NEWS UPDATE!

Spring is in the air and we’ve been busy bunnies over Easter here at Hotel Bell Tent, so while you're finishing off your Easter egg leftovers, take a look at our latest news…

Glamorous new accommodation launches at CarFest and Silverstone F1

We have now launched our high-end super-lux Airstreams (at CarFest North, CarFest South and Silverstone F1) and Lovely Glampervans (at CarFest North and CarFest South), so for those of you looking for superior comfort and a real home-from-home, these options offer toilet and shower facilities, essential cooking appliances and living areas. If you are looking for the ultimate in on-site accommodation then don’t look any further!

Don’t forget that it’s just a few weeks to go until the CarFest ticket spring release, with the second phase of tickets touching down on 28th April, so make sure you peruse our available accommodation options before snapping up your tickets.

Bestival Boutique Camping

Hotel Bell Tent at Bestival has now launched, and this year guests can choose from a great range of packages, from the more affordable to the super luxurious. For the first time, Hotel Bell Tent guests will have the option to upgrade their Luxury Package to have a real bed and super-comfy sprung mattress for an ultra-comfortable night’s sleep, perfect for those who want to take glamping to the next level.

Isle of Man TT

The most challenging motorcycle race of the season is approaching and Hotel Bell Tent will be there to catch all the unmissable moments of this notoriously adrenaline-inducing sporting event. Our Luxury Packages are now on sale (complete with access to swimming pool, gym and much more) and it’s not too late to find out more and book online. Pack lightly and leave the hard work to us while you enjoy the spectacular TT!

GIVE! FESTIVAL Q&A: A WELCOME RETURN...

Last month we happily revealed that Hotel Bell Tent would be revisiting our old friends at House of Honey for the truly charming GIVE! Festival. Kept deliberately small to preserve its unique vibe, GIVE!-goers are enticed back year after year for this reason and many more besides.

We caught up with founder Ben to get the inside word on what GIVE! is all about.

1) How did GIVE! come about?

GIVE! has been running for over 20 years, first as Kimberley, now as GIVE! We were the first – and for many years the ONLY – boutique Festival. Many would say that we were the seed of an idea that was just SO MUCH FUN that it germinated and grew and has now blossomed all over the land.

2) What makes GIVE! so special?

We’ve kept it SMALL and intimate.

GIVE! is about generosity of spirit and intimate connection between a supportive network of family and friends. We emphasise being collectively conscious and individually responsible. When we come together with the intention of finding a common frequency, we may possibly become greater than the sum of our parts, to think with an expanded mind and to feel with an expanded heart.

3) What was your highlight of GIVE! 2015?

The whole event is a highlight from start to finish; it’s a journey of pleasure and connection from the moment you arrive until we wave you goodbye.

4) What tips or suggestions do you have for someone coming to GIVE! for the first time?

Dive in and allow yourself to be immersed and embraced by the experience.

5) Can you give away any sneaky preview snippets of what is in store for ‘event’ 2016? Unadulterated bliss ;)

GET READY, GET SET...GO!

The date of the much-anticipated CarFest spring ticket release has been confirmed, causing plenty of excitement among those who can’t wait for firm family favourites CarFest North and CarFest South.

The release date is Thursday 28th April, so get it in the diary and be on your marks for two extraordinary weekends of fantastic cars, amazing music and family fun at either Bolesworth Park in Cheshire, or Laverstoke Park Farm in Hampshire. As well as the exciting CarFest track shows, the fabulous dream rides and the iconic cars in the vintage village, first music class acts such as Bryan Adams, Texas, James Morrison, The Corrs and KT Tunstall will be there to entertain too, making this a CarFest you definitely don’t want to miss!

Ticket sales will go live on the 28th of April on the CarFest webpage. To help give you the best chance at securing yourselves tickets, why not check out the event’s vital tips for prospective CarFesters? As always, CarFest will again be working to raise money for Children in Need, with a minimum of one third of each ticket price going to the charity, so be sure to keep any eye out for Pudsey and friends while you’re there…

To make your trip to CarFest fabulously simple, why not visit our website and have a look at all the fantastic glamping packages Hotel Bell Tent has to offer. And, once you have decided on the package for you, please register your interest with us by sending us an email at info@hotelbelltent.co.uk, letting us know:

1. Whether you have already purchased weekend camping tickets.
2. The reference numbers of those tickets (if applicable)
3. How many tents you would like to book
4. The packages of interest to you.
5. The best telephone number to call you on.

