The Glamping and Safari Logbook. November 2018.

THE LOGBOOK

GLAMPING

&

N O V E M B E R

SAFARI

2 0 1 8

Article on page

11

Contents Editors note...................................................................... 4

GO ECO Glamping.................................................... 46

Beautifully remote rentals for a ‘digital detox’ holiday.................................................... 6

Thinking about glampifying your land?............. 50 A solution to finding ...................................................51

Exclusive Tents. It’s in the name............................11

The perfect destination............................................51

Glo Domes. Suppliers of geodesic domes........16

Prop-Sync........................................................................52

Camp Kiosk................................................................... 20 Inviting cabins in the trees.......................................23

5 Reasons why libraries make great remote offices.............................................................. 54

Beautiful yurt rentals in upstate New York.....24

The Stables.....................................................................57

Fantastic glamping dome........................................ 25

Jardin d’ebene.............................................................. 58

Unique underground camping pod rental........26

The game ranger behind the tents......................59

Safari tent near Water Springs..............................27

Tristar Africa Skimmer Safaris Ltd...................... 60

TUTC. Safari glamping at its best.........................28

Elewana............................................................................62

ATerra Glamping:........................................................ 32

Wildwaters Lodge...................................................... 64

MarGins walk and glamp holidays....................... 36

Adrift Uganda................................................................65

Forest Haven East Gate Lodge............................ 38

Hospitality Afrika........................................................ 66

The boutique gem in Yorkshire............................ 40

The Landscape Studio.............................................. 68

The Chilterns View.................................................... 43

Uncompromising steel..............................................70

3

Editors note

Glamping and Safaris have so much in common. In fact, in many ways Glamping owes its start to the Safari industry which for decades has combined breath taking sites, local knowledge and luxury lodgings to inspire and mesmerise. As these two sectors continue to grow the markets have begun merging into each other. More and more glamping style lodgings are appearing on safaris, and glamping sites are offering more and more tours and expeditions. And in doing so breathing new life and value into local historic sites.

These are also proving to be worthwhile revenue generating machines for people wanting to make use of their passions and their creativity. The infrastructure to support these cottage industries is growing and developing at such a rate that newcomers need to learn how to tread fast and ride that wave.

State-of-the-art businesses like Camp Kiosk bringing new-age technology to camping and glamping sites to open up more time for business owners to enjoy their work. And short-let property owners being presented with incredible innovations in property management thanks to companies like Prop-Sync.

And, we have suppliers of geodesic domes and safari tents making use of manufacturing processes and materials so cutting edge they almost sound like science fiction.

For destinations, the opportunity to bring your location to the entranced eyes of millions has never been easier and more accessible. And tours and tour operators have the most amazing tools to reach a world of adventure seekers all from the convenience of a phone.

And it all just takes a little bit of creativity.

These are certainly exciting times.

Hope you’re all having a good November.

Kindest Donnie Rust Creative and Editorial Director

4

The Team Published by The Lost Executive LTD Co-founder and Creative and Editorial Director Don Campbell Co-founder Jerome Smith Head Writer Donnie Rust Copy proofreader Daemon Sands Magazine Designer Louise Smith

5

BEAUTIFULLY REMOTE RENTALS FOR A ‘DIGITAL DETOX’ HOLIDAY

On a list of reasons to take a holiday, “getting away from daily stresses” might be at the top. When every text message, email and social notification gets delivered directly to our pockets, it’s hard to truly break free from the world. But spending a week in a remote cottage, faraway beach home or mountainside cabin can be wildly liberating. With TripAdvisor Holiday Rentals and their top idyllic homes, you can leave the iPad at home, turn the cell phone off and relish in the peaceful tranquillity of your surroundings.

Embrace that solitude - no crowded hotels, no Facebook, no Twitter, no Instagram. While convincing your kids of that may be a challenge (good luck, parents!), TripAdvisor Holiday Rentals is here to help.

We’ve rounded up 11 amazing holiday homes that stand alone, literally. With nothing but the great outdoors on your doorstep – lakes, fields, mountains, forests and more – these properties are great for a true digital detox, if you choose.

You’ll enjoy activities like biking, hiking, fishing, boating, horseback riding or simply gazing at the jaw-dropping sunsets, all while getting closer to your family and loved ones.

So don’t worry about updating your apps before this trip. You won’t need ’em – or want ’em

1

2

Welsh Cottage: Haye-on-Wye, Wales A historic cottage set in the spectacular countryside overlooking the Black Mountains and Brecon Beacons National Park. “No neighbours except sheep and cows,” claims the property description. The interior has been exquisitely renovated and guests enjoy relaxing evenings in front of the fireplace.

El Rancho Evergreen: Chiapas, Southern Mexico Nestled in 100 acres of an equestrian ranch in the colonial town of San Cristóbal de las Casas. The owners claim it’s a “great place to disconnect from the urban world and reconnect with nature and animals.”

3

4

The Bunkhouse: Washington, Vermont, USA

Alt Dubh: Isle of Lewis, Scotland

The Bunkhouse is a rustic lodge with access to the best of Vermont’s remote wilderness and miles of hiking trails. Ideal for any season, guests put down their phones and pick up their hiking shoes or cross-country skis. The outdoor patio boasts a BBQ grill so you can take in the magnificent North East views while preparing meals.

Alt Dubh enjoys an elevated position offering incredible views of the loch below. The separated stone shed has been converted into a sauna and hot tub, providing a touch of luxury and relaxation after a day in the gorgeous Hebridean landscape.

7

5

6

La Palapa Tranquila: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Remote Wilderness Casita: Abiquiu, New Mexico

La Palapa Tranquila is a “unique, hard-to-find special place,” says the property description.

“If you are looking for something different, an adventurous holiday away from it all, with tranquil days in the sun, deserted beaches and evenings of watching beautiful sunsets, you have found your paradise. Your adventure will be an unforgettable escape from the modern, every day rat race.”

You know a place is magical when multiple reviews claim it to be “absolute heaven in Northern New Mexico.” Another guest described their stay like this: “If you need to totally unplug with your significant other, this is the place. Located two hours north of Santa Fe, reached by dirt road, you are taken to a remote casita that is located in a box canyon along the Rio Gallina. The casita has no cell phone service or electricity and is, in my humble opinion, the true definition of ‘glamping.’”

7

8

Moulin D’enval: Chamberet, France

Blue Skies Lodge: Coudersport, Pennsylvania, USA

Surrounded by acres of forest, next to a river and out of sight of any neighbours. This old mill is a great place to get away from it all.

The property has been renovated inside yet maintains its traditional French character, with lovely stone floors and exposed-stone walls

An isolated cabin near Cherry Springs State Park, Blue Skies Lodge rests in the middle of 55 acres with a 10-acre mountaintop stargazing field within walking distance.

Another perk? This home is pet-friendly, so your furry friends can get in on the adventure.

8

9

10

Cedar Croft: Isle of Wight, England

The Chalet: Salmon Arm, British Columbia, Canada

This splendid, quirky cabin in the small village of Cowes has it all. Set among a private bay, guests have miles of grassy terrain and sandy beach. The views are surely picture-worthy, but you’ll have to wait to post them on Facebook.

Surrounded by lush forest, this Salmon Arm chalet is completely private and offers all the amenities needed for a perfect family retreat.

“If you need to reconnect with yourself and nature, this is the place,” says one reviewer.

Another claims the property is “rustic but modern in a very secluded location and has all the essentials you will require.” Though remote, you’ll still be nearby some excellent wineries, water sports opportunities and fishing excursions.

11 Tesla Lake Lodge: Burns Lake, British Columbia, Canada Imagine a place so detached that you need a plane just to get there. You fly over lakes and mountains and wildlife galore, descending down into the towering treetops. What lies is a cosy cabin on the edge of the water, one of only two properties available for rent in North Tweesdmuir Park. That’s the Tesla Lake Lodge.

It’s the ultimate “digital detox” accommodation, for the ultimate remote vacation.

9

go.glodomes.com

10

Article on page

16

EXCLUSIVE TENTS. IT’S IN THE NAME.

Fifteen years and over sixty tent designs later.

With celebrities, boutique resorts and government departments as their customers and friends, Exclusive Tents International has become one of the leading suppliers in the US for safari style tents, and one of the most trusted suppliers worldwide.

towards the beautiful African safari style of light khaki canvas stretched over an external frame.

And they make full use of innovative materials to provide the best use of interior space. They are produced and delivered quickly, and this has made the efficiency of the company as prominent and reliable as their style.

This wonderful family business has reached this level by the simplest approach, which we could break down in three points: style, quality and authenticity.

“We not only manufacture and sell tents but also offer partial or full turnkey solutions,” Paul says, “And, if requested we go out to set up tents for our clients, even if they are small projects.”

STYLE

GLAMPING

Paul Zway, the South African, bush-loving founder of Exclusive Tents practically grew up in the wild.

In fact, prior to setting up his business he worked for 17 years as a Kruger National Park Game Ranger specializing in anti-poaching.

The eco-conscious designs of the tents, their authentic-safari-“bosveld” feel and their sheer luxury has made them particularly popular with the sorts of industries that require the highest and most exclusive standards. This is why they count some of the biggest glamping sites and safari operators as their regular customers.

Taking inspiration from this period of his life, Exclusive Tents products are aesthetically bias

11

Exclusive Tents are one of the vendors and partners of the Global Glamping Summit, and according to Paul, in the last 5 years “glamping” has blossomed up all over the world, but it all started in the safari camps of Africa.

Paul’s wife Angelika and his two sons, Zane and Anders together with Brian (whom Paul raised like a son in his home whilst he was still a young lad at school) are all part of the daily operations. Paul says, “We all do sales and share work with each other when necessary but together with Johan and Louwrie we share our vison and passion.”

“Currently the USA is only now starting to pick up on the glamping trend whereas places like South East Asia are pretty active and quickly expanding,” he says, adding, “China is also on the cusp of taking on glamping in a big way and we already have some tents setup and are well positioned to supply this growth.”

This family atmosphere and approach is important to Paul and is something that he stands by.

After all, almost two decades as a Kruger Park Game Ranger installed within him a sense of responsibility and a need to take action.

As an example, recently one of their customers, the 4-Rivers Floating Lodge in Cambodia got washed away in a huge flood. Immediately, Exclusive Tents donated replacement parts for them and sold the rest at cost to help them open up again at the end of November.

QUALITY For Paul, quality accounts for more than just the quality of the tents and extends further to the customer service, relationship retention and aftersales. He says that they serve a wide spectrum of clients including individuals, celebrities, boutique resorts, government departments and large resort and hotel groups and many of these clients have become close personal friends.

“We are friends with the owner who almost lost his wife and children in the flood,” Paul says, “We had to do what we were able to. I don’t believe that business is always about the sale. Sales are important as is revenue. But it is more about building relationships that last a long time and being blessed to find new friends around the world.”

“We are proud that this is a family run operation on both the sales and manufacturing sides,” he says, “We are not a typical corporation and we are all pretty laid back but have a passion for our work which is in itself an adventure.”

12

QUALITY IN MATERIALS, QUALITY IN PARTNERS

“Rooftop tents had been around since the early 1950s and were popular in Europe, it was still a way-out idea in Africa but Johan’s dedication swayed people. He then moved onto producing safari tents for the Kruger National Park and grew his business over the next three years to be one of the leading manufacturers,” Paul says admiringly, “He refused to give up on the idea of making tents, he loves canvas, and what one could make with it, tents in particular. Today his work is very recognisable thanks to the quality and style.”

The team behind Exclusive tents are always looking for newer, better materials and technology for their range of products. The relationship with suppliers is such that they are always updated on innovations and new products ahead of time.

This gives them a solid idea of what advances are available. Any one of these could give them the edge against their competitors and forward thinking has always proved to be a good strategy for Paul.

Understanding the importance of being up-todate, Paul is constantly on the internet and has signed up to daily dispatches on news regarding the glamping industry and on tents in general.

In 1988 Johan made the first safari tent for the Kruger National Park and from there on he gradually grew with the market. Paul recalls, “It was impossible for mine and Johan’s paths not to cross, even if we’re on different continents we shared the same passion for luxury tents and the same values. The same desire to produce an extraordinary world class product that we and our customers could be proud of. Amalgamating our expertise and these values was a logical and an easy decision to make. It felt right.”

He says, “Our main effort is to always be ahead in the industry by improving our product and making it even safer to use without compromising on design, structure and style. This is how we bring the best quality to the market with the most affordable price.”

Today Johan and his son Louwrie run the manufacturing side of the business and in the new year, Johan’s son-in-law, Jaun, will be joining the company and bringing his skills in wood working, including deck construction and furniture manufacturing for turnkey projects, into the mix.

“There is no futureproofing better than to remain ahead and be constantly vigilant for improvements in safety and materials and to diversify tent designs to meet the growing need for uniqueness,” he says.

This has also meant partnering with likeminded businesses. Recently Exclusive Tents became partners with a South African tent factory who will be manufacturing their tents… exclusively.

AUTHENTICITY Of the sixty tent designs available with Exclusive Tents, each one has a history. A story, that involves a customer requiring something different or completely unique and Exclusive Tents designing and producing it. Probably with a jovial smile and a seemingly casual effort.

The company, Exclusive Tents Manufacturing (Pty.) Ltd., is run and operated by their partner Johan Maree who has more than 30 years of experience in tent manufacturing.

The secret to being so capable, Paul reveals, is making a point of utilizing the latest technology available as quickly as possible. This also helps you dodge a number of challenges that manufacturers sometimes come across.

