We’ve previously spoken to Craig about how yurts have been a major difference maker for the OSP system. But this yurt wasn’t for the park system – Craig planned to keep this one in the family. And as it turns out, the story of this purchase and its aftermath shows how one simple yurt can do big things, from bringing together families, advancing careers, reducing the cost of living for a young couple, and more.

So we decided to sit down with Craig once again to hear how, more than just being the sum of its parts, a yurt carries the weight of its history – and its future.

How did you end up purchasing this yurt, and who is living in it?

We bought the yurt for my daughter and her fiance earlier this year. They’re vegetable farmers and have a farm pretty close to the trust where the yurt sits. Being farmers, it was natural that they would be in the same orbit as the owner of an agricultural trust in their area, and that they would meet. 

The owner first purchased the yurt in 2003 and originally used it as worker housing. But by the time we connected with him, it hadn’t been used that way for a while, and a good deal of time had passed since any real maintenance was done on the yurt. So we bought it from him, fixed it up, and now my daughter and her fiance are living there and paying rent to its previous owner, who still owns the land where the yurt sits.

What about this yurt caught your daughter’s attention?

The first thing is that it’s much closer to their farm than where they were previously living. It’s also more bang for their buck – it’s cheaper to rent than their apartment in Portland, and at 30 feet in diameter, it’s actually bigger, too. 

On top of that, it’s just a gorgeous area. There are fruit trees everywhere, it’s surrounded by the green of rural Oregon, all of that. 

Can you tell us a bit about your daughter’s farm?

Well, it’s a vegetable farm, and the way they do most of their business is through community supported agriculture, or CSAs. People buy a share from them, and the farm sends them a box of vegetables on a weekly basis. On top of that, they’re a vendor at the Oregon City Farmer’s Market every weekend, and they sell to a couple of restaurants, too. By allowing them to live closer to the farm, the yurt just makes it so much easier to run their business.

You mentioned it had been a while since the previous owner had done maintenance. When you became the owner, what was the renovation process like?

I know from my experience bringing Pacific Yurts to Oregon State Parks that quality of materials is a big deal for you guys. That made fixing up this yurt much easier than one might otherwise expect. When we got it, the roof was in good shape, and all the timbers used for the lattice and the support were looking pretty great, even after 21 years and little maintenance work. Basically, all we had to do was replace the siding, which was pretty easy. It was easy to order, and the Pacific Yurts staff made sure we got everything we needed quickly. 

One nice thing is that we were able to make a family affair out of it. Pacific Yurts are well-designed in that you don’t need a professional crew with specialized skills to work on them, so we got my daughter and her fiance to come down, as well as a buddy of mine, and we all did the renovation work together.

How long did it take to get the yurt into livable condition?

Well, we ordered the siding and that arrived pretty quickly. Then we took off the old siding and skirting, as well as the insulation – when it was built back in 2003, they used that old pink insulation, which needed to be switched out. 

That was the first day. Then we spent another day replacing all those things with the new materials. Then we spent some time on cleanup. I’d say from ordering the parts to getting the yurt into a condition where my daughter could move in, it took just about a week, or maybe a little less. Now we’re looking at other upgrades we can do, the first of which is adding two of the new glass windows Pacific Yurts is now offering.

Is the plan for your daughter and her fiance to live in this yurt for the long term?

More likely the idea is that they’ll live in it for a few years, which will allow them to save money because it’s so affordable to live there. Then the plan is to buy a house nearby. But even when that happens, we’re planning to keep the yurt.

What will be the plan for the yurt at that point?

Well, my daughter has a degree in early childhood development, and has been a nanny for years. One thing she would love to do is open a daycare center or a preschool in the yurt. It would be kind of specialized in agriculture. They could take the kids to the farm and teach them about growing food, with the yurt as kind of a home base. So the yurt is basically serving three purposes: It’s providing her a home, it brings her closer to her farm so she can grow her business more effectively, and it’s opening opportunities for a new career venture in an area she’s always been passionate about. And none of it would really be feasible without the flexibility and ease of yurt life.

The post How a 21-Year-Old Yurt Started a New Chapter for an Oregon Family first appeared on Pacific Yurts.

This wasn’t always the case, though. Back in the ’90s, Oregon State Parks were in dire straits. With a revenue crisis on its hands, the parks were struggling to juggle a backlogged maintenance system and low winter occupancy rates. In 1993, Oregon State Parks regional manager Craig Tutor chanced upon a Pacific Yurts display at the Oregon State Fair, and things instantly clicked. 

How Craig Tutor Brought Pacific Yurts to Oregon State Parks

Since childhood, Craig had always enjoyed camping with his family. So when it came time for him to go to college, majoring in Resource Recreation Management at Oregon State University and eventually landing a job with the state park system were a natural fit. But even with the park system in need of a shakeup, it was hard to get buy-in for Craig’s idea to bring yurts in. 

“It puzzled me when I had managers that said they didn’t want yurts,” Craig says. “We were in a financial crisis, and from my perspective, we had to try something bold.” 

After overcoming the initial reluctance, Craig was able to persuade the agency to add 16 Pacific Yurts along the coastline. That’s when things really kicked off. And as it turns out, this out-of-the-box thinking was just what parks needed. 

