A couples' glamping tent at Castaways. Photo / Supplied
A couples' glamping tent at Castaways. Photo / Supplied
These luxury glamping tents are a far cry from your childhood camping experience, writes Bethany Reitsma
For me, camping brings back childhood memories of watery Milo, bartering pick’n’mix lollies by torchlight and dodging sheep poo en route to the toilet.
As an adult, I’m no camper. My husband and I are possibly the least outdoorsy people we know - our idea of an adventure is venturing into a different supermarket than usual.
But I make an exception when it comes to glamping - the kind that involves a real bed, a real bathroom and all the comforts of a hotel - and the Glam Camping couples’ tents at Castaways Resort in Waiuku provide those in spades.
Inside a cosy solar-heated glamping tent at Castaways. Photo / Supplied
Location: Nestled above Kariotahi Beach on the west coast with the ocean at your door, the biggest drawcard of Castaways’ coastal tents has to be the location. It’s about an hour’s drive from central Auckland and far away enough from civilisation that you feel like you’ve gone off the grid, but there’s a gourmet meal, solar heating and hotel-quality sheets awaiting you in your tent.
Style: Rustic and homey with a focus on sustainability - your tent is solar-heated and has a composting toilet
First impressions: The fact that it’s remote isn’t to say it’s quiet - there’s the sound of the ocean, wind and rain, which were pretty much constant on the weekend we stayed, to keep you company. But despite the fact that we couldn’t enjoy a walk on the beach (and I chickened out of an outdoor bath in the rain) the wild weather made the tent that much cosier.
These days it’s rare that I’m not connected to Wi-Fi or passively scrolling on my phone, and within minutes of arriving I could already tell that it was doing wonders for my headspace to disconnect for a bit.
You can soak in your own private outdoor bath. Photo / Supplied
Rooms: Each tent is solar-heated, built on a concrete slab with timber sliding doors at the front. We stayed in one of the coastal tents overlooking the beach, but there’s also the Totara tent nestled further inland, which is less of a tent and more of a treehouse.
Inside there are armchairs, books and knick-knacks, and plenty of blankets. It’s tempting to just curl up and lose yourself to the world for a day.
The couples’ glamping tents are built to withstand high winds and I can confirm our own stayed up all night amid the stormy weather.
Bathroom: The bathroom is at the back of your tent, accessed by a zippy door. It’s not quite outside but it does have a view of the trees. There are plenty of mini toiletries in case you forgot yours, a hot shower and an easy-to-use - and quiet - composting toilet. Lush towels and soft and fluffy robes offer a hotel-style bathroom experience. Dodging a few worms on the concrete floor, presumably brought out by the rain, is the only reminder that you’re actually camping.
In the neighbourhood: Weather permitting, there’s plenty to do at Castaways before you settle in for the night, from clay bird shooting to archery for the slightly more adventurous, to massages and spa treatments at the main resort for those who like to treat themselves.
For us, manoeuvring our golf cart amid driving rain and dodging puddles on the 10-minute journey to our tent was an adventure in itself (clearly we need to get out more).
The DIY menu includes gourmet dishes ready for the barbecue. Photo / Supplied
Food and drink: When you arrive at your tent, you find a mini fridge well-stocked with labelled containers of prepared food ready to cook on the barbecue. No awkward knocks on the door from room service - you’re truly on your own.
We opted for the steak and red wine combo and had to embrace our inner grill skills, which admittedly don’t get much of a workout, but I was pleasantly surprised with the medium rare result.
From a soup and garlic bread entree to a generously-sized salad and crispy barbecued potatoes on the side, there was more than enough food and we struggled to finish it all, especially since there were brownies and cream for dessert.
Cooking up bacon, eggs, sausages, tomatoes and mushrooms the next morning in the open air with the ocean lapping away in the background did remind me that there’s nothing quite like a camp breakfast.
Your mini fridge is also stocked with milk, juice, and soft drinks, and there’s a coffee machine with plenty of pods as well as tea and hot chocolate.
Facilities: Gas barbecue, solar-powered lighting, fridge and heating, and some phone reception available at the top of the hill. And of course, no Wi-Fi.