“In the new year we will be introducing our newly designed roof frame which I know is the most robust for wind and snow in the market today,” Paul says, “We will also introduce a new unique roof tensioning system, the most efficient tent insulation in the industry and importantly, from 2019 all our tents will be fire retardant.”

“On the sales side we are an internet-based company, so it makes revenue generation much simpler. What we focus on is our marketing and creating our purchasing funnels,” he says, “I used to manage and work the website but one of my sons now does that along with the marketing.”

Paul is very excited to be working with Johan Maree, who’s tent making career started in 1984 when a college professor saw his design for an innovative rooftop tent. The professor advised him that it was a good idea and that he should manufacture and put the theme into the market.

13

“In the very beginning I started to name each of the tents after birds such as; Kingfisher, Fish Eagle, Bateleur and even a Livingston and a Stanley,” Paul says, “I soon felt that these names did not have enough meaning for me so I started to name them all after some of the more legendary and known large tusk elephants (mainly from the Kruger National Park), as a tribute to them, some dead and some still alive today.”

SELL IT. LIVE IT. According to Paul the company was designed that it could be completely mobile. Everyone travels a great deal and needs to be able to work remotely from their laptops anywhere in the world. He says that he even has a small satellite device that can be used for phone and internet in extremely remote locations.

And when it comes to unwinding, the very things that Paul and his family do are the sorts of things you would do in front of one of their tents. The typical South African, some of his favourite things are good steaks, fine biltong and drinking good beers.

“What can I say?” he exclaims, “I love my work and we live it. We live in a jungle in our tents and when we have time off, we like to relax and enjoy time with our dogs. We have five Boerboels!” (South African Bull Mastiff).

COMPANY: Exclusive Tents International Ltd TELEPHONE: 1-520-261-4634 WEBSITE: www.exclusivetents.com

15

GLO DOMES. SUPPLIERS OF GEODESIC DOMES. Always trust an innovative idea the spacious interior. And, thanks to its organic yet futuristic aesthetic it can be decorated and styled however a site owner chooses. This allows a site owner to determine their unique appeal without relying solely on their choice of accommodation.

Ryan Duarte, co-founder of Glo Domes is on a mission to help people like you and me get themselves out of the rat-race and develop reliable streams of passive income. While unique accommodations on Airbnb and glamping sites are increasingly popular, to offer something different that can still produce a healthy revenue stream is a challenge for those developers who are just starting out. For them, Glo Domes will be a breath of fresh air.

Glamping site owners have to be selective with what tents or units they are going to be using.

Yurts, lodges, igloos and wigwams are popular but quite permanent and once they are erected it can be expensive to move them. Glo Domes however, have been designed to offer mobile-permanence.

A team of four could assemble one in eight hours and take it down just as fast. The entire structure can be moved in the back of a pick-truck and each one comes with a five-year full replacement guarantee.

GLO DOME The Glo Dome is a geodesic dome that is easy to assemble, sturdy and secure and magnificently versatile. Including air conditioning and heating each Glo Dome provides maximum comfort within

16

THE VALUE OF WORKING IN THE SHADOW Founders Ryan Duarte and Chirag Patel were very specific with what they wanted to offer when they launched Glo Domes. They were also very much aware of what the competition was doing and what they were up against. In America there are already a handful of very established businesses producing domes for the glamping industry who believe that they have the market monopolised.

Whereas, many people would have looked at the shadow cast by these companies and felt intimidated by it, Ryan and Chirag made full use of this shade to see what gaps in the market were shining through.

“It’s thanks to him that we’re not selling Glo Domes at some expensive time-share-esque luncheons seminars for business people and retirees on a beach.” Ryan says.

“No business begins as the biggest in the industry,” Ryan points out, “We were able to assess what these companies were doing right for their customers and where they were letting their customers down. Then we designed our business around a foundation of offering a top service and filling those gaps. At this point we don’t need to be the biggest, we want the happiest customers and to grow on that.”

He goes on to say that he believes it is important to have a business partner who doesn’t care about your feelings or how precious you might be about a certain idea. At the same time, not being automatically dismissive is just as important, being willing to hear every idea fully to see if there is any value there. These sorts of business people are rare to come by and should be treasured.

HOW IT BEGAN Ryan Duarte is a serial entrepreneur who spent the first half of his professional life striving to create enough passive income to support himself and his family. He owns a software company that has patented a number of protocols, a laundromat, organic agricultural farms in norther California and a hay brokering company that he runs through his horse farm called Bitteroot Valley Paso Fino Horse Farm. He is a man always open to new ideas and drawn to creative opportunities, relishing the chance to work with like-minded people.

The pair of them met in August 2017 and Glo Domes has been going since January 2018. They have geared up the production side and sold a handful of units with an average sale of $21,500.

So far, these sales have been to American business people who initially bought their Glo Domes with the intention of using them professionally.

“I attend mastermind sessions,” he explains, “It’s a great place to openly discuss ideas with other business people, there we can have a proper look at these ideas and reveal the good ones that can be used, the bad ones that need to be developed and the potential failures we need to dodge.”

It was actually at one of these sessions that he met his business partner Chirag Patel who works in the finance industry and owns a hedge fund. Ryan describes him as a straight talking, down-the-line business man who’s not afraid to speak his mind and call a spade a spade.

17

OUT OF THE DOME THINKING

“However,” Ryan says, “We later discovered that they liked their Glo Domes so much that they’re now using them at their homes instead. Some of these have been for hunting or fishing cabins and others have been for home extensions for their leisure activities. One customer ended up using it so that his son, who hadn’t moved out of the house yet, could at least move out into the garden and have a place of his own.”

While it is sell, sell, sell at the moment, Ryan is exploring all of the possible uses for the Glo Domes. So far, they know that glamping and boutique stays both locally and internationally are an obvious fit but there are some other areas that he is exploring that have shown great potential.

“The Glo Domes are weather proof and solar powered with heating or cooling apparatus and offer brilliant viewing opportunities,” he says, “Festivals for music, art and travel are an exciting opportunity. It’s easy to picture a Glo Dome at a music festival offering something special for VIP guests and onsite campers. Then there are places like truck stop motels.”

EARLY DAYS It is early days for Glo Domes but the impression they’ve made is quite tangible and the future is going to be very exciting and busy. Right now, the business partners are totally focused on development and sales.

Truck stop motels, servicing the travelling professional as well as the long distance holiday seekers are an important service for anyone travelling long distance by road. Motels and hotels along the way need to find new ways to make themselves attractive and different. People have become far more expectant and discerning when it comes to where they lay their heads. The Glo Domes will offer something unique and special to these motels and truck stops making full use of what open land they may have.

“We were very careful to align ourselves and partner with the best suppliers who could manufacture the different components for the Glo Domes. This meant we could speed up the process of each order to a matter of days and not weeks,” Ryan says, “Customers receive their Glo Domes as a package that can be delivered on a half tonne truck and can be assembled in a matter of hours.

We also have a team who can help set up the domes for the site owner if necessary.”

“You can imagine a building such as a motel may have a garden area that is pretty much unused, or a rooftop that has never been visited. With a small investment they could turn these places into profit making areas offering something truly wonderful,” Ryan says.

HOME IN THE DOME Even if a location is in the middle of a cold snap climate the Glo Domes have been designed for all weather. Each can be fitted with an airlocked aluminum and glass front door to create a location for putting on your winter shoes or taking them off before coming into your cozy Glo Dome.

This last idea could possibly have come from the Glo Dome at Ryan’s home in Montana which the family uses during the all important “Family Time”.

This is a designated device-free area where he and his family can spend some quality time together.

“I am a workaholic,” Ryan admits, “If I don’t have a reason to stop, I’ll just keep working. So, I make full use of my Glo Dome because firstly, it gives me time to spend with my kids and my wife. I have two

18

children of 5 and 7, and my wife of 14 years is due to add a third to our family. Secondly, it is a magical place for my children to make memories with their parents.”

creating an entirely different use for them. He says, “There are many immediate uses for this particular innovation and it’s just an example of how far we are pushing the boundaries of what we can use the Glo Domes for.”

His Glo Dome is suitably kitted out as well, with a loft design and a built-in sauna that is as warm as his house, irrespective of the weather outside.

And, this gives Ryan the opportunity to stress test the Glo Dome against children, a pregnant wife and the blustery Montana winter.

THE DETAILS Industry standard is 90 day warranty, Glo Domes offer a 5 year full replacement warranty standard.

All Glo Domes also come standard with a split unit AC/Heater mounted to a dolly for easy mobility (are also available without, on request).

2019 DEVELOPMENTS

By November 2019 Ryan aims to have 30-40 affiliate sales people, including the likes of realtors, glamping agencies and independent affiliates and he wants to have sold 365 domes. So, on average, one a day.

As part of their offering they are now offering Glo Domes made of hemp or “Hemp Domes” where the cover is made of PVC coated hemp fabric. For the eco hemp connoisseurs a Glo Dome can solve a host of problems.

He laughs, “Some of our competitors may sell ten times as many as we do,” he says, “But that doesn’t matter, a business runs on happy clients and innovations.”

Best bang for buck: 1,218sf Glo Dome with 16’ ceilings and insulation, includes passive solar bay window, aluminum and glass locking door, Daikin split unit (whisper quiet ultra-efficient) AC/Heater, deck plans and camouflage net for $20k USD AKA $400/month.

Their next market innovation, Ryan reveals, is to add full immersion, VR augmented domes to their brand. Here a game or a VR location can be projected onto the inside of the dome effectively

WEBSITE: go.glodomes.com

19

REVIEW

CAMP KIOSK Convenient, management software.

Less paperwork is always good. Decreasing paperwork increases efficiency which ultimately improves work flow and offers more time to enjoy what you do. Camp Kiosk has introduced a collaborative campground management system allowing guests and site managers to communicate and interact faster and more accurately. Perfect for busy camping, glamping and boutique accommodations and sites.

trial to see if it works for you.

Camp Kiosk offer a number of benefits that you just don’t get with the older systems. Such as secure campground data in the cloud which means you won’t lose your important information and can get access to it from any browser. Also, to keep things fresh with current and new guests and campers you can create unique booking packages and increase the accuracy of fees and billable items.

Many camping sites are using redundant methods to maintain their books. This means more errors and more time ill-spent in the offices and less time invested in developing camping grounds, exploring new ideas and interacting with guests.

Furthermore, the standards of office management are higher than ever with the rise of glamping and luxury camping bringing in an entirely new section of regular campers seeking to enjoy the great outdoors.

2019 Camp Kiosk is a useful tool that supports discerning campground and glampsite owners looking to book in guests months in advance or last-minute. The vision of Camp Kiosk is to help manage this process by turning it into a collaborative effort where guests can fill out the forms themselves. And things are only going to develop further in 2019. The upcoming year is all about interacting with new users to prompt the new developments that will make the biggest changes and the greatest strides for the industry.

FOR SITE OWNERS Throw away the old ledger with the yellow stickynotes and the dog-eared pages. You don’t need it anymore because the technology exists to make it simpler and easier. Also, you don’t have to purchase any hardware and you get a free month

It’s a very exciting time.

WEBSITE: www.campkiosk.com

20

21

aterra.pt

22

Article on page

32

REVIEW

INVITING CABINS IN THE TREES surrounded by Redwoods near Big Sur, California UNITS

being able to see other guests when they use the baths, and from guests in the second cabin.

There are two glamping cabins available at this luxury site: The Serenity cabin and the Morning Lite cabin. The Serenity cabin was given its name for the peace and quiet—and cool shade, great for summer—that the surrounding redwoods provide.

Morning Lite is so named for its tree house-esque style with no redwood canopy above it, which will offer glampers an ample amount of the welcoming California morning sunlight every day.

The only part of the baths that are covered from rain is the toilet, and for obvious reasons.

Also, we live in a quite moderate climate, and even in the lowest temperatures we experience here, generally in the mid-40s, it can be quite invigorating to soak in the hot tub for long periods (both cabins have a separate hot water heater, so all the hot water one needs is available, as well as bubble bath for ultimate enjoyment).

Both cabins can sleep up to four people, though there is an additional fee for more than two guests. They have a one-room, open floor plan concept and include a queen-sized bed, as well as a queen-sized sofa bed. The bathroom is located on the deck, featuring a luxurious clawfoot bathtub for taking long soaks while staring out into the redwood forest. Towels, linens, and bathrobes are included.

A fully equipped kitchen and dining table allow guests to cook all their own meals as if they were at home. High-tech heaters that look like real wood-burning fireplaces keep these cabins nice and cosy. Wi-Fi can be requested for glampers who don’t want to feel disconnected during their stay.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND Couples and Family Friendly 2 nights minimum stay

FACILITIES

PRICE: $165.85/night

This property spans a full 19 acres, which gives glampers an expansive, secluded area to explore at their own pace. The cabins are surrounded by the Big Sur redwood forest, and there is a creek that runs through the property below the accommodations. The cabins are very secluded from each other and are at least 150 yards apart from each other.

WIFI: Unknown LOCATION The city of Carmel, whose full name is Carmel-bythe-Sea, has a rich history for Native Americans, Spaniards, and Americans alike, dating back to the mid-1500s. In the early 1900s, it became known as an artists’ colony and continues to be an epicenter for art and culture today.

Many of our first-time inquiring guests ask about the privacy of our outdoor baths, and their use in inclement weather.

WEBSITE: https://glampinghub.com/ unitedstatesofamerica/pacificwest/california/ carmel/luxury-cabin-treehouses-california/

These outdoor baths on the cabin decks are the most highly popular features of our rentals. They are private, both from others inside the cabins

23

REVIEW

BEAUTIFUL YURT RENTALS IN UPSTATE NEW YORK UNITS

portable water.

