Life at Cloverhill

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Everything You Need for a Glamping Getaway at Glen Oro Eco-Retreat

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Glen Oro Eco-Retreat. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Earlier this summer my future sister-in-law and I planned a Glamping Bachelorette Getaway for my sister, Sam. We chose the beautiful Glen Oro Eco-Retreat in Hawkestone, Ontario as the location of our trip and it was the perfect setting for an eco-chic trip with friends.

Table of Contents

Greeting our Guests

The Explorer Tents and surrounding forest at Glen Oro Eco-Retreat are so nice on their own, so we really didn’t need to do much to decorate. We leaned into the “glamping” theme with tablecloths, wicker lanterns, a message board, pom-pom garlands and flowers from Cloverhill Flowers.

We set up a central tent as our meeting place and guests were paired up in the other tents for the weekend. After everyone had dropped off their bags and settled in, they joined us back at the main tent for fun and refreshments. We greeted them with a full bar and lots of snacks and munchies. We had our Yeti Coolers (the best for keeping everything cold all weekend) filled up with a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The kitchenette also had a mini fridge which we used for storing food.

We created a signature cocktail, the “Sam Spritz” (not to be confused with the Aperol Spritz):

  • Wine glass filled with Ice
  • 3oz Prosecco
  • 2 oz Aperol
  • 1 oz Club Soda
  • Cubed Ice
  • Orange Slice for Garnish

Welcome Bags

We couldn’t resist making Welcome Bags for all the guests. It was a little touch to let everyone know how much we appreciated them coming out to join us in the celebration.

The Welcome Bags had an itinerary, snacks, candle, scrunchies, goodies and more. I’ll be doing a post soon on how we put them together.

DIY Camp Mugs

As another thank you to the guests, my sister made her friends these Camp Mugs. She found the blank mugs and then I helped her design the image and add it to the mugs with permanent vinyl using my Cricut.

How fun are these? Each guest wrote their name on their mug with a sharpie (it comes off with rubbing alcohol later on) and everyone used their mug for their beverages all weekend!

Old-School Camp Crafts

In keeping with the “Glamp” theme, we laid out some Old-School Camp Crafts that guests could help themselves to at any time. We kept the activities informal so anyone could try them when they wanted to. Friendship bracelets and wine around the campfire? Yes please! (and don’t forget to pack a cute Fujifilm Square SQ1 for capturing the glamping fun!)

Do you remember making friendship bracelets at camp? Using a safety pin to anchor it to your jeans while you made it? The ladies on our trip sure did, and I loved seeing them get excited about picking out their bracelet colours. We set out an array of embroidery floss colours, some note cards I made using bracelet patterns found online, and of course a little bowl of safety pins too.

We also laid out some Canvas Zipper Bags which are the perfect size for a travel makeup bag or a pencil case to tuck in your car. I set them out with my favourite Permanent Fabric Markers. There are 36 vibrant colours with dual tips (pointed on one side and broad on the other) that are fantastic for decorating bags, t-shirts, costumes, etc. They are a must-have in your DIY arsenal.

Glamping at Glen Oro Eco-Retreat

When looking for glamping options in Ontario, Glen Oro Eco-Retreat was recommended to us time and time again. Known for its luxury tents and beautiful forest setting, it is perfect for a getaway with friends or a cozy weekend away for two. It is only a 1.5 hour drive from Toronto and a short drive away from Barrie and Orillia.

Most of our group stayed in the Explorer Tents.

The Explorer Tents are more like a boutique hotel than a tent, with a king-size bed, hardwood floors, modern furnishing, overstuffed couches and armchairs (perfect for curling up with a book), a kitchenette with all the essentials, an ensuite bathroom, a real wood stove, outdoor BBQ and private fire pit.

The ensuite bathrooms have stylish aromatic cedar showers, farmhouse style apron sinks and eco-friendly composting toilets. They pride themselves on finding the balance of modern conveniences and comforts, while being cognizant of sustainability and environmentally friendly practices.

My sister, the bride and guest of honour, stayed in the Stargazer Dome, with a living room, kitchenette and bathroom on the bottom and a loft space for a king sized bed.

What a view of the forest and the night sky!

Cocktails & Dinner at The Ktchn

Just minutes away from Glen Oro is the The Ktchn, an upscale restaurant located in the Braestone Club. We donned summer dresses and headed over for a luxe sunset dinner.

We enjoyed cocktails on the terrace followed by dinner in the porch room. The cocktails were top notch (I had the Lieutenant with bourbon, aperol and blood orange puree) and dinner was divine (Braised Beef Short Ribs with a Collingwood Whiskey demi glaze on polenta).

Me, my sister Sam and our future sister-in-law

After our luxe dinner, we headed back to Glen Oro to change into our comfy glamp clothes and enjoyed a bonfire together, talking until the early morning. My sister has surrounded herself with an amazing group of friends and it was lovely getting to catch up with so many of them.

Bachelorette Weekend Brunch

The next morning, we woke up to the pitter patter of rain on the tents. A serene way to start the day, under a fluffy white comforter with twinkle lights all around. We set up a simple brunch in the main tent, with foods we had prepped ahead of time: yogurt parfaits, muffins, fruit, homemade granola, hard boiled eggs and mimosas

A nice hot tea in the new glamping mugs 🙂

Glamping Yogurt Parfait Bar:

We made a couple batches of muffins the day before and they were the perfect baked good to travel with: Blueberry Muffins and Banana Chocolate Chip. I also hardboiled some of the eggs from our chickens back home for some extra protein. On the kitchenette counter we set up a mimosa bar with a variety of fruit juices and prosecco. We also laid out the old-school camp supplies for anyone who wanted to grab an activity to take back to their tent for the rainy morning.

Pampering at Vettä Nordic Spa

What glamping trip would be complete without a little pampering? We made the short drive over to the newly opened Vettä Nordic Spa for the grand finale of our getaway.

The buildings and grounds are beautifully designed in high contrast contemporary Scandinavian style. They provide an authentic Finnish hydrotherapy cycle of heat, cold and relaxation. Most of us had never been to a spa like this before and loved the experience – I would definitely go again!

The entire spa is a no phone zone, so you can truly unplug and recharge yourself. You are provided a bracelet to make any purchase you need to on the premises, such as lunch at the patio bistro. It was the perfect way to end our glamping getaway!

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