The luxury resort has 11 locations near national parks around the country, from Zion and Moab to Glacier and Yellowstone.
The glamping resort's focus is on creating a community feel for its guests and makes its commitment to sustainability clear on its website, where it lists a number of environmentally friendly measures, including efforts to conserve water and energy and minimize light pollution. House Desert Tent
When I planned a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains in April, I wanted to be comfortable and immersed in nature, while reducing my carbon footprint.
So I turned to Jessica Blotter, the CEO and a cofounder of the public-benefit corporation Kind Traveler, for advice.
"Hotels that are truly eco-friendly should have a sustainability statement and clearly stated initiatives visible on their website," Blotter told me.
I followed her advice in my search for accommodation.
And when I found Under Canvas, I was glad to see the resort's website had a section dedicated to sustainability.
From there, I learned that Under Canvas partnered with The Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit that helps conserve natural resources around the world.
I booked a stargazer tent for $400 with a media rate. Without the rate, it was $520 — making it more expensive than any camping experience I'd had.
Four details during my stay made it feel luxurious while I traveled sustainably. And ultimately, I found that the stay was worth the price tag.
The tent had a king-size bed and a full bathroom inside. I thought it felt more like a hotel room thanks to the wooden floors, modern, rustic furniture, and a bed larger than my own.
There was also a skylight above the bed, which caught my attention.
While curling up on the top of the mattress, I loved looking up at the tops of trees surrounding the campground. And having natural light kept me from using lamps during the day, which made for a more-sustainable stay.
The resort says it also uses low-level lighting around the campsite to limit light pollution, in accordance with the International Dark-Sky Association.
While showing me around my home for the night, a resort employee pointed out elements of the tent that helped reduce energy consumption — including a pull-chain shower that saved water by running only while the chain was down.
I don't take long showers, so I didn't mind having to hold the chain down while rinsing off. And I was impressed that I had a bathroom of my own while staying on a communal campground.
According to the resort's website, the bathroom has a low-flow toilet — which uses less water than a typical toilet — as well as a faucet that turns off by itself.
"Our camps use significantly less water and energy than a hotel of similar size," the resort's website says.
When I realized I wouldn't have WiFi at the resort, it certainly didn't feel like a luxury.
But a few hours in, I changed my mind. While an internet connection is convenient, it causes me to spend more time on my phone than I would without it. And staying off my phone while glamping made me feel more immersed in the experience.
It rained for a few hours during my stay, and I found myself reading in my skylight nook the whole time with the patter of the rain as my soundtrack. It was so calming and peaceful — and I couldn't even remember the last time I'd had my face in a book for that long.
Not having WiFi also makes the resort more sustainable because it saves energy.
Since I didn't have WiFi, I was surprised to find that I could charge my devices in my tent — a luxury I'd never had before while camping.
According to the resort's website, its tents come with rechargeable battery packs, which are considered to be better for the environment than single-use batteries. I found mine under the bed.
Even though I wasn't surfing the web, this perk came in handy after I took pictures on my phone and camera around the campsite. Thanks to the battery pack, I could recharge these devices and take more pictures the next day.
Some Under Canvas resorts also have stations for electric-vehicle charging.
My night at Under Canvas was my most glamorous camping experience — and it proved to me that sustainable accommodation could still be luxurious.
Having an indoor bathroom in a tent made me feel like a VIP, and while the pull-chain shower might not sound ideal to some, it made me feel more connected to nature in a luxury environment. The king-size bed was also a grand addition to the tent, and the best part of my stay was cozying up with a book there under the skylight.
Multi-Peak Combine Tent After my experience at Under Canvas' Great Smoky Mountains resort, I can't wait to stay at the locations near other national parks.