=#Glamping, according to Wikipedia: Glamping is a portmanteau of glamour and camping and describes a style of camping with amenities and, in some cases, resort-style services not usually associated with “traditional” camping. In other words, glamorous camping.

This past week, Coach and I spent a few days “glamping” in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Our glampground, Huttopia,

is a concept that originated in Europe, and has now spread to Canada and the US, offering luxury camp accommodations for folks who want all of the outdoor natural ambiance and fun but none of the dirty work (like me!). There are several styles of accommodations, from tent pitches to log cabins, but Coach and I chose the Trappeur Tent

with a lake view- and oh! What a view!

You literally bring your clothes and food and bug spray- that’s it! Everything else is on site to provide you with an effortless camping experience- from full-size beds with linens

to fully stocked kitchens

and…wait for it…a bathroom IN YOUR TENT!

With warm running water, a flushing toilet and a shower…IN YOUR TENT!! When I was a kid, we spent two weeks every summer in the White Mountains camping with our family and friends. It was an idyllic time with many fond memories, none of which involve “Old Stinky”, the gross communal bathhouse. Having tried camping once with our children, I do now appreciate so much more what my mom went through trying to feed and clean up after 4 kids with the most rudimentary of cooking and cleaning equipment with no running (never mind hot) water.

Day one: we arrived at 4PM, check-in time and were instructed to leave our car in the designated parking areas and grab a little green transport cart

to tote our belongings to our site; they have left as much natural landscape as possible- no pavement, no sidewalks, so no cars are allowed into the camp site grounds. The Plus: there is no auto noise in the actual camping areas, which makes for a much quieter, peaceful stay. The Minus: you have to lug your stuff to your site, which was no big deal for myself and Coach, but could be a bit of a challenge with a large group and kids. But hey, you are there to rough it and get some exercise, right?!

After checking in, we found our Trappeur Tent- oh my!

This is a large, 3 room tent on a raised pine platform sitting directly on the water’s edge. These tents are log-like structures with canvas sides and tops with a solid beam frame construction. This is the view from our front door…sigh…

Upon entering, you are in a living/dining area, complete with table and chairs and the kitchen area, with a sink and mini-fridge, stocked with all sorts of cooking and dining equipment, down to the bottle openers. Straight ahead, the bathroom is flanked by two bedrooms, each with double beds (one is a bunk). The Plus: everything is in place and ready for your stay, just put your stuff away. The Minus: Now, I am not going to complain about the fact that THERE IS A FREAKING BATHROOM IN OUR TENT, but as a PSA, I will say that if you are taller than 5’7, it would be a challenge to sit on the toilet without hitting the wall with your knees : ) That being said, I AM NOT COMPLAINING, trust me!

Outside is a roomy deck with some butterfly chairs, a great cook stove,

a fire pit, wood picnic table and most importantly, a spectacular view of the lake and surroundings.

Once we put our belongings in place and our food in the mini fridge (and by food I mean the beer and spiked seltzer, brandy and marshmallows-the important elements of camping), we toured the grounds, which were previously the site of a former scout camp on the banks of Lake Iona. Surrounded by pine trees, the lake views were nothing short of spectacular,

as those of you who follow me on social media know by the obnoxious amount of pics I posted. Sunrise, sunset…

In the center of the campground is the reception tent, a tidy general store stocked with snacks, firewood and water, a beautiful pool,

children’s playground, basketball court and a vintage airstream trailer that provides nourishment from dusk to dawn. There is a small beach with Adirondack chairs for sitting and relaxing

and there are canoes and paddle boards for hire. And for all of you folks that cannot be unplugged no matter what, there’s WIFI. The Plus: They have literally thought of everything you could want or need for your glamping stay. The Minus: there was no minus. It’s simply amazing.

Being late August, we had assumed that the nights would be chilly, but didn’t realize just how cold it would get inside our tent once the sun set. But we bundled up with the provided blankets and comforters; once we were tucked away in our bedroom, it was fine. In the morning, Coach noticed a fixture hanging over our heads in the living area- turns out it was a heater! Turning it on for 15 minutes warmed up the entire inside of the tent, creating a warm and comfortable temp for showering and dressing. Oh, did I mention that there was a BATHROOM IN OUR TENT!?!? Note to the Huttopia folks: might be helpful to have a small notebook or info regarding the operations of the overhead heater and the camp stove (some of us are novices at this kind of stuff!) So, what else is there to do but relax and unwindsip some brandy

and roast marshmallows by your campfire?

Well, you are just moments away from the North Conway outlets to shop to your heart’s content. You are also very close to the National Parks (where Coach and I purchased our $10 senior citizen lifetime passes- perhaps the ONLY benefit of finally being a senior citizen : (). We day-tripped up to the Mt. Washington Hotel

to take in the scenic vistas,

filling up our car with treasures from various yard sales and flea shops along the way and back. Next time we come I’m hanging one of these signs on our tent! Welcome to all!

We ended our day at Cafe Noche in Conway Village, sipping frozen margaritas

and watching the Pats and Sox. The Plus: since we didn’t have to pack up our car with all of the typical camping gear like tents, stoves, sleeping bags, etc., we had plenty of room for shopping! The Minus: Nope. None. Nada.

Was glamping everything we had hoped it would be? You bet! Would we highly recommend it to anyone wanting to get away from it all and enjoy nature, without all of the typical work? Absolutely! We are already planning a return trip for next summer, and hopefully bringing along friends and family for some sing-alongs by the campfire.

5 shooting stars, Huttopia! Have a #glamporous Tuesday, everyone! xoxo Susan