Want to feel more connected to the West on your next trip? Here are some unique places to hang your hat that help you do just that.
For a traveler looking to experience the West in a truly visceral way (perhaps with spurs on), a traditional hotel often won’t get the job done. How is a person ever to hear the whispers of the past on the wind of the hot desert if she is all cooped up in the forced air of an HVAC? How can a traveler embark upon his own grand adventure as he makes his way through the Bitterroots or the Sierra Nevadas if he spends all his time in a four-door sedan?
Read on for some Western hotels and lodging destinations that offer a lot more than a mere soft landing.
Luxury
Pine Lake Resort, Broken Bow, Oklahoma
Pine Lake Resort, set in southeastern Oklahoma, opened in 2015 and offers luxury cabins for groups that range in size from two to 32 people — all under one roof. The largest property, Chutes N Stars, boasts a two-story spiral slide inside the cabin; sometimes, you need to arrive downstairs for breakfast with gusto. Nature overlaps with the opulent comforts of a five-star resort at Pine Lake as the fit and finish of every property is top of the line. Fishing, pools, clubhouses, a restaurant, and the option for in-cabin meal service are all available. pinelakebrokenbow.com
Attractions in Broken Bow: Beavers Bend State Park, Fish Tales Winery and Vineyard, Fly Fishing at the Mountain Fork River, The Maze of Hochatown, and Beaver’s Bend Depot & Trail Rides
Layout
Kinship Landing, Colorado Springs, Colorado
Kinship Landing was founded three years ago by Colorado Springs locals who branded it as a new breed of hotel. While it certainly has an uber-modern feel, Kinship echoes the call of old European hostels, only redesigned by millennials with excellent taste. Guests are offered multiple options for room layouts. My family has been to Kinship twice, and we chose the rooms made entirely of luxe bunks; it’s the closest we will ever get to being at summer camp together. Homa Cafe and Bar is the on-site restaurant that feels more like a greenhouse with a retractable windowed wall for pretty days. kinshiplanding.com
Attractions in Colorado Springs: Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs Sunrise Balloon Ride, U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Facility, Manitou Cliff Dwellings
Golf And Spa
Boulders Resort and Spa, Scottsdale, Arizona
Sometimes even cowboys like to spend a morning on the cut grass of a golf course. The Boulders offers just such a morning, followed by an afternoon at their first-class spa. If that’s not enough, evenings of stargazing led by professional astronomers, moonlight bike rides, and air tours of the Grand Canyon are on the menu of outdoor adventures available to guests. With architectural design that pays homage to the natural colors, textures, and shapes of the American Southwest, this resort is the perfect spot for some serious R&R. theboulders.com
Attractions in Scottsdale: Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West School of Architecture, Scottsdale Old Town, Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, Butterfly Wonderland
Art
Bishop’s Lodge, Santa Fe
Few resorts can boast their own art gallery. But at Bishop’s Lodge, al fresco classes in watercolor, calligraphy, pottery, chalk pastels, ceramics, printmaking, and many other creative media are led by rotating artists-in-residence. For guests with a less artsy flair, a day on the Bishop Lodge private trout stream with an Orvis-certified guide may be just the ticket. White water rafting, horseback riding, and chocolate immersion experiences are all offered as well. In 2025, The Bluebird Cafe of Nashville will return to Bishop’s Lodge to perform the “in the round” song format they are famous for. aubergeresorts.com/bishopslodge
Attractions in Santa Fe: Puye Cliff Dwellings, Ski Santa Fe and Ski Taos, Sky Railway, Loretto Chapel, Meow Wolf
Throwback
Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park
None of the hotels on this list can boast a history or an architectural grandeur that rivals that of The Ahwahnee Hotel, set on the valley floor of Yosemite National Park. After the San Francisco fire of 1906, workers and materials were in rich supply on the West Coast, and the builders of the Ahwahnee took advantage. Hauling thousands of tons of building materials over rough dirt roads, the Ahwahnee was built in just one year, an astounding feat in any era. With a vastness that reflects the towering granite peaks of Yosemite, the hotel opened for business in 1927. Since then, the guest list has been long and varied, including Walt Disney, President John F. Kennedy, Queen Elizabeth II, Lucille Ball, Charlie Chaplin, President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Judy Garland, and many, many others. Every Christmas since its inception, the hotel has hosted an elaborate seven-course meal called The Bracebridge Dinner. For many years, famed photographer Ansel Adams directed the wildly popular event. At one point in the 1990s, 60,000 applicants hoped for one of the 1,650 seats. This hotel is still a special sight to behold, and for park visitors who don’t stay at the hotel overnight, a meal in the dining hall is something that should make every Yosemite visitor’s list. travelyosemite.com
History
Gruene Mansion Inn, Gruene, Texas
Most people come to Gruene (pronounced “Green”) to visit the oldest dance hall in the state of Texas, Gruene Hall (built in 1878), but just a few years older is the Gruene Mansion Inn. Because of the dance hall, this tiny map dot of a town has hosted a rich history of past performers including Garth Brooks, Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Lucinda Williams, George Strait, Nanci Griffiths, Lyle Lovett, and Robert Earl Keen. As the only hotel in the historic District, the Gruene Mansion Inn allows guests to stay right in the heart of the walkable action, with private patios that look over the Guadalupe River and a variety of old-world rooms to choose from. gruenemansioninn.com
Attractions in Gruene: Gruene Hall, Schlitterbahn Waterpark, Fly-fish or tube the Guadalupe River, The Secret Speakeasy, Gruene Boot Co.
