December 29, 2025 • 5 mins
Camping has grown up - and glamping is one of the fastest-growing travel trends. Sean Aylmer chats with Sonny Hawkins from Luxury Escapes about why 2026 could be the perfect year to try glamping. From luxury tents to unique nature-based stays, this is a look at why travellers are choosing the outdoors... with a few indulgent extras.
This episode is brought to you by Luxury Escapes. Fear & Greed's summer series - all-new short episodes every day, with regular news back from January 12.
Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to the Fear and Greed summer series, brought to
you by Luxury Escapes. I'm Sean Alma and hello Sonny.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Hawk's Hey, how are you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Sonny is from the Luxurious Scapes boutique at Bondai Junction
in Sydney, and today we're talking about glamping.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Yes, yes, I absolutely love it. It's it's becoming so
big now as well.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
So what is it about glamping?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I just think I think all of us, especially in
today's day and age, we needed just a bit of
time to just go off grid, stay off our phones.
We're all addicted to them. You need just like a
few days of just being off that and just being
within nature.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
It's just the perfect little getaway and it's good for families, couples, friends,
it's it's for everyone.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Okay. So when you're looking to glamp, what are you
looking for? So I want to go glamping, saying be
it here or you do it here or offshore? What
should I be looking for?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Right?
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Well, I mean you need to be in the perfect location.
You want somewhere that you can go on lovely hikes.
You want to maybe go for a swim, if you
go and when it's hot, you want to make sure
you've got well nearby, good like toilet facilities, shower facilities,
stuff like that. But I think location is just key.
You want to be somewhere of beautiful views, beautiful hikes
and just seek another Yeah, a beautiful day out.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
What have you you've been glamping sunny? Yeah, well I've
gone in what's your favorite glamping spot?
Speaker 2 (01:28):
I've gone in the country back in England in Surrey
and it was absolutely stunning. I woke up to cows
literally surrounded by me, so that was nice having that
to be woken up to. Fortunately, I do have a
trip in Mansfield in Victoria next year which I'm really
looking forward to. We actually do it. Oh, we've got
a special one out at the moment, and it's so
good because they bring you a little like breakfast hampers
(01:50):
in the morning as well, which just adds to it
and mix it that all so much better.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
So the glamping I've been to, and I've been to
northern New South Wales, glamping is my main experience up there.
Explain what it is because we're not even talking about
camping five star camping, it's kind of beyond that. Isn't it.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Yeah, I'm sure most of us have had a trip away.
We've gone camping, whether it be when we're a kid
or when we've grown up. Just think camping itself, but
taking it up a notch. Just think you're getting all
the luxuries that you'd get pretty.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Much in a hotel room.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
So let's run through the same bathroom, big one.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Yeah, bathroom is probably the biggest one out of them
all the bid Yeah, the bed. You've got all kind
of like kitchen net facilities as well, so a lot
of them. You can get like little hobs, kettle, stuff
like that, so you can still have your like normal
bills a day that you do at home. Electricity is
a big one nowadays. Obviously everyone needs their phone on them,
but I love being off grid. In most locations when
(02:46):
you go for clamping, there's going to be low reception.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Yeah, electricity is a big one nowadays. We all need that,
whether it be hair dryers, straighteners.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Yeah, stuff like that. You're talking to a bald name,
but thanks very much.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
I appreciate the not maybe for your partner, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
But what about the thing about glaiming too, is that
you're almost more open when you're sleeping than when you're camping,
because when you're camping, inevitably you're in a tent and
you might.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Have sort of a skylight at the top. But most
glamping that I've seen or been to, there's so much sunlight.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Yeah, absolutely, a lot of glamping sights as well. You
can kind of it can kind of be like a
sea through kind of tent, or you can have like
a huge like open not at the top where you
be able to see the sky or if you've got
like a sunning view of any mountains or anything like
that as well. So it just adds to like waking
up to have a sunning view or something like that
as well, which is really cool.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Okay, So wrapping these ups somewhat. So glamping is on
the rise, you'd say in Australia.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Especially, I mean, I know it was a while ago now,
but since the pandemic, I think a lot of people obviously,
I mean, they had no choice but to do like
domestic trips and glamping was what everyone was doing. Camps
that's obviously setting out so quickly, I think, not even
just with in Australia, but like throughout the world. It's
just been on a while, so I think everyone's seeing
how cheap you can get it as well. You can
(04:05):
get it on such affordable so it's affordable for anyone.
And again it's for everyone, couple's friends, families.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
It's it ends available broadly Australia. Endo.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
It is available like it's a thing which you can
do all throughout the I mean, obviously wouldn't Sugg just
going when it's raining. I mean you could still go
and you could still enjoy it. But it is available
all for You can do it in winter and still
have a great time. Obviously you just have to take
a few more blankets and coats of you. But then
you can also do it in the summer and so
just as good of a time.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Fantastic Sunny Hawks, thank you for talking to Fearing Greed
summer series.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
That was Sunny Hawkins from the Luxury Escapes boutique at Bondai.
