Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily & Ziad Almufti
Hi Emily & Ziad, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
in 2020, we sold our home in the suburbs of Detroit, built out a campervan, and began traveling the country. We had a background in flipping homes and knew we wanted to build an Experiential Stay, but didn’t know where. When we discovered the Big Bend, we fell in love with the idea and booked it over here. It turned out to be everything we had hoped for and more… the dark skies had us awe-struck. The first property we laid eyes on was “the one”, and we placed an offer almost immediately.
We closed- now what?! We knew this property was all about the serenity, awe-inspiring views, and getting lost in the Milky Way.. we decided to build geodesic domes that bring the outside, in, with massive glass bay windows that extend above the beds. We’d space the 4 units far apart, and leave the rest of the sprawling 80 acres undeveloped to maintain the unadulterated views and peacefulness that drew us here.
This build-out was far from easy. It’s like building a hotel on Mars- over 3 hours from a Home Depot or Lowes, limited contractors and resources in general. In addition, our property was miles from the electric grid, so we quickly had to get acquainted with solar power. This was our first ground-up development, and we were diving into the deep end. One year in, in March of 2022, StarStruck Glamping was born and we opened the units to the public!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Our biggest challenge was finding reliable contractors. We cycled through multiple sets of contractors before finding the right ones.
One story I’ll share- we had our calendar open a month before our target open date. The calendar filled up, and we were fully committed. We were close to completion, but not there yet. Our Plumber went MIA. We searched far and long for a new plumber- all were months out. Finally, our plumber came through just days before opening. We turned on the water for the first time and…. massive water leak…. underneath the foundation of the dome.
We worked tirelessly to avoid canceling on our guests. Thankfully, the stars aligned and we were able to assemble all the right people to get it squared away just in the nick of time.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
StarStruck Glamping is a Landscape Hotel/Glamping experience just outside of Big Bend National Park. It’s located on 80 acres within the largest dark sky reserve in the world. The experience is curated to provide a world-class Star Gazing experience, featuring some of the only glass domes in the U.S. where you can stargaze from bed, telescopes, comfy outdoor loungers, and a complimentary guided audio stargazing experience.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
When we were getting started, there was little info to be found online, but there were a few podcasts that we listened to that were helpful. Nowadays, there are many thought leaders to be found on YouTube and various podcasts, within the Unique Stay industry, along with events you can attend, such as the annual Glamping Summit.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.StarstruckGlamping.com
- Instagram: @starstruckglamping
Image Credits
Daylight images: Ziad Almufti
Dark Sky Images: Mallory Davis
