Side hustle success: Sam and Jessica's motorhome rental business

Meet Sam Bradley and his wife Jessica. After work dried up during the coronavirus pandemic, they were looking for a way to subsidise their income. Then they found Camplify. They first signed up to the platform in September 2020 and have since received booking requests to the value of almost £50,000. They’re now looking forward to a second season with a high number of reservations already confirmed. We spoke to them about thier story and experience so far!

What made you want to join Camplify?

When the pandemic hit, Jess and I asked ourselves how we wanted to spend the summer with our young son. I thought back to my own family holidays in Cornwall and we decided on a motorhome staycation, though we wanted to take it up a notch from a standard campervan holiday.

When researching motorhome rentals, we couldn’t find anything that fit our requirements. With a small child, we wanted to stay somewhere comfortable and our desire for ‘glamping’ perfectly complemented our need for a work project. So, we decided to buy our own motorhome.

As we’ve both always had our own businesses, we approached this new venture from an entrepreneurial perspective with the idea that we could invest in a ‘Glamper Van’ and hire it out to like-minded people looking for a high-quality experience.

Sam and Jessica have carefully balanced practicality with opulence in both of their vans, so that hirers can enjoy a night under the stars in style, Sam’s motorhome gives peace of mind knowing that after getting outdoors and exploring incredible places, a hot shower, Netflix, and luxury sheets are waiting.

Every nook has been meticulously planned, the spacious interior has a kitchen and dining area which has everything needed for gourmet on the go, a separate bedroom and a bathroom, including shower. The van also enjoys both heating and hot water, so guests can stay cosy no matter what the great British weather throws their way.

Travellers can expect to pack light too, as the motorhome is filled with home comforts. From luxurious Rituals toiletries, to The White Company bed sheets - and there’s even a Nespresso machine. Techies are also fully catered for with Mobile Wi-Fi, a flat-screen digital TV, Sat Nav and Apple CarPlay.

For those looking for adventure, the van also offers outdoor furniture and large storage space which is ideal for excess luggage, bikes, and SUP boards.

Tell us about your Camplify experience so far, Sam?

When researching how to hire out a campervan, we quickly found Camplify and learning about how successful the platform had been for other people really gave us the confidence and perhaps justification to say, ‘we can do this’. We can purchase a luxurious vehicle because we can hire it out to families like us and to first-time glampers to offset the cost somewhat.

We didn’t set out to earn a lot of money from hiring out the van, but we were so busy with reservations throughout the first lockdown, that we decided to invest in a second motorhome. Coming into the 2022 season we already have a high number of bookings and there is still strong demand this year, which is reassuring.

We’re delighted our experience with Camplify has been so successful. We were really impressed with Ann, the Community Manager at Camplify, who contacted us when we first signed up to the platform. We received such a warm welcome and had no hesitation in selecting them as our van sharing partner.

What would you say to anyone considering sharing their van on Camplify?

My advice to other motorhome owners who are considering using a van sharing community would be to try and offer something that you would love. Think about who you’re trying to help and make it the best that it can be. By doing that, you’re on the path to success.

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