The yurts are located in Granville in Upstate New York. They are securely designed in a circular formation from wooden frames with sturdy cables supporting the structures, encircled by insulated canvas covers. There is a total of four yurts on the property: a 30-foot yurt, a 24-foot yurt, and two 20-foot yurts. Inside the yurts, glampers will find a kitchen area equipped with a refrigerator, a microwave, a coffee maker, a toaster oven, and dinnerware. Each yurt includes beds, a heater and a fan, a sofa, a DVD player, and electricity mod cons for the glamper’s utmost comfort. Although the TVs in each yurt play music and DVDs, it does not play normal TV. Free Wi-Fi is available in the yurts. Every yurt has a picnic table outside, as well as a fire pit. Glampers will also find a welcome pack that includes ice cream or ice-lollies, milk, water, coffee, tea, and cookies with every reservation.

The host will do their best to accommodate special preferences.

Guests will be provided with kitchen supplies however you do need to bring your own food and charcoal for the fire pit and grill.

A large campfire is lit every Saturday, weather permitting, and all are welcome to sit and enjoy.

This camp also accommodates tents, just in case any groups require a tent site.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND Pets are allowed if they’ve had vaccinations and certifications.

PRICE: $137.39 WIFI: YES LOCATION This site is located in quaint East Hartford, Granville, a quick 25-minute drive to Manchester, Vermont, and 40 minutes to Lake George. The historic glamping site is a great place to spend time with loved ones, in the company of lovely maple trees and a large dazzling pond. It is delightful to unwind with family and friends around the fire-pit while taking in the area’s natural beauty. A local diner serves food all day, and Stewarts is the local store where glampers can find gas and other essentials.

WEBSITE: https://glampinghub.com/ unitedstatesofamerica/midatlantic/newyork/ granville/yurt-glamping-upstate-newyork/

Bathrooms are just 20 yards away from the yurts. The bathroom block has male and female restrooms, three individual showers, and a bathroom and shower with wheelchair access.

There is also a washer and a dryer, and a sink to wash dishes, as well as potable drinking water.

FACILITIES Close to the yurts are new bathrooms and free individual showers. A laundry room houses a washing machine and dryer, as well as a sink for

24

REVIEW

FANTASTIC GLAMPING DOME nestled in Appalachian Mountains, Georgia UNITS This luxury dome in the Appalachian Mountains provides guests with an unusual camping experience in Georgia. The dome has no straight walls and can accommodate up to five guests with three beds and comfortable rustic bedding. It has a private bathroom, an outdoor bathtub, and a fantastic outdoor shower. The interior is uniquelydecorated and consists of wooden furniture, including a table for four.

Guests should note that the dome is like a large tent. During the summer, it gets warm inside (while guests are out exploring) and cools down nicely in the evening. It has a series of fans that create a cool evening breeze during the summer nights.

The covered “cowboy kitchen” has a two-burner gas camping stove, a charcoal barbecue, a toaster, a coffee maker, pots and pans, plates, cups and utensils, and a picnic table.

WIFI: Cell signal LOCATION This wilderness glamping site is tucked away in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.

Surrounded by forests and streams, the atmosphere of this vacation rental is serene and peaceful. The enormous Carters Lake is just a few minutes away, offering guests the chance to fish, boat, and more on over 3000 acres of wildlife.

The city of Ellijay is known for treasure hunting, and it is only 15 minutes away. It has several dining options and a yearly Apple Festival.

There is a two-night minimum stay at this glamping dome in Georgia. Rates are for a double occupancy. Additional guests have a charge of $25 per person, per night.

FACILITIES This property’s facilities include kitchens, fire pits, comfortable beds, soaking tubs, private baths, and outdoor showers.

Conveniently located only 15 minutes away from the historic city of Ellijay, guests can attend the annual Apple Festival, visit vineyards, apple orchards, or enjoy Carters Lake, which is only minutes away from the property. This area offers hiking, mountain biking, scenic drives, fishing, boating, rafting and kayaking on more than 3,000 acres of wilderness.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND 2 night’s stay minimum 1 unit

PRICE: $143.81

This isn’t just any old retreat, as the experience will transform glampers and take them away from daily stresses, which will, in turn, set them on a journey of self-discovery.

WEBSITE: https://glampinghub.com/ unitedstatesofamerica/southeast/georgia/ellijay/ luxury-dome-georgia/

25

REVIEW

UNIQUE UNDERGROUND CAMPING POD RENTAL UNITS

LOCATION

These underground pod rentals will provide glampers with a completely unique camping vacation experience on a farm near Nashville in Tennessee. The red and yellow pods are for glampers to sleep in, and the green pod is a small kitchen/dining room for guests to use. The red pod sleeps up to four guests comfortably and has a queen-size Murphy bed, in addition to two twin-size beds, and the yellow pod can sleep between three and four people and includes one queen-size bed, one twin-size bed, and a twin-size, pop-up mattress.

Access to all pods and the farm is included in each booking. These unique rentals are the perfect retreat for glampers to immerse oneself in this small eco-system.

Located in Tennessee, this unique glamping site is less than an hour away from the lively city of Nashville. The glamping site is a Tennessee food forest, growing organic fruits, nuts, vegetables, and herbs. They strive for high diversity among their produce to mimic the natural patterns of nature thus creating less need for outside inputs.

Guests can discover the beauty of the nature that surrounds this glamping property and if they so choose, can alternatively explore the cities that surround the site, all while returning to the comfort of their cosy pod rental.

FACILITIES While staying on the farm, glampers will have access to all three of the underground pods, as well as a bathhouse with two and a half baths, and a laundry room within, all within walking distance.

Glampers will be able to enjoy the wildlife around them and when the season is just right, the fruits, and veggies.

There is parking at the front of the site, as well as a roundabout by the pods, for overnight stays. Most of the property is a natural forest environment and walking shoes are a must.

The community is a rural area located right next to the Natchez Trace Parkway. Many people who live here are quiet and always there for a wave. There are several other farms that are located near the property, as well and some traditional general stores ready to be explored.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND No pets No smoking

WEBSITE: https://glampinghub.com/ unitedstatesofamerica/south/tennessee/santa_fe/ unique-vacation-rental-nashville-tennessee/

PRICE: $347.75 WIFI: Cell phone reception

26

REVIEW

SAFARI TENT NEAR WATER SPRINGS San Diego, California.

UNITS

There is also a pizza grill, for which guests are encouraged to bring their own fixings. Guests can take advantage of the fresh herbs grown right on site.

This luxury camping accommodation can sleep two guests and boasts a queen-sized bed with a heated mattress and lovely forested, mountain views. The 16-by-20-foot safari tent is made from recycled materials, including native incense cedar trees saved from the Cedar Fire of 2003. All of the furniture is either handmade or was found and brought back from the hosts’ travels.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND No children allowed.

Adults, couples and honeymoons.

PRICE: $213.79 per person per night.

The bathroom and kitchen were crafted from repurposed pine planks from a previous remodelling project. In the bathroom, there is a clawfoot bath tub with unparalleled views of the surrounding area, as well as a shower, a sink, and toiletries.

There is a fully equipped kitchen, in addition to a charcoal barbecue with a pizza oven attachment for guests to make homemade pizzas. In the living room, there is a fireplace to cosy up around during the nights.

WIFI: YES LOCATION San Diego, California.

WEBSITE: https://glampinghub.com/ unitedstatesofamerica/pacificwest/california/ sandiego/safari-tent-camping-california/

FACILITIES This property has a stunning deck area and guests will find a private hot tub where they can relax after a long day and watch the sunset or count the stars overhead at night. Other features of the accommodation include Wi-Fi, a television, and a DVD player. Guests will have access to everything they will need to relax in style.

27

TUTC. SAFARI GLAMPING AT ITS BEST. For many, ‘glamping’ is still unfamiliar territory, being that it is a heady combination of glamour and camping that many have simply not yet experienced. While camping is certainly a popular activity and a hallmark of growing up with ‘outdoorsy’ parents, it does have its own brand of hardships.

for example the likes of Brennan Helman who would consider the luxury of a pillow and a duvet in a tent glamping. For a whole other world of glamping, however, The Ultimate Travelling Camp (TUTC) is the very best.

We’re talking about a nomadic glamping adventure and the utmost level of luxury here.

Not just comfort, but temperature controlled tents, gourmet food and even a personal butler.

TUTC offers the weary traveller the chance to go glamping in some of the prettiest locations across India. Having started out with mobile luxury camps in Ladakh, went on to Nagaland to be part of the Hornbill Festival and then, set up base in a heritage lodge in Dudhwa National Park. Their most popular glamping holidays are in Thiksey and Diskit in Ladakh.

Pitching tents in the dark, making fires, fighting off ravenous insects, battling the elements and hoping that when you crawl into your sleeping bag there isn’t something already in there waiting for you. This is camping and it’s great, but maybe not particularly luxurious.

GLAMPING Glamping started as a means to offer the comfort and luxury of a hotel in the rugged and natural environment of camping. It quickly found popularity when celebrities started embracing it as an alternative to standard festival accommodation.

There are many different levels of glamping. Take

Unique adventures. This is what the traveller of today is looking for. The pressure for businesses in hospitality to offer their guests something unique, something special and something worth

28

for its unparalleled amenities and personalised experiences offered to guests.

mentioning on Instagram is ever-increasing and looks set to continue along the same path.

Judging by their popularity and long waiting list for bookings, this Indian-based touring company has hit the nail on the head.

The property was voted the best in the ‘Above and Beyond’ category, selected by a panel of travelsavvy judges, including designer Jenny Packham and travel writers Johannes Pong and Lucy Williams. The winner of this award is chosen for consistently surpassing expectations (a drink on the house, the best table for your birthday, a snack for the journey home).

A UNIQUE IDEA There is something marvellously freeing about the idea of a nomadic camping experience. Waking up every morning in a new location, with unfamiliar sights to see, new sounds and exciting smells.

It encapsulates the real essence of adventure to know that you’re travelling in one direction, without having to worry about returning home.

Now that IS adventure.

ABSOLUTELY MAGICAL Travel writer Johannes Pong, one of the panellists, described TUTC as,

“Absolutely magical ecofriendly glamping in palatial tents with panoramic vistas of mountain-top monasteries by the foothills of the Himalayas in Ladakh.”

TUTC is award-winning too, having claimed two gongs at the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold Awards 2015. PATA is the leading voice and authority on travel and tourism in the Asia Pacific region and beyond the virtues of comfort and beauty, TUTC won under the Heritage & Culture category for their endeavours to preserve legacies of culture, flora & fauna, performing art forms, secret recipes and ancient healing forms, as well as under the Marketing Media category for their Consumer Travel Brochure.

The panellists heaped praise on TUTC by stating,

“The miracles performed by staff at this Himalayan high-ender are all the more impressive considering your surroundings: 3,500 metres up in the Ladakh Valley. From the personalised butler assigned to each ultra-luxe canvas tent to the friendliness of the local dancers who accompany dinner: everything, it seems, has already been thought of.

Feeling peckish in the night?

Just delve into your wellstocked snack drawer. Edmund Hillary, eat your heart out!”

More recently, TUTC made it to the winners list of the most incredible hotel collections at the annual Smith Awards, hosted by Mr and Mrs Smith, London’s leading authority on luxury travel.

TUTC Chamba Camp, Thiksey, competed with the world’s best stays and emerged victorious,

29

Commenting on this achievement, Dhun Cordo, Co-founder, TUTC said,

with hot showers, in-house signature wash amenities, safety deposit boxes, a laundry service, private decks, unlimited Wi-Fi at the reception tent, 24/7 security and paramedics on site, 24/7 electricity, a boutique, library and personal butler service.

“We are extremely elated and honoured to have made it to the best of the best in a very exclusive category. It affirms our commitment in offering outstanding experiences and personalised luxury to our guests who want to explore challenging landscapes of India.”

WOULD THIS SUIT YOU? This is truly a taste of something special. It has everything you could want in an adventure, plus many extra activities to keep you interested. It takes some time to cover everything, so this isn’t a weekend trip and, as always, precautions should be taken if this is the first time you’re inbound to India.

But let’s face facts. TUTC provide the sort of once-in-a-lifetime experience that will leave you feeling like you’ve achieved something great and, more importantly, captured an experience that belongs to you. Everyone has to go to India at least once in his or her life, so why not do it in the lap of nomadic luxury and surrounded by the very best fineries you’ll ever find in a campsite, or anywhere else for that matter?

At 3,500 metres up, TUTC’s exceptional services cater to all the whims and fancies of its esteemed guests. The aesthetically beautiful tents, furnished with wooden chandeliers, four-poster beds and exquisite linens, exude luxury and each one offers an en-suite bathroom. The hits keep on coming

30

You are running out of time to see the world

31

ATERRA GLAMPING: Naturally beautiful Portuguese Eco Camping Located on the Southwest coast of Alentejo in Portugal, Aterra is an ecological campsite that offers a unique and wholesome glamping experience that aims to reconnect guests to nature and themselves. Surrounded by woodlands and grasslands guests can spend their nights in a range of tents including romantic rajasthani tents, stunning yurts and stylish tipis. Days can be enjoyed participating in one of the many activities on offer, such as horse riding, cycling, yoga and kayaking. Or, guests can enjoy the calmness of this secluded sanctuary with a massage or chilling at the large fresh water lake, or surfing at the nearby Vicentina Coastline.