I am all right, Sunny saying the second store you have.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Yes, the second store, first one is in Melbourne and
now in BONDI fantastic.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Don't forget to follow on the podcast, new episodes every day.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
I'm sure I am.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
And this is the Fearing Greed summer series brought to
you Why Luxury Escapes
Welcome to the Fear and Greed summer series, brought to
you by Luxury Escapes. I'm Sean Alma and hello Sonny.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Hawk's Hey, how are you doing?
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Sonny is from the Luxurious Scapes boutique at Bondai Junction
in Sydney, and today we're talking about glamping.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Yes, yes, I absolutely love it. It's it's becoming so
big now as well.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
So what is it about glamping?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
I just think I think all of us, especially in
today's day and age, we needed just a bit of
time to just go off grid, stay off our phones.
We're all addicted to them. You need just like a
few days of just being off that and just being
within nature.
Speaker 1 (00:43):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
It's just the perfect little getaway and it's good for families, couples, friends,
it's it's for everyone.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
Okay. So when you're looking to glamp, what are you
looking for? So I want to go glamping, saying be
it here or you do it here or offshore? What
should I be looking for?
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Right?
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Well, I mean you need to be in the perfect location.
You want somewhere that you can go on lovely hikes.
You want to maybe go for a swim, if you
go and when it's hot, you want to make sure
you've got well nearby, good like toilet facilities, shower facilities,
stuff like that. But I think location is just key.
You want to be somewhere of beautiful views, beautiful hikes
and just seek another Yeah, a beautiful day out.
Speaker 1 (01:21):
What have you you've been glamping sunny? Yeah, well I've
gone in what's your favorite glamping spot?
Speaker 2 (01:28):
I've gone in the country back in England in Surrey
and it was absolutely stunning. I woke up to cows
literally surrounded by me, so that was nice having that
to be woken up to. Fortunately, I do have a
trip in Mansfield in Victoria next year which I'm really
looking forward to. We actually do it. Oh, we've got
a special one out at the moment, and it's so
good because they bring you a little like breakfast hampers
(01:50):
in the morning as well, which just adds to it
and mix it that all so much better.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
So the glamping I've been to, and I've been to
northern New South Wales, glamping is my main experience up there.
Explain what it is because we're not even talking about
camping five star camping, it's kind of beyond that. Isn't it.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Yeah, I'm sure most of us have had a trip away.
We've gone camping, whether it be when we're a kid
or when we've grown up. Just think camping itself, but
taking it up a notch. Just think you're getting all
the luxuries that you'd get pretty.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Much in a hotel room.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
So let's run through the same bathroom, big one.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Yeah, bathroom is probably the biggest one out of them
all the bid Yeah, the bed. You've got all kind
of like kitchen net facilities as well, so a lot
of them. You can get like little hobs, kettle, stuff
like that, so you can still have your like normal
bills a day that you do at home. Electricity is
a big one nowadays. Obviously everyone needs their phone on them,
but I love being off grid. In most locations when
(02:46):
you go for clamping, there's going to be low reception.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
Yeah, electricity is a big one nowadays. We all need that,
whether it be hair dryers, straighteners.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
Yeah, stuff like that. You're talking to a bald name,
but thanks very much.
Speaker 2 (02:58):
I appreciate the not maybe for your partner, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
But what about the thing about glaiming too, is that
you're almost more open when you're sleeping than when you're camping,
because when you're camping, inevitably you're in a tent and
you might.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
Have sort of a skylight at the top. But most
glamping that I've seen or been to, there's so much sunlight.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Yeah, absolutely, a lot of glamping sights as well. You
can kind of it can kind of be like a
sea through kind of tent, or you can have like
a huge like open not at the top where you
be able to see the sky or if you've got
like a sunning view of any mountains or anything like
that as well. So it just adds to like waking
up to have a sunning view or something like that
as well, which is really cool.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
Okay, So wrapping these ups somewhat. So glamping is on
the rise, you'd say in Australia.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Especially, I mean, I know it was a while ago now,
but since the pandemic, I think a lot of people obviously,
I mean, they had no choice but to do like
domestic trips and glamping was what everyone was doing. Camps
that's obviously setting out so quickly, I think, not even
just with in Australia, but like throughout the world. It's
just been on a while, so I think everyone's seeing
how cheap you can get it as well. You can
(04:05):
get it on such affordable so it's affordable for anyone.
And again it's for everyone, couple's friends, families.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
It's it ends available broadly Australia. Endo.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
It is available like it's a thing which you can
do all throughout the I mean, obviously wouldn't Sugg just
going when it's raining. I mean you could still go
and you could still enjoy it. But it is available
all for You can do it in winter and still
have a great time. Obviously you just have to take
a few more blankets and coats of you. But then
you can also do it in the summer and so
just as good of a time.
Speaker 1 (04:32):
Fantastic Sunny Hawks, thank you for talking to Fearing Greed
summer series.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
That was Sunny Hawkins from the Luxury Escapes boutique at Bondai.
I am all right, Sunny saying the second store you have.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Yes, the second store, first one is in Melbourne and
now in BONDI fantastic.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Don't forget to follow on the podcast, new episodes every day.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
I'm sure I am.
Speaker 1 (04:53):
And this is the Fearing Greed summer series brought to
you Why Luxury Escapes
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
The Bobby Bones Show
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.