Experience Nature without Roughing It at These Luxury Getaways

The Sunset Travel Awards celebrate the best in travel in the West. These lodges, resorts, glamping sites, and more are the 2025 winners of the Where to Stay: Nature Lovers Lodging category. Check out the complete list of winners here. For our definitive and searchable travel directory to help you plan your next trip in the West, click here.

Lodge at Marconi

Michael Lax

We love this sprawling hillside compound perched above Tomales Bay because it feels like a summer camp for grown-ups. With hiking trails, cozy and stylish rooms, multiple event spaces, no televisions, and the restaurant Mable’s serving tinned fish platters; local produce, meats, and seafood; and craft cocktails, it’s the ideal West Marin retreat.

Ambiente

Ambiente, a pioneering landscape hotel in Sedona, Arizona, enchants adults with its stunning setting among red rock formations, offering an immersive experience in its cube-shaped Atriums with panoramic views and rooftop stargazing decks. This luxurious escape combines hyper-local dining at Forty1, regionally inspired treatments at Velvet Spa, and a commitment to sustainability, creating a harmonious blend of design and nature that invites relaxation and adventure.

Alyeska Resort Black Diamond Club

Nestled within Alaska’s Chugach State Park, Alyeska Resort stands as a premier base for adventure and relaxation, now elevated by the new Black Diamond Club on its exclusive eighth floor. Offering unmatched luxury with 36 refined rooms and a private lounge, it boasts stunning glacier and mountain views, plus privileged access to Alaska’s longest double black diamond run, a Nordic spa, and unparalleled heli-skiing adventures—making it the pinnacle of Alaskan hospitality and exploration.

Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge

Perched on the wild and scenic Rogue River, Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge is a hidden gem where luxury meets laid-back adventure: Think glass cabins with epic views, private soaking tubs, and riverside massages. Add a Michelin-starred chef, an expansive wine list, and access to kayaking, hiking, and spa bliss, and you’ve got the ultimate Oregon escape for nature-loving foodies.

Cloud Camp

At 9,200 feet atop Cheyenne Mountain, Cloud Camp offers a spectacular all-inclusive retreat, combining luxury with nature. Just 30 minutes from The Broadmoor’s main campus, guests enjoy rustic-chic accommodations with fireplaces, sweeping views, and delectable communal dinners in the grand main lodge. Days are filled with outdoor activities such as hiking and yoga, paired with cooking classes, while evenings feature firepit gatherings under starlit skies—blending rugged beauty with refined comfort.

AutoCamp Sequoia

Just minutes from California’s Sequoia National Park, AutoCamp Sequoia blends elevated design with outdoor adventure, offering Airstreams, cabins, and bunk rooms perfect for exploring the Sierra Nevada’s iconic landscapes. With cozy firepits, expert-led programming, and easy access to the General Sherman Tree and Kaweah River, it’s a refined yet responsible base camp for nature lovers.

Trailborn Grand Canyon

Trailborn Grand Canyon is a stylish new stay, just minutes from the Grand Canyon Railway and South Rim entrance, bringing design-forward lodging to the edge of Kaibab National Forest. With family-friendly amenities like a reimagined saloon-style Camp Hall, Miss Kitty’s steakhouse & Bar, a pool, hot tub, and outdoor games, it’s the perfect base camp for your next national park adventure.

Camp Denali

Camp Denali is a remote, fly-in lodge in the heart of Denali National Park, offering 19 cozy Alaskan cabins with sweeping views of the Alaska Range. Family-owned since 1952, the camp invites guests to connect with the wild through naturalist-led hikes, communal meals, and an authentic, off-grid experience true to its pioneering spirit.

Ofland Escalante

Set on over 20 acres near Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bryce Canyon, Ofland Escalante is a modern outdoor hotel offering 52 stylish accommodations—from tiny cabins to deluxe Airstreams—blending comfort with wild beauty. With spa-style bathhouses, a pool, food truck, drive-in movies, and access to five national parks, it’s the ultimate base for crowd-free adventure in Southern Utah.