Aterra Eco Camping are especially popular with families and offers everything that you would expect of a successful glamping site. Francisco and Claudia seek to provide guests with a taste of the freedom, peace and tranquility that they enjoy themselves. And, to achieve this goal they have approached it with a holistic, healthy philosophy.

We spoke with founders Francisco and Claudia de Brion about how this wonderful resort took shape.

He explains, “After travelling around the world and enjoying our wedding in a tipi we were inspired to do it ourselves.”

It is thanks to this that the resort has a hybrid element that combines Portuguese and regional specialties with other stylings and flavours of the world. Such as the strong and immediately recognizable Indian connection and affection.

“Aterra is a chance to reconnect with nature and has been carefully designed to reflect our experiences,” he says, “Having lived abroad and travelled widely, Aterra reflects the influences and inspirations that we have had from different cultures and styles.”

Choosing Sao Teotonio near the Vicentina Coastline, an area of outstanding natural beauty that offers stretches of beautiful beaches and headlands as their location, A Terra Glamping launched in 2012 and has nine units.

THE PHILOSOPHY Francisco was a garden designer and Claudia was a teacher and while they may not have had the experience in hospitality, they believed they had something special and unique to offer Portugal’s glamping scene.

“Aterra is simply an extension of us,” Francisco says,

“An extension of our home and our hospitality. We have always loved playing host to friends and family and it is something that comes naturally to us.”

32

PERSONAL PHILOSOPHIES

A small farm onsite allows the resort to be selfsufficient and the chance for guests to interact with animals during their stay. Direct contact isn’t always necessary either, just being able to hear the sounds that animals make is enough to help someone relax.

Francisco is responsible for most of the construction at the resort. Revealing that much of what is seen has been crafted by him and by using locally sourced materials.

“It was a pleasure to be able to apply my previous experience in gardening, permaculture and ecological construction,” he says, “Having the skills to design and build the structures, gardens and furniture means that we were able to get exactly what we envisioned. While making use of what is available locally.”

THE BUSINESS Francisco reveals that one of the challenges of setting up Aterra was investment and that they continually invest back into the business each year.

“We believe in the continual yet organic growth of Aterra,”

Meanwhile the activities available were strongly influenced by his wife’s experiences in teaching.

Francisco says,

“Claudia was a primary school teacher and worked in many different types of schools,” he says, “Day to day she saw the fundamental importance of taking care of people and of our Earth. Knowing that these things are so important but require engaged-involvement she included them into Aterra.”

As such, through Aterra, Claudia is able to give children this opportunity to be involved. Allowing them to have the freedom to explore, play and discover through fun and practical experiences.

33

“We always endeavor to improve and expand our services yet retain our ‘homegrown’, personal touch.”

Focused on increasing quality over quantity, they plan to keep the campsite as a small enterprise.

The aim is to extend their standards of comfort and range of facilities whilst keeping it affordable and maintaining their clientele. It is a collaboration and a two-way street, and they are very interested in what guests have to say about their camp and how they can improve.

staff gives the heart to our business. We live, work, eat and socialize together. We also have regular team meetings and make sure that all the needs of the staff are met.”

Up to ten staff members join them during the busiest periods in the summer and these include people with experience and skills but also many staff looking for work experience and the opportunity to learn from the couple. Francisco believes that all of this is important to the business.

2019 In the future they play to further develop their accommodation facilities to provide year-round permanent structures elsewhere on the land.

These include half a dozen individual pods made out of different natural, local and recycled materials.

“Good relations and communication amongst the staff are the key,” he says, “Having a good team of

34

“We hope to expand our open farm and gardens to invite non-guests to visit,” Francisco says, “And things like educational tours for families and school holiday camps. We also plan to increase our organic production so that visitors can purchase our goods from a small farm shop.”

that doesn’t harm the Earth. The resort completely utilizes the potential of its surroundings, it works harmoniously with nature and creates minimal waste. If there is a message to be taken away is that you can have a high standard of living that is also ecological and ethical.

“Our philosophy of life is to work to live, not live to work,” Francisco says, “We love what we do, and this makes work a pleasure. You have to work hard to achieve anything rewarding, but for anything to grow you have to allow it the time it needs. Be patient, thankful and humble. We believe in making the most of life, seizing opportunities and focusing on the potential. It’s what’s made our site what it is.”

FUTUREPROOFING Believing that experience is the best teacher, Francisco and Claudia travel each winter to refresh themselves and to gain new ideas. This also gives them the opportunity to experience being guests themselves.

“It’s a great teacher to be on the other side of the desk,” he says, “And for us to see the value in what we are offering. We never know what the future holds but we believe that our concept is giving people a ‘grounding’ and balance of the natural, basic, good things in life!”

COMPANY ADDRESS: Carvalhal das figueiras , cx 5707 corgo da casca , 7630.635 Sao Teotonio TELEPHONE: 00351936914279 EMAIL: info@aterra.pt

SOCIALS When it comes to keeping current, the couple are always working with social media. This is an important tool to promote their business and to conduct research on the experiences of glamping guests and travelers at different sites around the world.”

“We are on the usual social media platforms,” he says, “But also have Freetobook on our website, use Airbnb a lot and work with some other travel companies in England, Germany and Switzerland.”

WHAT TO EXPECT Francisco and Claudia firstly want guests to have a good time and make some great memories.

Secondly, they wish to demonstrate a way to live

35

REVIEW

MARGINS WALK AND GLAMP HOLIDAYS Luxurious walks along the Norfolk Coast Path.

Combining one of the most beautiful coasts in England with the luxury of glamping, Walk and Glamp offer the ideal mix of exercise and comfort.

The Norfolk Coast is the perfect go-to place for walking holidays, spending time with loved ones, watching wildlife and getting that much needed “me time”. Just you, fresh air, big skies and the vast expanses of sandy beaches that are very often unoccupied by anyone else.

delicious Norfolk produce is provided each day by owners Gin and Mark. The campsites are situated close to the path and each day the tent and luggage are moved to the next site to meet you after your day’s walk.

The Norfolk Coast Path covers 84 miles of the Norfolk Coastline starting from Hunstanton and finishing in Hopton-on-Sea. Gin and Mark can recommend walking packages and are happy to tailor one to meet your unique requirements if needed. This is no trouble for them, the pair have thoroughly explored and re-explored each one several times and know them all intimately.

Here a guest has the opportunity to totally immerse themselves in walking the famous Norfolk Coast Path National Trail through an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. While you’re breathing in the rich sea air and enjoying the remarkable peace that this area is famous for, the MarGins team are erecting the safari style tents along the way and transferring your luggage. This is a place where the stresses of city life can be left in the sea. It is also child and pet friendly so bring the whole family.

Along the way there are coastal towns to visit for food and refreshment, each one having its own unique feel and pace. Gin also provides an Information Pack including things to do, places to eat and the locations of toilet facilities.

Considered as one of the gentler National Trails, the Norfolk Coast Path is classified as “moderate”, perfect for anyone new to long distance walking, or if you’re doing it with your family and have little ones or older legs to consider.

WHAT TO EXPECT Fully equipped safari style tents with an added touch of luxury plus a breakfast hamper of

36

REVIEW GLAMPING

behind this experience. Accompanied at all times by their beloved pooch Miss Brylie.

After an invigorating walk the guests can enjoy the full Glamping set up of safari tents, sumptuous beds and your own private kitchen area. There is a capacity of 4 tents and each can sleep 2 people or can be extended to accommodate 3-4 people if necessary.

PRICES: Walking Holidays – from £180 per person based on 2 people sharing a tent on a 2 night/3 day holiday Glamping Holidays – from £225 based on 2 people sharing a tent for a 2 night holiday

SCENERY With a generally flat terrain with gentle gradients, the route provides wonderful scenery from salt marshes, cliffs and dunes, spectacular beaches, mesmerising sea views and the famous big skies of Norfolk.

TELEPHONE: 0044 (0) 7787 53480

WEBSITE: https://walkandglamp.co.uk SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook - @marginswalkingandglampingholidays Twitter - @MarGinsholidays Instagram - @margins_walkandglamp

Some of the highlights include Holkham beach from Burnham Overy Staithe, Thornham Harbour at sunrise and sunset, the endless Stiffkey beach at low tide, the seals at Horsey beach and the sand dunes at Winterton-on-Sea.

EMAIL: info@walkandglamp.co.uk

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND With many opportunities to rest and recuperate this is still a Walking Holiday and a mobile Glamp Site, make sure you bring appropriate shoes!

Depending on the season, bringing a jacket is an idea.

For more details on the best ways to enjoy MarGins Walk and Glamp get in contact with Gin or Mark. They are the tent-elfs creating the magic

37

REVIEW

FOREST HAVEN EAST GATE LODGE Forest Haven East Gate Lodge is a short walk away from what has been labelled Britain’s Roswell. In the late 1980s at RAF Woodbridge there were reports of sightings of unexplained lights and this became one of Britain’s most significant Military-UFO incidents.

husband Roy, is a reflexologist tutor, masseur and psychotherapy counsellor for 18 years.

Drawing upon their personal experiences of health and life, they integrated these skills into a holistic therapeutic experience that guests could completely immerse themselves in at Forest Haven East Gate Lodge.

Abigayle Myers-Drake, who set up the Lodge with her husband Roy in March 2015, says that most guests ask about the UFO trail and some come for the mystery and folklore surrounding the story.

Noticeably, she did not comment on whether she has seen anything herself…

ROOMS There is one main room, comprising of a central firepit for heat and cooking surrounded by seating which converts into bunks to comfortably sleep four. This is adjoined by an insulated en-suite wet room and WC and an adjoining kitchenette.

However, Abigayle and Roy did not get into glamping for UFO and aliens, their focus was far more personable and down to earth.

Accompanying the room is an electric hydrotherapy hot tub bath adjacent to a wood fired barrel sauna with outside shower. Two hammocks, an outdoor camp fire pit and access to massage and yoga-plates services during the guests stay.

WHAT TO EXPECT There is no wifi at the Lodge and no television either, so peace and quiet are guaranteed. The spacious accommodation is spotlessly clean, cozy and offers a real sense of communual spirit while cooking around the central fire pit.

Abigayle and Roy are hands on when it comes to their guest’s comfort and enjoyment. At any hour at least one of them will be available if needed and this sort of attentiveness is apparent throughout their business. Nothing is left to chance and everything has been thought of.

2019 Recently, they launched a program that includes 1-2 free nights stays for selected nominated individuals. This requires someone to nominate a person for a stay based on specific circumstances.

Abigayle and Roy are looking to expand on this in 2019.

Their inspiration for the Lodge stemmed from a passion for glamping and offering wellbeing services to benefit local communities. Abigayle is an Exercise Rehabilitation Specialist and an aerial Yoga and Pilates instructor for 25 years while

38

REVIEW

“We work with the terminally ill and those recovering from illness in our therapy sessions, this led to us offering a couple of free nights a month,” Abigayle says,

“Supporting local community interests and well-being are central to our ethos.”

There are also plans to further landscape the surrounding area and create a mini wildlife sanctuary to encourage bio diversity. This could possibly be opened up to local schools to help planting and education outside the classroom.

Additionally, the space could also be used for themed events that could be opened to the public, like Halloween and festive evenings.

PRICE/NIGHT: £150 COMPANY ADDRESS: 98 Tangham Cottages Woodbridge Suffolk IP12 3NF TELEPHONE: 01394 450580 WEBSITE: www.foresthavensuffolk.com/ EMAIL: foresthavensuffolk@hotmail.com

39

THE BOUTIQUE GEM IN YORKSHIRE Yorkshire has a hidden gem, where you get the benefit of the outdoors while not compromising on style or comfort. Stylish Stays Yorkshire, with their two self-catering cottages, provide a vision of what country life should be thanks to the unyielding and specific attention to detail of Lorna Harrison and her husband Chris.

Yorkshire goes right past their front gate!

While the picture of tranquility and comfort, it is surprising how much work goes into keeping the cottages up to Lorna’s particular standards!

“They are exactly how I wanted them to be,” she says, “It’s like anything; as long as we are hitting the right tones for our target market of guests, we’re not going to disrupt anything. Our guests love the working farm and that the business is family run. They also love that it is off the beaten track but still close enough to easily get to Whitby and Scarborough.”

Regarding the cottages; Breaday Gill is the twobedroom and Folly Gill is the one-bedroom and over the last three years, since Lorna opened her hospitality business, they have not changed from how she originally envisioned them.

THE COTTAGES In Scribbling Fold, Scarborough, the farm on which the dual cottages of Breaday Gill and Folly Gill are set are only a stone’s throw away from Whitby, where Phantom Thread, the latest and apparently last film with Oscar-winner Daniel Day Lewis, was filmed. Judging by the country setting that they find themselves in, this may seem like the only exciting thing to happen in a while but in fact, as Lorna points out, the route for the Tour de

She goes on to reveal that she takes the time to listen and read all of the comments and testimonials left by her guests as a matter of principle. Pointing out that when it does come time to change or revamp the cottages, it will be according to the opinions of her guests.

40

DESIGN The cottages are a slick and stylish combination of rustic and modern. The polished concrete floors compliment the lush warmth of the furniture, which, according to Lorna, is a testament to her husband Chris’ fascination and talent for picking out furniture.

“Chris is fanatical about his furniture and was very selective about the kind we had in the cottages; Mid century Danish, which is elegant but not highstreet, was the final choice.” She tells us.

THE LITTLE TOUCHES

The cottages have won their fair share of awards and have been featured on restoration television show Building A Dream as an example of how to do it right. This is impressive for a couple with engineering and house-building experience, but even more so when you discover that neither Chris or Lorna have any such experience and had to teach themselves everything.