Glamping
AutoCamp, Virgin, Utah (Zion National Park)
The fine folks at AutoCamp resort have married the retro allure of the Airstream camper with the glamping adventure of a canvas tent — literally side-by-side — and they’ve come up with something undeniably fresh. This a great middle ground for groups made of people who prefer different ways to be outside, but always with a little bit of bougie mixed in. With nine locations nationwide, AutoCamp hosts weddings, events, and plain ole family vacations in the highest style. Nature always takes center stage, and each location boasts its own unique experiences in the world of the great outdoors. autocamp.com
Attractions in Zion National Park: The Narrows, Angel’s Landing, Peekaboo Slot Canyon, Kayak Zion Virgin River, Weeping Rock
Guitars
Paws Up Montana, Greenough, Montana
Paws Up is a luxury resort set amid a 37,000-acre working cattle ranch, offering high-end glamping tents and homes to guests who want an authentic Montana experience. While some of the more predictable mountain pastimes are offered — pastimes like canoeing and snowmobiling — some are a little more out of the ordinary. Biathlon, hot air ballooning, horse whispering, cow croquet, ice fishing, and geocaching are all open to the guest who likes to take adventure to the next level. Recently, Paws Up has teamed with Fender Musical Instruments Corp. to offer guests the opportunity to try Fender guitars out among the trees and trails of the Montana backdrop and also, in the comfort of their glamping tent, outfitted with hardwood floors, climate control, and even a glamping butler. pawsup.com
Attractions in Greenough: Garnet Ghost Town, Stray Bullet, A Carousel for Missoula, The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Caras Park
Families
Red Horse Mountain Ranch, Harrison, Idaho
Dude Ranches abound in the American West, but RHMR has mastered the art of making ranch life accessible to children. Kids as young as four can be led on trail rides horseback with a guide. During the all-inclusive summer family camp, children are invited to enjoy archery, rock climbing, kayaking, and plinking on the shooting range. While some ranches lean more traditional in their food service, RHMR offers healthy dining options for any dietary need. They also specialize in particular guest experiences, hosting both a Women Only week and Singles Only week. And if you need a place for your corporate outing or family reunion, RHMR is ready and willing to host large groups in the beauty of the Idaho landscape. redhorsemountainranch.com
Attractions in Harrison: Lake Coeur d’Alene, Coeur d’Alene Golf Course with its famous floating green, Harrison Creamery and Fudge Factory, Crane Historical Society, One Shot Charlie’s
Snow
Hotel Jackson, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
The only hotel on this list to offer its own library, Hotel Jackson enables guests to spend their sunny hours hiking the trails or skiing the wilds of Wyoming, knowing they will return at day’s end to triple-sheet bedding, a plush robe, and a spa-inspired bathroom. Figs, the lobby restaurant, creates menus based on a Lebanese-Mediterranean flavor profile and serves them in a dining room complete with a two-story wood-burning fireplace. However, if an evening of fine dining isn’t the ticket, Chuckwagon tours are always on the ready for guests who lean casual. For extra fun, E-bike tours, paddle boarding, and boating on nearby Jenny Lake are all activities enjoyed by visitors to Hotel Jackson. hoteljackson.com
Attractions in Jackson Hole: Ski, Grand Teton Wildlife Safari, Jackson Hole Rodeo, Jackson Town Square, Classic Cars and Old Barns
From our February/March 2025 issue.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of hotels