Why more people are choosing to go on a glamping holiday this year

One of the great holiday accommodation trends since the Millennium is seeing a surge in interest in 2018 as glamping holidays are firmly back on the agenda for holidaymakers throughout the UK.

Glamping - 'glamorous camping' - is a pretty broad term for a luxury camping holiday in accommodation ranging from a yurt or safari tent, to a shepherd's hut or even a quirky holiday cottage in a rural location.

It's not necessarily about getting muddy or having cold showers, as glamping gives you access to some of the luxury home comforts you might not otherwise want to do without.

Rather, it's an excuse to stay in a quirky or unusual holiday cottage, tent or hut that gives you some of what you consider to be essential amenities, while still giving you access to common camping pursuits like nearby hiking trails and spectacular scenery.

And what's more, glamping is perfect for all age groups. Children will love the freedom to explore wide open spaces and adults can spend hours round a fire pit with a glass or two of wine once the little ones are in bed.

What can we expect when we go glamping?

Glamping offers you the chance to combine the best of the outdoors with the best of the indoors.

For instance, our luxury safari tents come complete with proper beds and real mattresses (not air beds!), duvets, sheets and running water – plus their own toilet and shower. There’s plenty of cooking equipment too, including a gas hob and log burning stove. Or why not sit out around the fire pit instead and watch the stars?

If you prefer a shepherd’s hut, then you can expect more of the same as most offer log burning stoves, fixed beds, fully equipped kitchens and a shower. Making them a perfect, romantic and cosy retreat.

And yurts also offer similar luxury, with many having solid floors, proper beds and mattresses plus log burners. Some even come with their own hot tub and scenic view!

Is glamping cheating?

Of course not! Don't listen to the naysayers, at Holiday Cottage Compare we say do it your way - and if that means you want a bit of luxury when you go camping, that's fine.

You don't have to stay in conventional holiday accommodation by any means. Just use our tick-box filters to find specific types of quirky holiday cottage, or even more unusual options like a safari tent - a kind of colonial canvas cottage - a shepherd's hut, or a traditional round wooden yurt.

As always, you can check the description for each property to see what's included, so you'll always know what home comforts are provided.

That means you're in control of just how luxury your glamping trip is, and how much you want to 'rough it' when it comes to getting back in touch with nature.

Best locations for glamping holidays

Use our Map View to see where your chosen type of glamping holiday cottage accommodation can be found - you might be surprised by what's hiding in the hills or woodlands in your area!

For example, you'll find safari tent holiday cottages the length of the country, from Devon to East Lothian, and from Lancashire to Suffolk, but our 'busiest' region for these canvas cottages is actually Herefordshire.

Shropshire is a hotspot for shepherd's huts, along with North Wales and Northumberland, while yurt holiday cottages are most common down south in Gloucestershire, Hampshire and Somerset.

But with our search filters and Map View, you can see at a glance exactly what's in your area, so you can choose glamping accommodation as near or far from home as you'd like.

Find luxury glamping accommodation

How do you know if you've found the right luxury glamping accommodation? Well as mentioned, the description is a good place to start, but you can also add some extra filters to narrow down your search if there are a lot of results.

'Leisure facilities' shortlists some of the most common characteristics our holidaymakers search for, including internet access and Wi-Fi, a TV, iPod dock or even a coffee machine.

And remember to check under 'Close to' if you want to find glamping accommodation near to a beach, lake, playground, pub or restaurant, among some other options.

Help me find a glamping holiday

We aim to tick all the boxes - or at least, as many as possible - so if you still can't find what you're looking for, get in touch and we'll recommend the closest matches.

Our holiday cottage enquiry form lets you list as many or as few criteria as you wish, from location and date range, to budget, desired features and any absolute necessities.

We have over 11,000 holiday cottages to choose from, so if you don't think our search filters have given you what you need, please send in an enquiry and we'll do our best to give you the 'personal shopper' experience and find you some holiday accommodation for the glamping trip of a lifetime!