Alila Ventana Big Sur

Sitting above the clouds high above Big Sur’s dramatic coast, this is a slice of classic coastal California heaven. With wood-clad structures, a thermal spa, and rustic-chic rooms, it’s the ultimate rich hippie-chic getaway. Indulge your inner seeker with one of its immersive experiences (Knife-making, anyone?).

The Virginian Lodge

The Virginian Lodge in Jackson, Wyoming, blends retro charm with modern comfort, offering stylish rooms, an all-season pool, firepits, and on-site dining just minutes from Grand Teton and near Yellowstone. With live music, local events, and a cozy après-adventure vibe, it’s the perfect base for exploring Jackson Hole’s wild beauty and vibrant culture.

Under Canvas Yosemite

Under Canvas defined its own category of adventure stays when it launched its glamping tents in 2012, and its Yosemite property is a real showstopper. Set on 85 forested acres just 10 minutes from Yosemite’s West Entrance and appointed with plush king beds, ensuite bathrooms, West Elm furnishings, and direct access to YARTS transit and nearby trails, this upscale glamping experience offers effortless adventure and serenity in one of the nation’s most iconic parks.

Grand Hyatt Deer Valley

Grand Hyatt Deer Valley is the newest luxury hotel in Park City and Grand Hyatt’s debut in Utah, offering ski-in, ski-out access to Deer Valley’s expanding East Village terrain. With alpine-inspired dining, ski butler services, elegant accommodations, and a dedicated Kids Club and game room, it’s a family-friendly base for mountain adventure and luxury.

Salish Lodge & Spa

Salish Lodge & Spa, perched above the majestic Snoqualmie Falls, offers a quintessential Pacific Northwest retreat with its breathtaking views and luxurious accommodations. Guests are embraced by the serenity of nature, enjoying rooms with cozy fireplaces and soaking tubs, while dining on farm-to-table cuisine crafted from local ingredients. Activities range from indulging in rejuvenating spa treatments to exploring lush hiking trails, making it an ideal destination for those seeking a harmonious blend of relaxation and regional authenticity.

Hotel Marina Riviera

Big Bear Lake in California is definitely having a moment, and the recently restored Hotel Marina Riviera, formerly a 1968 ski lodge, is Exhibit A. Blending retro charm with modern luxury, this bespoke 42 lake-view mountain property includes both rooms and cabins, as well as a midcentury-inspired restaurant, pool, sauna, and lakeside event spaces.

Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabins

Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Cabins offers historic charm and unbeatable access to Yellowstone’s Northern wonders, just steps from the park’s iconic terraces and near wildlife- rich Lamar Valley. Year-round adventures await—from skiing to wildlife tours—followed by cozy evenings with local fare, fireside drinks, and classic Western hospitality.

Gravity Haus Breckenridge

Gravity Haus Breckenridge is a ski-in, ski-out boutique hotel at the base of Breckenridge Mountain, offering 60 thoughtfully designed rooms and pup-friendly perks in the heart of town. With a Japanese-inspired onsen and adventure-ready amenities, it’s a wonderfully curated hub for modern mountain enthusiasts.

The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe

The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe is a storied 85-key retreat blending vintage luxury with personalized hospitality, featuring new private villas, Mila Moursi’s first hotel spa, and standout dining at Lilian’s and Bing’s Bar. Set on lush grounds just outside San Diego, this century-old icon offers tailored experiences and timeless charm in a truly residential setting.

Inn the Ground

Tucked into a hillside in Oregon wine country, this B&B with major The Biggest Little Farm energy is overlooking a regenerative farm, with trails through oak-dotted hills, grazing cattle, and sweeping Willamette Valley views. Guests can dig into farm-fresh breakfasts, dine at its downtown restaurant Humble Spirit, explore permaculture tours, enjoy complimentary wine tastings, and unwind with tennis or pickleball at Grounded Body.

El Capitan Hotel

El Capitan, a JdV by Hyatt Hotel Public Space

In the heart of downtown Merced, El Capitan Hotel brings modern sophistication to a storied landmark, serving as a stylish gateway to Yosemite and California’s Central Valley’s vibrant culture. With standout dining at Rainbird, The Mainzer, and Native Sun—all celebrating local flavors—this 114-room gem is where history, hospitality, and community converge.