EUROPE’S top trailer maker has pitched in to help create a fleet of mobile spas that are the latest must-have accessory for glamping trips in the Netherlands.
Through one of its Dutch distributors, North Wales based Ifor Williams Trailers is supplying 20 horse trailers which are being lavishly kitted out as outdoor ensuite bathrooms complete with a two-person hot tub and shower.
The spa trailers can be parked right next to a luxury tent to give campers looking for a more glamorous experience the chance to enjoy a little extra pampering.
In just its first few weeks of operation the prototype trailer generated an extra 17,000 euros worth of advance bookings for its operators FarmCamps, which has already ordered another 19 units from Ifor Williams for use on its network of camp sites across the Netherlands.
Saskia de Wit, co-owner of Farm Camps, said: “We set up the company in 2012 to provide more luxurious camping – or glamping as it’s known – on fully operational farms where families can take their children to learn about what happens on them.
“We have a very high customer satisfaction level but you have to keep on impressing your clients. People love camping but they’re looking to be pampered and don’t want to have to use bathrooms in an old fashioned outhouse.
“That’s why we designed the spa trailer to give them a more luxurious option when it comes to bathing.”
Saskia added: “When we were looking for a trailer on which to base the spa we did lots of market research but the HB506 horse trailer from Ifor Williams was definitely the best we looked at.
“We only had to do a few internal modifications to create a very comfortable spa setting, which includes a hot tub for two people, a rain shower and a dressing corner.
“The tub is set against a background created from driftwood. This adds a bit of warmth to the whole thing and all the technical installations such as the boiler are hidden behind it.
“On the internal walls of the prototype we have panels with large pictures of cows to bring the countryside right into the spa. In other versions the panels can show other animals such as horses, lambs or chickens. In this way each spa will be unique.
“When the weather is good people can just sit soaking in the tub with the end curtain open looking out onto farmlands and, if the weather isn’t too good, they can always close the curtain and feel cosy inside the trailer.”
Saskia explained that after being ordered from Ifor Williams distributor Jozua Aanhangwagens at Harderwijk in the central Netherlands, the prototype trailer was converted to FarmCamps’ requirements by local craftsmen and made available for hire as part of a package with a luxury tent during the first week of February – just in time for Valentine’s Day bookings.
She added: “If things go well we plan to order more of the trailers and eventually spread the idea to other countries in Europe with the UK certainly being on the list because it has a big glamping culture.
“We estimate that each of the spa trailers will bring in three or four thousand euros in extra revenue per season for us.
“They can be rented out in combination with one of our luxury Ranch tents for between 389 and 1,000 euros for four days in midweek or a long weekend depending on the season.”
Jo Vermeire, who represents Ifor Williams Trailers in the Benelux countries, said she was delighted that the spa trailer was proving to be such a big hit.
“The prototype trailer was supplied by our distributor Jozua Aanhangwagens and FarmCamps have since ordered 19 more of these. We hope there will be further orders in the future.
“This is a very nice concept and the way the trailer has been converted makes it perfect for glamping in an agricultural setting, which is very popular in the Netherlands. People want to upgrade their camping and make it a more luxurious experience.
“One of the main advantages of the spa trailer is that it is fully mobile and can be moved to different locations.”
For more information about the spa trailers go to www.spatrailer.nl
