GLAMPING. What the heck is it? Wikipedia’s definition:
GLAMPING: noun A portmanteau of the words glamour and camping.
What the heck is a portmanteau?
PORTMANTEAU: noun A blending of the sounds of two or more words in order to create a word.
I’m sure you already knew what the word glamping meant, but I thought I’d just throw that portmanteau part in. You probably already knew what that word meant also, but I sure learned something new!
Sleeping in tents has been around for a very long time, but when did this modern-day luxury type of tent sleeping come about? It seems in early 2000, in England and Ireland, is where it became a viable alternative to spending the night in a traditional tent. Since then, it has caught on like wildfire and now includes many variations such as yurts, treehouses, geo-domes, and pods. Each has its own unique spin on glamping but, in my opinion, if you are sleeping in a comfortable bed (preferably with high thread count sheets), have running water, a toilet, and air-conditioning in a beautiful setting, you’re GLAMPING! And if you’re looking for the best Hill Country Glamping experience, then you MUST come glamping in Wimberley, Texas!
I actually love to camp. As a family, we kind of did it backward, but I don’t think I would change it. When I was pregnant and my children were toddlers learning to walk and run around, we did the traditional tent camping. We would pack up the minivan with our big plastic boxes filled with all our supplies and our tent and my husband’s guitar and head out to as many state parks as we could. My kids were filthy from playing in the dirt and rocks and we would just throw them into the river or head to the community bath house to get washed up and ready for an evening of dad singing around the campfire and eating smores. It was a ton of work, but well worth it.
Then, we graduated to a pop up thinking the workload of camping would be cut in half because all we would have to do is “hook up and go”. In theory, that sounded right but it was still just as much work. I will say, it was also just as much fun! I actually preferred our old-school tent to the pop-up. We did have air conditioning and a mattress to sleep on, but there’s just something about a real tent. That is until you reach your forties and you’re tired! Convenience, a comfortable bed, and air conditioning actually started to grow on me. We kept the popup for a few years and then when our kids were young teens, we bought a pull-behind bumper pull 30-ft camper. All the luxuries of home, including shower and toilet on wheels. It even had a TV which I hated, but was overruled more often than not.
The amenities were wonderful, but camping as we knew it changed for sure. For one, our son and daughter didn’t want to camp together as a family anymore. They each had to bring friends which was great because the fighting between the two of them wasn’t as fierce. We were blessed to introduce other kids to the world of camping (Glamping, remember now it’s a bed, running water, and a toilet). As time went by, the trips became fewer and farther between and camping was not the activity of choice for teens who want to hang out with friends.
Fast forward a few years and you find us purchasing a piece of property in the hill country of Wimberley, Texas with an existing building for my business. Side note: we also own The Med Spa, “Wimberley’s premiere Laser, Skin, and Injectable Boutique”.
The back of the property has a beautiful view and clusters of oak trees that were just calling for an Adirondack chair and a glass of sweet tea or wine, whichever your preference, and was located at the base of Spoon Mountain. I wanted to put some sort of vacation rental there, maybe 3 units, but I wanted them to be unique. I kept researching and happened along the term glamping. Reminiscing about my love for camping, but wanting comfortable accommodations, I knew this was the perfect fit and guests would love glamping in Wimberley and the Texas Hill Country.
We attended the first-ever Glamping Summit in Colorado in 2018 and that is where we picked out our awesome deluxe African Safari tents. These are the coolest things y’all! Bushtec is a manufacturer of luxury tents all over the world and they are headquartered in South Africa with a US hub in Atlanta.
Our vision has been two years of planning and developing. We are in close proximity to the quaint downtown square of Wimberley and Blue Hole Park which puts us within city limits. For anyone that has tried to get permitting approved within any city limits, you know that is not an easy task. Our tents are 350-sq. ft. each with a private in-tent bathroom including a walk-in shower, sink, and toilet as well as a completely private outdoor space with an outdoor soaking tub and shower. Sleeping two on a king-size bed dressed in luxurious linens, each tent has an amazing view of the Wimberley Valley at sunset, a kitchenette with a mini fridge, Nespresso coffee maker, and microwave as well as a private propane grill. We also have a beautifully furnished, outdoor pavilion featuring a hot tub, infrared sauna, and firepit; massages can be hosted under the pavilion when the weather permits. Sounds like a great getaway right?!
Feel free to respond below with any and all suggestions you may have. We look forward to hosting you in the magnificent Texas Hill Country on your next getaway!