“You go camping in a cabin, everybody knows what that is. But go glamping in a yurt, and now you’ve had an adventure,” he explained. For park goers, that new sense of adventure inspired a level of demand the park had never experienced. Today, guests looking for the perfect glamping getaway have their pick of over 200 yurts across the Oregon State Parks system – all from Pacific Yurts.

Why Yurts Are a Bottom-Line Booster 

For Craig, the ultimate challenge of yurts isn’t installation or upkeep, it’s convincing people to take the leap of faith. But he says once managers and businesses are convinced, they never go back. Along with their unique design, Craig says yurts are great money makers, and can help give businesses a leg up from the competition. 

According to him, the top business cases for yurts include: 

1. Solving for Seasonality

During the rainy winter months, guest volume naturally dropped at Oregon State Parks. Yurts turned that trend around. “When Labor Day comes and all those campsites are empty, you have yurts where people can stay dry and warm. At our parks, that’s exactly what happened – yurts really boosted our offseason.”

2. Quick ROI
   If your site already has water infrastructure, Craig says yurts are a relatively easy add-on. “If you’re a campsite or a state park system that already has the infrastructure for restrooms and showers, then getting a return on your investment in yurts happens relatively quickly,” Craig explains.

3. A New Kind of Experience

While yurts have skyrocketed in popularity over the years, they’re still a unique, novel experience for a lot of folks. That novelty is what helped Oregon State Parks climb out of financial crisis, and Craig says news traveled fast from there: “The word of mouth sell was tremendous.”

Exploring Other Commercial Uses for Yurts

Over the years, Craig has not only seen yurts transform state parks, but commercial businesses as well. From wineries and farms to breweries and golf courses, Craig says the practical application of yurts are endless. 

For farms and other businesses that rely on seasonal staff, yurts can also offer the perfect, low-maintenance worker housing. “Everybody’s looking for ways to keep employees. Usually the people you’re getting would think it’s really an adventure to be able to have that kind of housing.” 

Craig’s ultimate dream? Floating yurts, which he says is actually fairly easy to implement. 

“I always wanted to do floating yurts because it’s so much easier than most people probably expect. You just build a dock and you can put in all the infrastructure you need. I think it would be kind of novel and really put you on the map.”

Make Your Vision a Reality

Thanks to Craig’s forward-thinking ingenuity, the Oregon State Park system continues to thrive three decades after adding their first Pacific Yurts. “People tell me I should have been an entrepreneur instead of working in state parks,” Craig says. “I feel really fortunate that I got to do both.”
Interested in bringing yurts to your business? Our 3D Yurt Builder is a great place to start.

The post Why a Parks Manager Fought for Yurts, and How He Won first appeared on Pacific Yurts.

It was within this well-preserved natural wonder that John and his wife Corrine bought, in 1987, the property that became Treebones Resort. Since then, Treebones has seen incredible success, and was even recently named one of the top 10 glamping sites by USA Today. Their investment in yurts has been central to their ability to deliver amazing glamping experiences while embodying the spirit of preservation that is the responsibility of all businesses and residents of Big Sur. Or, as John puts it: “We wanted to perch lightly on the land, to build on it without clearing it. Yurts really lend themselves to that.” Treebones bought their first Pacific Yurt in the late 1990’s and now has 16 – and counting – available to guests year-round.

Design Your Own Yurt in Our Yurt Builder.

With glamping operators everywhere increasingly curious about what yurts can do for their business, John and Corrine’s experience at Treebones can provide clarity and address lingering hesitations. So we interviewed John to get his perspective. If you’re a glamping operator thinking of investing in yurts but feeling apprehensive, here’s what you need to know – straight from a glamping veteran and longtime yurt champion.

Strong Weather Isn’t the Danger You Think It Is

A common reservation about yurts from glamping operators is the idea that yurts are vulnerable to strong weather. While climate should, indeed, play a role in some of your decision-making around yurts – if you live in a hot and humid area, for instance, there are some logistics around securing sufficient power for air conditioning – weather doesn’t pose the danger you might think it does. 

As John says: “We’ve had heavy rain and hurricane-force winds up to 80 miles per hour. It’s the nature of being right on the Pacific coast. Our yurts hold up just fine. The top cable keeps everything together really well, and the yurt just sheds the wind, even when the weather is as crazy as you can imagine.”

Questions About Yurts? Get in Touch.

Yurts Are Good for Business…

John and Corrine have witnessed the rise of glamping firsthand. During their years operating Treebones, they’ve noticed a shift in customer enthusiasm from tent camping to accommodations, like yurts, that have more amenities but can still offer the rustic experience that draws people to the outdoors. 

This has shown up in the company’s bottom line. “We typically see about 90% occupancy for our yurts, compared to around 50% for tents,” John says. “I don’t think tent camping will ever really disappear as a pastime, but these days, more and more people are looking for yurts.”

In terms of how this translates to a return on investment for yurt operators, John says: “Yurts are pretty affordable to buy, and we’ve found that they cater to guests who are relatively comfortable financially. There are some up-front infrastructure costs to think about, like water and sewer. But once you break even on that, you can add more yurts and start generating a profit pretty quickly.”

…Because They Cater to Today’s Traveler

Treebones’ yurts are especially popular among an increasingly common guest demographic: people looking for exciting yet comfortable variations on the camping experience. “I would describe our typical guests as experience-seeking young people,” John says. “We’re seeing them arrive more and more.” While yurts may still be a bit obscure to some, John has seen firsthand that, once people understand what staying in a yurt entails, they see it as a fresh, unique experience that they’re curious to try for themselves. 

