Hello,
I hope you’re well…
A slightly different one today…
We recently asked our Facebook page:
‘What puts you off Glamping – in general’?
We had a lot of responses.
The main reasons were:
Cost
Facilities
Weather / Rain
Cold
Electric
5 very valid reasons to make anyone think twice before booking a Glamping Trip…
But what a great opportunity to think about these reasons and see what we can come up with…
I’m sure that regular readers of my emails are already keen campers or indeed glampers…
The phrase ‘preaching to the converted’ springs to mind…
But for those who may be on the fence about a Glamping break, please take a few minutes to hear my thoughts on…
The ‘5 reasons not to go Glamping’…
Number 1: Cost
This was by far the biggest reason people gave.
& for good reason…
The cost of living has gone up so much over the past year or so… way more than salaries have gone up!
Looking at my own bills; electric has pretty much trebled, food has shot up, oil up, phones up, TV up, fuel up, insurance up, and when my mortgage is next up for renewal I can only pray to gods of interest rates that they come back down!
Most people are in the same boat.
For donkeys years, I’ve used Martin Lewis Money Saving Expert website.
It always has loads of handy tips and he even sends me a free credit report each month – thanks Martin!
I particularly like one of his ‘money mantras’:
If Skint – Ask…
“Do I need it”?
“Can I Afford it”?
“Have I checked if it’s cheaper elsewhere”?
If Not Skint – Ask…
“Will I use it”?
“Is it worth is”?
“Have I checked is it cheaper elsewhere”?
If any answer is No, Don’t buy it.
It’s certainly stopped me making rash or impulse purchases in the past.
Ultimately, Everybody is different.
Everybody has a different version of what good value looks like to them.
Everybody has a different level of disposable income.
It’s a very subjective topic.
With my business hat on, when looking at pricing, there are a few metrics I use to measure it:
– Competitors – Not one of my favorite ways to measure things as every site is different, so it’s not apples and apples.
But when using Pitchup.com’s latest price guide, the Average price for a Pod stay – for the whole family is £115.00pn (in the Northwest).
Our rate is £85.00 or £10 if you want a radiator.
Even less if you book out of the school holidays or weekends.
The average for Bell Tents is £125.00 which is what we charge.
Again, less if not a weekend or school holiday.
Occupancy Rates – A good way to measure is by how booked up we get.
Weekends and school holidays are always full or close to full, meaning the rates are about right, if not slightly on the low side as we have long waiting lists over the summer.
Reviews – A quick look on our TripAdvisor Page shows that a massive 94% of all reviews are either 4 or 5 stars! (mostly 5*)
That’s crazy high for any business and something we’re so proud of!
Reviews are one of the most important things to me personally.
They’re a true snapshot of the value we provide and enjoyment of paying customers.
Particularly over the past few years, my strategy has been to keep the pricing reasonable, but add value during the stay.
This means things like;
Passionate staff that want to be here and enjoy giving their all.
A shop offering loads of fun extras and packages that can be added on.
Daily animal feeding in the evenings.
The new Fairy Trail.
Food Vans.
A well stocked fishing lake.
New Play days mornings over summer.
& much more to come…
With the backdrop of the cost of living, one thing that has surprised me this year…
Our most booked unit is also the highest priced (the Bell Tent with Hot Tub which is £180pn).
It’s also got some of the best feedback and the most repeat bookings.
As mentioned before – it’s all subjective – but I’d argue that ‘time and relationships’ are far more important than money.
& that’s exactly what we offer – quality time in a relaxed environment, away from the stresses of home and daily chores, and a chance to create memories to cherish.
You don’t hear anybody on their deathbed saying ‘I wish I made more money!’ lol..
I think that covers cost – A little longer than I intended – so I’ll keep the other 4 brief 🙂
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You can check dates and make bookings here: stanleyvillafarm.co.uk/book-now/
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2 – Facilities
They are shared, yes.
They are a short walk, yes.
For some people that’s enough to put them off.
I get it. People like privacy and convenience.
Some sites do offer loos and showers in the units, but it will drive the price up considerably.
