This chapter starts under open skies.

What I Imagined

When I built our brand calendar for the year, I had “Camp Reese’s Book Club” sitting in the summer. I didn’t know exactly what it was yet. At most, maybe it was a real summer camp. At the very least, it could be a fun editorial series. I just knew it was an idea I couldn’t stop thinking about. Maybe it was because The Parent Trap is one of my favorite childhood movies. Maybe it was because nostalgia was having a moment, or because it felt like everyone was craving an excuse to unplug and get outside again. Whatever it was, camp kept finding its way back into my brain.

Around the same time, World of Hyatt was exploring the idea of a reading retreat. It felt like kismet. I had no idea it would become one of my favorite projects I’ve ever worked on.

What We Built

Once the partnership came together, my job became figuring out what Camp Unwritten should feel like.

I found myself thinking about everything from the obvious decisions—author programming, creator partnerships, and creative direction—to the tiny ones people might not consciously notice. What should someone get when they checked in? What would the menus be called? Which authors belonged in Yosemite versus Moab? What conversations would people still be talking about on the drive home?

Those questions ended up shaping almost everything we built. Guests checked in with a Camp Unwritten tote filled with books, Reese’s Book Club and World of Hyatt goodies, and an itinerary for the experience ahead. We themed every meal around the featured books, designed discussion prompts that made it easy for strangers to become friends, built campfire programming around the authors, and layered thoughtful details throughout the experience that rewarded people for paying attention.

Before, During & After

Before Camp

Camp started long before anyone arrived. We partnered with the authors and creators to announce the experience, document their packing and anticipation, and invite readers into the excitement before the first campfire was ever lit. Reese’s Book Club built an editorial campaign around the retreat, while World of Hyatt showcased the destination itself, giving readers multiple ways to discover Camp Unwritten.

During Camp

Once everyone arrived, it was a choose your own adventure. Some campers attended every activity we planned. Others skipped excursions because they found the perfect reading spot to finish their book. Some came with friends. Others arrived alone and left with new ones. We wanted camp to feel fun, flexible, and inclusive for everyone—whether you read one or a hundred books a year—and to leave with the best memories.

After Camp

The story didn’t end when everyone packed up. Creators shared their experiences, readers reflected on the weekend, authors continued the conversation online, and the momentum carried into the second year. We also used what we learned to evolve the experience. In our second year, we expanded from one author to two, pairing them intentionally with each location (romance in Yosemite and thrillers in Moab) so each retreat had its own theme and personality.

What Stayed With Me

I had spent months thinking about the tiny details—the menus, the gift bags, the campfire conversations, the creator content, the author programming—and then all of a sudden people were actually there, walking around with the tote bags we made, ordering drinks we’d named, meeting authors we’d invited, and making the whole thing feel bigger than anything we’d planned.

One of my favorite memories from Yosemite was having the author gleefully call out the Monte Cristo sandwiches from Slow Dance that we put on the dinner menu. That felt like the biggest win—to have her point out the little details we included and I remember thinking, she noticed. That’s always the hope, isn’t it? That someone notices the care. I found myself chatting with campers throughout our time there, asking about how they heard about camp and every answer made me smile. Some came because an author posted about it. Others found us through Instagram, a newsletter, or one of our creators. Our campaign strategy worked and it was both gratifying and validating.

The other thing I unexpectedly loved? We all unplugged. There wasn’t much cell service so our team carried walkie-talkies which really added to the novelty of the experience. We were leaning in and going analog with all the book lovers. Looking back, I think that’s the part I’ll remember most. We spend so much of our lives experiencing things through a screen that I’d almost forgotten what it feels like to simply be somewhere. To watch someone make a new friend over breakfast. To hear an author geek out over a menu inspired by their book. To end the night around a campfire talking about stories instead of scrolling past them.

When I posted about Camp afterward, I said that it was 10/10 in both vibes and experience and I stand by it. I also think what made it so special had very little to do with the tents or the scenery (as beautiful as they were) but it was the reminder that some experiences ask so little of us besides showing up. Once everyone arrived, the books did what they’ve always done best.

They gave complete strangers something to talk about, and by the end of the weekend, it felt like they’d known each other much longer than two days.