As an example, John offers an anecdote from some years back, when a Los Angeles Times reporter visited Treebones, stayed in a yurt, took some pictures, and published them in the paper. The article was picked up around the world, including as far away as Saudi Arabia. “Most importantly, the reporter’s pictures were picked up by local papers in New York, right as the city was in the middle of an ice storm,” John says. “Just getting a visual of these yurts bathed in sun in Big Sur seemed to awaken something in people. Almost immediately, our hotel was full of folks who had traveled across the country from New York.”

Since Treebones first opened, the resort has consistently been among Trip Advisor’s top destinations in Big Sur. Given their exceptional ability to cater to the desires of today’s travelers, this comes as no surprise.

Yurts Have a Low Environmental Impact

Another typical guest profile for Treebones: the environmentally conscious traveler. “People who stay in our yurts are often consciously looking to avoid staying somewhere that has a big carbon footprint or is extractive,” John explains. 

Why are these folks attracted to yurts? “When I say yurts enable us to perch lightly on the land, I’m alluding to two things in particular,” John says. “First, we don’t need to clear a bunch of land to build our yurts. We don’t have to pave over any earth or animal habitats. Second, yurts use far fewer materials than a cabin – less wood, less drywall. We always think about how much we’re tapping the planet’s resources with the materials we use, and yurts allow us to keep that level pretty low. A 20-foot yurt, packed up, can fit in the back of your pickup truck.”

Curious what a yurt might look like at your campground or resort? Start finding out by designing your own yurt in our Yurt Builder.

The post Customer Spotlight: For Yurt-Curious Businesses, Treebones Resorts Has Answers first appeared on Pacific Yurts.

For twenty-six years, Carlee Casey and her family have made their home on two and a half acres at the southern end of the island. Once she retired, she began to feel the need for more space at home. After seeing yurts popping up around the island, Carlee wondered if it was time to build one of her own. 

We caught up with Carlee to chat about how she made her yurt dreams come true, and what those interested in the yurt life need to know as they get started.

Why More Glampers Are Choosing Yurts

For Carlee, seeing yurts around Vashon is nothing new. But as the years go on, she’s seen more and more pop up. “I think they’ve proliferated over time,” Carlee says. “It’s one of those phenomena where you see one and you go, oh, that’s an interesting solution. And the ones that I see are now all Pacific Yurts.” 

We asked her what she thought was behind this popularity, and she identified three key ways in which yurts stand apart from alternatives:

1. Extra Space Without Breaking the Bank
   When her family knew they needed more space, Carlee first considered a traditional home renovation. “We had talked about adding onto the house, but it would have been prohibitively expensive,” Carlee says. “This felt like a cost-effective way to get us the space we needed. I had spent time in yurts before, and so ultimately, it was just a no-brainer for us. Our yurt is a little over 200 square feet, and the square footage cost is really great. Compared to a stick-build addition, it was much more feasible.”
   
2. A Great Middle Ground for Nature Lovers
   For outdoorsy folks looking for a balance of adventure and comfort, yurts are the perfect solution. “Yurts offer a rustic space without discomfort,” Carlee says. “You can be warm in a yurt. You have lights and electricity. You’re more secure in it – it isn’t just a piece of flimsy fabric between you and the world. It’s insulation and hard cloth and a roof with a dome.”
   
   At the same time, Carlee emphasizes that there’s a reason she has seen more yurts popping up not just on residential property, but at many state parks as an alternative to tent or RV camping. “There are lots of people who really do love nature and want to be out in it, but just don’t want to have to drag a tent and all of that.”
   
3. A Design That Inspires Serenity
   Carlee also found the design itself freeing: “I think humans respond to the circle in a particular way. There are no hard angles here, and there’s something freeing about having this big round space with no awkward or inaccessible corners. I find myself relaxing in a way in this space that I don’t often in other spaces.”

What to Look for When You’re in the Market for a Yurt

When it comes to choosing a yurt, Carlee says Pacific Yurts provided the ideal experience. She offered a description of this experience as a roadmap for what first-time yurt buyers should look for. 

A Perfect Partnership

At first, Carlee had plenty of questions about the parts of her yurt, how to source power, and beyond. “But my anxiety disappeared thanks to the availability of the Pacific Yurts team to answer my questions and the thoroughness of their printed instructions,” she says. “They were so friendly and helped me get my bearings and understand exactly what to expect. They made me fully confident that I had a team to help me should I encounter any issue.” 

Quality Materials

Carlee also emphasized the impact that the quality of materials can have on the overall yurt experience. “The quality of the wood is just beautiful,” she says. “The way Pacific Yurts has laid out the yurt is incredibly clever. It’s just phenomenally well-considered and well-executed. A lot of thought and care has gone into what you’re assembling. It’s not going to wobble once you put it up.”

Customizable Design & Easy Setup

Because she planned to use her yurt as a home gym and yoga studio, Carlee considered installing a floating floor. She says working with Pacific Yurts to bring her vision to life was a breeze. “As soon as I mentioned the floating floor, Tammy from Pacific Yurts sent me the information and the instructions. It’s like they have an answer handy for any idea you could have.” 

