Big hotel brands are going all-in on outdoorsy yurts, Airstreams, and cabins, but points-hungry travelers (and fans of a high thread count) are more than fine with it
A decennary or two ago , the intermediate traveller who desire to get the great out-of-doors had to precede most New day creature comfort — things like electricity , bathymetry , most certainly thread counting . “ The mind of ‘ glamping ’ became something people became obsessed with , ” say Jack Ezon , founder and managing partner of the travel advisory Embark Beyond . “ Being in nature without deliver a collapsible shelter , eating grub , or rough it . ” But this was n’t exactly the most approachable to most travelers , at least to get going . “ We first examine glamping import to the U.S. from Africa onto ranches in Montana with Leontyne Price tag of $ 2,000 a Nox and up , ” says Ezon .
Then , in 2009 , Sarah and Jacob Dusek foundedUnder Canvas , leave a more mild bivouac camp experience to the masses for a few hundred dollars per nighttime . ( Do n’t want to apply an outhouse ? There ’s a toilet ! detest the idea of a sleeping bag ? you’re able to catch some Z’s in a layer ! ) The premise was outdoor immersion without having to rough it . These day , the market for tricked - out wilderness stays is extend into big patronage , with more and more outdoorsy accommodations that have comforts that we ’ve come to look from , well , a hotel : a comfy mattress , a hot shower , and perhaps even a full - service restaurant .
Now , we ’ve enter a fresh era of commodifying the encampment trip-up . Major hotel company , including the ilk of Hilton , Hyatt , Best Western , and Marriott , have now joined the world of more countryfied , outdoor - focused stays . With these big chains , travelers can bring in and pay off their points , they ’re bookable through the hotels ’ site and on-line locomotion agencies . The marque , then , get to exploit into a growing trend among travelers to disconnect — well , mostly .
The Zion Wildflower Resort outside Zion National Park.|Zion Wildflower Resort, WorldHotels Crafted Collection
During the pandemic , droves of hoi polloi looked to scat the bunch . Travel to the outdoors boomed . National parks became the nation ’s hottest attractor . An estimated 7.1 million more Americans enjoyed some character of outdoor activity ( hiking , camping , etc . ) in 2020 — the first year of the pandemic — than in 2019 , according to a report from theOutdoor Industry Association . A Penn Statestudyin 2022 indicate that around 20 percent of grownup from across the United States were new to outdoor recreation .
Today ’s continued need for nature - focused experiences is n’t just a spillover from COVID , though , say Sarah Dusek , the founder of Under Canvas , who ’s now building a sustainable safari and outside hospitality fellowship called Few & Far . “ The world most of us live in needs an escape valve and the instinctive world provides that , ” she aver . Clearly , out-of-door overnight cordial reception is also a major business opportunity for hotels . datum from the 2024 Virtuoso Brand and Travel Tracker indicated that 57 percentage of all traveller report they ’re " look for veneration and wonder in nature . " And there are passel of dollar bill to go around .
“ The adventure - based tourism market is $ 800 billion globally and is expected to grow to over $ 1 trillion in the next six class , ” say Peggy Roe , master commercial-grade officer at Marriott . In late 2024 , Marriott acquiredPostcard Cabins , a collection of 29 U.S. properties with more than 1,200 individual cabins in places like the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Grand Canyon . Marriott also partner with Trailborn Hotels , a company tender luxury amenities in outdoorsy areas like the Rocky Mountains and the Northern California coast . “ These new offering give our guests the fortune to disconnect , ” Roe said . More importantly , though , it ’s about beguile a section of invitee that would n’t go to removed place without a floor of certainty . That include must - have feature , like love there will be a hot shower bath and a respectable bed to rest one ’s head . Or in some cases , it ’s not having to contend with nature ’s most anxiousness - inducing “ worriment ” of all — depart completely off - storage-battery grid .
Fancy tents in remote locales is the focus of Under Canvas, affiliated with Hyatt.|Under Canvas Acadia
There ’s a difference between making nature more approachable and turning it into a stem park .
