Glamping comes to Manitoba

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 10/07/2021 (1737 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

 

The leaves of the aspens tremble overhead, framed by a skylight at the peak of this geodesic dome. Then the stars enter the scene, twinkling against an indigo sky. There’s one last sweet song from a white-throated sparrow before everyone falls asleep for the night. And this, my friends, is what you can expect from a night in a dome at Wild Skies Resort.

This idyllic experience is just one of a new crop of overnight accommodations that are changing what it means to get away for the weekend in Manitoba. From a posh lakefront cabin crafted from shipping containers to a tiny house at a trailhead, choices are getting downright creative, giving vacationers some never-before available places to lay their heads.

Wild Skies Resort + Event Centre sits on 10 acres along the Whitemouth River just east of Beausejour and has brought bona fide glamping to Manitoba. Three geodesic domes offer everything you expect in a luxury hotel along with private decks, river access, evening campfires and most notably, priceless views. Each dome boasts its own outdoor shower — a cedar lined, tree-surrounded, view-to-the-sky affair that may make you linger. There are also two bell tents available for a more rustic experience and the entire resort is pet friendly.

For adventurers with energy to spare, Northgate Trail System south of Dauphin offers five microcabins for those that need to get a good night’s rest before heading out on the 26 kilometres that caters to mountain bikers, fat tire bikers, hikers and trail runners. Each cabin measures a little over 100 square feet and has a double bunk bed, nightstand, table and chairs and plenty of hooks to hang clothing and gear. The deck has room for two bikes and a couple of chairs and there are two shared bathrooms and a shower on site. And there’s WiFi so posting that shot of your epic jump is doable. The cabins are available for rent year round.

The container cabin on Lake of the Prairies combines ingenuity with stunning good looks for this lakefront rental. You can’t miss the yellow observation tower that affords sweeping views of the lake and surrounding landscape. Four shipping containers make up this three-bedroom architectural marvel that comfortably sleeps eight. Simple but highly stylish, the property including a couple of decks and a sauna too. It’s part of a collection of rental properties by Bowerbird Stay. Find them on Instagram and AirBnB.

For plenty of choices in accommodations, Matlock Biodynamic Retreat and Horticultural Therapy Centre has a tiny house and a pond cabin, a bunkie and a glamping tent, all tucked in to a 45-acre parcel in the beachside community on Lake Winnipeg. Get ready for a sensory immersion in nature here with plenty of paths through fields and forests, picnic spots and quiet gardens. Workshops in all things horticulture are coming soon and camping spots are also available.

Further up the lakeshore and just south of Riverton sits Modern Viking cabin, an off-grid, beachfront rental with the unmistakable striped roofline that pays homage to the Viking encampments. Inside, grab a cup of coffee and hop back into the queen-sized bed to watch the sun come up over Lake Winnipeg. It’s home base to do some serious beachcombing and explore communities to the north of south of your cabin.

Fans of TV’s Schitt’s Creek can’t help but draw a parallel between what the Rosebud Motel could have been and what the sparking restoration of the Rose Beach House has become. A once-tired motel on Winnipeg Beach’s main drag is now is a retro-chic California-inspired collection of suites featuring pastel shades, adorable kitchenettes, plush linens and style to spare. Each of the five suites has an attitude that matches her name. Will you choose the baby blue mini-fridge in the Lorraine or the leafy wall of the Natasha?

A second dome resort is coming to Manitoba, this one in the Pembina Valley near the town of Ninette. Moonlit Canopy offers luxury domes with indoor washrooms, air conditioning and hot tubs on the deck. In Pinawa, Voyageur Houseboats is expected to take its first bookings early next summer for tiny vintage-inspired houseboat rentals on the Winnipeg River.

Get on the List!

Most accommodations have proven to be extremely popular this summer with some of the new ones booking up in a matter of days. To grab your chance for a last-minute holiday, get on the cancellations lists offered by these places.

 

shel@shelzolkewich.com