Once the platform was built, “putting up the yurt itself took maybe six hours,” she explains. “I just couldn’t have had a better experience. There was not one glitch in the whole thing.” 

Create Your Own Custom Yurt

How would Carlee sum up her advice for first-time yurt buyers? “There’s a vibe at Pacific Yurts that they want you to love yurts as much as they do,” she says. “Any company you work with should have that vibe.”

In five minutes, you could be looking at your dream yurt. Give our 3D yurt-building tool a whirl and start designing your personal yurt today. 

The post Customer Spotlight: Building a Yurt Getaway 50 Feet from the House first appeared on Pacific Yurts.

And over near Bryson City, there’s Sky Ridge Yurts, where Melissa Little has spent over a decade building a glamper’s paradise in close partnership with Pacific Yurts. 

Our recent ROI analysis revealed strong financial performance for Sky Ridge Yurts. Now, we’re spotlighting the expert behind one of the most successful glamping businesses in Appalachia and getting her thoughts into some of the most popular yurt questions. What kind of traveler do yurts cater to? What’s behind the current glamping boom? What does the future hold, and what do businesses and adventurers need to know to get involved?

How Did Sky Ridge Yurts Get to Where They Are?

Melissa’s business got started after her husband passed away in 2010, leaving her in need of the means to support her family. With materials from Pacific Yurts and help from her late husband’s friends, she quickly erected three yurts and began renting them out. 

They were an instant hit: “A healthy glamping business will have around 70% occupancy,” Melissa says. “We were at 95% or higher.” To meet the surging demand, Melissa worked with Pacific Yurts to expand her capacity. She now has seven yurts, with an eighth currently in the works. 

She’s also running a consulting service helping people who are new to the yurt game along with installation. “With Pacific Yurts, the build itself is easy, and people really only need help if they’re building a lot of units and need a few extra hands,” Melissa says. “With other providers, the builds get a little more complicated, and they often need some guidance on the process.” 

How Can Yurts Help Hospitality Businesses Broaden Their Appeal?

Sky Ridge Yurts has more accommodation options than their name suggests – in addition to their numerous yurts, they have a traditional cabin, with plans for additional lodgings on a second property they’ve acquired. And after several years of offering both options, Melissa has seen firsthand how yurts cater to a different type of audience with different priorities than more traditional accommodations can serve. 

“We have a lot of folks that enjoy both our cabin and our yurts,” Melissa says. “But our yurts often specifically attract travelers who have a more adventurous spirit and who want something a little more rustic and remote but still comfortable – the exact kind of traveler that’s becoming more common in the glamping era. If we only had cabins, we wouldn’t get nearly as many of these folks. Sometimes they don’t even stay with us if our yurts are booked and only the cabin is available.”

What Would Melissa Tell Travelers and Businesses Interested in Yurts?

We asked Melissa to list the most important things to know about yurts, whether you’re thinking of staying in one, building one for your own use, or starting a glamping business. Melissa identified four key qualities:

Yurts Can Be Mobile

“Yurts have this beautiful aesthetic and spacious interior, and it all breaks down into a package of materials that’s so compact and easy to move. There have been times when I’ve transported a 20-foot yurt in the back of my Honda Element.”

Yurts Are Sustainable

“Yurts require far fewer materials to build than other structures. That doesn’t just make them less resource-intensive, it also means you don’t need a bunch of big, gas-guzzling trucks to haul the materials to your build site.”

Yurts Can Be Easy – If You Plan

“Because yurts are generally faster and less costly to build, some people make the mistake of thinking it’s a free-for-all. But there are still issues like local laws and landowner policies that could affect your plans. Do your homework as you move forward so you don’t run into trouble.”

Yurts Are Battle-Tested

“The glamping boom has also seen more safari tents and geodesic domes popping up, which often have structural issues, leaks, or poor insulation. Those problems don’t exist with our yurts. Our oldest yurts date back 14 years and we’ve never had one maintenance issue.”

How Does Melissa Explain the Current Glamping Boom?

There’s little denying the glamping boom among American travelers. One projection puts the cumulative annual growth rate of glamping at 8.7% between 2024 and 2030. The term was even added to the Oxford English Dictionary in 2016. 

But how did the glamping boom come about, and where is it headed?

“Not long ago, if you wanted an outdoorsy experience, your options were a hotel or a cabin, or, on the other side, a tent or RV. There wasn’t really anything in between,” Melissa says. “But tastes are changing, and the pandemic accelerated that as people wanted to travel in comfort while still social distancing. That interest hasn’t gone away, and it has made glamping, and yurts specifically, much more popular.”

As for what happens now: “The glamping boom has changed the way investors and banks think about yurts,” Melissa says. “There was a time when it was hard to get loans or financing for yurt construction because it felt new and unproven. Now that glamping has mainstreamed alternative kinds of lodgings, it’s so much easier to attract investors and to work with insurance companies and governments. I think that will add even more energy to the glamping boom – I don’t see it slowing down anytime soon.”

Learn and Explore

Thinking of building a yurt for your business? Take a test drive with the 3D yurt builder tool and submit a quote.

The post Customer Spotlight: Insights from Veteran Glamping Expert Melissa Little first appeared on Pacific Yurts.

Introduction to Pacific Yurts

Melissa’s introduction to Pacific Yurts was through her mother who lived in a yurt full time. Impressed by the craftsmanship and ease of assembly of her mother’s yurt, Melissa and her late husband contemplated starting a glamping business but weren’t sure who would manage it. 

