If you are considering to try glamping in SG, stay away from Glamping Society. One word to describe their services and facilities: TRAGIC.

There is truly nothing ‘glam’ about Glamping Society unless your idea of glamour is a filthy, rundown tent with cheap decorations. This is supposed to be their main draw, decorations that you can get for a dollar or less, from AliExpress.

We were fully aware that it would be rough and rustic but for $300 a night just for the room no other perks or add-ons, it’s not too much to ask for an acceptable level of hygiene, no? I mean, they are marketing themselves as a “luxury experience” and for comparison, you can get a room, albeit the most basic, at the posh and historic Fullerton Hotel for around that price.

So it came as a bit of a shock that the tent was barely presentable and very poorly maintained. The outside is covered in green mold/ slime and other unsightly stains that in daylight, look like something out of a grisly crime scene.

We were greeted by a spider hanging from cobwebs upon entering and while this was amusing for us, communing with nature and all that, the layer of dust covering every square inch of the interior was not.

The inflatable mattresses were serviceable if not for the mildew-covered pillows and drool-stained beddings that were practically older than Metuselah. It became obvious that these were throwaway linens that Glamping Society salvaged from the bins of budget hotels, New Asia Star Hotel in particular, which at least, has no pretences of luxury from what I can see from a quick Google search.

As you can see, the ‘room’ was quite vile but the wee one had been looking forward to this camping trip for weeks that I couldn’t bring myself to disappoint him so instead of leaving right there and then - which would have been the correct decision, I made the mistake of asking the “Director” of the company to please clean the dust and change the beddings into something more acceptable. And they did, except the new pillow cases had even more stains than before.

As if that’s not repulsive enough, the “private toilet” we were led to believe exists is in fact a dilapidated hovel that is accessible to everyone at the very public fishing area right next to it.

Aside from being so squalid that the surfaces are literally brown and black in places, the toilets also stank sharply of pee that has been stewing forever. Upon feedback, the “director” haughtily retorted that we should be thankful it’s not clogged or covered in used nappies like as if that’s the gold standard for “luxury” service.

A down payment was required to reserve the tent with the balance payable upon check-in. When it became clear we weren’t happy with the derelict conditions, the “director” resorted to extortionist means sending her ‘caretaker’ to barge in, completely disregarding our privacy and refusing to leave even when asked repeatedly. The whole time she was also not wearing a mask and acted crazy further violating our health and safety.

Apparently, her boss gave her orders to trespass and to not budge until she collected payment on the spot. Indeed, the boss had the gall to repeat these threats over the phone telling us that our only choice is to pay up, or her caretaker will continue to harass us through the night. This is how they dealt with complaints, gangster-style.

On a side note, they also don’t issue any invoice and when I asked for one, they didn’t have a registration number which means they are not a recognised business entity in SG. When I clarified, they sent one under an “education consultancy” company that has definitely nothing to do with hospitality but under which they claim, Glamping Society is a “subsidiary.”

From what I know, even subsidiaries should have their own GST number so all in all, this operation is not only beyond disgusting with absolutely no redeeming qualities but also very dodgy.

So friends, please save yourselves and help spread the word so no one else falls victim to such shameless racketeers who lie outright to get your business.

Unpalatable pictures attached as proof. Skim at your own risk. You’ve been warned.

PS: We stayed at their Kranji Farm Resort location.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/885221925436949