Let me set the scene.
It's Friday, and we've got the kids from school early. We throw our bags in the car, surfboard on top and my pillow in the front (I never travel without my pillow). There's no tub of plates, mugs and cutlery, no portable BBQ or fire-starting paraphernalia, no trestle tables in sight. And certainly no swags, tents or pegs. It's delightful.
The kids, of course, do the obligatory hour of bickering and whinging at each other — sadly, no holiday will prevent that, I've discovered — but once we settle in and find the perfect holiday playlist (Fleetwood Mac with a touch of Drake to keep the tweens happy), the highway is a cinch and after just four hours we arrive at our destination: Reflections Holidays Bonny Hills.
If I could capture in words the elation we all felt opening the sliding door to this enormous, chic tent, I would. It's a tent, but more like a mini house, with gorgeous raw timber finishes and a proper bathroom with a rain shower head — and all the shampoo, conditioner and body lotion a girl could need. There's a kitchenette with a fridge and microwave!! And a TV —who has a TV when camping?! — plus its own beautiful decked balcony with built-in BBQ.
And to top it all off, there's a gorgeous rustic bath that's got my name all over it.
Image: Supplied.
No esky's, no fly covers for the food, no fold-out tables and sun-bleached camp chairs here.
I felt like a queen. But I was still camping.
I'll be honest — we became that family during Covid who spent far more money than cents on camping gear, including individual swags (mine was a queen size, of course). Our set-up was complete with multiple waterproof covers, tables, and camping chairs with stubby holders built-in.
We went once as a whole family. We got rained out and came home after one sleepless night. When we got home, we sold my swag, and I've never gone back to camping since.
That's not to say that the rest of my family haven't gone camping without me — they all throw their gear in the back of the car and head off to sleep in the dirt for a few nights every school holidays, and they love it. I decline the very generous offer to join them every single time in favour of comfort, an actual bed, and sleep. It's not to say I don't get massive FOMO — I just can't face setting up a tent when I'm already exhausted and just want to chill out when I arrive at my destination.
What I didn't realise is the other half are glamping — yep, camping, but glam style. All the chilled out, outdoorsy vibes of camping but not one tent to pitch, swag to roll or canopy to hoist.
Honestly, it's pure perfection.
The thing is, I have always assumed glamping was so much more expensive, and that was always the appeal of camping — it's 'cheap' and 'easy'. But my experience at Reflections Holidays completely blew that theory out of the water.
It's much more affordable than I'd ever thought — and honestly, for the level of comfort and luxury we experienced on this getaway, it was a steal. It's an incredible-value escape for families —and couples — who want the unplugged vibes of camping without feeling grubby.
Image: Supplied.
Given I'm not one for a pure outdoorsy trip, that's not something I can usually say for a regular camping trip. The fact that proper beds, a full bathroom, and all the kitchen facilities were included in the price meant we could just arrive and relax — which is exactly what I needed.
This is my kind of outdoorsy — the perfect blend of nature and comfort to satisfy everyone in the family. We're out of the house, off screens, at the beach and by the water, but I can shower without queuing in a toilet block with thongs on. Plus, I've got a comfortable bed to get into at night and all my creature comforts, so I don't need a holiday from my holiday when I get back home.
There's plenty to do when you're not smugly living it up in your glamping tent:
Beach and coastal walks — there are a few, they're not hard and there are plenty of rocks and rock pools along the way. The surf is also great for kids of all ages — and when they're all occupied, you get to lie on the beach and read a book. Win win.
Skate park and playground — if scooting and bike rides around the campside track aren't enough, there's a solid skate park and kids' playground across the road. My experienced teen scooter dude tells me it's a "pretty decent" skate park, and he loved it. The playground is perfect for all ages.
Image: Supplied.
Fishing (with coffee on the side) — Mr Scooter is also into fishing and there are some great spots along the break wall, a 5-minute drive from the campsite. This also happens to be across the road from Riverview on Camden café and bar, which serves excellent coffee (Allpress — my fave).
Bath on the balcony — rosé and book in hand, cheese platter waiting. According to my research, several of the Reflections NSW locations offer the bath experience. Sign me up.
Morning nature coffee — listening to the birds and soaking up those precious peaceful moments before anyone else is out of bed. Heaven.
Wandering — the pathway at the perimeter of the property looks out over the whole ocean, and I saw literally 10 whales frolicking around having an actual whale of a time.
Image: Supplied.
All in all, this was a perfect escape from city life at a fraction of the cost I was expecting. It was the perfect wind-down coming to the end of a massive year (I know I'm not the only one) and an added highlight was that unpacking took 5 minutes — something you can't say after a classic camping trip.
I'm adding this to my must-revisit, and I'm telling you now — watch this space because some hotel magnate is going to buy up Bonny Hills and transform the place — so get in now while it's still an uncut gem!
Book your Reflections Holidays glamping experience now.
Feature Image: Supplied
