Glamping ?

With the changes in the economy and financial markets, we are certain to see some evolution and development of the tourism and travel industry. In times of change, we are often lucky to emerge with new more innovative and timely alternatives to existing opportunities and one of these new developments that is gaining popularity is the activity of going “glamping.”

Derived from the combination of “glamorous” and “camping,” glamping has its origins in the Africa where luxury safari outfitters have catered to the whims and wishes of noble wild-game-hunters for generations with their “Hemingway Tents.” With lush bed linens, rich hardwood materials, colorful rugs, and fine and exotic food and wine, these types of safaris allow guests to experience the nature and outdoors without actually having to fore-go any modern luxury (except maybe a screening room, but who needs that if the Serengeti is your stage)

Welcome to Riverside Canvas Lodge in Dominica

We are pleased to welcome Riverside Canvas Lodge, the first lodge to open in the Caribbean under the Pura Vida / Caribbean Canvas & Tents programm.
Riverside Canvas Lodge has started this week (August 20th) building the decks and bathrooms while the different canvas cottages are on order from our various selected manufacturers worldwide. All material should be delivered end of October and the lodge will be open for its first guests end of November 2009. 3 Months total only!
Set amidst Citrus Creek Plantation (www.citruscreekplantation.com) alongside the Taberi River in la Plaine - Dominica, the lodge will have all its canvas cottages on hardwood decks and some on treetops above the River.
There will be a total of 7 cottages from the "Native" line (Wigwam, Tipis and Gazebos) , and 2 more luxurious ones from the "Safari" line (Okavango and Serengetti).
For a total investment of 192.000 $ including all supply, installation , bathrooms with solar Water heaters , furniture and a complete solar system, Riverside Canvas Lodge is a 9 room turnkey lodge ready to operate in 3 months.
At an average nightly rate of 80 $ (50 to 150 $ depending on the cottages and location) and a 30% occupancy rate, this should give Riverside Canvas Lodge a 35 % return on investment! Not bad ! And this does not take into account the additional business given to Riverside café serving the residents meals everyday.
This is a typical Pura Vida canvas investment available anywhere in the Caribbean.
See contact below for further information.

Newest Travel Trend

The “less-is-more” sophistication of luxury “tented” resorts operated in Africa and Asia emerged as the newest travel trend in 2007. These camps offer guests a unique experience in that they retain a true sense of place and culture, rather than being a transplant of the American resort model to an exotic locale. The resorts listed here – with the exception of the Four Seasons – are located in close proximity to national parks and wildlife reserves, and they emphasize ecological harmony and sustainability in their design, operation, and choice of activities. Maybe a visit to one of them should be on your globetrotting list.

Riverside Canvas Lodge - Citrus Creek Plantation - Taberi - La Plaine - Dominica

Portmanteau

Glamping is a portmanteau of glamour and camping

Sound Investment

At Pura Vida, we have set up an innovative business model for our canvas and tent line of products.
The concept is simple :
- Caribbean Glamping and Caribbean Canvas Resorts will be promoting and marketing all registered canvas and tents (complete resorts or selected and approved single tents) throughout the Caribbean as a "nomad" resort. Vacationners will be able to book a stay in one place or they can change location and islands as they wish. As an example, they can stay 2 nights at Riverside Canvas lodge in Dominica, the third night at Scotts Head in a similar tentallow (!) , then fly to Union and spend the rest of their week at Chattham Bay Canvas resort.

- Investors can be of different types:

1/ Lodge Operator:
An individual or a company works with our design and engineering team to prepare a complete canvas resort. We help designing the layout, the decks, the bathrooms, the common area, the kitchen..... and we supply all necessary elements to "build" this canvas resort on the owner's site in the Caribbean.
The lodge operator then operate his own resort and benefit from additional custommers referred to him by Caribbean Glamping organisation.

