HOW YURTS BECAME TOP OF THE HOLIDAY POP UPS
In case you hadn’t noticed, British holiday accommodation is a little over-subscribed this summer. Have you considered a yurt? Laura Hampson joins the happy campers
THIS year we want three things out of our holidays: luxury, seclusion and not even the remotest chance of a two-week quarantine at the end. As a result, cottages from Northumberland to Norfolk via Devon have been snapped up, allowing glamping to have its moment in the sun. “Our glamping bookings have gone through the roof this year, more than tripling on last year’s bookings,” Jonathan Knight, founder of Cool Camping, tells the Evening Standard.
And of all the in demand glamping options, yurts are top of the pop-ups. Whether you prefer yours directly on a Cornish beach or with its own Japanese bath house, read on to see our pick of the best.
Camp Hox, Oxfordshire
Sleeps: 2
Since opening its Shoreditch outpost in 2006, The Hoxton quickly became one of London’s (and subsequently the world’s) coolest boutique hotel groups. Yet, for those seeking the great outdoors, the group has launched Camp Hox in Oxfordshire for the month of August. A proper bed with marshmallowy duvet and pillows, electricity, an armchair and a Roberts radio await in each of the 12 lotus tents, and you’ll find a fridge stocked with a complimentary bottle of Altano natural wine on arrival. Should you get parched while using the on-site barbecue facilities, there’s a pour-your-own Graham’s white port and tonic bar too.
⬤ From £185 per night, camphox.com
Onsen Dome, Wales
Sleeps: 4
The last thing you’d expect to find plonked in the middle of a 200-acre Welsh farm is a Japanese-style onsen — but that’s exactly what you get at the charming Fforest Farm site in Wales. Each of the four domes has solid wood floors, wood-burning stoves, bespoke furnishings and beautiful countryside views, as well as the namesake bath house complete with an outdoor sunken soaking tub. It’s probably best to go with your SO if you’re planning on bathing true onsen style. ⬤ From £1,000 for three nights, coldatnight.co.uk/onsen-dome
The two luxe yurts come with their own roll-top bath and outside, a wood-fired hot tub for stargazing
Lusty Glaze Beach, Cornwall
Sleeps: 2
Swap the sounds of sirens and humming city traffic and wake up to the sound of lapping waves instead. Lusty Glaze Beach is a private beach in north Cornwall, usually reserved for wedding parties but this year has transformed itself into a tiny bell tent village. Accessible only by a 133-step staircase, champagne greets guests on arrival and a concierge service can arrange sunrise yoga, jet-ski lessons or for you to try your hand at surfing.
⬤ From £270 per night, coolcamping.com
Enchanted Glamping, Perthshire
Sleeps: 2
While most Londoners are flocking to the seaside at the first chance they get, those in the know are heading north, whiling their days away in the Scottish hills. Just minutes from the Gleneagles Hotel, Enchanted Glamping has just set up camp in the grounds of the Alexander House estate. The two incredibly luxe yurts come complete with their own roll-top bath and, when you want to switch your soaking station, slide into your private wood-fired hot tub while you stargaze. On-site massages can be arranged too, leaving you thoroughly wiped out by the time you hit the sheets. ⬤ From £150 per night, alexanderhousescotland.com
Indian Summer Tipis, Norfolk
Sleeps: 2
Five-adult-capacity Sioux tipis are probably the last thing you’d expect to see sitting on a two-acre wildflower meadow in Norfolk. Furnished with double beds, vintage milk jugs and even a banjo, there’s a firepit outside for roasting marshmallows, or the communal pit if you and your mates have booked out the entire site. The farmland it sits on runs a microbrewery out of its 500-year-old barn, so you won’t need to go far for some local craft ales.
⬤ From £135 per night, coolcamping.com
Yurtshire, North Yorkshire
Sleeps: up to 5
The aptly-named Yurtshire is a hidden gem bordering the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Yorkshire Dales are a short drive away, too. Each dog-friendly yurt has its own wood-fired hot tub, private bathroom and room for five — and you can even hire out a pizza oven.
⬤ From £130 per night for two guests, yurtshire.co.uk