Warning: Do *not* go here for a glamping or couple's retreat trip. It is nothing more than a glorified wedding venue. Frankly, this "camp" made no sense to me whatsoever. You're paying $500+ per night to be in one of eleven tents/cabins that are all tightly squished together in a row. Zero forestry separating them. Zero privacy unless you're hunkered in your cabin. Zero feeling of seclusion. Zero feeling of wilderness or camping vibes. If I am paying this much for a "luxury camping experience", I expect at least part of that value proposition to be not seeing my neighbor 20 feet away from me when we're sitting at our fire pits as you would be at a basic campground like Starved Rock. Their marketing materials claimed the Flora and Fauna cabin is "surrounded by forest" and secluded...but it's on the same silly strip of road, in the same row of cabins just 10 to 20 feet from the neighboring cabin. It just so happens to be the one on the end. I would feel less compelled to leave a negative review if Aramoni wasn't straight up lying to customers in how they describe the property. read more

Great experience. I did not know what to expect with a glamping experience. It definitely lived up to that category. We did 3 nights/4 days. The location was secluded but not in an eerie way. The tent was right up my boogie alley. It had all the amenities you'd get at a nice hotel. It was far way from your neighbors to not feel too close but not too far where you felt too alone. The breakfast and dinner were really good. Especially the breakfast burrito. We also got the private lunch picnic package and it was right near the lake. It was really hot and wound up raining out last day and a half but it was worth it. We plan on returning in the fall. read more

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Glamping at Camp Aramoni is a Midwest-must! I was part of a group of six (which included two lower elementary kiddos) that stayed two nights. Our tent was fabulous and so comfortable, and that even includes the pull-out couch. The grounds are lovely with wildflowers everywhere you turn. Follow the paths, and you'll find yourself at Blue Heron Creek and Vermilion River. Bring your water shoes for some aquatic hiking. The kiddos and I did plenty of exploring. The best surprise of Camp Aramoni is the food that's included during your stay. Our group was blown away by how delicious and thoughtfully crafted everything was, from the cinnamon butter for your breakfast waffle to the focaccia pizza at dinnertime to the homemade marshmallow for your campfire. We also purchased a Chicago dog lunch, which was plentiful and included the kitchen's own bbq chips. Know that if you have dietary restrictions, Camp Aramoni is incredibly accommodating. If you want to stay at the camp the entire time, I recommend two nights, which gives you a full day to explore the 96 acres of camp as well as relax at your tent. If you were to stay longer, there's plenty to do in the area between the state parks and Utica. I hope I'm lucky enough to enjoy a second round at Camp Aramoni. This is a very special place worth every penny! read more

This is definitely more of a GLAMping type vibes and if your like me ( like the idea of camping but not with the start above no tent thing vibe ) then this is for you !! Went here with a large group so we had a few of the units for the stay including the bride and groom unit, this was an amazing experience!! It really feels like your in the middle of nowhere tho lol and the closest major store was at least 30 minutes away but overal great experience, Great food ! The workers their are all unique and helpful Get a souvenir!! I purchased the corduroy camp aramoni top ( super cute ) because not sure if I'd do it again ( I'm a big scary cat and all the forest sounds freaked me out ) Ps: only negative the water had a Wierd sulfuric spell to it ... I think it's part of the water system there read more

Camp Aramoni - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Tonica, Illinois

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We did a group of 6 ladies for a weekend at this glamping location and had a blast. The luxury of a hotel with the ease of Nature. Our tent had two bunk beds and two singles allowing everyone to have their own bed. Breakfast and dinner included as well as someone to set up and start your campfire. Camping couldn't be easier. Close to Utica and trails. Great girls trip. read more

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Saw the offering on Facebook for a Sunday Brunch. Today Polish theme. An extremely upscale campground. Grounds are impeccable. Parking and staff friendly and inviting. The food.... Pure Rave. Delicate balances and abundant. A monthly offering on the 2nd Sunday of the month. Themes change. We will return (perhaps monthly) read more

Camp Aramoni - Spacious dining. Warm rustic decor. And Spotless / clean. - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Tonica, Illinois

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Camp Aramoni is an upscale newly created campground that offers a unique "glamping" experience with all the amenities you need! The durable tents are on stilts and are the same type used in Africa. Each tent has a living room, bedroom, large bathroom with indoor plumbing, built in AC and heating depending on the season and a deck to relax on. All upscale amenities are provided in your tent. My husband and I had a really nice time here and the staff took care of everything for us. The breakfasts and dinners are included as well. There is a nearby river to go swimming or have a picnic and walking trails to enjoy. Close by is Starved Rock state park and a couple little towns that you can venture out to discover during the day. Great getaway for couples and families. We'd like to go back in the fall. read more

