Meet Holmes, Our 1963 Streamline Camper: The Ultimate Glamping Experience
Montana glamping at Flathead Lake Resort, doesn’t just mean you’re staying in a tiny home or a vintage camper. It means that you’re part of a community. You don’t just get a bed upon which to lay your head, you get a place to call home...if only for a moment. At our home, our guests are our family. A family that gathers around campfires while telling tales of adventures, connecting with others, and making lifelong friendships.
Campfire family at Flathead Lake Resort
While your first stay here may be your only stay here, you’ll leave this family knowing that you are welcome back anytime you need a space under that big blue Montana sky.
Like any family, you may not want to spend every waking moment with us. So when Big Sky Country is beckoning, we’ve got your back with all things Montana in the Flathead Valley.
"We believe family is what you make it, and when you stay here with us, you're family."
(Your FLR Family)
Our campers are also part of our family. Just like every family member, each of them has unique attributes that define exactly who they are. Holmes is no exception. But to understand who Holmes is, you must first understand where he came from.
A Brief History of the Airstream Family
In the early 30s, Wally Byam opened the first Airstream factory for a very simple reason. He liked to camp; his wife did not. So he built a trailer that she could enjoy camping in. She still didn’t like camping, but that wasn’t Wally’s fault. His Airstream business was a success and one of the only camping trailer manufacturers to survive The Great Depression and WWII.
Here at Flathead Lake Resort, we are grateful for that. His ingenuity sparked the ideas for others, giving us our beloved Watson and Holmes. In turn, giving you an unforgettable Montana glamping experience on Flathead Lake..
We are excited to introduce you to one of the two partners in crime hiding out at Flathead Lake Resort, making a home away from home for you. So, if you’re anything like Byam’s wife, be assured, staying in Holmes is not camping, it’s glamping. You’ll have all the comforts of home alongside all the beauty of nature, including the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River.
Meet Holmes, More Than a 1963 Streamline
Holmes is a 1963 Streamline, but that’s only the surface. Holmes is a special camper, and like his namesake, Sherlock Holmes, he shares many characteristics. Some quirky. Some vintage. But all functional. And all made with just the right amount of mystery and romanticism to keep you intrigued. After all, this is Holmes we’re talking about.
You see, the people that revived Holmes and gave him back his quirky, romantic, and genuine character are just as quirky and romantic and genuine as he is. It’s why you chose Holmes for your vacation at Flathead Lake Resort. Or, at least, it’s why you’re checking him out.
Flathead Lake Resort's "3for2" Deal is Back for May 2022! Use code “3for2” at checkout. See full details below.
Sleek and Shiny as a 1963 Streamline Should Be
Arthur Conan Doyle described Holmes as having steady gray eyes, sharp and piercing, yet introspective. It’s as though he knew that Holmes was going to be found again tucked away in a quaint corner of the world known as Bigfork, Montana.
But before he was transformed into Holmes as a Montana tiny home, he performed brilliantly as a storage hauler. When your hosts, Brittain and Josh, were looking to add to their family of vintage campers, they found a fellow Airstream lover in Santa Fe, New Mexico, along with what would become the future Watson and Holmes. Watson, as Watson is, was raring to go and ready to perform his job. Click here to read more on Watson’s story. Holmes, on the other hand, was an empty shell waiting to be molded into what he is today.
A True Discovery!
Stories abound here at Flathead Lake Resort, and every camper has a story. Before Holmes became a place to welcome you, he had to travel across the country in disguise.
But until that moment, he was also a solution to a storage problem. Creating a Montana tiny home glamping experience out of vintage Airstreams while simultaneously moving out of Kansas City to the Flathead Valley, Brittain and Josh knew they had their hands full. Holmes, as Holmes is, solved the mystery of how to get it all done efficiently. Instead of renting a U-Haul to move their beloved belongings, Josh and Brittain bought two Airstream campers instead. Both to become welcoming places to stay at Flathead Lake Resort. And one to disguise himself as a U-Haul along the way.
Today, sleek and shiny, introspective while still being warm and open, Holmes will make you look twice and he’s not ashamed of his shiny exterior. In fact, Holmes is one of the rare campers that can actually be that shiny. Because he is a 63, Holmes and other similar Airstream family members before him weren’t yet made with anodized aluminum, which creates a matte-like finish, easier to maintain. Which is great for Holmes, because he can get all shined up to welcome you to Flathead Lake Resort. Although a bit out of character for him, Watson is even a bit jealous of Holmes’ shiny personality.
