Five glamping spots for frill-seekers

Sleeping under canvas needn’t mean giving up on creature comforts, says frequent glamper Madévi Dailly. From sea-view teepees in Madeira to snow-sunken Swiss domes, these five close-to-nature camps come with all the trimmings

Home on the range, Montana

Live out your cowboy fantasies on 37,000 acres of Montana’s great wilderness. Decked out with hardwood floors, enormous copper tubs and marshmallow-soft beds, the tented hideaways at Paws Up don’t give a minute’s thought to the notion of ‘roughing it’. Hone horse-handling skills at the in-house Saddle Club before hitting the trails – all 100 miles of them, roaming from wildflower meadows to snow-capped peaks and the mighty rapids of Blackfoot River. Back at camp, a butler is on hand to stock wood, shake cocktails or rustle up night-time treats for the fire, so you’ll hardly need to lift a finger. One-bedroom tent from £460 per person.

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Garden of Eden, Madeira

In Madeira, Canto das Fontes owner Roberto has turned his grandmother’s banana plantation into an organic farm that's a haven for seasoned glampers. Two teepees make the most of a steep stretch of land with startling sea views, best savoured from the comfy double bed. Guests are invited to tread lightly: showers are solar-powered, wild strawberries grow around composting loos, and feasts are thrown together from whichever vegetables, fragrant herbs and edible flowers are in season. Sun-blessed Ponta do Sol is nearby for a spot of swimming or surfing, but if you just want a refreshing dip then there’s the farm’s freshwater pool, fed by an impressive waterfall. Doubles from £65.

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Tension tamer, Thailand

Impossibly romantic, Hintok River Camps are all stretched canvas, rough-hewn wood and bamboo-clad bathrooms. Sheep and deer roam the luxuriant grounds nestled in the heart of Kanchanaburi, a history-rich province in western Thailand dotted with caves, waterfalls and traditional Mon villages. After a day of stalagmite-dodging and zip-lining around the jungle treetops, a Thai massage makes short work of any lingering tension. Indulge in a long soak in the camp’s Instagram-worthy springwater pool, which overlooks a postcard-perfect stretch of the River Kwai. Doubles from £85.

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Winter whites, Switzerland

Swap your ski chalet for a cosy whitepod in the Swiss Alps. Inspired by igloos, these geodesic domes sit high on the slopes above Lake Leman. Don’t worry about the chill: the snug boltholes are heated with a clever pellet stove, and zhuzhed up with all the cowhides, sheepskin and Swiss Army blankets you’ll need to keep toasty warm. If you can tear yourself away, there’s skiing, dog-sledding and paragliding right on your doorstep – or just take one of the old-school sledges out for a good old-fashioned run down the hill. Doubles from £505 for two nights.

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For wilder beasts, Namibia

There’s no shortage of otherworldly landscapes in Namibia, but for a true Out of Africa experience, head to Camp Gecko at the foot of Spreetshoogte Pass. Pared-down and rustic, the camp’s distinctive canvas tents blend into the surrounding bush. Recoup from the day’s drives on a private terrace – the perfect spot from which to watch visiting animals at the watering hole, or lose hours staring up at the starlit sky. Each tent even has its own open-air shower, should you feel a sudden desire to recreate that shampoo scene. Doubles from £95.

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This article has been tagged Adventure, Hotels