After Melissa’s husband passed away, she decided to take the plunge and enter the short-term rental market on her own. She noticed that Pacific Yurt rentals were prevalent out west and wanted to get ahead of the inevitable yurt wave in the east. Starting with three yurt kits, Melissa called in some friends to help with assembly and had all three yurts completed over a three-day weekend. The quick installation turnaround, plus the yurts’ quality craftsmanship and aesthetic appeal convinced even the most skeptical of her friends and neighbors, quickly followed by guests with rave reviews.

Return on Investment for Sky Ridge Yurts

Sky Ridge Yurts now has seven yurts of varying sizes and sees an impressive return on investment year over year. Below, you’ll find the ROI for each of their yurt sizes. Please note that the purchase prices listed do not include the yurt platform, site preparation, and furniture.

We’re also noting a few of the amenities that Sky Ridge provides to inspire business owners who want to start their own glamping business. While their amenities vary by yurt size, all of the Sky Ridge yurts feature full baths, satellite TVs, Wi-Fi, a gas grill, and central heat and air.

Glamping business tip: Premium and/or unique amenities will keep your guests coming back and guarantee glowing reviews. Want more tips? Here’s our guide to starting a successful glamping business.

ROI for Smaller Yurts

With a low-cost entry point and great return, Sky Ridge Yurts’ 20-foot yurts, Cherokee and Tuckaseegee, can accommodate three guests with a queen bed, a twin pull-out bed, and an efficient kitchen.  

• Purchase price per yurt (including optional features) = $16,795
• Average Rate = $130/night
• Occupancy Rate = 84.5%
• Gross Revenue (per yurt) per Year = $39,952
• ROI = 137.9%

ROI for Medium Yurts

Perfect for increased space and ease of assembly, Sky Ridge Yurts’ three 24-foot yurts, Nantahala, Santeetlah, and Tsali can sleep four guests in a king bed and a queen pull-out bed.

• Purchase price per yurt (including optional features) = $23,002
• Average Rate = $156/night
• Occupancy Rate = 83.95%
• Gross Revenue (per yurt) per Year = $47,972
• ROI = 108.3%

ROI for Large Yurts

Open and spacious, Sky Ridge Yurts’ 30-foot Fontana and Junaluska yurts sleep six people comfortably with a king suite, a queen pull-out bed, and two twin pull-out beds. Premium features in these deluxe yurts include a full kitchen and two satellite TVs, perfect for entertaining a large family. 

• Purchase price per yurt (including optional features) = $28,220
• Average Rate = $205/night
• Occupancy Rate = 83.81%
• Gross Revenue (per yurt) per Year = $62,548
• ROI = 121.6%

Get Started Adding Yurts To Your Business Today

Glamping is an exciting opportunity for any entrepreneur looking to break into the ecotourism and short-term rental market. To learn more about Pacific Yurts and find answers to your yurt questions, visit our customer support page.

Contact Pacific Yurts or create your own yurt with our Yurt Builder 3D pricing tool to get started on making your glamping business dreams a reality.

The post Sky Ridge Yurts Case Study first appeared on Pacific Yurts.

Arriving in Alaska: The Start of an Adventure

Susan, an artist by profession, came to Alaska from New Mexico with her family in 1969. Dennis came to Alaska from Washington, D.C., in 1977, where he was a lawyer with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). After meeting in Anchorage, Susan and Dennis married and had three sons, moving to Seward, Alaska in 1996. After acquiring three acres of waterfront property (including a small island that they named Orca Island), the couple decided to build a remote wilderness lodge that now includes eight luxury Pacific Yurts they later named Orca Island Cabins.

The Construction of Orca Island Cabins: Dennis and Susan Meet Pacific Yurts

As Dennis and Susan developed their plans to start their waterfront vacation destination, they felt a strong desire to make their property eco-friendly. In the mid-1990s, ecotourism was a relatively new concept, but with so much natural beauty in Alaska, the couple committed to preserving the acreage they owned by approaching development sustainably. 

Enter Pacific Yurts. After being introduced to Pacific Yurts by a friend, the couple immediately liked the sustainable design, ease of assembly, and the minimal impact that yurts would have on the island’s fragile and mossy topsoil. They decided to build their yurts as an experiment, knowing they could easily replace the structures with something more traditional should the project go south. Luckily, the responses they’ve received from their guests have been wholly ecstatic and met with positivity.

The Process of Building Pacific Yurts on Orca Island

Dennis and Susan started Orca Island Cabins in the early aughts with a single yurt. They initially anticipated building four, but they’ve since built eight that are now connected to the island by an 80-foot arched footbridge. Initially, the couple chose the 20-foot diameter yurt because it could comfortably accommodate two guests with a queen bed and futon (for additional guests), private bathroom with compost toilet, kitchen, living, and dining areas. Thus, Orca Island Cabins was born as a seasonally run business after finishing that initial yurt.

The Challenges of Building Pacific Yurts on an Island

Because the Swiderski’s lodging is located in a remote setting (ten miles SE of Seward, Alaska in Resurrection Bay), all building materials were brought into Orca Island by boat. The temperate and wet climate, which included frequent high winds and strong seas near the island, made it more difficult to access the property and to build on it at the time. 

