Jennifer S.
Yelp
TL,DR: If forecasted temperatures are higher than 85, cancel your reservation and find a hotel.
This was our second AutoCamp experience. We stayed in the Yosemite location in October 2022 and had a great experience. We knew that we would be 20 minutes from the Zion gate. We knew that southern Utah would be hot in June. We knew from our previous experience that the Airstream alone was not big enough for our family of four (2 adults, 2 preteens). All of this to say that we had managed our expectations prior to arrival.
We opted for a Base Camp suite (Airstream plus "dreamy canvas tent"). Upon arrival, we were surprised to see workers spreading dark gravel in the parking lot as if we had arrived early and the facility was unfinished. We were dismayed that all the chargers were Tesla chargers for a fee (at Yosemite, there are Tesla and non-Tesla chargers that are complimentary). Bummer, but not a deal breaker as we have a hybrid. We entered our "dreamy" tent and thought we had entered hell. Yes, the furniture, etc. are nice, but dear God, I thought I was going to melt. There was a small portable AC unit running, but it was doing nothing to cool the tent. We entered the Airstream and found it to be cooler at 80 degrees as reported by the thermostat. It was miserable. So, we put on swim clothes and went to the Lodge to play cards and cool down in the functional AC. After one game, another family entered. They let their preschool-aged kids run wild. That's not the fault of the property, but when the only refuge on property is a glass and concrete room, the noise level rises quickly. So, we retreated to the pool area. There were lots of kids there as well, but that's to be expected. I tried to create a shady spot for our belongings using the provided umbrellas, but they do not tilt. So, the sun beat down mercilessly on our small stake in the pool area as all the other "good" spots were taken. No matter - we relished the cooler temperatures of the pool water. Afterwards, we showered (the preteens in the Airstream and adults in one of the two shower rooms at the Lodge). We went to dinner and returned around 9pm. It was still hot in our spaces, but exhaustion ushered us all to sleep. I remember thinking how strange it was that they hadn't adjusted the bedding in the tent to something lighter considering the high temperatures.
We went to the park the next morning. Completed a few hikes. Had some lunch, then returned to AutoCamp around 1 pm. As we were preparing to return to the property, my husband turned to me and said, "I'm feeling upset, because I'm wishing for this vacation to be over." That was the moment we knew we had to make a change. We made a decision to abandon our expensive AutoCamp reservation in favor of a hotel accommodation. It was a good decision as the Airstream was 84 degrees upon our return after the AC was running since our departure. The tent was Saharan. This property has been rolled out too quickly with little consideration for the extreme temperatures of southern Utah. Trees have been planted, but it will take 10-15 years for them to provide any meaningful shade.
Our reservation cost us over $500/night (including taxes and fees). We opted to book two hotel rooms nearby with AC and free breakfast at about the same rate as the BaseCamp Suite. We have heard nothing from AutoCamp in regards to acknowledging our complaint or offering recompense. We are probably done with this company.