Kip and Nook: Building Community Through Design and Nature

Born from a family’s vision, Kip and Nook has transformed a rural farm in Yorkshire into a stylish glamping retreat that attracts design-savvy guests seeking unique countryside escapes. International Glamping Business’ Editor Annie spoke with the team to find out more about the community-minded Kip and Nook lifestyle.

What was your core business idea when you launched and how has that evolved?

Kip and Nook began in 2020 as a simple yet unique concept: one off-grid cabin in a field at our family-owned Pinkney Carr Farm, with a goal to offer people a peaceful, design-led escape that blended nature with comfort. We didn’t have to search for a location as the land on our family farm was already ours, and we saw the potential to create something unique. Each year we’ve expanded and added to the site, and today we offer a collection of boutique accommodation options and luxury pitches for motorhomes and campervans. We’ve grown to include a wide range of onsite activities: a padel court, two sauna and ice bath areas, and our own restaurant and bar, The Workshop, which serves up breakfast, lunch, and pizzas. We also host regular events like run clubs and car meets, building a community vibe around the Kip and Nook lifestyle.

That one cabin was the starting point of something much bigger. Now, the business has evolved significantly into a place to stay, play, recharge and connect.

What sets Kip and Nook apart in an increasingly saturated glamping market? How do you maintain that uniqueness?

From day one, our focus has been on design, quality, and experience. While our roots may have started in a field with one off-grid cabin, what we’re building now is something much more refined. We believe we’re on our way to becoming a truly unique boutique hotel made up of cabins, each thoughtfully designed with style and comfort in mind.

Where many glamping sites focus solely on accommodation, Kip and Nook offers an immersive lifestyle; it’s a place where people come to switch off, reconnect, and engage in something more meaningful – everything is carefully curated to give guests an unforgettable experience.

We stay unique by continuing to evolve, year after year. We don’t just add to the site, we refine it, responding to our community and the everchanging ways people want to travel and relax. Events like our run clubs and car meets keep things fresh and bring people together, helping to foster a sense of community that’s at the heart of what we do.

How did your collaboration with Industville on lighting play into your broader branding and wellness strategy?

Our collaboration with Industville has been a perfect fit for the Kip and Nook aesthetic and ethos. We use their lighting across all our properties because their pieces strike the perfect balance between style, warmth and calm, which is exactly the mood we aim to create. Lighting is a big part of our wellness strategy. It helps set the tone for each space: soft, inviting and grounding. Every property at Kip and Nook has its own unique feel and we carefully select Industville pieces that reflect those differences while still keeping a cohesive look across the site. Their designs align beautifully with our brand values: high quality, understated luxury, and attention to detail.

Do you use guest feedback to drive business decisions? Can you share an example where guest input led to a change or improvement?

Absolutely – guest feedback is central to everything we do at Kip and Nook. We pay attention to all comments, big or small, whether it’s a request for extra cutlery or plates in a property, replacing a light bulb, or ensuring maintenance is always top-notch. For example, we had guests mention they wanted more kitchen essentials in some cabins. We immediately responded by updating our inventory to include additional cutlery, cookware and serving plates. It’s these kinds of details that make a big difference in the overall experience.

We take every piece of feedback seriously because our goal is to make every stay perfect for our guests. Continuous improvement driven by guest input is how we keep growing and refining our offering.

With a semi off-grid model, what operational challenges have you faced – and how have you overcome them?

Our original off-grid cabin from 2020 was a great start, but it did present some challenges in terms of maintenance and power reliability. Being the first cabin, it was harder to keep up with ongoing maintenance and manage the solar system efficiently. Since then, we’ve significantly expanded our team and expertise. When we launched The Den in 2023, it was a high-end luxury off-grid cabin with a state-of-the-art solar and power system, and we haven’t had any issues since.

So, we recently redesigned our original 2020 cabin to match that same high standard, making it even better. Because we design and build all our cabins in-house, we have full control over every detail, including the offgrid solar energy system.

