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.
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.