I recently discovered that AirBnB offers caravan hire. Not
your usual, tired old caravans with Sound of Music upholstery and frilly lace
curtains, but the latest state-of-the-art modern caravans which are truly home
away from home (including a full size fridge and brand new microwave).
Not only is this one of the most brilliant marketing ideas
that I have encountered for a while – for R600 per night it truly is a great
way for a family of four to spend an affordable weekend away.
The decision to offer caravanning within the Airbnb context
was made with the belief that a well-organised, strategically-placed, quality
caravanning experience is a great way to convert those holidaymakers who had
never been exposed to a vacation in the great outdoors.
Everything is ready when you arrive and there is even tea, coffee and milk in the fridge.
Campworld are the brains behind this idea and they have
identified two flagship caravanning sites in South Africa.
Caravan Park
in the Western Cape.
The caravan is able to accommodate two adults and two children inside, and an
additional two people can sleep in the full tent attached to the caravan. The
campsite is immaculate and the mountain views are breath-taking. We had our three-year old twin daughters with
us and they loved every moment.
There are three swimming pools – two indoor
heated (one for adults only) and an outdoor salt water pool with a slide. The
play area and Shetland ponies kept the kids busy when they were not in the
pool. My husband took his mountain bike along and enjoyed a 50km ride in the
surrounding mountains.
The second
caravanning site selected is situated in the Drakensberg Mountains,
with activities that include horse riding, a children’s animal farm, hiking
trails and tubing.
The Campworld Airbnb
caravanning experience will be on offer until April 2017.