Discoverglamping.com interview with Alayna at Boutique Bell
Can you tell us a little bit about yourselves?
I’m Alayna, I’m 35 and work in the recruitment industry, and I also launched Boutique Bell this year which was born from a passion for glamping, a love of bell tents and an addiction to all things vintage! I live in Portsmouth, Hampshire and we operate across Hampshire, Dorset and West Sussex.
Have you always wanted to run a glamping site? How did you get interested in it?
Our glamping business was born in January 2014; we don’t run a glamping site but we hire out bell tents for glamping trips, sleepover parties and wedding/event accommodation and happily set up Boutique Bell at sites of our customer’s choice whether it is a rural campsite, lively holiday park or even their back garden!
What made you pick the location for your glamping site?
I have grown up in Hampshire and feel incredibly lucky to have such wonderful places close by, from the New Forest, to the wonderful beaches of Dorset to the stunning South Downs; we really are spoilt for choice.
Do you get a wide range of different people from different walks of life or are there certain types of guests who come to stay at your site?
We have a complete range, from couples wanting a romantic getaway, hen parties and kids sleepovers, glamping offers something to everyone and we cater for all needs.
When guests stay, do they usually cook on site or do you find a lot like to go exploring and eat out at local places?
There are some great pubs and restaurants in the area and we are happy to make recommendations if required. We provide cooking stoves to our guests and nothing beats the smell of bacon wafting across a site in the morning. We also provide vintage picnic baskets with pans, utensils, cutlery and glass wear so they can completely self cater if they wish.
If there was one activity to participate in, landmark, or place of interest that you would recommend guests visit while staying at your site, what would it be and why?
Too hard to suggest one landmark within the areas we cover….there is so much choice! We really do think the South Coast has it all!
What do you think sets your glamping site apart from others?
Our bell tents are fully furnished and we have carefully hand chosen all our accessories, we think it’s the little touches that make a difference – such as genuine sheepskin rugs and high quality bedding.
We are passionate about what we do, we love glamping and we want others to love it as much as we do.
What plans (if any) do you have for your glamping site in the future?
This is our first year trading so we were unsure how popular we would be, however we have lots of bookings in the diary and are in the process of ordering more bell tents so we can offer event/wedding accommodation on a larger scale.
