Glamping, Wes Anderson-style: Sandy Pines fashions new retreats after quirky filmmaker

KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine — If you’re a fan of quirky filmmaker Wes Anderson, then you’ll be able to look at any one of the new “Whimsical Retreats” at Sandy Pines Campground at 277 Mills Road and guess which of his movies inspired it.

One of the campground’s nine park-model retreats, for example, has two tennis rackets crisscrossed on the front and is named “Richie.” Inside, the walls are papered over with maps and are adorned with rackets and paddles. As well, the color scheme of everything inside is distinct.

If you’re an Anderson fan, then you know this park model has been inspired by “The Royal Tenenbaums,” the 2001 comedy-drama about a wounded, dysfunctional family headed by a patriarch who’s a handful and is played by actor Gene Hackman. One of the characters is a professional tennis player who experiences a slump, so that’s where those rackets come into play.

If you’ve never seen a Wes Anderson film, that’s okay. No matter what park model you rent at Sandy Pines, you won’t have to guess which Anderson world you’ve stepped into, as framed movie posters hang inside and provide the answer. Inside “Richie,” for example, there’s the poster for “Tenenbaums,” which features actors Luke Wilson and Gwyneth Paltrow staring right at you through their sunglasses.

Two other park models, called “Chickchaw Trail” and “Summer’s End,” are fashioned after “Moonrise Kingdom,” Anderson’s funny and poignant story about first love. That 2012 film, which stars Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Frances McDormand and others, takes place, in part, at a summer camp for scouts, so, sure enough, these Sandy Pines getaways are adorned with oars and throw pillows with such quaint terms such as “Beans on Toast” stitched onto them.

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Why Sandy Pines is paying homage to filmmaker Wes Anderson

According to Cheryl Child, the manager of Sandy Pines, there are nine of these Anderson-themed “Whimsical Retreats.” Four of them are complete and ready for summertime guests: the three mentioned above, as well as “Crossed Keys Society,” a nod to 2014’s “The Budapest Grand Hotel,” perhaps Anderson’s most celebrated film, if the number of Oscar nominations it received is any indication.

Krista Stokes is the senior creative director for Atlantic Hospitality, which owns Sandy Pines and other properties. Stokes said she thought up the Wes Anderson theme as she looked for a muse to help her put the whimsy in the campground’s “Whimsical Retreats.”

“He is so visually stimulating and immersive in the ways he designs his sets,” Stokes said.

Stokes gave an assignment to Katie Nielson, a new member of her design team: Go home and watch Anderson’s movies. Nielson did just that, and from there she and Stokes and their creative team had an endless array of props, themes, and color schemes to draw from in bringing the “Accidentally Camping” village at Sandy Pines to life.

The name of the village is a riff on Anderson’s world and, as Stokes said, is fitting for these retreats, which provide luxuries against the backdrop of getting out in nature and sitting around a campfire.

Stokes said her favorite Wes Anderson film is “Tenenbaums,” and she offers a hint as to why she enjoys so many of the director’s films.

“I’m a big Bill Murray fan,” she said, referring to the comedic legend whose deadpan wit makes him a natural for Anderson’s films.

Stokes said the style of Wes Anderson goes well with Sandy Pines, which she described as a campground where you can go to relax and “not take yourself too seriously.” In addition to the park models, Sandy Pines offers “glamping” tents and an assortment of other sites that accommodate different approaches to getting out in nature.

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Inspired getaways from 'Moonrise Kingdom' to 'The Royal Tenenbaums'

The campground held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its "Whimsical Retreats" on Monday, July 1. Shortly afterward, as she stood inside “Richie," Child applauded Stokes and her team for their creativity.

“The design team has hands-down credit for the interior of these,” she said.

That day, crews were busy working on the final five park models, which Child said will be ready for renting later this month.

According to the Sandy Pines website, each of the retreats provides enough room for 4 to 8 people and includes a master bedroom, a full kitchen, a full bathroom, a sun porch with a daybed, a fire pit, and a picnic table. Each one also offers wi-fi, which can come in handy if you wish to stream an Anderson film on the flatscreen TV, as well as fresh linens, towels, and lawn games.

Currently, each available retreat can be rented at a three-night minimum, according to Child. The standard rate is $910 per night, which comes to a three-day stay totaling $2,730, according to the campground’s website.

“We have some specials that we’re going to roll out, as well,” Child said.

Child called the Anderson-themed “Whimsical Retreats” a “breath of fresh air.”

“It’s something new for us,” she said. “It’s something new and exciting for everybody.”