They hired local Seward carpenters who knew how to work on the terrain to assemble their yurts. They built the foundation in five to six days, the deck in four to five, and erected the first yurt in two days. The interior took another ten days to finish, which included adding a bathroom, full kitchen, and propane for hot water, along with a range fireplace and other luxury yurt amenities for guests.

Operating a Yurt Glamping Business Q&A

As pioneers of glamping in Alaska, the Swiderski family has witnessed the skyrocketing popularity of the industry over the years, updating their own services and systems in order to stay competitive while adhering to eco-friendly standards. We asked Dennis, Jonah, and Yen about owning and operating their exciting and remote vacation destination. Here’s what they told us.

How has your experience been with Pacific Yurts, and how have guests taken to the structures?

Dennis: I would simply emphasize that it is important to erect any yurt per the instructions. As far as living off the grid goes, because we embraced, from the outset, ecotourism and sustainable energy practices, we have emerged as an example of a “glamping” destination, i.e., an upscale, comfortable, and stylish rental destination in a remote, wilderness setting. However, because we are off the grid, we rely on solar panels/inverters/battery banks for our limited electrical needs, along with a generator as a backup. We utilize propane for our range, as well as a fireplace and a water heater. We also transport all of our water to the island by boat. As far as maintenance goes, we stain the doors and wash the outside every summer, while the insides get a deep cleaning every spring

What is your average occupancy rate for your 8 yurts?

Jonah and Yen: Over the years, we have experienced a 75% occupancy rate. During 2021 and 2022, Alaska had a huge boom in business because international travel was still highly restricted but people wanted to get out. The numbers we are seeing now are more reflective of stable growth and we are aiming to stay in the 85-95% range.

How many rental nights does Orca Island Cabins offer per year?

Jonah and Yen: We are open from mid-May to mid-September. The exact opening dates differ each season due to weather and other factors, but we base our budgets and systems on a 100-day season. In reality, it is more like 120-125 days but shoulder season dates are very open and often have inclement weather limitations. June, July, and August are our busiest months, with July being the peak month.

What is an estimate of the average ROI of one of your yurts?

Jonah and Yen: The cost of the yurt building, construction of the platforms, and connecting walkways more than triples the costs of the original purchase. We do not generally see any return on the investment when building on Orca Island Cabins for a full season. But at our current rates, it makes up two-thirds of their cost per season.

Yurt Lodging Tips from Orca Island Cabins

If you’re looking to start a yurt glamping business, here are a few tips from Orca Island Cabins.

1. Give ample surrounding space around each yurt. Yurts are essentially very elaborate tents and because of their soft shell, all outside noises are heard and all inside noises are projected.
2. The right tools make a big difference. The most difficult part of the maintenance is the cleaning of the inside walls due to the lattice structures.
3. Get the insulation package to help retain heat. Because of the vaulted ceilings and wall materials, we are very glad we went with the insulation package to combat this. We also put fans on top of our propane stoves to help distribute heat.

Visit Orca Island Cabins to start planning your next Alaskan glamping adventure today.

The post Customer Spotlight: Orca Island Cabins first appeared on Pacific Yurts.

Small Accommodations, Maximum Comfort

Established in 2005, Maggie Valley Rentals was opened by Jamie and Lisa Milligan as part of a neighboring B&B, offering comfortable rentals in tiny log cabins. The couple has been upgrading and expanding the property since 2019 and began planning for their Yurt Village in 2020 after acquiring the adjoining six acres. As they already had six tiny log homes and wanted to focus on bringing the outdoors inside for their next project, they turned their minds to yurts.

Each of Maggie Valley’s yurts are permitted as single-family residences to provide year-round comfort. While planning took some time because they were the first of their kind in Haywood County, the team finally broke ground on the yurt builds in the fall of 2021 and opened the first three luxury yurts in the spring of 2022.

Get Close to Nature in Maggie Valley

Within an hour of Maggie Valley Cabin Rentals are amazing local attractions such as the Biltmore Estate and Gatlinburg, NC. Outdoor lovers will be ideally situated to explore the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Cataloochee Ski Area, and the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway.

Many of Maggie Valley’s visitors return year after year, including those of the wildlife variety. While staying in Maggie Valley’s Yurt Village, you may spot a family of geese residing on the larger pond’s island, ducks making the pilgrimage between the property’s two ponds, and a few elk confidently traversing the property.

Creating Maggie Valley’s Yurt Village

Initially, the area the Milligans designated for the yurts was overgrown farmland with a few hidden gems waiting to be uncovered. Along the road lies a beautifully restored barn and next to the big pond sits a relaxing covered pavilion with a massive stone fireplace. The Yurt Village is perfectly at home amongst such quaint and calming natural surroundings.

When asked about the advantages of using yurts as their newest lodge accommodation, the Milligans replied, “The sights and sounds of nature feel so close. The yurts are so toasty warm in the colder months, and those high ceilings are what it’s all about!”

The Milligans noted that first impressions of the yurts can be deceiving. “Some guests [despite having booked a yurt] get here and say things like ‘What is that? I booked a cabin…’ and then they walk inside and see what we have created,” the couple explained. “After they compose themselves, we get a quick apology or a big thank you. Let’s face it…yurts may not be for everyone, but almost all of our guests absolutely love them!”