Camp Aramoni - Map of the camp - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Tonica, Illinois

This was our first time glamping and we had a wonderful time! Everything was exceptional - the tent, the service, and the food. We stayed in the "Flora & Fauna" tent and it was nicer than most hotel rooms we've been in! It had ample space for a comfy king size bed and sitting area and was beautifully decorated and has a large bathroom with a shower with great water pressure, a microwave, coffee maker, and mini fridge. It was very warm and humid while we were there but that was not a problem at all in our air conditioned home away from home! All of the staff was very friendly and tentative. They drove us in a 4x4 to our tent with our luggage when we checked in and said we could text them if we ever wanted a ride to the barn (where breakfast and dinner are served) but we didn't because we enjoyed the short walk on the lovely grounds. The barn is very charming and the breakfast and dinner that were included each night were so delicious!! Also, we ordered a charcuterie board for one afternoon and they set it up on the table in our tent and it was impressive. Each night they texted to see when we would like them to start our bonfire (which was right outside our tent) and we gazed at the stars while we enjoyed the smores they provided. On Wednesday night they have live music at their venue (Bricks & Stones) so we ate dinner in the barn and they took us by the 4x4 to the venue and we enjoyed cocktails while sitting outside listening to great live music. We met one of the owners and he was very friendly and stopped to answer our questions and told us the very interesting history of the grounds (used to be brickyard) and how he and his wife ended up turning it into glamping while preserving some of the historical structures on the grounds. He and his staff made us feel so welcome and comfortable and we can't wait to return again next year!! read more

Location and atmosphere is nice. Live entertainment was nice. But the menu is sparse and the fact that you have to be your own waitress at a place like this is a major turn off. I will never go back. There are waitresses walking around but they won't bring you anything. Stupidest place I've ever experienced. Only giving 2 stars for the live entertainment and the location. The way they *run* the business is absolutely absolutely terrible. read more

My daughter's wedding just happened here and it was a fanTAStic experience for her, her husband and their 85 guests! I heard too many 'ooohs and aahhhs' to count for the ambience, the delicious meals we were served, the spectacular tents created especially for this Illinois location by a South African safari tent making company. It was a weekend of happiness and trouble-free fun, with gorgeous nature surrounding our event! I'm so happy for my very happy daughter and new son-in-law! read more

Food is superb! The atmosphere is amazing!!! So excited to have something like this in our area! read more

Camp Aramoni was a great get away from the city life. We traveled here for two days, and absolutely enjoyed every moment of our stay. The scenery was beautiful, the staff was helpful and accommodating, and the food was delicious ( the breakfast biscuits, bourbon molasses French toast, and the bison burgers). Although we planned our trip for their last week of camping season, and the cold weather was beginning to set in, we had no issues keeping warm in our tent. We look forward to returning back to Camp Aramoni again! read more

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We went for dinner and music on a Wednesday evening. Food was amazing. Venue and grounds were beautiful. Entertainment was very enjoyable. Unfortunately though a lot of the staff left something to be desired. Only a few were kind and helpful. Many seemed snotty and unwilling to provide any kind of help unless they knew you from previous visits. A few of the younger staff members were very inviting though and willing to help. The whole process of picking up food and drinks was not very efficient. Not sure why it's done the way it is as there were plenty of staff just hanging around. We really enjoyed the food and entertainment but we did not feel welcomed at all. Would have really loved to give this place 5 stars, has potential. read more

Really enjoyable experience here with my family. High quality glamping, for sure. The property is really nice and you have plenty of space to go out and explore the trails and appreciate some peace and quiet. The breakfasts and dinners were delicious and well thought out dishes. I would say the friendly staff was probably the most impressive part of this establishment. We met both the husband and wife owners at different points in our stay(and they were super nice), but it was the young people that welcomed us that really hit a home run. The young ladies that checked us in and provided the initial tent tour later served us dinner and lit our campfire. They were super courteous and hardworking at the same time. The staff shares the passion of the owners to provide the highest level of service. A wonderful small business that IMHO deserves to thrive and grow. Keep up the great work, guys! It's difficult to capture the "feeling" of a place, but these photos are an attempt to do that.... read more

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This has been the perfect getaway! I am so glad to have this glamping gem in the Midwest. The service is amazing. The food is excellent. The overall ambience and beautiful style of everything is perfect. There are trails, board games, gourmet s'mores and lots of fun camping essentials. I highly recommend this experience. read more