BIG NEWS AT BESTIVAL: BID GOODBYE TO THE PORT, SAY HELLO TO THE FUTURE - THE SPACEPORT!

In big news for anyone who’s ever gone (or dreamt of going) to Bestival, festival founder and superstar DJ Rob Da Bank has announced that the much loved Port – a spectacular shipwreck of a stage where all the best house music goes down, to the delight of the bonkers and beautiful crowd – will this year be replaced by the out-of-this-world Spaceport.

While we’re sure that all Bestivalistas will join us in taking a nostalgic moment to reflect on all of the fabulous times had at the Port, we are also extremely excited to see what madness Rob Da Bank and co have cooked up for what is sure to be an intergalactic extravaganza with the Spaceport.

With Hotel Bell Tent packages going on sale for the Isle of Wight event very soon, we are looking forward to seeing seasoned Bestival goers and first timers alike exploring the cosmic celebration at this year’s Future-themed party…

WORKING FOR HOTEL BELL TENT: FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTH

With the recruitment process well under way, I caught up with three of our lovely senior managers to chat about all things Hotel Bell Tent. If you’re thinking about applying to join our crew this summer, or read our previous post- this will be of interest to you…

1) How did you hear about working for Hotel Bell Tent?

George: I actually used to deliver them sandwiches! My contract was running out, and Tiff (our Co-Founder) offered me a job in the field.

Kirsty: On a Google search, I was looking for summer work putting up marquees or something similar, as I was teaching snowboarding in the winters in Canada

2) What were the reasons you decided you first wanted to put yourself forward?

Sonya: At the time I was studying for my MSc, so in serious need of funds. I was also really attracted by the idea of working at festivals, during the summer, and thought Hotel Bell Tent looked like a fun and vibrant company to work with.

Kirsty: It was the perfect solution to wanting to go away all winter and working outdoors all summer.

3) How has HBT changed since you were crew members and in what way?

Kirsty: When I started we used to only do 1 or 2 jobs over a weekend with about 20 – 30 tents at each event, we did a corporate job for LUSH for 100 tents and that was a massive job for the company! Now we do 3 to 4 events each weekend, with up to 800 structures up at one time and over 500 of them being just at one event.

Sonya: In a lot of ways, Hotel Bell Tent is the same: the company still cares about the people who work for it, and still prides itself on being fair and transparent to guests, while offering the best customer service in the industry. However, it is a more structured organisation now, with clear delineation of responsibility. It is big on retaining knowledge, and almost all freelance and permanent members of staff worked from ‘the bottom up’.

4) Did you factor in the possibility of progressing with the company in the early stages of working for us?

George: I didn’t actually – too busy putting up tents!

Kirsty: It wasn’t in my thought process exactly, but I knew I wanted to come back the following year as I had found a way to facilitate travelling and snowboarding during the winter and got to do a really fun job all summer!

5) What are your favourite aspects of working with Hotel Bell Tent, and why?

Sonya: Luckily, I like being busy and multitasking. No two days working in events are the same, and I’m always learning and putting my skills to use in different ways. The Hotel Bell Tent office team and crew members are also wonderful.

George: Being in a field (for obvious reasons) and being in a good crew of people – you make some excellent friends in a very short time.

6) What have been your favourite jobs so far?

Sonya: It’s really hard to say – small and intimate festivals are lovely to be at, but from a professional point of view the big, production-heavy events are very satisfying. I’ve seen so many beautiful places across the country that I would never have normally gone to.

Kirsty: I really enjoyed working at Festival Number 6 as it's our biggest and most challenging job by far; setting up over 500 tents with a massive crew. It was also a really amazing festival in stunning surroundings.

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To apply, please email us at info@hotelbelltent.co.uk with your CV attached and include any previous/relevant experience. Please also highlight anyone you know that has worked for us in previous years when you apply.