Building Their Pacific Yurts

Pacific Yurts came highly recommended to the couple by their friends at Sky Ridge Yurts in Bryson City. The Milligans were yurt pioneers in their North Carolina county. As the first people to install yurts, they had to brainstorm and execute their own plans to make it happen. Working side by side with Haywood County, they decided to permit the yurts as single-family residences, resulting in a stronger, more energy-efficient dwelling that would provide year-round comfort for their guests. 

All the comforts of home are present in the yurts including traditional power, residential HVAC, and residential hot water. They even have 2 EV charging stations on their property for guests to use free of charge. 

Coming up with a passing R-value (a measure of insulating effectiveness) proved to be difficult. The Milligans worked with a local company to find a way to meet Haywood County’s strict guidelines around structure insulation requirements. A combination of NASA-grade insulation for the walls and the ceiling provided by Pacific Yurts was used. They also applied spray foam insulation to the underside of the platform to meet those guidelines. 

For those looking to apply a similar solution, the Milligans suggest laying a vapor barrier down under the yurt (this was a requirement for them) and then closing your yurt in via a crawl space.

Mountain Laurel Yurt

Maggie Valley’s largest yurt stands proudly at 30’ in diameter and boasts two bedrooms, a king and a queen, with a sleeper sofa available in the spacious living area. The whole family can cook in the yurt’s full-size kitchen, complete with a dishwasher for easy cleanup. 

After a full day of exploring the attractions nearby, guests can toss their clothing in the full-size laundry tower. A large, wraparound porch is perfect for relaxing outdoors with family and friends and indulging in outdoor dining. Truly, all the comforts of home are here.

Scarlet Oak and Loblolly Pine Yurts 

Maggie Valley’s two studio yurts feel larger than their 24’ diameter footprint, thanks to their iconic yurt high domed ceiling and large porches, perfect for enjoying a morning coffee or yoga practice. 

Complete with a king-size bed, sleeper sofa, full-size kitchen (with dishwasher), and private bath, studio accommodations have never felt more luxurious. These yurts are spacious enough to share with family and friends, and many guests choose to book both yurts for a group stay.

Advice for Prospective Yurt Owners

Now seasoned yurt owners, Jamie and Lisa share their top three tips for those looking to design and build their own glamping yurts:

1. Make it so that your guests can’t wait to come back. The Milligans’ property is all about melding the luxurious inside with the natural beauty that surrounds us all. 
2. Make friends with whoever is approving your permits. They note that you will want and need their help throughout the process. 
3. Don’t cut corners or spare any expense. Like your home, it’s all about the kitchen and bathroom, a comfy bed, and more.

What’s next for Maggie Valley? They are preparing to break ground on the last two luxury yurts, and guests staying there this summer will be able to see the evolution in person. The couple hints, “One of them will be all by itself on the upper level — we refer to it as Honeymoon Hideaway.”

Want to experience Yurt Village for yourself? Visit their website or book your stay online and reserve your glamping experience in beautiful Maggie Valley, North Carolina.

The post Customer Spotlight: Maggie Valley Yurts first appeared on Pacific Yurts.

Inspiration to Build a Yurt

Being creatives, having their own space was paramount. On their first date, Sam and Zach talked about tiny houses, not just conceptually, but talking about different structures and designs. Fast forward and the two moved into their own yurt in 2017.

While searching for the right living space, they hoped to find a structure that left room for creative expression, allowed for investment in their future, and stayed within their budget. Choosing to live in a yurt fulfilled these requirements and more. It allowed them to gain financial freedom and embrace the lifestyle they are passionate about. “Not only was it a financial investment as we stopped paying rent and instead bought a structure we could take with us into our future, it was an educational investment as well.” By paring down their living space to an ever-customizable yurt, they were able to focus on learning from others, flexing their problem-solving skills, and creating together in their new space.

Why Pacific Yurts?

The pair first came across Pacific Yurts by visiting state parks throughout Oregon. These visits introduced them to these structures and the possibilities they offer. “When we decided we wanted a yurt for our home, we were lucky enough to be able to visit Pacific Yurts. Once we set foot in the 20’ diameter Pacific Yurt, we knew we were home”.

The Challenges and Rewards of A Portable Home

A major bonus of yurts for the couple is the ability to transport their living structure, which has allowed them to stay in multiple, beautiful places across the country. “It has been an incredible feeling to take a few days to build and suddenly be in our home again, a thousand miles from its previous foundation,” the couple explained.

Three of the four places the couple has built their yurt have represented vastly different climates, and these varying climates definitely bring their own challenges when it comes to rebuilding. “With each iteration of the yurt, we did not know what challenges each climate would bring until we faced them”. From unrelenting heat in the high desert to surprisingly loud swaying trees in the hardwood forest to extremely cold temperatures in the Northwoods, the couple has learned from each unique climate challenge saying, “We’ve become accustomed to accepting nature and living within it, instead of striving to be separate from it. It is both a gift and a challenge”.

Adapting to Off-Grid Yurt Living

Over the years, Sam and Zach have tested different systems each time they have built their yurt. For power, they once ran a circuit from a local power source and another time, an extension cord from a neighbor’s house. Other more manual systems have included carrying water, permaculture greywater, composting toilets, and wood stove heating.

