Over the last decade I have had the good fortune to be able to travel through over 20 countries across Europe and Asia, and extensively through Greece. I spent 6 months backpacking throughout the mainland, and visiting as many islands as I could. Some very busy, others completely isolated. I have slept rough in Corfu, couch-surfed my way through Greece and Turkey, and stayed in all kinds of accommodation in my other travels ranging from barebones to luxury.

When I travel, I like to engage with the environment and the locals most of all. As a young backpacker, one of the best (and most affordable) ways to get connected with the land I was in was through camping. I’ve always loved camping, and do it as often as I can back home in Australia. I love the feeling of freedom, the connection to nature. Nothing beats relaxing by the fire at the end of the night whether it’s alone, with a loved one or the whole family, or gazing up at the stars above and basking in the serenity of it all.

Then I found glamping, which has all those wonderful things, plus the comfort of a luxury hotel room. My experiences of glamping in India, Bali and the Australian Outback never excluded that connection to nature that I love so much. What’s more, the element of luxury is heightened by the outdoors, ‘back to nature’ setting. It’s not that the luxury in question is better than that of a four-star hotel, but that it comes with something that a traditional hotel room cannot offer. All the positives of the camping experience without any of the hassle and hard work that usually comes with it.

All the glamping resorts that I have stayed in so far has been tailored to couples, but I wanted to create a family-friendly environment. One that draws on the communal campground feeling, with a large, shared fire-pit to sit by and at the end of the night and reflect on the day, to tell stories, or to simply enjoy the warmth and the company. These are simple things that, to me, speak to something so moving and so human that it cannot be put into words. So we chose Kos.

We chose Kos because it has enough of everything that you never get bored, while not having so much to see and do that it becomes overwhelming. You can connect to Greece’s fascinating history from Antiquity to Modern Independence. You can explore the beautiful Old Town, which has everything you need; relaxing cafés, delicious food, shopping and night life, but without being too big or too busy. It’s still all calm and relaxed in that quintessential Greek way.

The island itself varies from flat terrain, which is great for cycling, to a small mountain ridge to hike up and get the lay of the land. Then there are the stunning beaches. Some have the wind and waves which are perfect for kite surfing and other exciting activities. Some are more calm, isolated and romantic. Others still are those classic Greek beaches, serviced with food and drinks, some even with beachside bars where you can relax, meet new people, or party.

What makes this all the more important and exciting to me is that I am working on this as a family project with my dad, my sister and my life partner, opening up a new chapter of our lives. It is a chance to build a lifestyle together, to create a space where travellers, adventurers and families like us can come to relax, enjoy themselves, connect and make lasting memories.