How Site First Design is Shaping the Future of Hospitality
Outdoor hospitality is a growing sector of the hospitality industry that blends lodging, landscape, and experience-driven design with an intentional connection to nature. It goes beyond simply providing a place to stay—it’s about immersing guests in the outdoors while offering comfort and a sense of place.
Such as:
• Campgrounds and RV parks
• Glamping resorts and eco-lodges
• Cabin retreats and nature-based resorts
• Adventure-focused stays near parks, trails, rivers, or coastlines
....and growing
What sets outdoor hospitality apart from traditional hotels is immersion. The site itself—its topography, vegetation, climate, views, and ecology—is a primary design driver rather than a backdrop. These destinations are often located to provide direct access to outdoor recreation like National & State Parks or untouched natural areas.
Experiential
Unlike conventional hospitality, guests aren’t just checking in; they’re hiking, stargazing, gathering around fire pits, swimming in natural water features, and waking up to natural sounds instead of car horns.
Successful outdoor hospitality spaces:
• Encourage outdoor living through shared amenities
• Blur the line between indoor and outdoor spaces
• Offer reset/ solitude/ retreat like atmospheres
• Create a functional and meaningful sequence of spaces
Design Rooted in Place
Designing with the site—not against it— respecting existing landforms, preserving vegetation, and responding to climate and views. These thoughtful decisions create destinations that feel authentic, comfortable, and grounded. Outdoor hospitality often prioritizes low-impact infrastructure, passive strategies, and water-conscious planning. Sustainability becomes both an operational benefit and a meaningful part of the guest experience.
Why Outdoor Hospitality Is Growing
People are increasingly seeking time outside, experiences over possessions, and travel that feels restorative. Modernized camping gives options to everyone; the glamper, the cabin enthusiast, the thru-hiker, the first-timer. These places feel more flexible & welcoming which is why it has become so successful in recent years….with the help of a pandemic.
