The World's Most Romantic Hotels: The Western United States

Honeymoons, anniversaries, engagements, make-ups — there are plenty of reasons to be amorous. Find love in all the right places with this list of romantic destinations in the western United States.

ALASKA

Tordrillo Mountain Lodge
Judd Lake

What's to Love: A multimillion-dollar revamp by thrill-seeking owners (Olympic gold medalist Tommy Moe and Alaskan heli-ski pioneer Mike Overcast) takes the heart rate to new heights at this five-star, multi-sport wilderness lodge. A 40-minute floatplane flight from Anchorage lands guests in the remote Tordrillo Mountains, where stylish digs, fancy chefs, a lakeside sauna, and in-room massages round out helicopter-based adventure experiences all year long. An accomplished guide team leads guests in skiing and snowboarding through steep gullies and powder fields. Summer calls for glacier hiking, wake surfing, waterskiing, wildlife viewing, and catching the Northern Lights at night.

ARIZONA

Adobe Grand Villas
Sedona
What's to Love: Wagon Wheel Room, an incredibly homey and imaginative villa that immediately transports you to another time. Red sandstone landscape panoramas. Masseuse on staff.
Good to Know: Great short day-trip stopover if headed to Grand Canyon via Flagstaff.

Royal Palms Resort and Spa
Scottsdale
What's to Love: An intimate 1929 Spanish Revival villa at the foot of Camelback Mountain. Outdoor fireplaces, winding walking paths, and tranquil fountains cover the grounds. Guest rooms are decorated in lovely Mediterranean style. The on-site restaurant, T Cook's, prepares rustic cuisine like rotisserie in a 1930s fireplace. There's no reason to leave this kind of serenity.
Good To Know: Book a room with a fireplace and soaking tub. The Arizona air is very healing, and the Alvadora Spa does outdoor treatments in their lush garden.

CALIFORNIA

Northern California

Auberge du Soleil
Rutherford
What's to Love: Built as if it grew out of the hillside with an unobstructed view of the Napa Valley. Quiet elegance, privacy, very peaceful.
Good to Know: The service is immediate and understated. There's no reason to leave you thoughtfully stocked room, but you should for a magical dinner at the restaurant up the hill. Atmospherically, again, the intersection of nature and elegance.

Calistoga Ranch
Napa Valley
What's to Love: Romantic bungalows right out of Williams-Sonoma Home with incredible bedding. Fireplaces and wine. Just so, so much wine.
Good to Know: Be sure to have a nibble at the Lakeside Lounge. It's only open to hotel guests, which, considering the clientele, turns it into a Napa version of Soho House.

Duchamp Hotel
Healdsburg
What's to Love: This is a modern design fanatic's dream come true: private villas in the middle of wine country.
Good to Know: Return from a day at the vineyards to sip your purchases poolside.

Farmhouse Inn
Russian River Valley
What's to Love: Tucked away in the backwoods of beautiful Sonoma, the dreamy hotel has a fireplace in every room, fluffy feather beds, and huge soaking tubs. In the lobby, there are different kinds of homemade bath salts and soaps to squirrel away, and they hand you warm chocolate chip cookies and cold milk when you check in.
Good to Know: Rent a car. The Michelin-starred restaurant is amazing and there are several low-key wineries within a short drive. Take the on-site wine class taught by the restaurant's sommelier.
Read More on Fathom: Learning to Sit Still in Sonoma

Nick's Cove
Point Reyes
What's To Love: The waterfront cabins, which actually sit in the water on stilts, are as eccentric as they are delightful. Go for Nicolina, a reclaimed 1930s boat, and dream of the ocean.
Good To Know: The hills you'll gaze at across the water, Point Reyes Park, make for one of the most beautiful hikes in California.

The Carneros Inn
Napa
What's to Love: Cozy private cottages with secluded patios and outdoor showers. Breathtaking vineyard views at the infinity pool. Spa treatments take cues from wine country's harvest and terroir.
Good to Know: The Boon Fly Cafe's hearty breakfasts and FARM's elegant Cali cuisine make it hard to leave the rolling property.

