How To Make A Cabin Feel Like A Resort
Not long ago, you might have seen an article here about how to glam up your camping. It was a piece about “Glamping,” and identified some of the best places to enjoy this kind of hospitality – which is essentially a blend of camping and high-end amenities. In this piece, we won’t be following up with more great glamping spots, but will instead be discussing what you can do on your own to turn even a small, out-of-the-way cabin into your personal resort. The idea can come in handy any time you need to rent a remote dwelling for one adventure or another (be it hiking, skiing, etc.), and we have a few specific tips to start with.
Pack Little White Lights: Most resorts – mountain, ski, or otherwise – have fairly lavish decorations that contribute to an overall glitzy environment. And whether that means a massive lobby chandelier, extravagant carpeting, or gorgeous paintings lining hallways, you can’t bring it all to a cabin. But you can take advantage of the simplest of delights in decorating: Little white lights (think Christmas decorations) can absolutely transform a place that is otherwise bland, and make it feel very much like a cozy ski resort lobby or something similar. Strung up strategically, they can make any rented cabin look like the perfect place to chill out and get comfortable after a long day adventuring.
Pack Plush Towels & Robes: A lot of what we tend to really fall in love with at great hotels and resorts comes down to physical comfort. Unfortunately, you probably can’t replicate that inexplicable hotel bed feeling in a cabin (unless you’re driving and go to the trouble of packing a thick mattress topper and bedding). What you can do with relative ease though is pack some soft, plush towels and a high-end bathrobe to enjoy during your hours lounging around. With the right robe, you can sit on most any couch, close your eyes, and feel like you’re in a penthouse somewhere.
Bring The Casino To The Cabin: A lot of the coziest and most glamorous resorts in the world thrive in part because they double as casinos. Naturally you can’t replicate the full scale of a casino resort in a small cabin – but with today’s online gaming industry, you can at least bring in some of the games, either for free or to play with real money. Plenty of poker sites can be accessed free of charge, and the UK offers pay-by-phone mobile casinos in addition to traditional deposit methods. With any or all of these options, and a few devices (tablets are great to set up for digital gaming), you can simulate casino activity in the cabin. It can actually a great way to relax with your travel mates over a drink after a long hike or whatever other adventure you’re getting up to.
Make Your Own Mini-Bar: Another thing we tend to love about resorts is the easy access to food and drink. Whether that means opening up the mini-bar or calling room service, for whatever reason the notion of having some drinks and treats on hand at a moment’s notice is appealing. If you plan on spending much time in your cabin during your trip, you might wind up stocking a whole fridge and pantry full of provisions. But there’s something to be said for having a good cooler set aside, packed with some of your favorite adult beverages, bottled waters, and any foods you might like refrigerated. Keeping this cooler on hand, simple as it may be, helps you to tap into the convenience factor that makes resorts so easy to love.
Pack A Hot Tub: It’s a little bit involved, and it’s not cheap, but you can actually find portable hot tubs to order, complete with their own heating systems. These tend to be inflatables, meaning they can be packed with relative ease (if you’re driving to your campsite or cabin), and typically they can fit four or five people. Most remote cabins don’t necessarily have comfort like this on hand, but with your own hot tub set up you can match the appeal of any resort’s in-room tub or sauna facility. Plus, if you’re at the cabin to hike or ski, nothing feels better on tired muscles!
