I love camping. Well, I love the idea of camping. The forests, crackling fires, beautiful hikes, and delicious s’mores. It’s truly enchanting. However, every time I do end up camping it turns out to be mostly bugs trying to land in my ears, getting bit by mosquitos, and hating sleeping on the floor of a tent. Even though I usually deal with those experiences, I get really excited when we do go camping. What can I say? I’m a masochist for camping. When Huttopia reached out to me to stay in their canvas tents for a “glamping” experience, I was ecstatic. I have been telling James for years how I wanted to try glamping for once. For two nights, I finally got to experience a really memorable glamping experience with Huttopia in Southern Maine! Now that we’re back home, I want to share the whole thing with you!
Huttopia in Southern Maine
Originating in Canada, Huttopia (pretty sure it’s pronounced Utopia) recently opened a location in Southern Maine. They’re a glamping campground that focuses on providing the natural elements of camping, with the conveniences of modern living. Located in Sanford, ME, Huttopia offers cozy cabins, permanent canvas tents or even more rustic options.
Their “rooms” are:
Trappeur (where we stayed): Fits up to 5 people, has a REAL shower and toilet, and an adorable little kitchenette complete with a mini fridge.
Trappeur Duo: Perfect for two, includes a bathroom and a beautiful terrace. No kitchenette, but a “plancha” for grilling.
Vista (AKA where I’m totally staying next time): A modern cabin for 5 people. Has a beautiful kitchen and a large living space!
The Canadienne: This is the more rustic option, however it still includes a real mattress to lay on! No bathroom, but you can use the ones on site! Does have a small fridge.
I’m going to be reviewing the Trappeur which is the one we stayed at for the two nights.
Checking in
When we first checked in, the main lobby is absolutely beautiful. I honestly was not expecting it to be a “glampy” as it was. There was a cozy sitting area that boasted lots of string lights, creating a warm atmosphere. In the lobby is there food bar where you can order delicious foods and drinks. They even had baked goods available for purchase.
The dining area opened up to an almost surrounding deck that had more seating, a foosball table, giant jenga, and cornhole. On the other side of the deck was a very enticing hammock nestled between two large trees. It really looked like the perfect spot to read a book with a cup of tea. Did I forget to mention they have a POOL? That’s HEATED?! We forgot our bathing suits so we didn’t get to swim, but next time I absolutely will! Also on site is a lake to swim, paddle board, or kayak in.
The check in process was fairly simple, and soon we had our keys. We are to keep our car parked in the designated parking area, and have the option to use small trolleys to haul our luggage to the tent. Simple enough.
The Trappeur
We get to the tent and unlock the door. I was honestly pleasantly surprised with the size of the inside of the canvas tent. There was a queen size bed on one side and a bunk bed on the other. There was a clothing rack to hang your clothes, which made me realize how much i enjoy hanging my clothes now when we travel. I used to always leave my things in the luggage. The cutest little kitchenette sat opposite of the rack and dining table. Between the two rooms was the bathroom, which was my favorite feature. As someone who absolutely loathes port-a-potties and camp bathrooms, this was the major selling point.
Being able to bring food from home and put in the fridge was so convenient. I was experience the first signs of glamping heaven. We get our things settled and head out to get a few snacks. The camp site is actually relatively close to civilization so we were able to stop by a Walmart Super Center and pick up a few things we needed.
The Cons
When we got back from Walmart, it was dark out. The little flashlight that came with the key wasn’t that strong, so I ended up using my cellphone as a flashlight. I think it would be pretty amazing if they got some sort of solar powered lights to light up the paths to find your tent easier. We got a little bit lost and even accidentally parked our car in the wrong spot! It’s not a necessity, but I think it would be really helpful for those who need to grab something from their car or get back from a day at the beach too late.
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Another issue I had, which is totally not a big deal considering you are STILL in the woods, but the door isn’t really close all the way. The door was held down by a hook but it left a pretty large gap between the frame and door. This made it really easy for bugs to come in, and allowed a lot of very cold air at night. I think this could be easily solved by making the hook closer to the wall or even adding a screen you can zip up inside the tent to act as a screen door. This will just minimize the amount of spiders and moths that will fly in the tent. Again, this is all normal things you WILL experience while camping, these are just my personal opinions on making it extra “glampy”.
A few more things would be paper towels or napkins and small hand towels for the bathroom.
Final Thoughts
Despite these incredibly minor issues, the entire stay was so great. The weather was a bit chilly but it’s actually my favorite kind of weather and I think that kept a lot of the mosquitos and bugs at bay. I didn’t get bit once! The mattress was incredibly comfortable, the shower was pleasant, and the toilet was perfect (because it wasn’t a port-a-potty). It really was an amazing way for me to get introduced to the fantastic world that is Glamping.
If you are planning a trip to New England, I highly recommend trying out Huttopia in Southern Maine. Depending on the specific needs you have, you can choose your tent accordingly and get the best glamping experience! Stop on by, play some cornhole, beat your partner at foosball (Sorry, James!), and take a dip in their beautiful heated pool!
Have you ever been glamping or just camping? What was your most memorable experience? Let me know in the comments or DM me on Instagram!
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