Bringing up two sons, working part-time with her husband and occasionally helping her father on the farm leaves little free time, but Lorna somehow still makes the effort to personally meet each and every guest. The demographic is quite wide, including young trendy couples, international guests, retirees and even sports people.

“Repeat business is very important to us,” she says, “And building those kinds of relationships is what I love. Part of this is the little touches, such as seasonal chocolates or biscuits during Christmas periods, strawberries and cream during Wimbledon or knowing that a particular guest likes something from the village and getting it in for them.”

“It was a learning curve. I had to learn interior design and get my head around how I wanted the cottages to look,” Lorna explains, “We were quite early with the grey tones, which are very popular now, but many things had to be organically developed, including the design itself. As an example; there is a structural T-bar that runs through the cottage, basically a rusty pipe that ran along the ceiling. We polished it up, gave it a new life and it works well. That’s what I like. Leaving things that are already there can add to the story of the cottages, so old 18th century nails, pipes, bared brickwork and things like that? They’re in the beams, they’re historic. We leave them in and have everything else very slick.”

“It’s how we want it to be,” she adds, “If we have it the way we want it to be then that is the best thing for our guests.”

There is a great deal of Lorna in the cottages.

She reveals that seven years ago, she was left to make a decision about the farm after her brother left for Africa. She didn’t want it to be a straightlaced farm because it did not suit her and her personality. While she admits to being useful during lambing season, thanbks to her little hands, this wasn’t the sort of thing she wanted to be doing every day.

Over and above this, all the cottages have WiFi, superb baths, reliably hot running water and all the modern amenities that a weary traveller may desire after spending the day taking in the Yorkshire countryside.

THE WORK Lorna reveals that she does have what she labels as a “touch of OCD” and has directed it purposefully into making sure that the cottages achieve her standard of order and cleanliness.

“I am methodical about how my guests perceive my cottages and I take this to the point where I’ve promised Chris that if I ever get less than 5 star I’ll close the business!” she laughs. “I clean them

41

YORKSHIRE

myself and go as far as using a UV zapper. The temperature in the cottages is kept at a mid-level humidity, to prevent bedbugs and I also do all the laundering of the bedclothes myself. The choice of polished concrete floors came about because of their anti-bacterial and anti-microbial benefits.

My OCD gets me down on my hands and knees painting the corners of the rooms should there be a scuff mark of a scratch and checking that the faucets are gleaming, before a guest arrives.”

There is a great deal to do in Yorkshire and it is a massive county that is very safe with little or no crime.

“Sometimes we don’t even lock the doors,” says Lorna “Which may sound strange for people living in less rural surroundings. It may also sound terribly cliché, but people really do look out for each other here. It’s a very good community.”

For Lorna, the cottages need to look and feel brand new. Previously, she has been an amateur jockey and worked with racehorses (she still owns some on the farm) and she was always an advocate for the horses arriving looking their absolute best.

Standards are everything. To this end, she and Chris often spend nights in the cottages to make sure that everything is up to her particular set of standards, because her condition won’t allow anything less.

“I had a guest once who forewarned me that she had massive OCD and after her stay she said to me personally that the cottage she stayed in ticked all of her boxes. As a fellow OCD sufferer, that was a tremendous accolade!”

“Yorkshire offers something that few places in Britain can,” says Lorna

“We’re in very close proximity to an amazing coastline and heather moors, which run into forestry. You’ve got such a wealth of natural beauty in quite a small area.”

AIRBNB The cottages are now on AirBnB, but it was a close call. After a minor bad experience when a guest who was supposed to be spending some nights with his girlfriend arrived with a troupe of university friends and started hauling in table tennis tables and barrels of beer, Lorna wanted to pull off the site, but Chris managed to talk her into staying and now they are Super Hosts on AirBnB. They were also nominated in the top three for an Avivo Hidden Gems award and have received a Tripadvisor certificate of excellence

42

THE CHILTERNS VIEW I have found a high-end glamping site in the heart of the Chilterns overlooking England’s green and pleasant land!!

But check your satnav before heading off to find The Chilterns View, as it is in the middle of nowhere. Well, to be more accurate, it is on 150 square acres of open land and rolling hills, which is in the middle of nowhere. Simply perfect really.

It was a Thursday. I had driven across half of Britain, from Norwich, in the Citroen Aircross, which I had proffered from Citroen Dealers Duff Morgan of Norwich and I was making good time.

The weather seemed to be holding off after the icy onslaught of the Beast from The East, which had pretty much brought most of England to a shuddering standstill. I was looking forward to a night spent chilling out and relaxing.

The main issue was that my girlfriend was not present. I have the luxurious lifestyle of a travel

blogger, while she is a mechanical engineer for one of the biggest energy companies in the world and she had a conference to go to. This was an issue only because The Chilterns View, if anything, is deeply, deeply romantic.

LOCATION The Chilterns View is a couple of minutes outside of Ewelme, a village of old stone and brick buildings, cute shops and water canals that is only a short drive from Oxford and Wallingford. It offers the perfect sort of peaceful introduction to the real joy of the glamping triumph that is The Chilterns View.

“I love this place,” Rachel Wallis, owner, host and visionary said when she was showing me to my lodge, “It’s so different to what people expect.”

It is. When you think of glamping, you might think of belle tents with cushions on the floor and

perhaps a chimney, but what you get here is a luxurious lodge with a full bed, a fire, one of the most intensely refreshing showers ever conceived by man and a veranda view opening up over fields as far as the eye can see.

it perfect for a couple. A king-sized bed with fresh linen, a kitchenette around the corner, a heated ensuite shower and a log burner, which was roaring by the time I arrived. Outside, the veranda opened up onto rolling hills that made me think of The Sound of Music and thanks to the berry hedges I had total seclusion from everyone else.

This was useful, when I dipped into the hot tub, which was, in keeping with the romantic motif, heart-shaped.

The land really does appear to be endless and Rachel kindly treated to me to a special 4x4 tour around the property. As it turns out, some of the land is farmed by her brother Ted. It wasn’t the time of year for anything to be growing, so much of it looked like endless fields of short green grass (which could have been wheat for all I know. I don’t write for an agricultural magazine do I?).

All the lodges are specifically south facing, to get the most out of the sunshine and they all come with BBQs, fire burners and hot tubs. It is also a glamping site for adults only, no children and no pets. One of the lodges, the Safari Lodge, is something out of a Rudyard Kipling novel.

Seriously, I fell in love with this the second I saw it.

A khaki tent with an interior of hanging tent flaps, roped-up side yarns, a deep stand-alone Victorian tub and a huge bed.

THE LODGES There are a number of lodges on the property aimed at romantic couples. And this is by design.

“You don’t want to come here by yourself,” Rachel said, as I arrived all on my tod, “It’s so romantic and peaceful and quiet. You also don’t want to stay for just one night because it really draws you in.”

“This is my latest lodge,” Rachel explained, “I wanted to try something different and it’s been really popular. People love the idea of luxury and the wild coming together.”

So, I had to make the most of my one night alone.

My lodge was Chaucer Lodge, the furthest along the trail and it had everything necessary to make

I had to agree and she had to drag me out.

44

Oh, and The Shepherds Hut which is the local pub is a 5 minute drive or a 20 minute stroll from the lodges. It’s very busy with an attentive and hospitable landlord named Gary who ensures that the candles are lit and the fire is roaring for his guests. He also offers a fantastic range of gins and local beers.

“Thursday night is steak night and they do a Sunday lunch too,” Rachel points out, “But you’ll need to book ahead to get a table.”

UNIQUE SELLING POINTS

WHAT TO DO?

Some of the other guests made their way down to the fire pit in the evening and I got chatting to Rachel about what her about the area and she indicated that amount of space available was part of this luxury glamping destination.

Well, if you’re there with a loved one or your family, this is the perfect place to reconnect. The Wi-Fi is excellent, but you’d probably be too busy walking along the trails to get the stunning views, or visiting the historic sites in Elweme to take advantage of it. You’d more than likely spend a lot of time in the heart-shaped hot tubs, enjoying the complete privacy that the lodges afford you as well and you would definitely be amazed by the number of red kites that fly around the land. In Norwich we get pigeons, but in The Chilterns View, you get red kites.

“There is a lot of space that could be used,” she said, “But our guests value their privacy. My regular guests come here because they like the seclusion, not to mention the fact that you can stay here for days and not have to talk to anyone, if you don’t want to. Or you could go to The Cabin which can be hired for larger groups where you can enjoy a beer and meet some people. You have the option. But what works here is that it’s a boutique holiday destination. It is something special.”

The red kites were actually almost hunted to extinction but thanks to the foresight of conservationists, their population has exploded in the area and resulted in an odd lack of pigeons.

TELEPHONE: 01491 836 353

Pheasants and partridges are bred on the land and Rachel is very proud of the animals that live here.

So perhaps if you were so inclined, you and your partner could enjoy a bit of ornithology, but as my partner was busy schmoozing with the technical big bodies of a billion pound company, I decided to spend my evening doing what every South African naturally does whenever they get the chance; I made a fire, got some steaks, bought some beer and I cooked.

WEBSITE: www.thechilternsview.co.uk

It was a perfect night. All of the lodge water is collected in an underwater collection point and filtered through a bio filter of reeds and grasses on its way to a 2-meter deep pond, which has been turned into a wonderful bbq-ing spot. There is a log cabin/shack near it and a fire pit, surrounded by railway sleepers to provide a fantastic late night fire-lit evening.

Incidentally, I would recommend going to the butchers in Ewelme. I’ve never had such a thick and juicy sirloin steak at such a reasonable price.

45

GO ECO GLAMPING When life hands you lemons, start a Glamping site

everyone who loves the great outdoors wants to sleep on the floor after all!”

Oakvale is a glamping success story. Terresa Banyard and her husband Chris, set up their glamping site after suspecting they were going to be made redundant. In a very Richard Bransonesque approach, together they threw about some ideas of what to do and when glamping kept popping up as an option they just went, “Why not?”

THE PERFECT BUSINESS FOR THE PERFECT LIFESTYLE. Lifestyle was a big motivator for Terresa and Chris.

Both of them love working outdoors even if it’s raining hard or freezing cold and neither of them would voluntarily go back into an office. Glamping presented them with an amazing opportunity to have a working situation that encouraged them to get outside and bask in the elements. However, Terresa admits she did at the start misjudge just how much work it would take.

It was a timely decision. Not only was it one that fit with the sort of lifestyle they aspired to, but the Welsh government were promoting tourism business opportunities. Hence why they chose Wales for their location.

Realising that sustainability was the way forward they chose to create something that was completely off-grid but still offered the full facilities. Not a farm but a unique setting where nature was able to flourish, and guests could immerse themselves in it. Immersion; along with five-star facilities.

“It was a lot harder and took a lot longer to get planning than we imagined,” she says, “We found our land in mid 2015 but didn’t secure all the planning we needed until late 2016. We had originally planned to set up a very generic, seasonal glamp site that catered for families with pets. However, our final planning consent prevented us from having large groups or dogs on site and insisted on a more sophisticated services set up than we’d planned.”

“Camping out in the wild but with a private flushing toilet, a proper shower, private kitchen, hot tub and a four-poster bed!” Terresa explains, “Not

46

Not to be so easily outdone, they decided to make the most of it and to offer something that would be open all year, exclusively for couples with the best facilities they could achieve in the middle of a meadow! This took more time to build and was a lot more expensive than they had budgeted for but they finally opened in April 2018. And then the moment of truth.

On paper the work load is split evenly. Although Terresa says her husband may not agree with this.

“He will say he does more than me but then he doesn’t see emailing, tweeting or updating Facebook as work!” Terresa says, “He is responsible for site services, grounds and maintenance, pest control and waste disposal. As we are completely off-grid the site services are a major task, particularly monitoring and adjusting our power usage throughout the day to match the solar power available. He also chops a lot of wood! I do most of the cleaning and all the laundry and ironing. I also manage the business, finances, purchasing and bookings. I maintain our website and the listings on the various booking platforms and also manage our social media accounts.”

“We had our first guests,” Terresa explains, “And then our first review- which was fabulous- and then after that bookings came a lot faster and we have exceeded our targets for the first 3 months!”

KNOW YOUR CLIENTELLE, KNOW YOUR PRODUCT Targeting professional millennials that appreciate nature and quality down time from their busy lives, Terresa has found that glamping success is about providing the right experience for your guests.

OAKVALE The gorgeous Yurt is provided by Mongolian Yurts Direct, a reliable supplier with reasonable pricing and the results are out of this world. The yurt, the locale and the ‘off-grid’ nature of the site is so far removed from anything else out there that it has to be seen to believed.

“People stay at hotels when they’re doing other things. People come glamping for new experiences and to create good memories,” she explains, “We do everything we can to make sure that the experience starts from the moment they arrive.”

Terresa is starting a blog about the site and her own experiences there as a way to connect with new and old guests. It’s definitely part of the

She reveals that she or her husband will always make the effort to contact them before their stay for a little bit of reconnaissance. If it’s a special occasion or just a break from their normal routine it is useful, as hosts, to know ahead of time.

“Either way, we’ll have the hot tub ready for their arrival and the fire lit in the yurt if it’s cold outside,” she says, “We also provide a welcome pack with a few locally sourced items and a greeting card welcoming them to Oakvale.”

Terresa and Chris live on site, so they always meet the guests upon arrival and talk them through all the onsite facilities. They also find out about how much camping or glamping experience they have. Guests have been grateful for this, because there have been a couple who would have been too embarrassed to mention, that they didn’t know how to light a fire. Because Terresa or Chris were on hand they could show them how to do it properly and safely with no embarrassment.

