiful, but still respect the natural environment. There are cabins that look like birds’ nests, one that looks like a spaceship and even one inspired by the wings of a dragonfly. And if your timing’s right (roughly September to March is usually the optimum period), you might just spy the magical Northern Lights above the pines.

2. Sal Salis, Australia

• Nearest town: Sal Salis is pretty much out on its own (which is the whole idea) but if you want restaurants, nightlife and reef tours, the resort of Exmouth is just around the peninsula, a little over an hour’s drive away.

If paradise exists, it probably looks like Sal Salis: a safari camp protected between the dunes of Australia’s Cape Range National Park, with spectacular views of Ningaloo Coral Reef. The camp is environmentally-friendly and uses renewable energy, and there is no internet or phone signal, making this the perfect escape from the stresses of everyday life. White sands, crystal clear waters, bright stars above your head…what more could you want? Get out on the road and make the most of that wilderness while you’re in Australia.

 

3.Chewton Glen, England

• Nearest town: Christchurch and the picturesque south coast are only around 10 minutes’ drive, heading away from the forest.

Chewton Glen is a luxury hotel with an arboreal twist, on the edge of Hampshire’s historic New Forest. Sleep like royalty in souped-up glass and wood tree houses, lofts and cabins, with every one a calm oasis. If you need a dose of civilisation, meander through the trees to the main hotel, where you’ll find a first-rate restaurant serving modern British cuisine throughout the day (a three-course lunch is £26.50*) as well as an oh-so-dainty afternoon tea.

 

4. Eco Camp, Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile

• Nearest town: Puerto Natales, the ‘gateway’ and supply town for the Torres del Paine.

This sustainable resort in the heart of Torres del Paine National Park is something of a luxury camping paradise. Trust us, if you spend a night in one of the ecological geodesic domes, looking out across the dramatic snow-tipped mountains, fjords and glaciers just next door, you won’t want to leave. In total there are 25 bedrooms, and several shared ‘Community Domes’ where you can eat or plan your hiking route. One not to miss on the glamping map.

5. Lanzarote Retreats, Lanzarote, Spain

• Nearest town: Arrieta town, just under 2km away.

Retreat from city life (and the lobster-red throngs of tourists at the coast) and head for this eco-resort in rural Lanzarote. Stay in yurts and eco cabins kitted out with Balinese furnishings, powered by wind and solar power and set amidst a mesmerising expanse of volcanic landscape. As an added bonus, Lanzarote Retreats is also very close to Arrieta Beach, one of the most unspoilt shorelines on the island.

6. Tena Tena Camp, Zambia

• Nearest town: The city of Chipata is around two hours away by road.

Situated at the mouth of the Great Valley Rift in Lauangwa National Park, Tena Tena’s lodge has treetops for a roof. The cabins of this safari camp could not be any more idyllic and you’ll enjoy being here whether you go in search of big game (leopards, elephants and zebras to name a few) or not. If you ever dreamed of having a house straight out of Out of Africa, then now’s your chance to see what it feels like to live surrounded by the wild – with all the security in the world and a wonderfully comfy bed of course

7. Whitepod, Switzerland

• Nearest town: Idyllic Saint-Maurice, near Lake Geneva, is 25 minutes away from the hotel.

As enjoyable in sunshine as in snow, these 15 igloos on a Swiss hillside are an slightly off-piste place to enjoy nature…and the commodities of a five-star hotel. If you have the energy to do anything more than recline on the huge comfy beds in front of an Alpine view, their outdoor activities programme will keep you busy all year-round – think glorious mountain walks, paragliding and pony rides in the summer, and skiing and dog-sleds in the winter.

8. The Roundhouse, England

• Nearest town: The Roundhouse is located at Bodrifty, about a 15 minute trip from Penzance.

This round cabin in the Cornish woods was designed in the style of Iron Age homes. Its fireplaces, Egyptian cotton linens and canopy beds ease you into holiday mode, and after that, there’s nothing to do except enjoy the tranquil sounds of birdsong outside your window. After a relaxing bath, swap fresh for saltwater with a dip in the (cold!) sea at one of west Cornwall’s gorgeous beaches, from St Ives to Botallack. Discover more of one of Britain’s most scenic destinations in our guide to the most beautiful parts of Cornwall.

9. Cabañas en los árboles, Spain

• Nearest town: Other than a smattering of small rural towns, Bilbao is about 50km away.

Zuhaitz-etxeak is the Basque name for The Cabins in the Trees in rural Vizcaya. They are the highest in Europe and are a good way of making your childhood dream of sleeping in the treetops a reality. In this sea of branches and leaves you can enjoy complete isolation, while looking across to the mountains and spotting wild deer on the ground below. You won’t even be disturbed at breakfast – your morning feast will be winched up to you in a basket. But be warned, if you have vertigo, better not look down as you descend – it’s 17 metres to the ground!

10. Clayoquot Wilderness Resort, Canada

• Nearest town: Tofino is about 20 minutes away by boat.

Famous for being Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds’ honeymoon spot (what, you didn’t know?!), this rustic resort on Vancouver Island is only accessible via a seaplane from Vancouver (or a boat ride from the town of Tofino). The tents are a refined combination of vintage and modern, without losing an ounce of charm, and (when you want them to be) they’re completely open to the vast pine forests and peaks of the Canadian landscape.