How do you manage staffing, housekeeping, and guest communications across multiple unit types and group sizes?

When we started five years ago, our team was very small and we managed everything with a hands-on approach. Fast forward to now, and we’ve grown significantly with over 25 dedicated team members.

To keep things running smoothly, we’ve structured our team into specialised departments, each with clear roles and leaders responsible for specific areas like housekeeping, maintenance, and guest communications.

This departmental approach ensures every detail is managed efficiently and consistently, from preparing different types of units to responding promptly to guest needs.

How do you structure pricing and packaging to maximise occupancy and revenue across seasons?

We keep our pricing consistent throughout the year; we don’t change rates seasonally. This pricing model has worked well for us for over five years, providing simplicity and transparency for our guests.

That said, we’ve recently started introducing some special packages, like the ‘Midweek Summer Reset’ and our ‘Wellness Retreat’ offer. These include added extras on-site but are offered at the same rate as the property alone. These packages help boost sales without complicating our pricing structure.

Have you explored additional income streams such as events, wellness workshops, or partnerships with local providers? What’s worked well?

Yes, we’ve actively developed additional income streams through events and partnerships that align with our wellness and community focus. We’ve hosted yoga and pilates sessions in the past, which were really well received. We also rent out our wellness spaces to local providers and individuals who want to run their own workshops or events, creating a flexible venue that supports a wide range of activities.

One of our standout successes is our monthly run club, which has grown massively and now attracts almost 100 members each month. It’s become a vibrant community event that brings people together and keeps them coming back. Collaborating with a variety of brands and offering these experiences has been a great way to diversify revenue while staying true to the Kip and Nook lifestyle.

How do you market Kip & Nook? Any advice for other operators?

We have an in-house team that manages all our marketing efforts, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, marketing emails, and special offers. Content creation is also done internally, which helps us maintain a closeknit approach and ensures everything stays perfectly aligned with our brand vision.

We also collaborate with talented photographers and videographers to produce high-quality visuals that truly reflect the Kip and Nook experience.

Social media and direct bookings have proven to be our most effective channels, allowing us to connect directly with our community and build genuine relationships.

Our advice for other operators: invest in a strong, consistent brand identity and keep control over your content. Authenticity and quality go a long way in standing out and building trust with your audience.

With new developments planned for 2025, what factors are driving your expansion and how are you financing or phasing this growth?

Our expansion is driven by the strong demand from our community and our desire to continually enhance the Kip and Nook experience. In terms of financing, everything we build is funded entirely from the profits generated by the business. We reinvest every penny back into Kip and Nook to ensure sustainable growth.

We phase developments carefully to maintain quality and make sure each new addition meets our standards and our guests’ expectations.

It helps that we have a fantastic building team on site who are true perfectionists. Every detail is done right and to the highest standard – and because all our cabins and developments are designed and built in-house, we maintain full control over quality and craftsmanship at every stage.

Looking back, what are some business decisions you’re especially proud of – and any you’d approach differently now?

We’re incredibly proud of what we’ve built at Kip and Nook. While not everything has gone exactly to plan, we wouldn’t change a thing because the lessons we’ve learned along the way have been invaluable in shaping where we are today.

We believe we’re on the right track to achieving our vision for the next few years, with exciting new developments like a health club gym and a new restaurant coming to the site. A coffee shop is also on the horizon as we continue to expand what we offer – not just for guests, but also for the local community.

Our focus remains on creating the best possible destination for everyone, and we’re excited for what’s next.

If you had to give one piece of advice to other glamping professionals, what would it be?

Always remember why you started and keep your vision for where you want to go front and centre. For us, staying true to what works for our brand and maintaining the highest standards has been key to our success.

It’s easy to get distracted by trends or short term gains, but focusing on your core values and delivering a consistently exceptional experience will help you build something lasting and meaningful.