Hyatt Hotels has signed to add a glamping offer to members of its loyalty programme, World of Hyatt. Campsites operated by Under Canvas will now be part of the group’s ever broadening accommodation offer.
Stays can be booked at any of 13 locations across the USA, all of which are out in nature, and several of which are located in US national parks. Under Canvas is considered an upscale offering, with guests staying in safari-inspired tents and enjoying evening campfires, and innovative menus that major on using locally sourced ingredients. World of Hyatt members can make bookings using their loyalty credits, or alternatively pay to book an Under Canvas stay and earn reward points in the process.
Guests demand more
Mark Vondrasek, chief commercial officer at Hyatt said the move meets a growing demand from guests: “Travellers are looking for new and unique experiences to reconnect with nature in off-the-beaten-path locations. By adding these luxury outdoor camps to World of Hyatt, we are bringing more memorable travel experiences for our guests and members.”
“This exciting collaboration with Hyatt will further our goal of connecting more people with extraordinary places, people, and the planet by enhancing access to the outdoors,” said Matt Gaghen, chief executive officer of Under Canvas. Campsites are off grid, and work to minimise their environmental impact. So guests are promised no wifi, and will enjoy rustic elements such as pull chain showers. However, there are some benefits to being away from the city, including dark skies, which offer unrivalled star gazing opportunities.
Hyatt’s move to broaden its offering to loyalty members echoes steps taken by peer Hilton, which has also teamed up with a campsite operator for summer 2024. Hilton’s partnership with AutoCamp offers a similar outdoors option, with their partnership extending not just to loyalty members, but promoting the AutoCamp inventory on Hilton marketing platforms to anyone wishing to book.
Hyatt’s portfolio initiatives
Adding a glamping option is just one of many initiatives Hyatt has taken to broaden its offering to loyalty programme members. In 2021, the group acquired Apple Leisure, giving it an immediate and substantial presence in the all-inclusive luxury resort space with a strong offering across Latin America and the Caribbean. Such resorts have proved highly popular, notably as they allow World of Hyatt members to redeem points earned on corporate trips, which are used to book a family leisure break.
More recently, Hyatt signed an agreement with boutique hotel collection Mr & Mrs Smith, which has added more than 700 individual and privately owned hotels to the group’s portfolio, at sites around the world. And it continues to broaden its brand portfolio, in mid 2024 adding Me and All, a brand specifically aimed at conversion properties. The first Me and All hotels were established in Germany by Hyatt’s European partner Lindner Hotels.