IT’S A TEAM EFFORT Oakvale is completely off-grid and solar powered meaning that daily chores are even more important to keep their business running smoothly.

47

attraction to be able to share in this insight. Giving the site a marvelous sense of realism and peace.

“During our first autumn on the site I found myself sitting on the edge of the meadow when I realized that the crashing sound I could hear around me was the sound of leaves falling through an oak tree,” she says, “It struck me then that I had never “heard” autumn before! This is the sort of personal experience that I am planning to share on the blog.”

And she has been inspired by her guests as well as they often share the various “firsts” they have experienced while being at Oakvale. Some are first time glamping, first time in a hot tub, first time in a four-poster bed, first time in Wales or first time away from the kids in over a decade.

“You shouldn’t work for a living you should work for a lifestyle,” Terresa says, “I spend several hours a week in front of my computer but I can open the door next to me and feed the wild birds from my hand. I get to share people’s wide-eyed wonder with a world we all take for granted. Somehow it doesn’t seem like work!”

“Before their stay at Oakvale, some had never lit a fire or eaten a hot marshmallow before. Many had never seen a bird of prey, never seen a frog up close or heard a giant dragonfly’s wings or walked through a meadow,” she says, “Two separate guests have now seen shooting stars for the first time and one had never seen the Milky Way before. “ For Terresa, this is the cherry on the cake. To be part of the reason why guests finally have the experiences of the outdoors in a new and unique way. The making of those memories.

48

49

REVIEW

THINKING ABOUT GLAMPIFYING YOUR LAND? Speak with the experts

can talk directly to the lending decision makers, who provide quick and fair decisions that give farmers access to finance to diversify, sustain, grow and improve their businesses.

UK Agricultural Finance is a specialist business lender to the agricultural sector and offers traditional, responsible lending to farmers throughout England, Scotland and Wales.

The company was formed to meet the demand from farmers for short and medium-term lending after the financial crisis of 2008. This is an area that requires specialist knowledge and a lender with the time to perform traditional face to face underwriting.

MAIN SERVICES UK Agricultural Finance provides a range of nonregulated loans secured against agricultural land and property across England, Scotland and Wales, offering loans from £100,000 to £10m, with terms from one to seven years and a maximum LTV of 65%.

Their team knows rural property and rural businesses, the driving factors behind the industry and the many challenges that are faced. But they also recognize the appeal and the importance of this sector. More importantly, they understand lending against agricultural land for enterprises where a ‘one size fits all’ doesn’t work. To help them, they pride themselves on working with the leading experts in agricultural valuation, security, restructuring and insolvency to assist in risk management and underwriting to ensure swift informed and fair decisions.

UK Agricultural Finance is an enthusiastic supporter of farm diversification and is experienced in providing farmers access to capital to diversify, sustain, grow and improve their businesses.

COMPANY ADDRESS: Main office - Great Hollanden Business Centre, Mill Lane, Underriver, Kent, TN15 0SQ TELEPHONE: 01732 252 399

They are a principal lender and will always act with integrity and deliver on time, every time. Their approach is pragmatic and flexible, and farmers

WEBSITE: www.ukagriculturalfinance.com EMAIL: info@ukagriculturalfinance.com

50

REVIEW

A SOLUTION TO FINDING THE PERFECT DESTINATION

UNITS

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND

Quality Unearthed is bringing a reliable and inspiring sense of order and accessibility to the glamping industry. Over 130 glamping structures across the UK have been catalogued including tree houses, yurts, safari tents, boats, Airstreams, Gypsy Wagons, Geo-Domes and even hobbit houses!

It is always advisable to book ahead of time to avoid disappointment. For some of the most popular places up to 6 months is recommended by the site, however you can occasionally be lucky with some late deals.

FACILITIES

WIFI: Clearly indicated on each property on

Every structure brings with it something unique.

Some have hot tubs, log burners, WIFI, barbecue facilities while some are more rustic. All of the units are cleaned weekly after a changeover and while it does fall down to the owner to make the decisions on whether pets are allowed or if it is adult only, Quality Unearthed do offer advice.

This advice on what tends to be most attractive to customers is based on over 60 years of experience as well as historic sales data.

website.

PRICE: Ranges for properties. See website.

COMPANY ADDRESS: Quality Unearthed, Cerbid, SOLVA, Pembrokeshire, SA62 6YE TELEPHONE: 01348 830922 WEBSITE: www.qualityunearthed.co.uk SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook - www.facebook.com/ QualityUnearthed/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/ qualityunearthd?lang=en Instagram - www.instagram.com/quality_ unearthed/?hl=en

Quality Unearthed provide a workable way to search exactly what you, the guest, is looking for.

Be it a week or weekend of escapism, a family trip, luxurious couples holiday or a pet friendly jaunt outside of the city.

51

REVIEW

PROP-SYNC Straight forward property management/synchronisation This is why PROP-SYNC, founded by businessman Nick West, was created to compare property bookings and availability on a number of calendars across multiple OTA’s and PMS’s. Then to sync these and reduce double bookings. Users can then manage their units from one place in the PROPSYNC admin panel and this enables property owners to know, at any time, which rooms are occupied and for how long.

Many short-let property owners would agree that their businesses rely on their properties being occupied. Be it bed and breakfasts, glamping lodges, boutique hotels or properties on AirBNB if a room is unoccupied it is losing revenue.

THE CHALLENGE An average short-let property owner will feature their property on half a dozen travel websites and travel agencies online. Each one having their own requirements for inputting calendar bookings and updating dates of availability. All-in-all this equals hundreds of hours spent each year putting in these details manually.

WHAT IS IT PROP-SYNC is an automatically updating platform designed for short-let property owners who make use of multiple websites for their guests/occupants. It includes real time calendar availability across multiple channels which means no more manual updates on online bookings and no more time-consuming data duplications and duplicated bookings. Things are kept up to date and straight forward.

If there is no time available to do this, rooms and properties can be vulnerable to double bookings.

And even if a person is employed to do this regularly, there is no guarantee against human error and this can be expensive and frustrating.

WHAT TO EXPECT PROP-SYNC is designed for people who are not in the IT industry, so it is very user friendly.

Regardless, there is always someone on hand should there be any enquiries or questions.

Heralding from the IT industry, Nick believes in the importance of communication with customers and answering questions and solving any issues as soon as possible.

Valerie Woods, a user since April 2017 said this regarding PROP-SYNC’s customer service:

“They make the process more understandable and dealt with my concerns professionally.

If they couldn’t respond immediately, they would always keep me updated and

52

REVIEW I knew what was going on. I really liked that because I was more at ease and when using something new, it’s always a daunting time but they really made me feel confident.”

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND • PROP-SYNC calendars are reconciled nightly (i.e. every business day) for peace of mind.

• You get a 3-month free trial to see if it works for you • This service is available internationally.

PRICE: Fixed monthly fee of £5+VAT per property, £1.50 + VAT per room/unit TELEPHONE: 0044 207 1176110 WEBSITE: www.prop-sync.com EMAIL: enquiries@prop-sync.com

53

5 REASONS WHY LIBRARIES MAKE GREAT REMOTE OFFICES

By Donnie Rust

demarcated city landmarks too, so they’re easy to find. If you’re new to a city, you could spend hours trying to find a decent coffee house with the heady combination of Wi-Fi and convenient charging stations that you need, only to discover that they are noisy and distracting. If you’re pressed on a deadline or have a Skype call scheduled with someone, this could cause a lot of trouble and stress. The alternative is to just head straight to the city library; a place where people have come to work, learn and think for centuries.

Working remotely gives me an excuse to work anywhere in the world, but to accomplish something, I need a few key things. A chair, a desk, good Wi-Fi, power and coffee. Also, a roof over my head to keep me dry would be useful too. For a travelling content creator who writes for a living and doesn’t have an office, or a permanent address for that matter, it’s essential I know where I can go to produce the best work.

Some people love to work in coffee houses, while others go with daily-office rentals and some are just happy to sit on the beach in a sun-lounger. For the best results, however, I take heed of what my mother used to say, and I go to the library.

1

2

QUIET AND FOCUSSED

I write content for people and their businesses.

Most of them have grown their empires from scratch and it is important that I produce work that is worthy of this. I relish this kind of challenge, but it does require thinking time.

CENTRAL AND CONVENIENT

City libraries are usually found in the central hub of an urban development. They are clearly

54

I used to frequent coffee houses and create towers of empty coffee cups all around me as I tried to write. But it was so easy to be distracted by someone else’s conversation, or the waitress asking if I’d care for another coffee. I would leave eventually, usually unsatisfied with my work, but with such a caffeine buzz that I felt I needed a pint of pure gin just to even myself out. Also, as a daily routine working at a coffee house costs a fortune!

their office or home and they are familiar with it.

The local library is rarely thought of as a place for business meetings, but with fewer distractions and background noise, my library meetings are concluded in half the time and with noticeably positive results.

There are some libraries that have caught onto this idea and offer top of the line meeting rooms for business people to conduct presentations and face to face get togethers. It usually costs a fraction of other facilities and many come with the latest audio-visual equipment and technology.

On the other hand, libraries are designed for study and reference. They offer privacy and solitude. They are a place of thinking, education and knowledge and as such, inspire a level of focus that I cannot find anywhere else.

3

5

You know the smell of old books? That odour that is a little musty but yet, so satisfying? The kind of smell that has you wandering into secondhand bookstores, just so you can stand there and breathe in through your nose? It’s called biblochor and for a book lover like me, it is seriously addictive.

HUBS OF INFORMATION

Libraries have had to change with the times. I remember the 90s, when libraries did not offer plug sockets to visitors because everything that needed to be plugged in by a member of the public was likely to make a noise. Libraries, when I was a child, were hushed, quiet places where the loudest sounds were the turning of pages.

During my summer holidays in South Africa, I used to travel with my dad into Durban City and visit the library. It was in the same building as the Durban museum and the art gallery and I saw it as this vast, never ending trough of treasures. In the library section, my arms filled with at least a dozen different books, I would find a quiet corner amongst the shelves and sit and read for hours, feeling like some sort of magic traveller peeking into someone else’s story. The biblichor became synonymous with this feeling.

Today, whatever can be found in a book can be found online, faster, simpler and with fewer papercuts. So, libraries have had to keep themselves current to ensure a constant slew of visitors. They’ve had to make room for computers, desks for laptop users, free Wi-Fi and charging sockets.

Furthermore, libraries are and always have been, a place for innovation and new information. Many now curate events as well as books, with gallery exhibitions and networking sessions regularly held amongst the displays of new technology, devices and local information.

Today, I can’t sit in a library without feeling a little bit nostalgic about it all.

Indeed, in every city I visit, I hit the library first. My mother would be very proud.

If you’re new to a city, a library is a great place to pick up information regarding the best places to visit in order to heighten your experience.

4

BIBLOCHOR

GREAT FOR MEETINGS

Wherever possible, I like to talk with my clients directly, to discuss their marketing needs. This can be done via Skype, phone or email, but I like to make the extra effort. I’ve noticed that a client will almost always suggest a local coffee house for a physical meet, usually because it is a local to

55

Article on page

28

REVIEW

THE STABLES CUSTOMER COMFORTS

After converting a section of the stables into a unique home in 2013, Marina and André Boekee began building The Stables in March 2015, making use of the unused horse stables on their smallholding a few kilometers out of town.

Wanting to invest in something sustainable and to establish themselves in the under developed self-catering market in the Tzaneen area, they completed the first three units in June 2015.

Marina is fastidious when it comes to customer satisfaction, saying “I believe in keeping my guests as happy and as comfortable as possible”.

While no plans are set in stone yet, there is still a section of the stables that can be converted into another three rooms.

The Stables offers comfortable, clean and uniquely decorated rooms, braai facilities, wide open surroundings of natural bush, abundant bird life and game that roam freely on their property, there is a tranquility that is not found in the urban areas.

PRICES: 1 November 2018 – 31 March 2019 Self-catering rooms R530 single, R750 double & 3 persons - R850/ night.

“SLEEP & GO” rooms Single - R380, double - R480

There is ample safe parking space for trucks, boats, caravans and trailers - a huge plus point as most guesthouses do not have this facility in our town.

COMPANY ADDRESS: 121 Broederstroomdrift, Tzaneen TELEPHONE: 083 301 7624

ROOMS

EMAIL: marinaboek@gmail.com

The Stables have 4 self-catering rooms, and three “SLEEP & GO” rooms. The “SLEEP & GO” rooms are also very comfortable and very affordable – a great winner with reps.

The self-catering rooms are big and spacious with fully equipped kitchenettes, a dressing room and a big bathroom. Two of these rooms can occupy three people in each. The rooms are serviced daily.

Each room is supplied with fresh milk, ice, filtered water, 5 Roses Tea, Rooibos (Redbush) Tea, Jacobs coffee, white -brown sugar and freshly home baked rusks. Hand and bath liquid soap and fresh towels are also provided. There are TV’s in all the rooms with Open View Decoders.

Free uncapped Wifi.

57

REVIEW

JARDIN D’EBENE After converting a section of the stables into a unique home in 2013, Marina and André Boekee began building The Stables in March 2015, making use of the unused horse stables on their smallholding a few kilometers out of town.

Wanting to invest in something sustainable and to establish themselves in the under developed self-catering market in the Tzaneen area, they completed firstsuch three in Juneon 2015.

