Guest Experience by HoneyTrek: Rooms to Remember

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We all know glamping is so much more than a pretty tent, though how we present an accommodation is largely what defines this travel style. We want guests to see their suite and get a twinkle in their eye and a skip in their step. With glamping still novel to most guests, you have a unique and important opportunity to show them what makes it so special. Here are the ways to give your glampers the best room experience - from offering up the essentials to dazzling them with thoughtful touches.

The Exterior

No matter how many structures you have at your glamping camp, you want to give guests the maximum amount of scenery and privacy for their haven in the woods.

Well-spaced structures:

To keep everyone happy and noise levels at minimum, give the majority of your structures ample spacing and cluster a few for larger parties. Though remember that no matter the guest list, each couple or family still wants some privacy. Stagger the units and work with the topography so they aren't in direct line of sight. Use platforms or stilts to play with different heights. Duinrell Holiday Park in central Netherlands had 30 lodge tents in a relatively small area, but by staggering them on the hillside with stilts, each tent looked into the valley instead of their neighbor's living room. If you don't have a ton of space to spread out, have the front door and patio open into nature, so even if neighbors aren't far, it gives the illusion of seclusion.

Room with a view:

At each site, there should be some element of scenery to enjoy. Ideally it would have a view of the water, mountains, or an interesting section of forest, but if Mother Nature isn't throwing you a bone, there are many ways you can beautify the site. Landscape the area so it has an inviting approach. A path lined with stones, plants, lanterns, or other pleasing visual cues should guide the way. Around the unit, surround it with a garden, place potted plants along the front stairs, or hang flower baskets on the corners.

Add twinkle lights to the structure's frame and surrounding trees; this not only provides a way for guests to see in the dark, but a whimsical way to keep guests snapping quality photos (read Instagram) into the night. Cozy Peach in Queen Creek, Arizona make the most of their farm plot by creating white-picket fenced yards for each vintage trailer and lined their awnings with cafe lights... so come nightfall, the village of Silver Bullets shined that much more.

Outdoor living area:

Whether offering a deck, balcony, or just a manicured patch of earth, a lovely outdoor space is vital to any great glampsite. An outdoor living area is also an excellent way to make even a little bell tent feel larger - and cooler on hot days. Anchoring it with a pair of attractive and comfy seats (no fold-up camping chairs, please!) is key, and a hammock nearby is never a bad idea. It's all about creating a zone for guests to kick back - and giving them a spot to set their coffee, wine and snacks is a piece of that, so don't forget the side tables! Every glamper wants to gather around the campfire, tell stories, roast s’mores, and look at the stars. If you have the space, but not the funds for a professionally made firepit, there is no shame in the good ole' stacked rock ring. If you’re short on space or have forest fire concerns, gas firepit tables are an upscale and safe way to give guests that campfire feel. In the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, we stayed at The Ridge Outdoor Resort and they had limited outdoor space for each site, but with a safari tent that had a fabulous deck and click-on firepit, we felt we had it all.

Outdoor Resort

HoneyTrek

THE INTERIOR

Inviting, functional, clean, and stylish, are all attributes to strive for when decorating a glamping structure. Meet guests’ basic needs while delighting them with thoughtful touches and you’ll always have happy campers.

The essentials:

To guide your decor shopping, use this furniture and accessory checklist: doormat, rug, comfy bed, stylish comforter, clothing storage, waste and recycling baskets, mirror, seating, and ambient and task lighting. Even if your sites don’t have power, guests are going to need light and a way to charge their phone. Firelight Camps in Ithaca, New York solved this with Bare Bones Living Lanterns that are charming, shed ample light, and have USB ports to charge devices. If you offer a grill or outdoor kitchen at the site, make sure guests have the tools to enjoy it. When we stayed at Arapaho Valley Ranch, our wall tent had a hutch stocked with everything we needed (plates, silverware, pots, pans, cups, coffee percolator, cooking utensils, and a cooler) to have fun cookouts and coffee sessions.

