These Adventurous Raft Hotels Let You Camp on a Lake in Belgium

Aerial View of Vlotkamp - Pop Up Raft Hotel

If you are looking for a unique hotel experience for an adventurous spirit, look no further than Vlotkamp. Imagined by Tobias Knockaert and Kika Merlin, Vlotkamp—which is dutch for “raft camping”—includes eight rafts equipped with large sleeping tents that float on a lake in Flanders (the Flemish region of Belgium). If you would like to stay the night in this pop-up hotel experience, you’ll have to use a canoe to get there!

The design of each unit is made up of five floating modules that create the raft. On top of the raft, a durable Sibley tent is reinforced with an exoskeleton to ensure that the shelter remains stable in more extreme weather. Recycled material is used to help the raft keep afloat and tires act as bumpers that prevent damage to the rafts or canoes.

Though this is a camping experience, you will be able to stay comfortable in the king-size double circular mattress and tons of whimsical design touches that will make you feel like an adventurer. But if you feel more at home back on land or if someone in your party is in a wheelchair, you can always rent the accessible raft right next to the shared bar.

The plan for Vlotkamp was inspired by a few things. The COVID-19 pandemic forced the designers to reconsider travel and how people can safely enjoy new experiences. They also had some experience in unique pop-up hotels with their treehouse hotel called Boomkamp—which you can still rent. It was a push from the International Committee of the Red Cross who also works in the area, that convinced the couple to take on this project

Do you feel inspired to plan your own camping experience on the water? You can find availability from June 1 – September 28, 2021 on Vlotkamp's website. If dry land is more your style, you can have another interesting hotel experience with Boomkamp, available from July – October 2021.