Cape Townthe made anunits impression partners Pascale and Ulrike that they turned their backs on The Stables offers comfortable, clean and uniquely their decade-long careers in the Swiss restaurant decorated rooms, braai facilities, wide open industry and relocated to South Africa’s Mother surroundings of natural bush, abundant bird life City. and game that roam freely on their property, there is a tranquility is not foundwith in the urbanofareas.

Combining thethat African theme a touch European taste, they refurbished an old Cape There is ample safe parking space for trucks, Dutch homestead into the Jardin D’ebene. A boats, caravans and trailers - a huge plus point as gorgeous 5 room bed and breakfast that boasts most guesthouses do not have this facility in our tranquil grounds, plunge pool and a sundeck with town. breath-taking views of Lion’s Head Mountain.

Free uncapped Wifi.

CUSTOMER COMFORTS

Boutique Guesthouse, Marina is fastidious when it comes to customer satisfaction, saying “I believe in keeping my guests as happy and as comfortable as possible”.

Tamboerskloof Cape Town While no plans are set in stone yet, there is still a

an African animal: Lion, Cheetah, Zebra, Buffalo and Elephant outthat for can the pertinent footprint section of the(look stables be converted into outside your door).

The Luxury Zebra Room is another three rooms. complete with authentic zebra-skin rug and ebony PRICES: 1Buffalo November – 31 Marchand 2019 wardrobe; has 2018 bamboo ceilings The Elephant an appropriately massive open-plan Self-catering rooms bathroom.

AllR750 3 candouble be set & up3with twin-beds.

Lion R530 single, persons R850/ is the Small Standard and Cheetah is the Large night.

Standard Cheetah has a lovely view over “SLEEP &Rooms; GO” rooms lemon and olive trees the garden.

Single - R380, double in - R480

Since 2013, the Swiss partners have departed ROOMS

and the Jardin D’ebene is now run by Roland and The Stables have 4 self-catering rooms, and three Alexandra of Germany. Who have chosen to keep “SLEEP & GO” rooms. The “SLEEP & GO” rooms the same charm and style of the former owners are also very comfortable and very affordable – a to the relief of many happy guests. It is situated great winner with reps. in the heart of the city bowl, directly below Table Mountain and justrooms around the from trendy The self-catering are bigcorner and spacious with Kloof Street.

You’ll find it’s a short drive from the fully equipped kitchenettes, a dressing room and CliftonTwo beaches androoms the bohemian de abeautiful big bathroom. of these can occupy Waterkant Village. three people in each. The rooms are serviced daily.

All rooms have ensuite bathrooms with scoured concrete floors and big wooden beds with pure COMPANY ADDRESS: 121 Broederstroomdrift, cotton bed linen. Elephant and Zebra have Tzaneen bathtubs while the other 3 ensuites have showers.

Beach towels, fluffy gowns and slippers await TELEPHONE: 083 301 7624 guests on arrival. The ambiance is tranquil and EMAIL: marinaboek@gmail.com soothing - old-style Africa with upscale comfort.

WHAT TO EXPECT Air conditioning. Bathrobes. Beach towels Central heating City Guide & Map Plunge pool Safe box Slippers Terrace Toiletries WiFi

ROOMS Each room is supplied with fresh milk, ice, filtered water, 5 Roses Tea, Rooibos (Redbush) All 5 bedrooms are decorated in a styleTea, thatJacobs is coffee, whitebrown sugar and freshly home modern but with references to colonial times. The baked rusks. Hand and bath liquid and fresh predominant colours are stone andsoap earth toned towels are also provided.

There are TV’s in all the with local art, crafts and wall-embedded paintings. rooms with Open View Decoders.

Rooms are placed in either the Standard or Luxury category and each is named and designed after

PRICE: €116 per night.

TELEPHONE: 27 (0)21 426 1011 WEBSITE: www.jardindebene.co.za/ EMAIL: info@jardindebene.co.za

58

REVIEW

THE GAME RANGER BEHIND THE TENTS continued from Exclusive Tents International Limited Nowadays, there has been a great deal of change in the fight against poaching and illegal hunting.

More money is available, better equipment and technology, vehicles, aircraft, drones, personnel training and NGO’s getting involved or funding operations. Yet, when World Power governments are doing the exact opposite of what is needed, it just makes it all even harder.

“It was and is a battle of all proportions,” Paul syas, “And is a complicated problem that doesn’t have a single solution. But if people don’t work together nothing will change until it’s too late and it would be something we will all regret.”

China has recently legalized the trade of substances like tiger bone and rhino horn for medicinal purposes, and last year the Trump Administration lifted the ban of importation of elephant ivory from Zambia and Zimbabwe.

It seems that anti-poaching efforts have been reversed by governments that should know better.

For Paul it is a major concern. His time working as a Game Ranger gave him a very blunt, inside look at the poaching industry and he fears that this may not be a battle that can be easily won.

“You get to see the dark side of human nature and the essence of greed at any cost, even life,” he says, “Illegal ivory and rhino horn move through the same channels used by drug and gun runners so it can get pretty ugly at times and often includes government people, corrupt police and military and even one’s own colleagues.”

COMPANY: Exclusive Tents International Ltd TELEPHONE: 1-520-261-4634 WEBSITE: www.exclusivetents.com

59

REVIEW

TRISTAR AFRICA SKIMMER SAFARIS LTD

THE BUSINESS

STAFF TRAINING AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

Founded in 2010 by Elia Lutaaya, Tristar Africa Skimmer Safaris was a direct result of a love for Uganda and a desire to show tourists the best of “The Pearl of Africa.”

Interestingly, the tour guides, all locals to Uganda are involved in the client experience right from the enquiry stages. According to Elia, staff are taught how to write articles reflecting current tourism news in Uganda to give a proper “in the middle of it” feel. This also helps when they are interacting with potential clients. Then when the client arrives for the tour, they can put a name to a face.

Elia Lutaaya has been a professional tour guide for many years and has a personal passion for travel.

Combining a thorough appreciation for what tourists want to see and strong relationships with the area’s best hoteliers he has created a system to produce those special, “once in a lifetime” adventures.

This hands on and personalised experience is so important for building relationships with clients which Elia strongly advocates. People need to be able to relax to really enjoy themselves and absorb what Uganda has to offer.

THE SAFARIS On offer are adventure safaris that include activities like gorilla tracking, water sports in Jinja and mountain hiking. Each safari takes between 3-5 days and all of the tour guides are trained by the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA). This is an intensive training course that is taken annually and has to be graduated.

2019 Plans and new developments for 2019 include the launching and promotion of their car rental business. They are capitalising on the growing trend of clients wanting to rent cars and drive themselves to a park where they can follow their own personal itinerary.

For Elia this is important because what makes his safaris unique is that the clients get the real on-the-ground experience. Offering a chance to interact with locals, enjoy the local cuisine as well as get accurate background information about attractions both cultural and wild.

Being aware of what is needed to get the most out of these trips, Elia plans to make sure that only the right sort of cars are rented so that their clients can be guaranteed the most rewarding experience possible.

60

REVIEW PRICE: $250 to $2000, per person

TELEPHONE: +256-758540071, +256-200902144

COMPANY ADDRESS: Bukoto, Along Kisasi Road Close To Bukoto Market

WEBSITE: www.tristarafricaskimmersafaris.com EMAIL: booking@tristarafricaskimmersafaris.com

61

REVIEW

ELEWANA laughing hyena to the unmistakable territory call of a lion, which reverberates through every call in one’s body. Occasionally the distant call of a zebra or the alarms sounds of a hyrax warning a predator is near.

When visiting either of the beach properties, the sound of the ocean, waves breaking gently on the beach, the rustle of the coconut trees as the wind blows through. The occasional Bush Baby can sometimes be heard, a sound like no other.

Each property is so different, from a luxury tented camp in the Serengeti that has the feel of a 1930s mobile safari camp, but with all the modern day amenities of a luxury camp to The Manor with luxurious cottages and magnificent Manor House, brings “old-world” grandeur to a green and lush setting then there are the luxury tree-top rooms, elevated above the ground afford incredible views over the tops of surrounding marula and baobab trees, not forgetting the Star Beds with handcrafted four-poster wooden beds that sit on raised wooden platforms jutting out from a thatched-roof accommodation that are rolled out each night for guests to sleep under the endless African sky.

LOCATIONS With an unsurpassed footprint of properties across East Africa, the Elewana Collection now comprises of 15 award-winning luxurious camps, lodges and boutique beach hotels in Tanzania, Zanzibar and Kenya. Located in iconic wildlife destinations each has been carefully designed to provide an unrivalled variety of accommodation style, activities and guest experiences.

FACILITIES A range of facilities are offered from 4x4 game drives, bush walks, camel or horseback rides*, most have swimming pools, mini spa with treatment rooms offering manicure, pedicure and massages, restaurant, bar viewing decks on some properties.

Hot tub, log burner, wifi, hammocks etc and Wifi are in all properties which are also cleaned daily.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND No pets allowed. Children welcome at all except Kilindi (age restriction of 16yrs) They are all conservation and community conscious with a number of projects delivered by the CSR program and Land & Life Foundation.

THE ROOMS Each property is unique and furnished individually with its own style. If staying in the bush properties, the classic sounds of the African bush from a

The origin of the collection’s company name Elewana - comes directly from the kiswahili word

62

REVIEW

meaning ’harmony’ and ‘understanding’, a concept that underpins their company philosophy and influences the way they deliver unforgettable safari experiences.

‘In Harmony with Africa’ is at the core of what they are; from their properties striving to better the communities that live nearby to supporting conservation projects in the areas they are located and striving to ensure the carbon footprint is kept at a minimum.

PRICE: US$550 per person per night WIFI: In some of the properties there is wifi in each unit but other Properties wifi is only accessible from the main area.

COMPANY ADDRESS: P. O. Box 277703-00506, Nairobi, Kenya TELEPHONE: +254 713 474 170 WEBSITE: www.elewanacollection.com EMAIL: alia.bellamy@elewana.com

63

REVIEW

WILDWATERS LODGE

THE LOCATION

PRICE: US $190-$255 pppn

Right on the descent route of Adrift Uganda, this unique site is actually nestled between a range of graded rapids and falls. At some places you’re walking over the rapids themselves. You are literally immersed right in the middle of it and this not only gives you amazing views but also the relaxing sound of the Nile River rapids and falls.

WIFI: In the main lodge COMPANY ADDRESS: Wildwaters Lodge, Kalagala Island, River Nile, Kangulumira, Uganda TELEPHONE: +256 772 237400 EMAIL: info@wild-uganda.com

THE ROOMS The 10 rooms are spacious and stylish. The furnishings are all handmade with luxurious linen and fabrics. Perfect for relaxing in, if you’ve spent a day coursing down the river.

FACILITIES Wildwaters Lodge is equipped with wifi, offers a bar, restaurant, swimming pool and spa. Each room also has its own private bath tub outside on the viewing decks. This gives a unique, sublime view of your surroundings that you can enjoy while soaking in a tub.

Rooms are cleaned daily.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND No pets, but children are allowed The lodge is situated in a conservation area. So it is useful to be aware that you are surrounded by the wild in it’s natural form. Enjoy it but remember, this is Africa.

64

REVIEW

ADRIFT UGANDA Rafting through Uganda

TRIPS

walks and horseback safaris

Adrift introduced commercial rafting to Uganda in 1996 upon the Victoria Nile. Since then river rafting has become the most popular tourist activity in the country. The waters are clean, warm and quite spectacular and guided by Adrift’s 8 men crew along the river descent, which takes around five and a half hours.

ACCOMMODATION There are lodges located along the journey as well as the fantastic Wildwaters Lodge. See review.

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND The minimum age for rafting is 12.

No experience is necessary. Equipment and basic training are provided for and the river traffic is light. Mostly with local animals such as monitor lizards and otters and the occasional dugout canoes.

All operations and activities are 3rd party reviewed and audited. Safety is of the highest international standards. These include lifejackets, NRS helmets for the individuals and each descent is accompanied by a group of highly trained safety kayakers and a safety boat with complete first aid boxes and evacuation plans.

SIGHTS and EXTRAS Not only is this a great heap of wet fun and a total adrenaline rush but there are a lot of things to be seen on the calmer parts of the descent. These include a great variety of birdlife, tropical forests, cape clawless otters, monitor lizards, turtles and local communities and fishermen.

Best to book 1 week ahead to avoid any disappointments.

PRICE/NIGHT: 140 USD full-day rafting COMPANY ADDRESS: Nile Village Hotel – Plot 48/9, Kiira Road, Jinja, Uganda

Other activities include bungee jumping, zip line and canopy tours, Kayaking, canoeing, tubing, SUP, extreme rafting, river boarding, jet boat, sunset cruises, fishing, quad bikes, mountain bikes, Nile

TELEPHONE: +256 755225587 EMAIL: info@adrift.ug

65

HOSPITALITY AFRIKA The introduction of “shadow travel” “We have many repeat visits, and our relationships with our suppliers, many of whom we know personally, enhance the offering we are able to extend to our guests.” Diana explains.

Hospitality Afrika offers a unique travel experience to their guests. This is a “managed” trip – where every detail is taken care of - as Hospitality Afrika actually “shadow travel” with their guests to ensure a seamless travel experience. This is achieved with a team of trained Concierges, appropriately titled Hospitality Ambassadors who are assigned to take care of their guests.

Accomplished via text messages, the dedicated Hospitality Afrika travel concierge keeps in touch with the guests by text from the time they arrive till the time of departure. Diana checks-in personally with the guests from time to time by e-mail where this service is available. Botswana is a challenge as there is little or no connection, but the team at Hospitality Afrika are in constant contact with head offices in Maun. Additionally, not only do they monitor guests, but they are in touch with all service providers – drivers, guides, hotel concierges etc a few times per day to make sure that their guests have a seamless travel experience.

