Bell Tents

Bell tents — the round, single-pole canvas tents you see at music festivals and country wedding venues — are the most affordable entry into the glamping universe. A typical bell tent rental costs $80-150/night (versus $200-500 for a dome or treehouse), and the experience is real: actual canvas walls, a real bed inside, lanterns, rugs on a wooden floor, often a wood stove for shoulder-season warmth. The format originated in 18th-century European military camps; the current civilian incarnation is a Sibley-pattern tent with a single center pole, conical roof, and walls that go down to a wooden deck or directly to the ground. Diameter ranges from 13 to 20 feet, sleeping two to four people comfortably. Bathroom situation: almost always shared. A bell tent rental virtually never includes private plumbing inside the tent itself — the round shape doesn't accommodate it. Most operators run a shared bathhouse with private stalls a short walk from the tents. If "shared bathhouse" is a dealbreaker, look at safari tents or yurts instead. What bell tents do well: ambiance. The round wall and conical roof feel cozy in a way rectangular spaces don't, and the canvas glow at night (especially with string lights inside) is genuinely magical. They're also lightweight and easily relocated, which means a lot of bell-tent rentals are at properties that have moved them seasonally to optimal sites. Best for: budget-conscious glampers, festival-goers, and travelers who want the canvas-tent aesthetic at the lowest possible cost. Browse every bell tent rental we've indexed below.