Glamping is not your typical campout

Glamping (noun): Outdoor camping with amenities and comforts (such as beds, electricity, and access to indoor plumbing) not usually used when camping. — Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Yvette and Ken Strange used to love to go camping with the kids. The stories around the fire, the stars, the fresh air.

That was the inspiration for Spoon Mountain Glamping which started taking reservations this week. Located at 210 Masonic Lodge Road here in Wimberley, Spoon Mountain consists of three “tents” and a pavilion.

Staying at Spoon Mountain — which is named for the hill that looks like an inverted spoon as you drive by on FM 3237 — is not exactly roughing it, however. The tents are built on raised, spacious decks and have sweeping views of the Wimberley Valley. There are king-sized beds, cushy comforters, kitchenettes, and oversized walk-in showers.

On the secluded back deck of each tent is an 85-gallon bath tub designed for two people.

Just down the hill, the pavilion is where guests can make s’mores around the fire pit, soak in the hot tub, sweat it out in the sauna or just enjoy the beauty of the Hill Country.

The goal is to make people feel like they are staying on the Serengeti Plains. The trees have been trimmed to resemble the acacias that dot the African savanna.

“I think the tents are gorgeous inside,” says Ken, who is also the director of Wimberley Emergency Medical Services. “I think we hit a home run. I think we have a really nice product here.”

Hurdles to overcome

Yvette used to walk out of The Med Spa — which she operates — and gaze up the vacant hillside she and Ken have owned for the last six years. “She would say: ‘That land is going to waste. We need to do something there,’” Ken recalls.

About three years ago, the idea of glamping dawned on them. They traveled the country meeting with the owners of glamping businesses to get ideas. They even traveled to the San Diego area to inspect the luxury camping facility that has been built for Navy SEALS to unwind with their families after a stressful tour of duty.

The Wimberley-based JB Chisum Company was hired to build the structures.

Getting permits was a bit of challenge. City inspectors had never encountered anything like Spoon Mountain Glamping before. Is it fireproof, they asked? (The answer: the tent is fire resistant). Is it wind proof? (Yes, up to 60 miles per hour winds. “I hope I never have to find out if it can withstand winds stronger than that,” says Ken.) It was determined that fire-suppression sprinklers were not needed. Instead, there are extinguishers in each tent.

Ken says Spoon Mountain is the only glamping facility he’s aware of that’s actually within a city’s limits.

Construction started last summer.

Christina Stoever was hired to design the interiors. Christina calls the style “luxury Hill Country.”

“It was a lot more difficult than we imagined,” says Ken. “It grew into a large project very quickly.”

The tents themselves were custom made in South Africa. “They took four months to get here,” says Ken.

There are three layers of fabric. Each unit has its own air-conditioning and heating system.

Ken figures they have about $800,000 tied up in the project.

Much interest

There is already a mailing list of 300 people who have expressed interest in Spoon Mountain Glamping.

Rooms will cost $275 a night and $300 on weekends with a two-night minimum. “There’s a huge buzz about it,” says Ken.

Each tent is designed for two people. No pets. No kids.

All the 450-square-foot tents have names:

— The Kingfisher — named for the colorful birds of the African plains — is wheelchair accessible.

— The Chisum is a bit more masculine with leather touches and a hand-crafted wooden headboard.

— The Shaka — named for a famed Zulu warrior-king — is brighter with light wood and brass accents.

On an African safari the tents are wide-open structures, but at Spoon Mountain interior walls were added so doors could be mounted. The windows are heavy plastic and are attached to the sides of the tents.

During their family camping trips, Ken, Yvette and the kids would tell stories. One person would start the story, then pass it along to the next person to make up the next part. The story circled the campfire. Spoon Mountain has a variation: There’s a leather-bound journal with a story already started. Guests are invited to add the next chapter.

Because Spoon Mountain is located just above The Med Spa, in-room massages and facials are available. Well-known Houston Chef Ryan Hilldebrand — who is building a restaurant in Wimberley — will offer in-tent meals designed to enhance the glamping experience.

Ken says they are considering adding a swimming pool.

At least for now, Yvette and Ken will stick with direct booking. If you are interested go to www.spoonmountainglamping.com.

If you want a glimpse of the tents, Spoon Mountain will be a stop on the Wimberley Civic Club’s popular Home Tour, April 16-17. The Home Tour — which features three other houses — costs $25 and tickets can be purchased at www. wimberleyccc.org. Proceeds from the tour go toward local grants and scholarships.