The Ottawa Valley got its first glamping site, Elements Luxury Tented Camp & Nature Spa which is located in Renfrew. I’m someone who always loves spending time in nature, but I’ve always avoided camping in favor of luxurious cottages as I never saw the appeal to sleep on the ground. So when I found out there is a place where camping was giving a glamorous upgrade where you can enjoy being in nature with a plush bed I was eager to try glamping.
The Tent
At Elements Luxury Tented Camp there is currently eight glamp sites and six tiny homes all in a serene forest. I stayed at Cascade which is next to a small waterfall and has two queen beds and has a 4 person occupancy. All the tents are very spacious, either being 16’x20’ or 14’x16 there is plenty of room to relax in.
After checking in we were offered a welcome drink and were shuttled to our site. Just like a hotel, our site was setup with fresh linens, towels, and fluffy bathrobes.
Cascade has two queen beds which have mosquito netting over each, two sofas, and a dining table perfect for people to play board games or eat at. My two favorite features of the room were the gold mirror, which happened to formerly hang at Ottawa’s famous Chateau Laurier, and the chic tufted settee by the fireplace.
Upon further inspection of the room, I was impressed to find the tent had a telescope and board games, and a delicious cheese platter was waiting for us. Elements Luxury Tented Camp also provided other useful items like red and white wine glasses, a bottle opener, matches, candles, toothbrushes, body butter, soap, toothbrushes, a body scrub, bug spray and a solar charging station.
The bathroom was certainly the most rustic part of the campsite, it had a simple sink, a composting toilet, and no shower.
The exterior of the campsite also had a nice patio set and a campfire (which the staff constantly maintained a fire at for us).
Meals
All your meals and non-alcoholic drinks are provided complimentary with your stay (you can bring your own alcohol if you wish). Upon arriving we were welcomed with a delicious cheese tray, which was specially made for us to fit our dietary restrictions.
Dinner offered a wide range of choices including sausage and sauerkraut, steak and heritage potatoes, bacon mushroom quiche, a gluten free vegan penne, shepherd’s pie, and a variety of sides such as pineapple coleslaw, vegetable stir fry, baked brie with naan, freshly baked bread, and a vegetable medley. When ordering your meal your are given the option to select between a variety of soda, sparkling water, regular water, coffee, tea, your entree and as many sides as you would like.
When I visited all the dinner options you needed to cook yourself over the campfire by your tent except the quiche. So if you are looking to simply have a meal delivered to you make sure to carefully examine your menu for the meals that don’t need cooking.
For dinner, I tried the steak and potatoes and shared the vegetable, fresh bread and baked brie sides for dinner. The steak was a massive t-bone steak which I was able to season with the fresh herbs planted next to my tent. My favorite part though would have to be the baked brie, and I would recommend ordering it.
For dessert, there were two options either a smores board or carrot cake. I sampled the smores board which offered milk, dark and white chocolate, marshmallows, graham crackers and some delicious soft cookies.
The next day for breakfast, there was the options of eggs and bacon (cook yourself), yogurt and scones, oatmeal and sides of fresh fruit which can be delivered to your tent at your selected time. Everyone at my tent was feeling lazy so we sampled everything we didn’t need to cook.
To Do
There are several options to keep you entertained during your stay. Around the property, there is are a few short hiking paths one of which leads to a beautiful lookout point.
For those looking to lounge in the sun, there are a variety of hammocks and lounge chairs so you can sit in the forest or by the lake. Just like at any other all-inclusive resort, while you relax in the sun staff will stop by to take your drink orders.
There is also a small shallow lake that is perfect to swim in, or there also paddleboards and pedal boats that you can use as well.
In the case of rain, you can always pamper yourself with the complimentary locally made Singrid body butter and scrub, wear one of the fluffy housecoats and read a book.
On the site, there is also a nice yoga facility where you can join one of the yoga classes which will begin running shortly, or use the space to get some stretching in before your hike as I did.
Final Thoughts
I left impressed to see the old Storyland theme park in Renfrew converted in a luxury camping site that made it easy for people like myself to enjoy camping. I’m certainly excited to see the results of the future planned renovations at Elements Luxury Tented Camp & Nature Spa which will bring hot tubs and other spa facilities to future add additional ways to relax.
If you love camping but hate all the hassle setting up a tent and transporting food, or want to ease into camping by trying glamping make sure to check out Elements Luxury Tented Camp & Nature Spa to see all the sites including cute tiny houses that you can stay at.