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What an amazing place with kind, responsive staff! There were four of us in our group and we can't wait to go back. The food is amazing! Kudos to the chef. The attention to detail makes the experience top-notch. We sent a text whenever we needed anything or had a question and they responded within moments. A special "thank you" to Stephanie, Ethan, Nick, and Emily! read more

The 4/5 course dinners have been incredibly paired nicely with Illinois wine and spirit makers/producers. The grounds are fantastic alone. The hard work and dedication to bring this historic and beautiful land back to prominence is unmatched. We can't wait to enjoy a stay here soon. Cheers to Camp Aramoni! read more

Camp Aramoni - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Tonica, Illinois

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My daughter and my son in law had the most beautiful wedding weekend thanks to his family and the wonderful staff at Camp Armoni

My spouse and I stayed at Camp Aramoni for 3 nights early in Sep and were absolutely blown away by the experience! We initially learned about the camp because I saw that Cleetus Friedman was in charge of their food and beverage program. We were huge fans of him from The Publican and were excited to have the opportunity to enjoy his amazing food and cocktails in a peaceful outdoor setting. We also got to hike at Starved Rock and Matthiesen State Park, and end our nights with a campfire, which was the ultimate outdoorsy vacation. Add to that the gorgeous tents, comfy beds and phenomenal add-on experiences, including a chocolate and whisky tasting and outdoor cooking class, both with the amazing Cleetus at the helm, and you've got a great time away on your hands! Getting to see the remnants of the old Ristokrat brick factory was also a really unique and fun experience. We also happened to be there for pizza and burger night when nearby residents come for some delicious food and live music at their outdoor event space, and that was a fun way to close out our visit. All of the staff with whom we interacted, including Jennifer, the owner, were friendly and warm, and just wanted you to relax and enjoy your stay. It is clear just how passionate everyone is about being there! Nothing beats being able to text from your campfire to ask for more firewood to be dropped off, while making S'mores using Camp Aramoni marshmallow sticks and a delicious homemade S'mores packet from Katherine Anne confections. (She also collaborated with Cleetus to make the truffles for the tasting, and they were so delicious and well-crafted!) We will certainly be going back, and have been sharing pictures, stories, and some of the bottled cocktails we brought back with friends to get them excited, as well. Our advice is to take your appetite and sense of adventure, and know that everything else will be taken care of for you. We plan on booking early for spring to make sure that we get the dates we want! Thank you again for a wonderful time, Camp Aramoni team, and we look forward to seeing you in the spring! I can only imagine the tasty seasonal delights that Cleetus will have on offer from his garden... read more

Incompetent manager with no basic sense of hospitality. Food tasted like it sat for hours before they put it on the table. The drinks tasted like my 19 year old son made them. Do yourself and your family a favor and avoid this place. read more

We recently stayed at Camp Aramoni and were so happy with our stay! We arrived Monday and were greeted by Dru who showed us our accommodations and explained everything in our tent and for our stay. She also assisted us with our meals and lighting the fire pit the first couple nights. Dru and Sage also set up our picnic by the river which was absolutely beautiful! Wednesday evening we went to the events venue next door for a beautiful dinner on the terrace with live music where we were also able to meet the owners Jennifer and Tim who were so friendly and welcoming. Camp Aramoni truly reflects the dedication, hard work, and love they've put into it! In the second half of our week Stephanie, daughter to Jennifer and Tim, made sure we had everything we needed, including hot dogs by the fire lunch, great conversation, a friendly smile, and last minute coffee at check out which was greatly appreciated! We want to thank everyone I've already mentioned as well as Jenna, Dominic, and Chef Carson and her team! It was so nice to get to know everyone and be so comfortable. The tents and surroundings were beautiful. We will definitely be back and look forward to staying again! -Paul and Jennifer Naylor read more

8/22 visit. 35 of us had the whole glampground to ourselves for the weekend, could not have been more impressed w/ the high quality of service, AMAZING food. The pic don't to justice to the tents. It feels like ur sleeping at home in ur own bed. The design of tents was are really cute & each one designed differently. Loved honeymoon suite. In room amenities: fridge, hair dryer, loved the shampoo & conditioner (u can buy in store to take home), complementary water, towels, u really only need to bring your clothes. They have a small store to buy things u forgot. S'mores yummy homemade marshmallows. Nightly fire. Airstream set up at bar & coffee bar. Also a beautiful space to have a wedding or large event. Cannot say enough good things! 10min from Starved Rock state park, 5 from cute town of Utica for food, wine, shopping. Breakfast & dinner included in stay. Chef AMAZING they work w every dietary need. I felt like it was such a treat! read more