A luxury campsite converted me after a lifetime of avoiding tents ...Middle East

I’ve never been big on outdoorsy holidays – camping has been a hard no since I was a child and our tent collapsed during the middle of a cold, wet night in Wales.

As an adult – short on cash but desperate for a break – I attempted to overcome my camping misgivings with a “cheap and cheerful” trip to the Peak District in a borrowed tent. I forgot to pack bedding and had to sleep in the car.

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In my adult years, camping has spawned “glamping“, a sub-category that has evolved from bell tents with bedding to include shepherd’s huts, treehouses, wood-fired hot tubs, Airstreams and off-grid cabins, many of which come with “luxury facilities”.

It was the luxury facilities that persuaded me to give camping one last go, at the award-winning Brook Meadow in the countryside between Leicester and Northampton.

The campsite is part of a working farm in the village of Sibbertoft, near Market Harborough. It bills itself as an “introduction” to camping for those who might not consider themselves campers, with traditional grass BYO pitches, a glamorous safari-style tent, wooden cabins and a retro Airstream caravan.

The Hart family has owned the Brook Meadow site since the early 1900s

And thanks to the farmland setting, whatever accommodation you choose, you’ll be surrounded by rolling countryside and the farm’s cattle grazing in the fields.

Owned by the Hart family since the early 1900s, Brook Meadow is overseen by Jasper and Mary Hart, along with their daughter Claire, who are working hard to adopt more sustainable farming practices. Ov,er the past 30 years they have planted 50 acres of trees, installed bird boxes and created a huge wildlife pond.

What’s the accommodation like?

According to the recent Canopy & Stars Glamping Market Report 2025, unique design is key for glampers and the site’s Marabou “tent” certainly fits the bill. I still can’t quite fathom how a tent can have two floors, but this one does, with a double bed and two singles upstairs.

Inspired by the film Out of Africa, Claire, a trained architect and interior designer, has created a luxurious space for up to eight guests. The tent is raised from the ground on timber stilts and is set back from the main camping field.

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From your stilted perch, you can see over the lake from the huge deck, or gather round the fire pit below to toast marshmallows and sausages. There’s also a swing seat overlooking the lake.

Inside, impressive details include swan-shaped bathroom taps, elephant head coat hooks and animal print chairs. Ornate crockery and a full-size dresser complete the vintage look.

The main bedroom has a four poster bed with mosquito nets, while a secret door opens up above the main living space to reveal a double bedroom (which my daughter dubbed the Harry Potter bedroom despite it being over, rather than under the stairs).

And with a fully plumbed bathroom – including a bath and shower – there is no torch-lit traipsing through the dark to find the loo in the night.

However, for tent-pitchers, the communal bathroom is divine. There are power showers, disabled access, a full-length mirror and hairdryers.

The other pre-pitched options include a furnished safari-style bell tent with proper beds (sleeping two adults and two children), a retro 1967 Airstream Caravel sleeping two with an outdoor kitchen and a romantic lakeside cabin sleeping four. There are also three modern timber lodges overlooking the lake.

A hamper La Fête Fleurie goodies can be delivered to your tent

While Marabou has its own cooking facilities, campers can use the Fishing Lodge’s oven, microwave, toaster, kettle and charging stations.

There is a small shop for essentials (including scrummy ice cream), and from Easter to October, food trucks – such as Greek street food and wood-fired pizzas – visit the site at weekends. There are also Saturday night cocktails and a pop-up coffee shop at weekends, all of which give an up-market festival vibe to the campsite.

Hampers from La Fête Fleurie can also be delivered – we ordered the continental breakfast hamper (£17.50pp) and the pastries, granola and bread were not only delicious, but fed three of us for two days.

Guests can also join Mary for egg-collecting (£2.50 including six eggs to take home), while Jasper offers engaging tours of the farm in his 4×4 (£5 per adult, £3 per child).

There is a natural play area and some rope swings, a fishing lake and acres of space to run around.

Once the cows have finished labouring in the spring, the cattle shed is converted into a cinema with hay bale seating for free “moo-vie” nights every Saturday.

The nearby Mini Meadows farm attraction is a great family day out

Guests staying in Marabou or one of the luxury lakeside lodges can make use of a complimentary family pass for the nearby farm attraction and petting zoo Mini Meadows where you can feed llamas, Guinea pigs, bunnies, ducks and alpacas.

You’ll love…

One of my main gripes about camping is that if you get cold or wet (or both), it is hard to warm up or dry out again.

Despite all its creature comforts, Marabou gets chilly at night. However, Claire has thoughtfully provided luxurious throws and full-length hot water bottles, and there’s even a plug-in electric heater to complement the wood-burning stove.

I also loved the old-fashioned stove-top kettle next to the Smeg fridge-freezer.

In fine weather, the huge outdoor seating areas are best enjoyed with a cold drink, served in a little cocktail glass from the dresser.

It could be argued that this is not, in fact, camping. However, it turns out that it’s my kind of camping – I won’t be settling for anything less than a two-storey, heated and fully plumbed-in tent from now on.

How much does it cost?

Marabou starts from £145 per night, based on two people sharing. Extra guests cost £18pp per night.

The neighbouring bell tent starts from £95 per night based on two sharing.

Lakeside lodges from £47.50 per person per night (based on four sharing) and smaller waterside cabins from £37.50 per person. Accessible accommodation options are available.

Non-electric weekend camping pitches from £26 and electric pitches from £36. Dogs welcome on site.

Visit brookmeadow.co.uk or call 01858 880886 to book.

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