Immerse Yourself in Nature at These Camps, Lodges, and Hotels

The Sunset Travel Awards celebrate the best in travel in the West, and this year we had another record-breaking number of entrants of the highest level across all categories. These camps, lodges, and hotels are the 2024 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 .

Nat Hab’s Alaska Bear Camp

Court Whelan

Located in a remote and beautiful corner of Lake Clark National Park, this wildly unique camp provides exclusive access to observe coastal brown bears in their natural habitat. Guests stay in comfortable safari-style tents equipped with modern amenities, enjoying guided bear-viewing excursions led by expert naturalists. The camp emphasizes sustainability and conservation, providing an unforgettable adventure for wildlife enthusiasts seeking an intimate encounter with Alaska’s most majestic residents.

Aspen Meadows

Aspen Meadows Resort

Designed by legendary Bauhaus architect Herbert Bayer, Aspen Meadows is a cultural haven in Aspen’s West End. Newly restored to its midcentury glory, it offers 98 suites, a restaurant with mountain views, and free guest access to the Bayer Center museum and its exhibitions celebrating Bauhaus design. In addition to providing ski shuttles and a serene retreat, it also hosts the Aspen Ideas Festival making it a perfect getaway for culture-loving adventurers.

Inn the Ground

Inn the Ground

A new wave of regenerative travel is taking hold in the Willamette Valley, with this design-forward, eco-conscious nine-room inn at the forefront. The hotel component works in tandem with their restaurant and sprawling sustainable permaculture project that includes multiple natural springs supporting grass-fed and -finished cattle, heritage-breed hogs, and pasture-raised laying hens. There’s also a massive garden growing heirloom fruits and veg for the farm-fresh breakfasts, making for an experience that feeds the soul and the belly.

Outlook Inn

Outlook Inn

Outlook Inn on Orcas Island offers luxurious accommodations in an iconic Pacific Northwest vacation destination. With spacious rooms overlooking Fishing Bay it’s an idyllic oceanfront getaway. Guests enjoy locally inspired cuisine at New Leaf Café, easy access to shops, galleries, and outdoor adventures. For the ultimate experience, book the Water’s Edge Deluxe Suites for stunning views and upscale amenities.

Harvest Hosts

Harvest Hosts

Discover the charm of the West with this unique RV membership program that allows #vanlifers to park overnight at unique stays at over 5,000 locations across North America, including vineyards, farms, and quaint museums. Imagine waking up at a lavender farm in California, a Wyoming ranch, or a desert winery in Arizona, all while supporting small business owners along the way.

Ambiente Sedona

Jeff Zaruba

Designed to blend with its natural surroundings, the adults-only resort features floor-to-ceiling windows and rooftop decks on guest suites offering stunning Red Rock views. Guests enjoy courtesy transportation, dining at Forty1, poolside relaxation, and pampering at Velvet Spa. With hiking trail access and dark-sky stargazing, Ambiente provides a harmonious and luxurious escape in Sedona’s breathtaking landscape.

The Sea Ranch Lodge

Adam Potts

The iconic ‘60s utopian housing development situated on 53 acres of dramatic Sonoma coastline is home to the newly resorted and super stylish Sea Ranch Lodge . With guest rooms redesigned by Nicole Hollis, a dining room serving elevated coastal California cuisine, and a meadow with epic views of the sea, this architectural gem blends rustic elegance with modern comforts in a stunning natural setting. An essential Northern California architectural pilgrimage.

Trailborn Rocky Mountains

Christian Harder

This year has seen a bevy of design-forward boutique properties opening up within close proximity to National Parks and monuments, and Trailborn Rocky Mountains is well worth the visit. Its flagship outpost in Colorado has access to snow-capped peaks, alpine lakes, and 300 miles of hiking trails. In addition to the restaurant, bar, and cafe, there are two retail markets offering a selection of curated local products and grab-and-go items, plus outdoor pools, patios, porches, and communal firepits, all with views of the surrounding Rockies.

Collective Vail

Collective Retreats

Rugged luxury makes this Rocky Mountain retreat stand out from the rest. Surrounded by 1,000 pristine acres of high desert landscape, guests get an authentic sense of the American West while being just 20 minutes outside the resort town of Vail. Activities range from horseback riding and fly-fishing to simply relaxing while roasting s’mores underneath the clearest Colorado night skies.

Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge

Alaska Wildland Adventures

Reconnect with nature, dine finely, and relax in the sauna while immersed in Alaska’s breathtaking landscape at Kenai Fjords Glacier Lodge . Here you can access the stunning seacoast wilderness of Kenai Fjords National Park. Enjoy whale-watching, marine wildlife tours, and views of Pedersen Glacier from the lodge. Adventurers can hike and kayak, while the nearby Pedersen Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary ensures unique wildlife encounters.

Lodge at Marconi

Brian Ferry

The Lodge at Marconi in West Marin is the latest high-end lodging on Tomales Bay. Recently renovated, the sprawling hillside compound feels like a summer camp for grownups with a lobby stocked with board games, views of the bay, local artisanal snacks, and natural wine. With hiking trails, stylish appointed rooms, multiple event spaces, and no televisions, the Lodge is the perfect place to unplug and unwind.

Sacred Rock Inn

Jesse Evan Cudworth

Perched above the dramatic Mendocino Coast, the newly renovated and expanded Sacred Rock Inn in Elk, CA, offers luxury seaside accommodations in a charming compound comprising serene gardens, historic bungalows, and a Victorian mansion— all with breathtaking views of this stretch of sea that’s home to the gray whale migration route. Use this as your home base for exploring Anderson Valley wine country before returning to unwind at the Inn’s New Californian restaurant Greenwood.

El Capitan Hotel

Tanveer Badal

El Capitan Hotel in Merced, CA, offers modern rooms and amenities in a historic turn-of-the-century property. Located on Main Street, it serves as a gateway to Yosemite and features dining options like Rainbird, Native Son, and the open-air El Capitan Courtyard. Guests enjoy local attractions and outdoor activities, reflecting California’s Central Valley traditions. El Capitan combines modern comfort with historic charm, making it an ideal base for exploring the region.

Ofland Escalante

Kim + Nash Finley

Formerly known as Yonder Escalante, Ofland Escalante , located in Southern Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, is our kind of glamping experience. With mod tiny cabins, sleek Airstreams, deluxe cabins, plus an outdoor lodge, spa-quality bathhouses, a general store, food truck, pool, hot tub, and drive-in movie theater, it’s a mini outdoorsy utopia. Bonus: Guests can enjoy easy access to nearby national and state Parks.

Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge

Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge

Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge on Vancouver Island offers luxury in the remote Clayoquot Sound. Accessible only by seaplane or boat, it provides an immersive experience in a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Guests enjoy personalized itineraries with activities like horseback riding, canyoning, and glacial plunging. The lodge features luxury tents, sustainable dining, and fine wines, offering a unique blend of adventure and relaxation in Canada’s pristine wilderness.

Limelight Ketchum

Limelight Hotels

Limelight Ketchum in Idaho’s Wood River Valley offers 99 rooms and suites, plus 14 residences, near Sun Valley Resort. Guests enjoy winter sports, summer hiking, biking, and stargazing in America’s first Dark Sky Reserve. The hotel features seasonal programming, an adventure concierge, and bespoke experiences. Limelight Ketchum provides a perfect blend of outdoor adventure and luxurious comfort.

SCP Hilo Hotel

SCP Hilo Hotel

SCP Hilo Hotel on the Big Island of Hawaii is committed to sustainability and Hawaiian hospitality. With every stay providing support for reforestation, at-risk youth, the Hawaii Wildlife Fund, and more, it’s a win-win for guests and locals. Amenities include complimentary bikes and paddleboards, plus the location allows for easy access to attractions like Rainbow Falls and Volcanoes National Park. An affordable, ecologically minded hotel for active travelers.

Snow Peak Campfield Long Beach

Snow Peak Long Beach Campfield

Located on Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula, Snow Peak Long Beach Campfield brings Japanese luxury camping to the Pacific Northwest. This first U.S. campground from Snow Peak offers 56 tent sites, Jyubako Suites by architect Kengo Kuma, and a Japanese Ofuro spa. With a focus on sustainability, the camp restores wetlands and hosts community events like Takibi Time by the campfire. Explore coastal hikes and watersports or unwind in nature—a perfect retreat for adventure and tranquility seekers alike.