We Know Where To Camp If You Hate Camping

The enchanting Valley Views Glamping retreat has unrivalled views of the picturesque Waitaki Valley. But it is at night when the views in this place really come to life as stars whip across an impossibly dark sky.

Scattered haphazardly throughout the retreat are six exclusive domes, ranging from six to seven metres in diameter. Each dome is designed with five star comforts while also looking over a seven hectare forest which is ripe for exploring during the day. Now for the best part… on the property, there are two sets of twin, outdoor tubs, one with uninterrupted views of the valley. Best enjoyed with a New Zealand pinot at sunset. Do yourself a favour and get across the ditch ASAP, because this is unrivalled luxury stargazing.

From AU$275 per night

The Metung Hot Springs is a $120 million complex opening in late-November 2022 in Victoria’s far-east, comprising of natural thermal springs and luxurious safari-style tents.

There are ten opulent lagoon-side tents, each with a king-size bed and private ensuite. These tents also contain private bathing barrels, meaning you’ll be able to soak in solitude around the clock.

Several of the tents back onto a lagoon that flows into Lake King, providing a view of the terraced amphitheatre that sits near the front of the site and is set to host live music, movies and other entertainment.
During the day, treat yourself at the geothermal pools (of varied depths) or bathing barrels, elevated massage tents, and for the brave, fire and ice therapy: an icy cold-plunge tub located right next to a steaming hot Scandinavian sauna.

There are also plans for a floating sauna on the lagoon, and while the complex is open, some of the build is yet to be completed.

From AU$393 per night.

There are sand dunes, and then there are the mighty kahunas you’ll find in Oman. Like the Ramlat Jadilah, a 455-metre peak that’s the tallest in the world.

Magic Camps is the closest to an oasis you’ll likely ever get. And by that we mean a luxury glamping experience in a world-renowned location NOT meeting the Gallagher brothers somewhere in the desert.

You can choose to stay at the permanent campsite in the Wahiba Sands region, or opt for an even more intrepid experience by choosing your own location to explore. Pretty cool.

Price available on request.

Sure, staying in a glass igloo is cool. But what if you could move those igloos wherever you like? Maybe to the middle of a lake, or to where the northern lights shine brightest…

The mobile AuroraHut Glass Igloos are based on acreage in Finnish Lapland – where you stay on that acreage is wherever the best place to happens to be on that particular night. They are cosy and they float, so as well as being an igloo, they’re also a boat.

From AU$350 per night

Dryft certainly has Fast and Furious connotations, conjuring images of Vin Diesel flying around corners in fast cars. But the reality couldn’t be more different.

Dryft is a bed of tranquillity—a getaway of palm trees and purity, without internet and without worry. It is a group of glamping tents on the tiny (almost deserted) Darocotan Island, a 15-minute boat ride from the village of Teneguiban on Palawan Island.

And while glamping is the term, this is something different. They’re sort of elegant treehouses, the kind of accommodation you dream about from your desk on a Tuesday arvo.

This is a glorious part of the world, and when you are in such a glorious location, the best place is the one with the least number of barriers to nature. Dryft is exactly that.

From AU$219 per night

Glamprook Hotel is a strange patchwork of things that shouldn’t really work together and yet inexplicably absolutely do.

Take the glamping domes for example, where ‘camping’ is made to feel super luxurious thanks to some incredibly comfy beds and armchairs made for kicking back and gazing at the starry night skies next to a roaring (if fake) fire.

get lost has never had access to an onsen while camping before, but we’re going to demand it from now on. Soaking, completely starkers, with people you’ve never met before, is a lot more relaxing than it sounds. Then there’s the 10-course dinner, which is actually quite a tidy menu length for Japan. We’re not sure what cuisine to call this: traditional sashimi matched with pasta matched with an outrageous sorbet-honeycomb-brownie thing for dessert. The only common thread between the dishes is that they’re all super colourful, in complete contrast to the snow that falls here in the winter. None of this should work, but it does.

From AU$300 per person, per night

The red rock of outback Utah is something get lost have covered in depth. Why? Coz we’re addicted to the otherworldly feeling of this special part of the planet.

ULUM®Moab might be the best place to situate yourself in this ethereality. White, glamping style tents are dotted throughout the Moab Desert, and their interiors provide a luxurious refuge from what can be a harsh and unforgiving environment.

During the day you can go canyoneering, hit the trails or charge the Colorado River in a kayak, Christopher McCandless-style. ULUM® Moab is a solid place to base yourself for outdoor adventure.

This is not some over-built monolithic mega-complex; ULUM® Moab does what great accommodations in great landscapes—blend into the environment, and bask in it.

From AU$992 per night

Zion National Park is probably as good a spot to camp or glamp as anywhere else in the world.

Open Sky is the place to do it: glamping on another level, where you can watch the shimmering stars of Zion’s famous skies from the cosiness of your own bed thanks to the ceiling windows. Plush beds and private decks make rooms here look more like a lux apartment than your average tent.

Take on a Via Ferrata, go on a Jeep tour, start hiking or try canyoneering.

And at night you can learn about astronomy from an expert. Or, you know, you can just stay in bed and watch those bright twinkly things do what they’ve been doing since the dawn of time. Up to you.

Every room is pretty cool but the Star Seeker tent stands out. It features an oversized clawfoot copper bathtub, a private platform for telescope viewing, a swing lounger, and an enclosed outdoor rain shower, making it our top pick.

From AU$756 per night