2/ Restaurant or Tourism attraction operator:
An individual or a company already operating a Restaurant, a Bar or a Tourist attraction (Adventure park, Marina, Aquarium, Beach Bar...) in the Caribbean. If the location and overall quality of the existing structure is approved by Pura Vida, then the owner can buy one or more tents from us and be inserted in our marketing system.
The canvas cottage then becomes an addition to the existing business of the owner and will generate increase traffic and interest.

3/ Guest House Operator.
An individual owning a nice house in the Caribbean, in an interesting spot (Nice view, manucured gardens, prime location...... can apply for Pura Vida approval and then purchase one or more tents to be inserted on its property and be marketed by Caribbean Glamping, generating an additional income.

4/ Prime location Real Estate Land.
An individual or a company owning a prime Real Estate piece of land in the Caribbean (On a beach, elevated with wonderfull views, alongside a river......) can also apply for Pura Vida approval and then install one or more tents on its property to generate an immediate income.
Tents being mobile by essence, once the land is used for something else, or once the land is sold, the canvas structures can be removed and installed somewhere else, or even sold on the used market through Pura Vida.

All tent owners and investors immediately qualify for Pura Vida "Nomad" program.
This "Nomad" program entitles any tent investor to stay overnight at any other approved Pura Vida canvas location throughout the Caribbean at a fixed price covering basic expenses . At the start of the operation, this Basic "Nomad Overnight price" has been set at US$ 55 net per night.
In other terms, you own one or more tents enrolled in Caribbean Glamping program on the island of Antigua or St Lucia, and you wish to travel for pleasure or business to St Maarten or Dominica (where there is another approved Pura Vida canvas resort), then you can apply for one or more night stays at this resort for a fixed nightly rate of ... 55 US$.

PURA VIDA Marketing Concept.
Pura Vida marketing fee is based on a 30 % commission on bookings.
Any night booked through Pura Vida / Caribbean Glamping organisation generates a 30% commission for the organisation. The remaining 70% are all for the tent owner or operator.

Return on investment for these canvas resorts investment is one of the highest in the hospitality business with an average ROI above 25 % for the proper lodge!

All details available at first contact : See "contact" message below.

Glamping : Glamourous Camping !

The idea of falling asleep under the stars and having a family barbecue around the campfire might sound very appealing if it weren't for the bugs, hard floors, leaking tents and smelly sleeping bags. Glamping, short for glamorous camping, offers the perfect solution to all those would-be campers who don't want to put up with the harsh reality of camping. Organised glamping trips let you enjoy amenities far exceeding anything most campers have ever experienced, while allowing you the same exposure to the great outdoors like traditional camping.

Typical glamping tents are solid canvas constructs, often designed with bright designer colours and materials. Prime glamping spots furnish them with hotel-style beds, carpets, chairs, desks and other furniture. They also equip them with either solar or electrical power, a stove and running water.

The level of luxury you will experience in such a glamping tent is very similar to a hotel room or a high-end bungalow. Imagine smelling pine-scented air while lying in your comfortable bed, listening to the sounds of birds, crickets and the nearby river or sea…

Glamping is the most eco-friendly architectural concept as there is no footprint on the environment. Everything can be removed. Land returned to its original state. Glamping is by far the best way to live in real harmony with nature; Be it on a beach, inside a tropical forest, alongside a river or high on a peak, the feelings you get inside a canvas structure are those of a perfect harmony with nature. All noises are true. You feel the weather though you are protected from the sun, the rain and the wind. You smell, feel, see nature for real. Glamping is the next booming travel concept already available in the Caribbean.

Tents and canvas : Hurricane and earthquake resistance

Tents and canvas structures are earthquake and hurricane resistant.
- you will easily understand how can they be earthquake resistant for there is no roof or heavy structure to collapse on you,
- They are hurricane resistant because they are the only type of construction you can think of quickly dismantling and storing in the specially adapted containers we provide with these tents in case of hurricane threat!

Back into business 24 hours after passage of a hurricane!