This luxury tent camp has celestial credentials

By Marnie Hunter, CNN

(CNN) — Sleeping under the stars is a romantic notion but getting a really good look at them in today’s artificial-light-filled world can be challenging.

Now, for the first time, there’s lodging with official “dark sky” credentials.

The luxury tent resort Under Canvas Lake Powell – Grand Staircase in Utah is the first lodging to receive certification from DarkSky International, a non-profit that has designated more than 200 Dark Sky Places worldwide since 2001 as part of its mission to combat light pollution.

Under Canvas collaborated with DarkSky to develop criteria for certifying lodging. The program criteria will be posted next week so that other interested lodging providers can begin the application process, the organization said.

“While this is the first DarkSky Approved Lodge, we are optimistic that the growing interest in astrotourism and dark sky travel will mean it will not be the last,” Ruskin Hartley, DarkSky International’s CEO and executive director, told CNN Travel via email.

Approved lodging will have “distinguished quality starry nights and a nighttime environment preserved through on-site DarkSky Approved lighting,” according to the organization’s website.

“Under Canvas has been working diligently for several years on assessing sky quality, inventorying lights, and making the necessary changes to meet our program requirements,” Ruskin said.

The glamping resort is located on a sweeping canyon rim plateau in southern Utah close to the Arizona border within easy reach of Lake Powell, Grand-Staircase Escalante National Monument, Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon. Plus, it has its own slot canyon on site.

Safari-inspired luxury canvas tents are available in a variety of configurations, including the two-person stargazer tent that has a viewing window positioned over the head of its king-size bed. The tent also has a private bathroom, a private deck and a wood-burning stove.  The glamping resort also offers complimentary programming, including stargazing.

Under Canvas Lake Powell – Grand Staircase rates this year range from $329 to $449 per night through the season’s end on October 30.

The new certification coincides nicely with the Perseid meteor shower, which will reach its peak this weekend.

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