'Glamping' Grows Up: ULUM's Bid to Create Approachable Luxury

25.08.2023 - 13:24 / skift.com / Colin Nagy

“Glamping” is an unfortunate term that somehow has stuck. At first, it meant an elevated, non-austere form of camping in nature, characterized by not only hospitality projects but brands like Japan’s Snow Peak.

But as the category has matured, so has its reach and appeal: Brands like Autocamp have put together hyper-stylish, interesting footprints in Yosemite and Russian River. At the high end, Four Seasons has launched a tented camp product in Mexico called Naviva, and Aman has won accolades for its Camp Sarika, attached to Amangiri, created in collaboration with Luxury Frontiers.

Now, another brand is staking its claim on what it thinks is a sizable portion of the market: the elevated middle. Under Canvas started around 10 years ago in West Yellowstone, followed by interesting tented developments in nature areas with high tourist interest: the Great Smokey Mountains, Zion, and other places.

The initial iteration of the brand quickly found interest from guests but executing in this space is not easy. Outdoor destinations are not always well-serviced for several reasons: The challenges of operating in remote areas; the lack of experience in outdoor hospitality; variable weather and other unique circumstances; and the cost of development.

Now, with the launch of ULUM in Moab, Utah, the brand is creating a more elevated experience: Think electricity in tents, Aesop amenities, Pendleton blankets and more emphasis on the F&B delivered in purpose-built communal spaces. Launched in Moab within driving distance to Canyonlands airport and many of the natural parks, the brand represents Under Canvas’s evolving business model seeking to address a gap in the market and appeal to a higher-end customer.

“The experience we provide is at the intersection of resort hospitality and spectacular outdoor destinations,” says Matthew Gaghen, CEO of Under Canvas. “We have seen, and now clearly are proving out, the demand for a safari-inspired experience with more of the traditional amenities of an upscale resort.”

Gaghen and his team are betting there’s an opportunity to create a new category of sorts – glamping for an audience that isn’t shy to splurge on a Mandarin Oriental or Four Seasons at times, but wants to connect to nature in a unique way.

The difference from the baseline Under Canvas brand comes with more creature comforts, and a purpose-built communal space. There is a full-service restaurant; a temperature-controlled lobby lounge; and importantly for guests who are not exactly used to roughing it, optimized heating and cooling amenities in the guest tents.

The experience is still undoubtedly camping, and that is the appeal. Guests can smell the smoke from fires in the distance, huddle next to a wood burning