Currently, the couple is living off-grid with their yurt and plans to incorporate solar energy in the future for a more long-term solution. While they admit that the lack of electricity and cell service isn’t a sustainable solution for a home long-term, they are enjoying the electricity-free lifestyle, using oil lamps and candles to illuminate their evening entertainment of books and board games.

Advice for Prospective Yurt Owners

When asked what their advice is for others looking to begin their own yurt living adventure, Sam and Zach say:

1. Don’t be intimidated by the build. You have more in you than you know. It is a great beginner project that will give you a lot of confidence.
2. Now is the time! When Sam and Zach started doing research about living in a yurt, they couldn’t find much information. Now is a great time to embark on this journey due to the accessibility of resources and helpful information available online.
3. Permits and building codes are becoming less scary. Since yurts are more popular, it is becoming less and less likely that your municipality has never heard of such a structure. 

What’s Next for Sam and Zach? 

Sam and Zach, are bringing their homesteading goals to life and are in the process of choosing the location and design for their future cabin on their new property. Their plans also involve food sovereignty goals, including gardening, farming, and raising animals for meat and eggs.

“Our hope for the future of our land is to be able to provide something similar to what we found when we were in need, looking to escape the rent vortex. We’d love to be able to offer a spot on our land to a creative friend wanting to embark on a building project of their own. We hope to empower others in self-reliance, while also recognizing the importance of living within community. We are who we are because of all of the incredible folks that have helped us along our journey“.

You can follow their journey on their YouTube channel, where they’ll detail their progress and learnings along the way.

Visualize Your Own Pacific Yurt Online

If you’re interested in taking the next steps towards building your personal yurt, get started by building a yurt with the 3D yurt builder tool and submit a quote to our team!

The post Customer Spotlight: Sam and Zach first appeared on Pacific Yurts.

Lake Grapevine’s Year-Round Beauty

Grapevine, Texas, sits along the Cross Timbers region of the Great Plains. Spanning from Mexico all the way to Canada, the narrow strip of land divides the Blackland Prairie in East Texas from the grasslands in the West.

This geography creates not only a water source that feeds into the lake but also stunning landscapes, plus flora and fauna rarely seen in the rest of the state. The area is also one of the largest and most diverse bird migration flyways. Suffice it to say, guests of Paradise Cove relish in Lake Grapevine’s year-round beauty and countless recreational activities.

Pacific Yurts as a Lodge Accommodation

One of the glamping options guests can book at Paradise Cove is a luxury yurt nestled between Grapevine and Southlake, right on the shores of the lake. Glamping is still all the rage, and it looks like the trend is here to stay. So to break up the monotony of treehouses, trailers, and cabins, owner and operator Tina Crawford threw a yurt into the mix of her overnight hideaway rentals.

Impressing Guests

A yurt is certainly a different lodging option. However, Crawford says, “Guests usually react with excitement because of the uniqueness and because of the private setting.”
Guests can see deer venturing out at sunset, then spend evenings sitting by a private lakeside fire pit, roasting marshmallows, sipping drinks, or star-gazing as the embers flutter into the sky.

Crawford did substantial research before deciding to offer one of these traditional nomadic homes. This included staying in one in Arkansas, which was manufactured by Pacific Yurts. At that point, she was sold.

Yurt Maintenance and Amenities

Aside from being an extraordinary lodging experience, yurts are surprisingly low-maintenance—a major plus for hosts like Crawford. Not only that, but they’re suitable year-round in warm or cold weather.

Luxury yurt amenities offered at Paradise Cove include 24/7 electricity, which powers lights, heat, air conditioning, and a mini fridge with a freezer. Guests also have a private bathroom with a shower, soap, fresh towels, and other bathing essentials.

There’s a queen bed and a full-size sleeper, complete with cozy bedding, blankets, and pillows. The yurt has twin cots with sleeping bags and pillows as well. Lodgers can enjoy meals at the dining table or take the two provided coolers down to a fully shaded picnic area.

During the day, they can swim, kayak, fish in the lake, or head to a local winery in town. Paradise Cove also has lots of activities for passing the time indoors and outside, including board games and corn hole.

Yurt Upgrades

For yurt lodgers wanting to optimize their experience, Paradise Cove hosts are happy to accommodate upgrades and special requests. This may include creating a shaded area in a designated spot, reserving nearby parking, or setting up an easily accessible hose connection.

Yurt Lodging Tips from Paradise Cove

If you’re looking to add a yurt as a guest space to your event space here are a few tips from Tina and the Paradise Cove team:

1. Create a shaded area: Having a shaded area, such as the picnic area at Paradise Cove, is a great way to encourage guests to enjoy the outdoor surroundings.
2. Have parking: For any lodging experience, especially one located near an event space, having plenty of parking can make or break a guest’s experience.
3. Have a hose connection: With so many outdoor activities, like fishing, hiking, and kayaking, within reach, having a hose connection is a nice amenity for guests so they can easily keep their outdoor gear clean.

Book Your Yurt Stay at Paradise Cove

Paradise Cove offers a special glamping experience at one of the regions leading urban wildlife habitats. The retreat’s glamping experiences are so cherished and highly reviewed by guests that they’re often booked through the entire year by people from all over the world. If you’re looking for your next weekend getaway visit Paradise Cove! Fill out their online form with questions about availability and accommodations, or book your stay on Expedia or Tripadvisor.

The post Customer Spotlight: Paradise Cove first appeared on Pacific Yurts.