Glamper: Experience luxury adventures on four wheels

Do you enjoy life on the open road, as well as a bit of luxury? Glamper have you covered. Here’s what Stephen had to say about this exciting new motorhome company.

Stephen, tell us about Glamper…

Glamper is a luxury motorhome rental company set up to provide something different from the norm. We are based in Ballymena with access to the M2 and main arterial routes allowing you to easily travel around Northern Ireland and Europe.

We’re a family business. For several years, we’d watched the market for Motorhome rental grow but we noticed that no-one provided a luxury offering… basically motorhomes that are not built specifically for hire but more for that personal touch.

We aligned ourselves with the local agent for both Autotrail and Roller Team manufacturer vehicles after researching the build type, and we found the quality and modern build of these vehicles to be at the higher end of the market. The main thing we noticed was that rental companies will offer the rental price and then there are so many additional costs on items that we really felt should be provided within the rental price. We feel that people want one price with no hidden extras with that little bit of luxury, and so Glamper came to life.

What kind of vehicles do you provide? Why did you choose them?

We work with two brands. Firstly, Autotrail, which are designed and built in England. They are recognised at the top end of the market within the Motorhome industry. Yes, they are more expensive than the other brands, but the little touches that they have in their motorhomes are exceptional and set them apart from the rest.

The other brand we work with is Roller Team – they are part of the parent company behind Autotrail but are Italian-designed and built. They feature a very modern design with great layouts and use of space, and they are our most popular vehicles.

We wanted to set ourselves apart and purchase vehicles that have that added luxury and wow factor (and of course the best comfort for our guests) but that also built on a reliable vehicle, so all of our motorhomes are Fiat or Ford bodies, which are the best in the industry. All of our motorhomes apart from one are 2020 models, so brand new. We work closely with our supplier, Abbey Caravans & Leisure in Belfast, who also offer us a maintenance and support package, which is great to have locally.

Do customers need to have prior experience driving a motor home?

No, all of our Motorhomes are kept within the weight restrictions so that a standard full driving licence allows you to drive them. If you have driven a medium or large van before then it is very similar to this. We have both manual and Automatic models.

If a guest is worried about driving them due to the height or the size of the vehicle we encourage them to come and visit our yard and see them up close. We’re based in a secure industrial estate so we are more than happy to let them have a test drive to see how they feel and make sure they are comfortable with everything. We have a Motorhome-specific fully comprehensive insurance policy for our vehicles, and this is included within the price.

What features do your Motorhomes have for children? And are they pet friendly?

Some of our Motorhomes are pet friendly as we felt that it was important to have this offering for our guests. We also appreciate that some people have allergies so we keep some of our motorhomes pet-free for this reason, but we encourage people to bring their fluffy and furry friends along… after all, they also need a holiday to look forward to!

Our Motorhomes are really your home away from home but with the added bonus of being able to go to places you couldn’t normally stay at, and of course wake up to some of the best views possible. They are suitable for children as much as adults because of the freedom they afford. All of our vehicles have bike racks fitted, and they have power and USB points for those tablets and phones to charge, but we like to think these won’t be needed when you have so much exploring to do. I mean, what child doesn’t want to sleep right beside the beach? For lazy evenings, all of our motorhomes have digital televisions installed with Freeview channels, as well as a built-in DVD player.

Who would you say your Motorhomes are ideal for?

Our Motorhomes are ideal for most people really. All that’s required is a sense of adventure. They have everything you could possibly need. The beauty of a Motorhome is you have the option to pre-plan your route and book campsites and pitches in advance along the way. Or you can just head where takes your fancy and just make it up as you go along.

You can “wild camp” in our Motorhomes for a few days before having to empty tanks and fill up the water. All of our Motorhomes have solar panels which will keep the leisure battery charged. With wild camping you only have USB power points but everything still works as normal, including the heating, TV, fridge, oven, shower, etc. We find we have a wide range of guests from young families and couples right through to retired couples and friends just looking a relaxing break.

And are you open all year round?

Yes we are. We tend to offer shorter hires in winter months so you can think of a weekend break away, maybe even just to try it out and make sure you like it before doing a longer stint. All of our Motorhomes are built for year-round use. They are fully insulated and have a combi boiler with central heating throughout. Personally, some of our own best adventures have been during winter days, out exploring during the day and then putting our feet up inside our nice and toasty Motorhome.

Finally, what’s your favourite thing about Glamper? What sets it apart?

I think the biggest thing that sets us apart is that we have one price that includes all essentials. So the price you are quoted or you see on our website is the price you will pay. We try to include everything you need, like insurance, breakdown cover, gas canisters, bedding, bike racks, etc. All we want you to have to bring is yourselves, your clothes, and food and drink. We even make sure there are things like coffee, tea, sugar and condiments already waiting in your Motorhome, so you can hit the road and start your adventure.

Because we are a family business, our focus is on the guest. We want them to make memories and of course come back to us time and time again, so we try to make sure you are comfortable and have everything you need to enjoy your holiday.

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