Hotel Les Mars

Healdsburg, California

What's to Love: It's a good time to give Napa and Sonoma a little love, as the area emerges from the fires that raged last fall. But there's no tragedy at this intimate nine-room hotel in the charming small town of Healdsburg. Evocative of 17th-century French chateau, the dreamy rooms have rich textiles, wood-burning fireplaces, deep marble bathtubs, and four-poster beds.

Central Coast

Glen Oaks Cabins
Big Sur
What's to Love: A nature lover's swoon spot. Luxury mid-century cabins, outdoor fire pits, fragrant Redwoods in absolute serene Big Sur beauty.
Good to Know: Worth the splurge for the Big Sur Cabin to fall asleep to sounds of the river after a soak in the outdoor claw-foot soaking tubs.

Post Ranch Inn
Big Sur
What's to Love: Everything — from the infinity pool overlooking the Pacific surrounded by Redwoods to the fact that they don't allow kids or visitors around the property. It's perfectly tranquil. Some ocean suites have their own hot tub sitting on the cliff. Oh, and no televisions.
Good to Know: There's no need to leave the compound, but if you do, try Big Sur Bakery and Café for fresh pastries and breads as well as rock star pizzas.

Southern California

Hotel Bel-Air
Los Angeles
What's to Love: The residential feel, the beautiful outdoor spaces, the pool, the small bungalows furnished with fireplaces, and the fact that you're hidden away but still close to the action.

Beverly Hills Hotel
Beverly Hills
What's to Love: Old-school glamour, secluded bungalows, and the best chopped salad and fries in the world. Along with the occasional Reese Witherspoon sighting.
Good to Know: It has just had a massive renovation, so it's very old-meets-new.

Hope Springs and Miracle Manor
Desert Hot Springs
What's to Love: Very small ex-motels (about ten and six rooms, respectively) done in perfect mid-century style (Hope is mid-century; Miracle is a bit more Zen). The natural hot springs are incredibly restorative, with beautiful mountain desert views that make for magical sunrise and sunsets. Interesting industry hipster types go there.
Good to Know: No children under 14 allowed and allegedly clothing is optional at Miracle Manor . The best time to go is February; any later than April is scorching.

Peninsula Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills
What's to Love: What isn't? Sumptuous suites in lush gardens are pure old Hollywood glamour, just updated with every electronic gadget imaginable. The hotel is the kind of escape from reality where no detail is overlooked, from the silent spa (try the Duet Moonlight Massage, which is also available in a poolside cabana) to incredibly high thread counts to delicious breakfasts in the sun at the Roof Garden restaurant.
Good to Know: Feel no pressure to be cultural — or engaged in the world in any way. You're in LA, and this is a hotel to be checked into and thoroughly enjoyed. Besides, the room service is so excellent, you don't even need to leave to eat.

San Ysidro Ranch
Montecito, Santa Barbara
What's to Love: We're talking an outstanding experience. A 12 on a scale of 1-10. Laid-back atmosphere, scrupulous attention to detail, a hilltop pool, scenic hiking trails surrounding the sprawling, 500-acre spread. You're greeted in the driveway, and whisked straight to your lovely yet low-key cottage. No pesky paperwork. The bungalow-style cottages are individually designed, with big sitting rooms, peaceful terraces, and soaring ceilings in the bathrooms.
Good to Know: For dinner, try the wood-fired pizzas and sashimi at Plow & Angel. Or the Stonehouse is a more formal option.
Read More on Fathom: History, Hollywood, Heaven in San Ysidro Ranch

Shutters on the Beach
Santa Monica
What's to Love: Those huge bathtubs and comfy beds just spell romance. Plus cozy lobby bar and two good restaurants (one fancy, one casual).
Good to Know: Northern-facing rooms have view of Santa Monica Pier and Ferris wheel. A five-minute walk puts you on Main Street, a trove of funky shops and good food.

The Willows
Palm Springs
What's to Love: Lavish yet private yet warm and friendly B&B tucked into Mt. San Jacinto where Albert Einstein, Shirley Temple, and Clark Gable once frolicked (presumably not together).
Good to Know: The O'Donnell House, a sister property up the hill used for weddings and events, affords some of the region's best views, as well as a stone-walled "grotto" that's oddly profound.