“ The hotel ’s repute piss these destinations feel accessible to people who might never have considered them otherwise , ” say Adam Lovick , a travel industriousness expert and founder of medium companyFirst Class Jerk . get it on you ’re booking an out-of-door stay with Hyatt or Hilton , for instance , come with a solidification of baseline expectations .
traveler now have more options — including the ability to earn and redeem point for outside accommodations at multiple major hotel chain . These chains have immense networks of loyal guests , and unlike smaller operators , have heavy merchandising budget . “I only heard ofAutoCampand their lagger because of Hilton ’s trueness partnership , and it was really skillful to know I ’d have a standard circle of amenities expect for me , ” said Stella Shon , a Salt Lake City - based traveler who experience the brand ’s Airstreams outside of Zion National Park .
AutoCamp specializes in Airstream and small cabin lodging near National Parks, like Joshua Tree.|AutoCamp
Hyatt , too , can market its recent partnership with Under Canvas to its member base through its web site , email , and other possess plus . Even WorldHotels — part of the BWH Hotels portfolio , perhaps best known for maneuver Best Western and its budget - friendly lodging — recently acquired theZion Wildflower Resort , a aggregation of well - appoint tents , covered wagons , and cabins in Utah ’s red John Rock state .
However , there come a limit to how much these companies can and should do , says Lovick . “ There ’s a departure between making nature more approachable and turn it into a theme car park , ” he notes . Like other blade they own , hotel chains are homogenise the experience , to some extent , in the name of keep a reliable standard of comforter and cordial reception . “ We love that travelers are finding inspiration to go places that they typically would n’t , but this form of traveling needs to maintain its singularity , ” tell Lovick . “ Nature does n’t call for to be repackaged . ”
While orotund cordial reception companies have the benefit of scale , they tend to oppose to trends rather than set out them . “ Corporates are finally realizing what many of us in the out-of-door hospitality manufacture have experience for a farseeing meter , ” says Dusek : the desire for travelers to immerse themselves in the open air . The chains tend to be followers , not first removal company , and Dusek believe that the pioneers of the diligence will continue to be the small - weighing machine enterpriser and innovators .
Marriott Bonvoy members can book Postcard Cabins, like this near Illinois' Starved Rock State Park.|Postcard Cabins
If you do wanna go the heavy chain road , here are a few ways to book the outdoors . And while these hotels are helping make nature more commodious than ever before , do n’t block to put that earphone down once in a while .
Hilton
Hilton customers and Hilton Honors member can earn and redeem points at all AutoCamp locations across the United States , include Sonoma , Yosemite National Park , Cape Cod , Joshua Tree , Catskills , Zion National Park , and Sequoia . AutoCamp put up custom - designed Airstreams , luxury tent , and cabin at these locations .
Hyatt
World of Hyatt offers guest and member entree to outdoor experience and stays at Under Canvas ’ 14 outdoor resorts . That includes Under Canvas ’ sumptuosity outdoor resort , ULUM Moab , and young Yosemite and Columbia River Gorge camps , opening in May .
Marriott
Marriott Bonvoy member will soon be able to directly book more than 1,200 Postcard Cabins across 29 properties . At each Postcard Cabins outpost , the glamping experience come with a bottom , a tiny kitchen , a hot shower , and a private bathroom . In addition , Marriott is planning the Ritz - Carlton Masai Mara in Kenya , an representative of cordial reception companies leaning into outdoor luxuriousness . It ’s the first - ever luxury safari clique for the Ritz - Carlton make and will be the second in the Marriott portfolio after the 2023 first step of the JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge . The Bonvoy program will get yet another safari property in 2026 , the JW Marriott Mount Kenya Rhino Reserve Safari Camp .
BWH Hotels
The Zion Wildflower Resort is BWH Hotels ' first - ever foray into the glamping marketplace , but it ’s likely not the last . ( BWH operate a portfolio that includes Best Western Hotels & Resorts , WorldHotels , and SureStay . ) Lodging options include rakish tent of various level — some with their own bathroom — old - timey cut across wagons , and more established cabin . For now , Best westerly Rewards members can get exclusive discount rate and perks , but all travelers can plume in the massive hot bath , heated pocket billiards , or gather around the fire nether region for s’mores .
