Staying in a vintage caravan hotel is an experience you won’t soon forget – and not just because you get awesome social media content. There’s something memorable about sleeping in a retro chic Airstream or glammed up caravan camper that sticks with you longer than an average hotel stay – transporting you to the romance of early RV travel and an era of midcentury vintage quirk.
Part of the broader glamping travel trend that's swept the globe in the past decade, caravan parks and Airstreams-cum-boutique hotels prove that bell tents aren't synonymous with getting back to nature (even if it's a little green urban oasis). Instead, you can enjoy amenities like kitchenettes, multiple bedrooms, and indoor showers while still thinking outside the box.
From Bonn to British Columbia, Cape Town to California, these are 9 of the world’s best vintage caravan hotels to book this season.
Caravan Outpost, Ojai, California
The retro swank Airstream trailers that comprise Caravan Outpost are as photoshoot-cute as the desert country town of Ojai they are set in. Seriously, this caravan hotel on perfectly manicured grounds, about two hours north of Los Angeles, is pure paradise for Instagram content creators. The trailer interiors look like they were plucked from a movie set. Pendleton blankets cover twin or queen beds and working record players come with albums on vinyl that can be swapped out at the onsite camp store.
The Airstreams come with working kitchenettes and fridges, but they’re also strolling distance from Ojai’s downtown dining scene should you wish to eat out. You can shower in your trailer, too, although it is a bit cramped. For more space, there are bathrooms with showers for guests in a separate building. At night a communal fire-pit crackles, s’mores are roasted and conversations with other like minded travelers often last well into the night.
The Grand Daddy Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa
In enigmatic and beautiful Cape Town, The Grand Daddy Hotel has a buzzy Long Street location and a rooftop Airstream trailer park. Yes, you read that right: this hotel in the heart of the Mother City actually has seven vintage trailers parked on their roof. Each caravan has its own unique decor but the overall scheme is a whimsical take on the “South African road-trip” experience with inspiration drawn from attractions across the country.
Ride the vintage elevator downstairs and you’ll find a boutique design hotel and the hip Thirty Ate Eatery. You are also stumbling distance from Cape Town’s best bars and restaurants and a short Uber ride to Camps Bay or Clifton beaches.
Hotel Caravana, Hudson Valley, NY
In New York’s Hudson Valley, just two hours from the city, Hotel Caravana captures the nostalgia of the 1960s in the region’s first boutique Airstream concept. Located on the same property as of the Four Brothers Drive-In Theater, the retro Airstreams house up to four people with two twin beds and one queen-sized bed. Should you need it, additional guests can book a teepee on the grounds (perfect for older kids).
This is a fun weekend escape from New York City, with lots of onsite entertainment including drive-in movie screenings, lawn games, a fire-pit and hammocks as well as a restaurant and bar. To reach downtown Amenia, you can catch a ride in the hotel’s equally retro VW Van or enjoy a short walk.
BaseCamp Young Hostel in Bonn, Germany
As much a work of art as a lodging experience, BaseCamp Young Hostel Bonn is the most eccentric caravan hotel experience you’ll have in Europe. Inside a massive warehouse, this backpacker favorite is set up to look like a trailer park with a mix of Airstream trailers, sleeper trains, Volkswagen buses and even a rooftop tent atop a classic East German GDR Trabant.
Each vehicle has a different theme. Say hello to 1960s flower power, and outer space, to an ocean mural running along one wall to lawn chairs and fake yards. There is even a food truck and beer garden with some local craft brews on offer, so you can really settle in to your home away from home when you aren't exploring Bonn.
AutoCamp in Santa Barbara, Russian River Valley, Yosemite National Park, California and Cape Cod, Massachusetts
With locations across California and now a camp in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, AutoCamp is a growing caravan hotel brand. A true glamping establishment, they offer accommodation in modern Airstreams as well as luxury glamping tents. The Airstreams all feature mid-century modern design and boutique amenities and have a trendy luxe feel throughout.
All the locations are unique, so it is hard to recommend one over another, however, the Russian River Valley camp is really stand-out. Set among towering redwoods in the heart of Sonoma wine country the location is right on the river and very serene. It's also hard to beat the AutoCamp Yosemite, just an hour outside the national park of the same name, and such famous sites as Half Dome.
Hotel Zed, Victoria, British Columbia
Cannabis smoking is not frowned upon at the Hotel Zed, so long as you stick to designated smoking areas. The British Colombia hotel has one vintage Airstream trailer you can book. Like the rest of the hotel it is done up in classic eye-popping 1980s style with a hot pink accent scheme.
If you are looking to sample the goods from Canada’s legal cannabis dispensaries, Hotel Zed has curated its own “Weed Walk Guide” that highlights the various dispensaries in downtown Victoria. The town is a 20-minute walk from the hotel or you can catch a ride in their trippy VW bus.
Bel Repayre Airstream & Retro Trailer Park in Manses, France
Calling itself “trailer flash,” Bel Repayre Airstream & Retro Trailer Park in the Pyrenees Mountains, is a wonderfully relaxing caravan hotel with a very French chic vibe. It is a peaceful spot with lovely curated gardens and a Canadian red cedar wood hot tub for total body relaxation.
The Airstreams here are vintage models from the 1940s to the 1980s and all are done up with period decor to match their birth decade. Also onsite is Lucy’s Diner – a food truck inside a custom Clipper from 1946 doles up locally sourced, organic comfort food. The adjacent Apollo Lounge is inside another Airstream trailer that has been converted into a bar.
The Vintages Trailer Resort, Willamette, Oregon
In Oregon’s beautiful Willamette Valley wine country, The Vintages Trailer Resort is the largest caravan hotel on our list with 35 Airstream trailers that define glamping. Each is designed to feel like sleeping in a luxe hotel — you’ll find gourmet pour-over coffee, terrycloth bathrobes, comfy mattresses and high thread count linens.
One of the newest additions to The Vintages is the Boho-chic 1956 Spartan Royal Mansion trailer. It is 36-feet long and wide enough to accommodate a king sized bed plus a full day bed/pull-out sofa and a proper full sized shower (rare for caravan hotels). Best of all, there is an outdoor soaking tub!
Airstream Paradise in Sainte-Anne, Martinique
Glamp your way through the Lesser Antilles at Airstream Paradise, a caravan park close to shops and restaurants, with beach views, hot tubs, private showers, grills, and kitchenettes. There's also an outdoor seating area and diner with take-away dishes like croque-madames and monsieurs, hamburgers, and salads.
Whether you're hoping to take in Sainte-Anne restaurants like Les Tamariniers or La Cour Creole, sunset cocktails at La Dunette, or soak up the sun on beaches like Grande Anse des Salines and Pointe Marin, Airstream Paradise is cozy, convenient, and give you just the right amount of privacy and a chance to mingle.
This article was most recently updated on July 22, 2020.