The Aristocrat of the Highway Turns Camping into Montana Glamping
Streamlines were made to be functional while camping, but they were also made to be grand and resplendent in their design, earning them the nickname, The Aristocrat of the Highway. Holmes is that, and is as head turning on the inside as he is on the out. His personality shines through the moment you set foot inside. From his original beginnings all the way to the new and fresh designs, Holmes is here to give you a true Montana glamping experience, not just a place to sleep.
Holmes’ Handcrafted Unparalleled Queen Bed
The queen bed handcrafted by Flathead Lake’s very own master carpenter and designer, MJ, is only just the beginning. Using the Japanese art of fitting wood together like solid puzzle pieces, this unique style is also built on hydraulics, allowing for space to store everything you need for the glamping vacation of a lifetime in Flathead Valley. Holmes knows what you need, and he will take good care of you.
Holmes’ Harmonious Kitchen
That knowledge comes complete with a fully functioning kitchen that includes appliances that have been harmoniously refurbished to match the original characteristics that this 1963 Streamline was known for when it came off the factory line. These babies weren’t called The Aristocrat of the Highway for nothing. And Holmes, while no longer on the highway, still lays claim to that calling.
Airstream Renovations: Science or Magic?
But to be a full aristocrat in the 21st century, any Airstream family member, cousin, sibling, queen or king, must adapt to the needs of our guests. And with the magical mind of your hosts, Holmes has adapted. Many campers from the Airstream relics were made with a dining table in the front of the camper and two twin beds in the back. Holmes was no different, until he arrived at Flathead.
Brittain and Josh, along with MJ, had a vision that Holmes would offer a space of comfort and relaxation. And that comfort level meant doing a bit of renovation, resulting in MJ’s beautifully handcrafted queen bed in the front, leaving space for creativity and relaxing in the space that used to be two separate twin beds in the back.
Renovated into a fresh new daybed alongside a faux red brick wall, here you can lounge, reflecting on the waning day or planning for the day ahead. Across the way, the colorful wooden handcrafted desk gives added space for writing, working, or simply gazing out the window while enjoying your morning cup of coffee.
Holmes’ Cloakroom - aka - The Bathroom
Just like Holmes would expect, nothing goes unnoticed here. Everything is meant for your relaxation and comfort, including a real flushing toilet, a gorgeous silver sink, and counter space for all your toiletries. And we cannot forget the shower. Equipped with a brand new showerhead and shined to all his glory, you may never want to leave. Except there are those lush towels to wrap up in after enjoying your hot shower.
It’s the Little Things that Make it a True Glamping Experience
While there is no mystery that Holmes will give you all the comforts you need, it’s the little touches that make Holmes who he really is. From the moment you walk in, you’ll notice the playful colors of the entryway, the wallpaper that inspired the entire design, and the decor of the splatter painted headboard.
More little touches abound with a mini fan, also named Holmes, to keep you cool at night, and the copper accents brilliantly hiding the wires bringing power to the many vintage lighting fixtures. You’ll come across memories of days gone by with the creatively framed vintage Streamline ads riveted artistically into the closet door.
Little touches of personality from your hosts are another treasure to be found. Items such as the KC sign and the Holmes sign created from used license plates, reminiscent of their days spent in Kansas City. Everything has its own unique personality. And that is what differentiates your stay here from a dull camping trip to an unforgettable Montana glamping experience.
Nothing is Left to Chance - Everything is Intentional
In Holmes, and every camper and cabin at Flathead Lake, you’ll find even more magical touches coming in forms of organic and environmentally friendly toiletries, including the sheets and pillowcases that you snuggle up with every night.
Nothing here is left to chance. From the initial contactless check-in system to the personal invitation to join us by the lakeshore for a group campfire and smores. When you visit Flathead Lake Resort, you’re not staying in a hotel, you’re staying with family.
Holmes is family, and he welcomes you home.
"We would not dare to conceive the things which are really mere commonplaces of existence."
(Sherlock Holmes in A Case Of Identity)
From good bones to renovated brilliance, Holmes will make your stay at Flathead Lake Resort a Mystical and Magical Montana Glamping Experience!
Flathead Lake Resort's "3for2" Deal is Back!
Get three nights for the price of two. Along with our cabins for rent, we also now have FIVE vintage Airstreams on site so you can Glamp out in style by Flathead Lake. It's quite simple. Book 3+ nights in May and get 1 night free. Click here to get started. Then use the promo code "3for2" at checkout. Voila! Your third night is on us!
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Are you ready for the fine print? There's always fine print.
Valid 4/29-5/5 & 5/9-5/26
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