It was one of things putting my better half Mrs. Y. off our recent stay…
But after experiencing the stay first hand, she said it was such a small thing and it was absolutely fine. She didn’t even think about it infact.
We’re a small site, so there’s generally nobody else in the loos at the same time.
Plus they are very private and kept spotless with regular cleans (as you’d expect).
We’ve even repainted and decorated our temporary green blocks – they now look as good as a loo block can 🙂 haha.
In terms of the walk – I went out with my stopwatch earlier today to see how long it actually took to walk…
From the nearest Pod (Pod 2) to the loos it took just 14 seconds.
From the furthest Pod (Pod 9) to the loos it took 56 seconds.
You can request a Pod / Tent nearest to the loos. A lot do.
From the nearest Bell Tent (Tent 10) to the loos it took 18 seconds.
From the furthest Bell Tent (Tent 4) to the loos it took all of 46 seconds.
Hardly a trek where ever you stay 🙂
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3 – Weather / Rain
There’s only so much we can do here…
I do understand that it’s not the same experience when it’s throwing it down, but people tend to just get on and make the most whatever the weather is doing.
Personally, I love nothing more than the sunshine and the heat. I could sit out in it all day!
But I have friends, particularly those with lighter hair, who can’t bear it – quite literally.
We even had a customer this afternoon who loved the rain and the storm!!
Again, everybody is different.
What we do have is a good sized lodge with a common room with tables / chairs / vending machines & a kitchen which is perfect for when the weather isn’t so nice.
I love a good board game on a rainy day…
My favorites are Monopoly, Scrabble, and Cluedo 🙂
We also have a list of ’11 things to do in any weather’ on this page of our website: https://stanleyvillafarm.co.uk/local-attractions/
Some of my fondest memories of camping holidays when I was young involve getting drenched, having sweet fights and midnight snacks in the tent!
The rain beating down just made it more fun and more memorable.
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4 – Cold
I think this applies more for the cooler winter months.
But in short…
We take our Bell Tents down at the end of October and put them back up again in April.
During the warmer months they are up, we went to great expense to have stoves professionally installed so guests can stay nice and cosy and warm.
It also adds so much to the atmosphere with the stove crackling away.
Pods are very well insulated so keep the heat in better than the tents.
Also we fitted radiators in 12 of the Pods for those who want to stay toasty warm.
It is a very valid concern the cold, especially for those with young children.
Luckily, I can’t remember the last we had a guests say it was too cold.
We also have hot water bottles available if anyone needs them 🙂
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Remember – Bookings can be made here: stanleyvillafarm.co.uk/book-now/ Summer Holiday Dates are selling out fast.
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5 – Electric
There’s no electric in our Pods or our Bell Tents.
& that’s kind of the point.
To get away from the gadgets and gizmos and go back to a simpler way – just for a short time.
Get the BBQ going for tea, then the campfire going for the evening, toast the marshmallows, chat with your family and enjoy some ‘back to basics’ time.
If you need to charge your phone, there’s loads of sockets available in the nearby lodge, or you can hire a battery pack (£5 and you keep it for as long as you stay with us – unlimited recharges).
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That’s all for today…
Thank you for taking the time to read.
Hopefully if you were on the fence, it’s given some food for thought and a ‘deep dive’ in to some of the most common issues faced when making your decision on a Glamping trip.
If you have any thoughts, or any questions, please do hit reply.
I read each and every response and value customer input more than anything 🙂
All my very best,
Alex 🙂
Camp Site Manager (& Happy Birthday to two of our team members this week – Tom today and Stella on Tuesday!).
P.S.
I have say how much I enjoyed Lytham Festival this year – it’s only 20mins from the site.
This year Mrs. Y. & I went to see the Kaiser Chiefs, Blondie & Sting.
Kaisers gave great energy and an amazing way to warm the crowd (especially as the weather was terrible)
Blondie – I loved to hear the big hits, although I don’t know how many more years she’s got left performing.
Sting – stole the show. He was pitch perfect – a great showman, and played all the hits!
Loved it.
Next years dates have just come out – more info here: https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/lytham-festival