These great supplier relationships allow Diana to always include the all-important “WOW” factor in each trip. Furthermore, these long-term relationships with their suppliers allows them to plan something super special each time.

“As we work on a “personal referral and by word of mouth” system we have never had to advertise in over 25 years of business” she says.

KEEPING UP TO DATE Diana explains that keeping up to date is a full-time job which includes having to read the travel related correspondence and constantly engage with people in the industry. Attending workshops and arranging private education and product training in their offices and in the field when possible, is extremely important to motivate the team as well, and enhance their knowledge. Diana says she serves really good coffee, so that also helps.

Diana pioneered this service 20 years ago, and it is now ingrained in the DNA of the company.

“I started this company as a hobby and as an advisory service to friends over 25 years ago,” Diana explains, “I then decided to make a fullyfledged business of it. With my experience in the conservation world, as an Honorary Ranger of South African National Parks and as a Trustee of the Endangered Wildlife Trust, as well as private lodge owner, I was well positioned to serve the industry from all angles. Part of this is knowing full well what travelers require for a successful and happy trip.”

As they offer a “tailor-made” experience, personal contact with their guests is of paramount importance. Diana says, “We always chat to our guests, bypassing technology initially, as we believe that there is a limit to what you can do on the internet! So, we kind of “go with the flow”.”

With her husband Martin heading up finance, legal and administration and with their PR coming predominantly from word of mouth, over the last quarter of a century, they have built up some wonderful relationships with both their suppliers and guests.

At the end of the day, she says, “We design and craft experiences for our guests that they have requested. Most guest have done their research or have taken advice from friends or family who have travelled to Southern Africa and surrounds, so they are pretty savvy and mostly tell us what they would like to experience. We believe in a collaborative experience, so that our guests feel involved in the whole planning process.”

66

Diana is involved in all aspects of her business, everything and anything related to the safari industry and she represents some exclusive lodges. She is also extending her service to the industry as a consultant and offers a turnkey Interior Design service for safari hospitality.

“I began the company to share with inbound guests the rare pleasures that this continent has to offer. Also, to offer a safe and comfortable travel experience – like none other.”

BALANCING WORK AND LIFE Travelling between four and five months every year, mostly on-site inspections as well as family and business visits to the USA, Diana says there is no such thing as vacations in her industry. When she does get the chance, she says that spending time with her family on a South African safari is the best.

Outside of safaris, travelling mainly sees them staying in boutique hotels, as they prefer something unique and luxurious. “Luxury travel has always been both our benchmark and our passion.”

But finding the balance is difficult.

“As we offer a 24/7 service to our guests, we are constantly “on duty”. However, we do try and enjoy a rare break every now and again to get our “balance” back,” she says.

To unwind Diana reveals that she and her husband are great fans of classical music and enjoy opera and symphonic works. “We are great fans of the Met and Carnegie Hall and try and get to see whatever productions we can when we visit New York,” she says, “We are patrons of many musical groups here in Johannesburg, and will spend most of our leisure time at concerts and recitals when not at our private game lodge in the Waterberg.

We also enjoy ballet, good theatre and are passionate foodies.”

COMPANY ADDRESS: Burnside Island Office Park, Building 12, 410 Jan Smuts Ave Craighall, Johannesburg 2196 TELEPHONE: +27 11 326 4023 +27 82 881 2727 EMAIL: info@hospitalityafrika.com

67

REVIEW

THE LANDSCAPE STUDIO The way we see the world is determined by the quality of the space we live in. This is what The Landscape Studio believes. They see a world where landscape design is mutually beneficial for the ecosystem and the people inhabiting it and, in East Africa, they are the ones responsible for creating it.

USE IN PROJECTS

THE BUSINESS

An aesthetic landscape that compliments the natural beauty of a place can be immortal but requires an understanding and appreciation for what works in a location. In this regard, The Landscape Studio’s portfolio is a glimpse not into what Kenya looks like today, but what it will look like tomorrow.

Investors looking to change the landscape and develop it, need to know that their project is in good hands. Not only in terms of what it will immediately look like once completed but also how it will age and be appreciated by future generations.

Registered in Kenya as Chincol Company Limited, The Landscape Studio have since 2013 developed an impressive catalogue of projects around East Africa. Including the planning and design of academic, residential, corporate buildings, parks, streetscape and urban improvement as well as agricultural schemes. In 2018 they registered as members of the Landscape Architecture Chapter of the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK.).

THE IMPORTANCE OF STYLE For modern day developers, be it for hotels, residences or glamping sites, there is an everincreasing need to complement the natural heritage, culture and “style” of a place. Being able to observe the existing conditions, understand the full direction and intention of any project and know how to enhance it, is a defining element of The Landscape Studio.

To create the perfectly balanced outdoor area, they take into consideration the all-important sense of identity that is central to their work. For them, it is critical to be sensitive and work together with the particularities of each project and site.

This includes cultural and historical references and other essential elements. By promoting environmental education and community participation their open and methodical approach allows for responsible designs that suit both the people using these areas and the broader landscape.

They strongly believe that there is beauty in simplicity and that lucid, soft gestures can provide elegant and timeless spaces. This is truly an artform that has been greatly appreciated by a long list of clients.

68

COMPANY ADDRESS: P.O.Box 2012-00502 La Cabane, 30160 Bordezac WEBSITE: http://thelandscapestudio.com EMAIL: studio@thelandscapestudio.com

69

UNCOMPROMISING STEEL New solutions for tents

By Donnie Rust Interviewees: Gary McIntyre & Monique Brown

He reveals that the business grew organically, one building at a time. Beginning, at first, with designing and installing LGS decking solutions for clients. Once they started seeing the installation accuracy and speed, it was not long before they were asking about the applications for different buildings.

Eco-Steel Africa is an innovative building solutions provider that specializes in Light Gauge Steel Construction. Their solutions have revolutionized the safari tent and glamping industry design and helped influence the modern wave of popularity within these industries. We spoke with managing director Gary McIntyre regarding this innovative solutions provider.

ENCOURAGING INDUSTRY GROWTH One of the partners, Monique, also a Kenyan, reveals that when Eco-Steel Africa began, there were no materials locally available and they had to import everything. This was not in keeping with one of the things she wanted the business to stand for.

“This business’s entire focus is to provide solutions that work without compromising on quality or durability.” Gary explains, “Eco-Steel Africa creates a durable, fast build that helps utilize space, time and finances more efficiently.”

“We aim to Buy Kenyan and Build Kenyan,” she says, “Over the last seven years we have seen a movement of quality products available in Kenya and now import less than 5% of our required materials for construction.”

The introduction of a new building medium of LGS has also required quite a bit of educating with the public on its benefits vs. traditional build materials.

A considerable amount of time and energy has been invested in teaching builders and buyers why LGS is the design technology of the future.

Their market leading innovations in steel frame manufacturing, design, detailing, construction and customer care have enabled them to provide solutions with noticeable improvements on traditional builds. The tents are faster to erect with minimal space for equipment required on-site and they produce far less material waste allowing for more accurate budget proposals.

“We are pioneers of this design process and it’s up to us to help people become aware of its benefits,” Monique says.

CUSTOMERS

Eco-Steel Africa has grown organically from an original partnership with East African Canvas, who now makes use of their Hybrid Build Solutions, and became its own company in 2011.

Having been born into the safari lodge industry and grown with the rise of glamping style accommodations, Eco-Steel Africa has had from the start a fertile land to plant seeds. Since 2011, their business has grown to include a broad spectrum of clients, within safari, glamping and beyond.

Gary says, “We started out looking for an alternative deck solution that was more of an ecofriendly-green option and found that Light Gauge Steel met all our requirements for such a build.”

70

working with quality designers and staying in close contact with the LGS machinery manufacturers for updates and new training courses.

She adds that they also spend a lot of time working on their own R&D programs, including inhouse testing of new design techniques and finishing materials.

“This is work that you must be willing to put in everyday to keep your business running at its most optimal level.” She says.

COMPETE OR COLLABORATE? East Africa’s safari, lodge and glamping industries, are growing as an ever-increasing number of people are looking for the sort of “memorable experiences” that can only be found in the region.

With the rise of demand on the product Eco-Steel Africa has taken a typically modern approach.

Instead of looking to lengthen the lead-gap between them and their competitors they’ve sought to eliminate it.

“We have worked with owners of luxury lodges and camp sites, airport operators, private companies, landlords and individual private developers,” Monique says, “As well as a growing number of architects, designers and building contractors.”

“In East Africa and beyond there is more than enough work to go around,” she says, “We have started round table discussions with other builders, designers and developers. We find that these open discussions allow each of us to learn from previous failures and successes, plus learn new available techniques that might otherwise be missed.”

CUTTING EDGE PRODUCT, CUTTING EDGE SERVICE Depending on the design and building requirements, Eco-Steel Africa still uses conventional primary steel where structural requirements are needed. However, LGS structural design also comes with an in-built custom-designed engineering software to ensure that the product meets their standards.

To encourage this, Eco-Steel Africa has opened training for traditional builders who would like to learn how to work with LGS in their build portfolio.

Their aim is to build a strong future for Kenyan companies. To do this it’s necessary to create a firm foundation and an open-door policy to allow everyone to grow together.

This software allows Eco-Steel to design and accurately predict costs. Saving clients from additional engineering charges.

Monique believes that to be cutting edge you must work hard and with the right people. This includes

71

GROWING TOGETHER

this is a fairly new industry. As the pioneers of this method and product in east Africa, they are often the first to be surprised by the new challenges they may need to overcome.

The Company is proud that many of the staff who began with them when they were still under East African Canvas have remained. Together they’ve taken the business from just an idea to an industry defining company.

“We always finish a project and say that this was the most challenging,” she says with great humor, “And each project that we finish allows us to grow and experiment just a little bit more, so that we are prepared for a bigger challenge next time.”

The number of workers vary from job to job. And as each job is bespoke, working out how many people will need to be involved is part of the planning stages. The number can shift from 40 people in the low season to upwards of 130 in the high season.

MPINGO RIDGE “With that said,” Gary continues, “We absolutely loved the last camp that we finished for Lemala Camps, Mpingo Ridge in Tanzania.”

Staff development is just as important. Through in-house and on-site training Eco-Steel Africa has built up a team of skilled LGS craftsmen.

Furthermore, by providing hands-on experience they have developed staff from general daily laborer’s into team managers.

Gary explains that this was a perfect example of working with a Tanzanian Contractor that had never worked with LGS structures before. It was

“We have a low turn-over rate of employees.”

Monique says, “Our staff movement is mostly between our two companies as they choose to either stay with EACC or to join up with Eco-Steel.

It’s fine as we still work in the same compound.

This way we have staff who have experience in working in both businesses, so we are always covered with that cache of experience.”

an interesting and aesthetically marvelous project that came with a very tight build deadline. The project incorporated beautifully curving decks and a modern public area that was designed to take full advantage of the breathtaking views. These views were thanks to the site’s particular remoteness which posed an exciting challenge.

“We had several training sessions with their team here in Kenya as well as having our Quality Control Management team at site in Tanzania assisting and training the builders every step of the way,” Gary says.

Interestingly Monique reveals that some of their employees have gone on to open their own construction and tent manufacturing companies using the skills that they have learn over years working with Eco-Steel, “Good on them,” she says, “We’ve even partnered up with some of these companies as well over the years.”

This was necessary as they are the only company who know how to work with their hybrid solution that uses the mixture of a tented wrap and solid structures.

PROJECTS Although it would seem that Eco-Steel Africa has it all under control, it should be acknowledged that

72

THE CHALLENGES

In total the project came in at just under 1700 square meters and was completed in under five months.

Mpingo Ridge provided several challenges. Not only was it challenging to get to, with rocky ground conditions, no road access and no water access.

But the client’s design had high internal ceilings, large open spans and the need for lots of windows and openings to showcase the expansive view.

SEEK OUT CHALLENGES Eco-Steel Africa loves a good challenge and doesn’t believe their business would be where it is now without them.

It was as much a new managerial challenge as it was a building one, Gary says, “Transport of goods, tools equipment and crew had to be well organized as this was hundreds of kilometers from civilization. We also had at site over one hundred builders, electricians, painters, plumbers, specialty contractors and general contractors all working at breakneck speeds to ensure that we did not finish behind schedule.”

“Mpingo was a great project and we love the result,” Gary says, “To have seen the site before and after the finished project and take stock of the challenges we had to plan for, and the ones we had to solve on the spot, is quite something.”

Especially, we appreciate the opportunity to work closely with clients and help them turn their ideas into something tangible.

THE RESULT

“Our clients return time and again knowing that we deliver,” Gary says, “Definitely something to be proud of.”

Mpingo Ridge consisted of a full design solution for the client where Eco-Steel Africa designed their Back of House Structures and Luxury Guest Units. These consisted of thirteen guest sleepers of 76 sq. meters each. One Family Unit Sleeper which was 150 sq. meters and a modern open plan design for their Public Areas which was almost 600 sq. meters in size.

73

PRICE/NIGHT: (if applicable.) Lodge / Safari Camp Build Provider

TELEPHONE: +254 797 738 983 or +254 752 444 3337

COMPANY ADDRESS: Magadi Tenting Centre off Magadi Road Next Door to Brookhouse School, Nairobi Kenya. P.O. Box 1483 Karen 00502

EMAIL: info@ecosteelafrica.com

74

Image credit: ©Elewana Arusha Coffee Lodge - The Grill Room