Price: Prices from €130 / night for the family bubble
Sleeps: Up to 4
Location: Wanze, Near Liège, Belgium
Sleep in a Bubble is a small Glamping site run by Belgium couple Luc Ruidant and Colette Barbier. Set up on their home property in the pretty farming town of Wanze near Liège in Belgium this is now the third year that the couple have been welcoming guests to sleep under the stars in their bubbles.
We visited the site as a family as part of our Summer adventures in Belgium and Holland at the start of August and found Sleep in a Bubble to not only be unique and memorable but also extremely welcoming. Wanze is a pretty Belgian town in the province of Liège. We drove directly from our ferry crossing which saw us arrive in Dunkirk. The journey took us around 2.5 hours.
The site is comprised of two bubbles. The smaller of the two bubbles, ‘Au pied de l’arbe’ or ‘At the foot of the trees’ is a romantic retreat for couples. This bubble comes with it’s own private terrace looking out towards the valley away from the main property offering seclusion and pretty views.
We stayed in a larger bubble which comfortably sleeps up to 4 people. This bubble has the well suited name of ‘L’etoile du berger’ or ‘The evening star’. The bubble is located close to the main family property but looks out over the valley and fields below. Again there is a private terrace with pretty views. This bubble is ideal for families with school aged children. As we found throughout our stay (and as the owner’s agreed) there are a few impracticalities including a drop from the terrace which means that the bubbles are not particularly well suited for toddlers.
The bubble is divided into three sections. The first is a small porch area with no transparency. This area contains your toilet and also acts as a compression chamber to prevent the rest of the tent from deflating as you enter. Once zipped into this section you are able to open the adjoining compartments and enter the main bubble.
Moving into the second section you enter the first bubble. This is a generous space with a single bed, seating area and wash table. This bubble has a transparent window strip and fully transparent ceiling allowing guests to watch the stars as they lie in bed.
The final section, and second bubble contains a large double bed with a storage chest and a heater. Again the walls are largely transparent allowing full appreciation of the surrounding environment and celestial activities for those tucked up inside.
In terms of facilities each bubble tent has it’s own toilet located in the porch way area. The toilet is similar to the type you might find in a caravan or camper van and was clean and practical. There is no bathroom, but a large wash basin and jug of water is provided for freshening up.
The highlight of our stay was getting snuggled up for the evening then watching the sunset followed by the stars all from the comfort of our own bed. We spent a good hour all sharing the same bed and just chatting about the scene before us as the sky changed colour and the stars appeared. It was the most comfortable star gazing session I’ve ever had and it was so lovely to share as a whole family.
After a good session observing the sky we all slept like logs. We woke to the sound of the neighbouring farm animals…most notably the chirpy rooster! At 8am fresh coffee and warm water for washing was delivered by our hosts. We enjoyed a short walk to the local boulangerie for breakfast where we were spoilt for choice with pastries and fresh bakes.
Sleep in a bubble was certainly a unique experience and something we all really enjoyed. It was a fantastic opportunity to spend some close time as a family enjoying aspects of camping which might otherwise be very difficult with a small child… we certainly couldn’t star gaze with a two year old around a camp fire! The experience is something we’ll all remember for a long time. Best of all the welcome from our hosts was outstanding. We were made to feel very much at home and as though nothing was too much of a problem. Particularly suited to couples and families with older children Sleep in a Bubble is the perfect alternative Glamping experience with an incredibly warm welcome.