COLORADO

Taylor River Lodge
Crested Butte
What's to Love: Open from late May through mid-October, the off-grid locale deep in Taylor Canyon is a woodsy wonderland perfect for families. There are private cabins with various set-ups — lofts, bunk beds, kitchens, and a teepee lounge. The all-inclusive rate includes not only food and drink (and an awesome mini bar), but activities like river rafting, axe-throwing, fly fishing, mountaineering, shooting BB guns (you'll shoot yer eye out, kid), and access to the beautiful pool cabin.

HAWAII

Four Seasons Hualalai
Kailua-Kona
What's to Love: Totally dreamy. (And totally pricey.) Rooms are buried within leafy foliage, producing a manicured jungle feel. Individual outdoor showers burst with orchids.
Good to Know: The pond is meant for snorkeling, and swimming among jewel-colored creatures without fear of hungry sharks or rogue waves is a singular experience.
Read More on Fathom: See our Hawaii Big Island itinerary for tips on what to do, eat, and see.

Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows
Kohala Coast
What's to Love: One of the rare independent hotels on the island. The amazing beach is a private crescent of powdery sand lapped by calm turquoise water frequented by sea turtles.
Good to Know: The staff, many of whom have been there forever, provide indispensable advice for exploring the island like an insider.
Read More on Fathom: See our Hawaii Big Island itinerary for tips on what to do, eat, and see.

Volcano House Hotel
Hawaii National Park, Hawaii
What's to Love: While it won't be the most elegant and traditionally romantic place you'll ever stay, your love here will feel extra, er, explosive: The hotel is located on the caldera rim of Kilauea, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, and that's Halema'uma'u crater bubbling lava a short distance away.

NEW MEXICO

Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado Santa Fe
Santa Fe
What's to Love: Sit around the circle fire pit with a hot toddy and soak in the magic of the distant Jemez Mountains and the warm, soothing scent of pinion wood.
Good to Know: If you're there during opera season, have the hotel set up a Champagne tailgate and sit under the stars.

Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado Santa Fe.

Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi
Santa Fe
What's To Love: A warm, cozy spot nestled in the heart of Santa Fe, with Navajo rugs, hand-carved doors, beamed ceilings, and sandstone walls. A pinion wood fire burns in the lobby, making for an intoxicating scent of the Southwest. The lighting is low; the mood is relaxed. You will feel exceptionally cozy.
Good to Know: Book a superior room with a balcony for the an enticing kiva fireplace. Yes, you'll feel like you're on fire in the best possible way.

UTAH

Amangiri
Canyon Point
What's to Love: Perhaps one of the most romantic spots on earth due to the surrounding dramatic canyons and plateaus, spare aesthetic (starchitect Annabelle Selldorf designed the adjacent villas), and lovely, understated swimming pool. Enormous soaking tubs, rain showers, and all kinds of stone, leather, and wood finishes make it an ultimate oasis.
Good to know: The setting 600 acres overlooking Escalante National Monument makes for all kinds of guided hiking and biking options. And since this is an Aman resort, the Zen spa with its flotation room is not to be missed.

WASHINGTON

The Willows Inn
Lummi Island
What's to Love: In a quintessential Pacific Northwest setting, cozy rooms and quaint activities (bocce! bike riding! puzzles!) offer ideal complements to renowned farm-and sea-fresh dining experience.
Good to Know: Come for the food, stay for the views. Weather permitting, sit on the deck for the best sunset perch.

WYOMING

Amangani
Jackson Hole
What's to Love: The spectacular Grand Tetons steal the show at the spare, elegant retreat where massive suites in neutral hues will make you never want to leave.
Good to Know: A spectacularly sleek, outdoor pool is available for use in all seasons, and bespoke trail rides and trips to nearby Yellowstone are not to be missed.

Eyes drawn upward at Amangani. Photo courtesy of Aman Resorts.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE

The World's Most Romantic Hotels

Contributors: Cassandra Barry, David Bernahl, Ingrid Bernstein, Becca Bergman Bull, Eve Epstein, Christina Ohly Evans, Emily Fiffer, Nikole Flores, Laura House, Justin Kazmark, Sally Horchow, Stephanie March, Carrie Molay, Lanee Neil, Karen Palmer, Margaret Spencer, Bridgette Thom, James Truman.