Six glamping spots that’ll change your opinion of camping

IF peeing in the bushes and copping a face full of campfire smoke isn’t your idea of fun, here’s six places to seriously glam up camping.

Want to go glamping on the roof of a Melbourne shopping centre?

GIVING five star hotels a run for their money, these tents for rent are breaking new ground in the world of glamorous camping

Glam Camping Queenstown was once used as a Lord of the Ring location, you might see a hobbit while you glamp!

SOUTHERN COMFORT IN QUEENSTOWN

Glam Camping Queenstown

Regular visitors to Queenstown will know Deer Park Heights. The iconic site – a key Lord of the Rings location – broke hearts when it closed to the public, but the gates will swing open for Glam Camping Queenstown guests.

Two glamorously appointed Lotus Belle tents are tucked among the tussocks, sporting stunning 360-degree views over the Queenstown Basin to the looming Southern Alps.

“Sleeping under a canvas in luxury you are as close to nature as possible,” says Glam Camping Queenstown director Bridget Mee.

“As a working deer farm you share this Lord of the Rings location with herds off fallow and red deer.

“Each tent site is beside a small tarn, offering reflections of magnificent scenery, and you have freedom to move around the property from sunrise to sunset.”

While the property promises an off-the-grid experience, there’s no compromise on comfort.

Expect a deluxe queen bed, luxury linen, feather and wool mattress toppers and duvets, robes, snuggly sheepskins, solar lighting and Puffa jackets.

“We provide home baking with quality tea and coffee, bean bags and stargazing camp chairs for outside,” Bridget says.

Don’t forget hot showers and a flush toilet, hidden in a nearby trailer.

glamcampingqueenstown.co.nz

If you can believe it, Nightfall Wilderness Camp has a fireplace, vintage baths and rain showers.

DISCOVER BEAUTY IN OUR BACKYARD

Nightfall Lamington

It turns out the Lost World in the Scenic Rim is the perfect place to find yourself.

Nightfall offers intimate safari tent glamping amid the wild beauty of Queensland’s ancient Lamington National Park rainforest and headwaters of Christmas Creek.

“I think there’s something about being under canvas that strips away all that is non-essential – you’re connected to elements but still nourished and sheltered,” owner Heidi Ross says.

“You get almost all of the benefits of five-star accommodation, including delicious local organic food, but you’re more in touch with the setting.”

With canvas and mesh roll-down walls, the stunning sanctuaries include rotating fireplaces, vintage baths and rain showers.

“Views in every direction showcase the private forest setting,” Heidi says.

“In winter when the tent walls are down, a sense of cosy intimacy pervades as the light of the fireplace flames flickers on the canvas ceiling.”

Make like a mermaid in the private natural spa-pools of the nearby rapids, laze in a hammock or tell stories around the campfire.

“The ultimate indulgence is a massage by the creek or in the forest,” Heidi says.

“No prerecorded spa sounds here, just the real thing: birds, wind in the trees and the backdrop of the tumbling creek.”

nightfall.com.au

St. Jerome's – The Hotel offers luxury camping accommodation in the Melbourne CBD.

CAMP IN MELBOURNE’S CONCRETE JUNGLE

St. Jerome’s – The Hotel

Swap stars for a sparkling skyline when you fall asleep on the sprawling rooftop of Melbourne Central shopping centre.

St. Jerome’s – The Hotel is home to 21 canvas bell tents kitted out with all the trappings you’d expect from a luxury hotel.

Picture a queen bed dressed in premium linen by Linen House, split-system heating and cooling, a tablet loaded with movies and an Esky stocked with beer and cider.

While a remote location is normally part of the camping criteria, perks of an urban base include Gelato Messina ice cream delivery.

There’s no need to forage far, with breakfast and your choice of local filtered coffee or tea delivered in the morning, but you could pop next door for a game at Strike Bowling.

stjeromesthehotel.com.au

If Sal Salis is good enough for Pippa Middleton and James Matthews, it’s good enough for us.

ROYAL TREATMENT IN WA

Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef

Glamping was good enough for newlyweds Pippa Middleton and James Matthews, who included Sal Salis resort on their recent honeymoon.

The beachside safari camp is made up of eco-luxe wilderness tents scattered in the dunes of the Cape Range National Park, an area famous for its whale sharks.

Positioned away from camp hub, the Honeymoon Tent is made for canoodling in the double hammock.

Sensational ocean views are framed from a four-poster bed swathed in luxury linen and draped with mosquito netting.

Swap charcoaled marshmallows for chef-prepared canapés and wine-matched three-course meals, the likes of pan-fried garlic Exmouth prawns and eye fillet wrapped in pancetta.

You definitely won’t be slumming it in this five-star sanctuary, but you can still experience the unplugged feel savoured by campers (that means no Wi-Fi, kids, save those envy-sparking Insta posts until you get home).

salsalis.com.au

There’s no chance of bumping into anyone you know at Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle, Thailand.

SOAK UP THE SCENERY IN THAILAND

Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle

Can’t face another cold, coin-operated shower in thongs? Check out how Four Seasons does camping.

On your outdoor deck, overlooking the leafy jungle, you’ll find a private wooden hot tub.

It’s the best seat in the house for taking in views of the Ruak River, Burma and the mountains of Laos.

Wrap yourself in thick terry bathrobes before collapsing on the kingsize bed.

With a twice-daily housekeeping service, you won’t have to lift a finger.

Accommodation is available as part of all-inclusive packages that also include elephant trekking and a spa treatment.

fourseasons.com/goldentriangle

Paperbark Camp might be considered camping, but it’s still paradise.

GO BUSH AT JERVIS BAY

Paperbark Camp

You won’t have to worry about planting yourself on a rogue pinecone at this eco retreat, where the elevated safari tents sport polished hardwood flooring.

Relax under double canvas camouflaged among the spotted gums and paperbark trees along the banks of Currambene Creek.

Perks include an open-air ensuite, where you can enjoy a steaming shower while watching wildlife, or upgrade to a deluxe tent for a freestanding bath.

Perched in the treetops you’ll find on-site restaurant The Gunyah where you can curl up in front of an open fire and feast on twice-cooked pork belly with spiced apple, parsnip puree and star anise broth.

The property, which is 2½ hours south of Sydney, is five minutes from the sapphire waters and white beaches of Jervis Bay.

paperbarkcamp.com.au