What to Expect When Glamping

Do you love camping, but hate setting up your tent or being too exposed to the elements? Thank goodness for glamping! Glamping is camping in a more "glamorous" way, hence the name.

After recently staying in a treehouse that we booked through GlampingHub, we wanted to share some things we learned about glamping with you so that you can have the best glamping experience possible.

If you love trendy interior design, you'll love glamping. Most glamp sites have an elevated and charming decor that fits with the rustic aspect of nature while also providing just a bit extra in comfort and style.

Glamping is not camping. You're not going to sleep on the hard ground or a blow-up mattress or have to set up the place you're going to stay. Glamping experiences vary but you can expect a luxurious camping experience that could have amenities like a kitchenette provided in your treehouse, air-conditioning in your safari tent and even a stylish bathroom for your teepee. The property could even have a pool or outdoor games for you to enjoy.

Glamping is not the same experience as staying at a hotel. You might not have Wi-Fi or a flat-screen TV or central heating and air conditioning. Your bathroom may be set up separately from your tent or treehouse and breakfast may not be offered every morning. There might be a bit more dirt in the corners and there may not be a pool or gym. It all depends on the type of glamping property you book, but just be aware of where you're going and what they have to offer (and always read reviews!).

Remember glamping is a glorified version of camping so you will ultimately be surrounded by nature. With that said, be prepared to be surrounded by all the good and bad things that come with it. You'll enjoy the calming sounds of a creek and the trees in the wind and marvel over the stars and fireflies at night. But you might also deal with mosquitos, bugs and snakes, poisonous plants and wild animals.

Bathroom situations at glamp sites differ greatly, depending on the type of glamp site and property owners. If you're staying in a cabin or tiny house, you'll most likely have a private bathroom but it could or could not be fancy or spacious. At the least, it will be attached to your property. Those staying in luxury safari tents, teepees, domes, or treehouses may have to walk to a shared bathroom with toilets and showers. And then there are some glamp sites that go all out and design showers and tubs with spa-like features.

Just because glamping is the derivative of camping, doesn't mean that it always comes cheap. The prices can range from $100 per night to over $1,000 per night. We just stayed at a luxurious treehouse near Austin, Texas, that cost over $700 per night, but offered a truly luxurious experience that included a private location, kitchenette, Japanese-style bath and a deluxe decor.

Glamping offers travelers the opportunity to relax and dive into everything that nature offers. There will inevitably be fewer people than what you'd find at a hotel, which means you'll hear far less noise created by humans. This provides you with an opportunity to reflect, look within or relax completely and forget about the chaos of the real world.

Glamp sites are generally in the wilderness so they might not be as easy to access, especially if you're flying in from another area. You might have to rent a car or drive your own to get to the glamp site, though occasionally the glamp site will offer a car service or round-trip airport transfer for their guests. On our recent trip, we were happy to have a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 with a V8 engine because it rained a lot and we would have easily gotten stuck in mud with a smaller vehicle and would have been unable to drive over bumpy gravel-like roads to the glamp site.

Glamp sites are wonderful in that they allow you to get away from the bustle of city life, however, if you're the type of person that likes an itinerary of things to do, you may want to rent a car when booking a glamp site. For instance, while the Cypress Valley Canopy Tours' treehouses have some activities, like a canopy tour, on-site, it took 10-minutes by car to get to the closest hiking areas, restaurants and the local Spicewood Vineyards for a wine tasting.

Because glamping properties provide a more luxurious stay in the middle of nature, these properties have instilled eco-friendly practices into powering different aspects of the property. Many use solar power to power lights, A/C or other electrical items. Others recycle water and provide eco-friendly toiletries, bug spray or sunscreen to help the environment. Many employ recycling practices, use local products or designed the sites via green architecture and recycled materials. All in all, glamping puts less impact on environments than hotels do, making them a great responsible vacation experience.