By: Karina Nicolau
Deep in the rolling hills of the Malaga region of southern Spain you can find the most charming finca with a two story, rustic country home. The home sits high on a hilltop and is surrounded by four romantic mongolian yurts. This quirky country cottage is the new home of Sara and Darren Easey, a couple who recently relocated to Alora, Spain this past November from York, England. In York they ran a successful glamping business for over four years with a customer base of over 5,000. When asked about their decision to pack up their thriving business in York and make the trek to Andalucia, the answer wasn’t surprising - to escape the rain.
The Glamping Hub team recently made the 2 hour commute to Alora Yurts from our European office in Seville, Spain for a local television segment and we were pleasantly surprised. Sara and Darren welcomed us into their home with open arms and big smiles. Sara’s sincerity and Darren’s laid back demeanor would immediately put any guest at ease. With this site’s magnificent views, colorful, fun, Moroccan decor, and several hammock lounge areas scattered throughout the property, you can’t help but feel a sense of calm while at Alora Yurts.
Sara and Darren are truly incredible hosts as they run this four-unit glamping site completely on their own. They manage everything from the strenuous grounds maintenance to all of the property renovations, including their fully equipped outdoor bathroom with standing shower, full vanity and claw foot bathtub. These two are hands on hosts...Darren even dug the ditches and mounted the yurts himself!
As we learned more about the property, what really caught our eye were the wonderful amenities and the attention to detail that Sara and Darren incorporated into their glamping site. Guests of the luxurious yurts can enjoy breakfast in bed, home cooked candlelit dinners, relaxing massages, refreshing dips in the pool, and glasses of wine in the hot tub overlooking the Guadalhorce river at sunset. It is these experiences and details that make a stay at Alora Yurts worth remembering.
So I’m sure you’ve heard of pop up shops, where purveyors of consumer goods set up their wares for show or sale in unusual places for short bursts of time. They can be anything from empty storefronts, to flashy trailers, to 10x10 tents on the street. This is done to draw excitement from the crowds for specific campaigns, new products, or just to get people re-energized about a brand.
But how about pop up hotels? Yeah you heard right…pop up hotels. For all of the same reasons that retail companies create their temporary stores, lodging owners and niche hospitality enthusiasts are designing “surprise” hotel rooms and one-of-a-kind hotel spaces in extraordinary locations to get people excited about travel and help hotel proprietors generate demand for their accommodations.
Retro Hospitality is one of these companies. The spaces they design are “unique, innovative, portable and customized spaces that are designed to be remembered”. You need to check this out…
The BoxSpa
How to make a BoxSpa: take a 16’x20’ or 16’x40’ restored shipping container, wave a wand, and presto, you have a customized spa experience that can be delivered to any location worldwide. The interior can include areas for massage rooms, relaxation rooms, nail services, locker rooms, reception, and nooks for any kind of spa treatment you can think of. And the exterior can have as many or as few windows as needed, to allow just the right amount of sunshine to filter in. The options for creative design and space allocation are almost endless within this metal container that, in its previous life, may have shipped millions of rubber duckies back and forth across the Pacific.
The Pop-Up Lounge
Imagine a shiny Airstream caravan that as been converted into a swanky bar or chill restaurant. Now take that already awesome idea and import it into any kind of event venue. Retro Hospitality’s re-purposed vintage caravans can take a parking lot, a rooftop, a pool deck, a trade show, or a festival and transform it into a chic, one-of-a-kind party. Easy to set up, easy to dismantle…so it arrives and is gone in a heartbeat…creating the cool vibe of impromptu celebration.
Retro Hospitality takes the concept glamping and twists it into a product that both hoteliers and luxury camping site owners will clamber for. These incredible spaces don’t respond to demand, they create it!
Chaffin Family Farm
Chaffin Family Farm is located in the Sacramento Valley of California. The central valleys of th Golden State are where a significant portion of America’s natural foods are cultivated. This site is on 2,000 acres of farmland with a serene, private lake and spectacular views of Table Mountain. The glamping tents sit in the shade of the orchard trees and include comfy beds, cooking stoves, private bathrooms and dining areas. Guests can be an active part of the farm by feeding the animals, tending the orchards and gardens, or helping with farm chores, or they can explore the countryside and go fishing, paddling, hiking or mountain biking.
Kinnikinnick Farm
Kinnikinnick Farm is a 30-acre organic farm set in the rolling countryside of northern Illinois. The gardens of this farm produce special culinary herbs and vegetables that are used in some of Chicago’s hottest restaurants. Guests of this site will find shelter in airy glamping tents nestled on a green hillside overlooking a gurgling creek, with the backdrop of a sun-dappled wood. The tents’ kitchens are stocked with delicious foodstuffs right from the farm, like fresh eggs, fruits and vegetables, along with local meats and breads. The surrounding area is famous for it’s scenic biking and hiking trails and lively farmer’s markets.
Stony Creek Farm
Stony Creek Farm can be found in the gorgeous landscapes of the Catskill Mountains in New York. Dense, emerald forests, rushing waterfalls, quiet lakes and miles of fields and pasturelands will meet all guests of this wonderful site. The glamping tents of Stony Creek lie on a shady hill with views of a red barn and a glittering stream. This organic farm harvests a wide range of produce and guests can participate in daily activities like gathering eggs, feeding the sheep and pigs or picking vegetables in the gardens. Nearby, guests can explore the woodlands of Catskill State Park, or hike the meandering trails of Bear Spring Mountain.
BY: Chloe Imus
Have you ever dreamed of a tropical, warm vacation, but wanted to spice it up a bit with some adventure? Not to worry! Costa Rica has it all - relaxing spas and jungle adventures - without compromising comfort. Costa Rica has always been known for its abundance of natural beauty, such as white-sands, clear-waters, wide beaches, hidden waterfalls, dense jungles, and rugged mountain terrain, but what about its uniquely diverse and vibrant culture? Imagine yourself relaxing on the beach during the day with friendly locals who, at night, can to show you the authentic, wild side of Costa Rica, both in the jungle and out on the town...
Amazing Treehouse in the Gandoca-Manzanillo Rain Forest, Costa Rica
How about staying in a lavish two-story tree house suspended 25 meters from the ground? Surrounded by nothing but the rain forest of Gandoca-Manzanillo wildlife refuge, this solar powered tree house is the ultimate glamping adventure! Hike up and down the tree with indigenous Nasso tribe guides to get to the tree house, or use the elevator. The local guides will also accompany you during other cultural activities in the area.
Upscale Oceanfront Yoga Retreat, Playa Santa Teres
Or, if adventure in the rain forest is not what you seek in Costa Rica, a yoga retreat in upscale villas and bungalows planted on a pristine beach might do the trick. A wide variety of outdoor activities, along with spas, massages, yoga, and organic meals to top it all off, will be a cleanse for mind, body, and soul.
Luxury Safari Tents in Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Get as close as you can to the sights, smells, and sounds of the unspoiled rain forest in these luxury safari tents! Let the hospitable Boshoff family treat you to traditional African food before a safari, or let this little part of Africa reach you on your private patio before water adventures!
Dashing Jungle Cabañas near Caribbean Sea, Costa Rica
A true Costa Rican glamping experience includes the unrefined rainforest, alluring beaches, and a picturesque Costan Rican pueblo, right? Get it all here, in an eco-friendly cabana in the heart of the Gandoca wildlife refuge. A night out in a small beach town with some locals will surely create unforgettable memories.
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