Designed for families and avid adventure seekers, Basecamp Resorts provides epic views, modern amenities, and top-notch service, along with all of the comforts of home. Our overall mission at Basecamp is to create memorable and effortless experiences by providing a home away from home. Our vision is to strategically grow Basecamp into an innovative hospitality brand that guests recognize and trust. Some of our values are to be trailblazers, innovative, respectful, unique, consistent, teamwork, have a sense of community, and have great energy.
Tell us about yourself?
I was born and raised in Ontario. I got my MBA in real estate from the Schulich School of Business at York University. My appreciation of the outdoors and winter sports led me to move to Calgary after graduation, where I worked with a local developer. In 2013, I purchased my first property, a condo in the mountain town of Canmore that I rented out on Airbnb. I instantly fell in love with the business model. I raised seed money and got a bank loan, and in 2017, at age 33, I opened the doors to Basecamp Resorts Canmore, a boutique mountain hotel property that provides guests with all the comforts of an Airbnb alongside the amenities and conveniences of a hotel – as well as spectacular mountain views from every angle. Since then, I’ve opened 10 properties under the Basecamp Resorts brand, and each one has been modelled and designed with the same intentions in mind.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
I would tell myself to keep pushing no matter what people say. So many people (mostly men) would tell me how crazy I am for doing this, how I am not going to succeed and that I don’t have what it takes to build this empire. I would tell myself to ignore the doubts in my own head as well and trust that what I am building with Basecamp will be incredibly successful.
What problem does your business solve?
We fill the gap that most hospitality brands lack, which is the home away from home feel. In our accommodations, we give our guests a full kitchen, washer and dryer, living room, smart T.V., and other amenities your home might have with the perks of a hotel on top. We give guests the experience of visiting new places with the comfort of their homes, so to speak.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
The inspiration behind the business came from purchasing my very first condo in Canmore, AB. I rented it out on Airbnb and realized just how lucrative the business was. It also dawned on me that guests preferred staying in places that felt more like home. It created a sense of comfort for the guests. This inspired me to create an Airbnb-styled hotel. It would have the luxuries of a hotel with the comfort of a home.
What is your magic sauce?
The company prides itself on providing a home-away-from-home for guests with its Airbnb-inspired accommodations along with all the amenities and conveniences of a hotel. With Hotels, Suites, Lodges and Resorts, each Basecamp Resorts property provides an elevated guest experience – from premium bedding and fully equipped kitchens to outdoor hot tubs and unbeatable mountain views. Multiple properties also have pet-friendly units available, and many Basecamp Resort properties are BUILT GREEN® to reduce their impact on the environment.
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
The plan for the next five years is to expand the Basecamp empire. In five years, I hope to have the Nordic spa up and running at the MTN House by Basecamp. I want to expand into the U.S.A. in five years. We have already been looking into a few properties around the states and hope to get at least one up and running by then. We also have a few more projects that have been approved to start construction, so by five years, I am planning to have at least four more hotels up and running.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
One of our biggest challenges recently is trying to find enough investors to fund our biggest project thus far, MTN HOUSE by Basecamp. We are planning to build the first Nordic spa in Canmore, and trying to find the funding has been a challenge for us. We are almost at our goal and hoping to reach it this year.
How can people get involved?
We would love for anyone looking to visit the rocky mountains to reach out to us. They can visit our website at www.Basecampresorts.com to find all our properties and to book their stay with us. Also, they can follow our many social media accounts @basecampresorts @bakercreek @sundancebybasecamp @mtnhouse.