A word about storage:

You work hard to create a beautiful space, but if you don’t have a place for guests to put their stuff, it can start to look like a tenement. At minimum, you should offer a luggage rack and coat rack, though an armoire is great for those who like to hang their clothes and others who just want to shut the door on their exploding luggage.

Look and feel:

Unlike the woodsman cabin, glamping has a lighter and more contemporary look. That, of course, can and should be interpreted in a thousand ways. To help you hone in on your camp’s style, go down the Pinterest rabbit hole. Just search the word “glamping” and let the imagery wash over you, while paying attention to the most popular photos and saving the ones that resonate with you. Take inspiration from other camps, but use your imagination to make it your own. Think about what’s unique to your region. Is it known for a certain flower, bird, mountain, music, or chapter in history? What’s the story behind your specific piece of land and its predecessors? Visit your regional museum, talk to the locals, and shop at nearby antique stores. Channel an interesting element or character and let it guide your look. In San Miguel de Allende, street art is central to this central Mexican city’s style, so at Glamping San Miguel they commissioned an artist to create a mural across the room. At the Farm Sanctuary, an upstate New York non-profit that rescues abused farm animals, each tiny house is named after one of their most beloved animals and decorated with their respective goat, cow, or turkey-themed accents.

THOUGHTFUL TOUCHES

Even if interior design is not your strong suit, thoughtfulness can be. Here are a few touches to let guests know you anticipated their arrival with love and care.

A personalized welcome:

We know you have prepared your room for hundreds of glampers, but each guest wants to feel it was made just for them. Write a handwritten note—it will instantly endear them to you. Your message could be as simple as a framed chalkboard that says “Welcome Smith Family” or as elaborate as Honaunau Farm with a watercolor card, vase of flowers, and basket of freshly picked fruit. If your property has a bounty of wildflowers, a small bunch or even a single stem in a bud vase makes the room feel fresh and romantic without any added cost. If you really want guests to raise a glass to your fantastic hospitality, give them a bottle of wine.

Guest guide:

A good guest manual sets the tone for the stay. It’s an opportunity to tell your guests about the camp, your journey to create it, and how to make the most of their time. Include maps of the area and your property. Hand-drawn versions add whimsy, and at their best feel like a treasure hunt. In addition to on-site activities, list your favorite nearby restaurants, shops, hikes, and swimming holes; guests always appreciate local insights.

Diversions:

Help guests unplug with some oldschool pastimes. Beautiful books about the area, glamping, or poetry give guests a reason to lounge in the hammock or deck chair. A vintage board game and a deck of cards invites laughter and healthy competition. We loved that Hoshinoya Kyoto put out a calligraphy paint set so we could try our hand at Japanese characters. At Woodstock Way (in the New York town of the famed 1960s music festival) they had record players with albums curated by local artists, and it had us playing DJ and dancing around the room. (Stay tuned for more fun on-site activity ideas in the Guest Experience by HoneyTrek column!)

Remember that it’s only when guests’ needs are met, that they can appreciate the finer details and fully enjoy where they are. Design your space with intention and from the heart and guests will fall in love.

About Mike & Anne Howard

Traveling for 9 years across 62 countries, Mike and Anne Howard are global travel experts with a specialty in glamping. They launched HoneyTrek.com to chronicle their journey and have since written National Geographic’s bestselling book Ultimate Journeys for Two, as well as Comfortably Wild—the first travel guide on glamping in North America. Earning a Lowell Thomas Journalism Award for their guidebook and a seat on the American Glamping Association Board of Advisors, they work hard for the glamping community. Established tent manufacturers to budding glampgrounds have partnered with the Howards for their multifaceted skill set as photographers, writers, influencers, and consultants to improve their guest experience and share it with the world. Visit HoneyTrek.com/GlampingExperts

Anne and Mike Howard