Holiday park goes glam

INGENIA Holiday Parks Byron Bay has expanded its accommodation offerings with two new upmarket safari tents and modern eco-pods.

Inspired by 19th century British explorers who used luxury tents on their expeditions through Africa, the two self-contained Studio Safari Tents were built on-site by Melbourne company GlamXperience.

Each of the custom-designed, air-conditioned tents has a four-poster bed, fold-out lounge, a kitchenette and bathroom, as well as a verandah with a built-in lounge, freestanding outdoor bath, and an electric barbecue with a mini bar.

“The glamping experience where you don’t have to set up and pack up your tent is very popular,” Ingenia Holiday Parks northern NSW operations manager Ben Jones Wilson said.

“From the moment we opened bookings we had people in them.

“I think people are looking for something a little bit different.”

Angie Castillo and Juan Correa from Colombia were among the first guests to stay in one of the new tents.

The couple, who are studying on the Gold Coast, decided to take advantage of the spring holiday break and pop down for a couple of days after discovering the tents on an accommodation booking website.

“It’s amazing,” 28-year-old Mr Correa said.

“We love the balcony and the barbecue area.”

The two new one-bedroom pod duplexes, which were designed by Gold Coast-based Modnpods using renewable, high-end materials and energy-efficient technologies, also have a small deck with an electric barbecue and mini bar.

The park has a strong focus on sustainability and has also added electric vehicle chargers to two cabins and in the car park.

The dog-friendly park also has unpowered and powered campsites, a range of cabins, six bell tents in their own precinct and brightly-coloured beach shacks.

“It appeals to lots of different demographics on different budgets,” Mr Jones Wilson said.