Best Adventure Hotels in USA

Encompassing several tiers, each low rise, this Ritz-Carlton hotel has been carved into Tortolita Mountain. Beamed ceilings complement serene contemporary furnishings, with Asprey toiletries, Nespresso machines and private terraces boasting gas fires for cosy evenings stargazing the clear, dark skies. Leisure facilities include a tennis court, a 27-hole Jack Nicklaus golf course, wellness and mixology classes and three swimming pools (including a Serenity Pool with a tanning island) set across the multiple tiers. There are also six restaurants, a spa, and a programme of activities at the “Rangers Station” for the younger guests.

Built in 2004 and renovated in 2013, this Marriott property in the city’s Mountain Park, has 575 guest rooms, including singles, doubles and suites, some with balconies. Set to a backdrop of Saguaros, the resort reflects much of the local landscape, with desert-inspired decor, ceilings made from cactus spines and accents of native southwestern culture. Three golf courses, a spa, a gym and a multilevel outdoor pool with waterslides and a lazy river are found within the grounds, with Mediterranean and Mexican restaurants and a sports bar available for food and drink.

Arguably the hippest hotspot in town, this minimalist property is the only five-star, five-diamond hotel in Aspen. As part of the Relais & Chateaux collection, it has an incredible food and drink offer. Element 47 serves New American cuisine, with a choice of over 20,000 different wines to accompany the meal (guests can also tour the funky red-lit wine cellar). Lighter meals are offered in the firelit Living Room, at Chair 9 – the hotel’s late-night club venue – and Ajax Tavern. The rooms and suites have been styled by Champalimaud Design and all have cosy gas log fireplaces.

This large-scale AAA Five Diamond retreat in Park City will meet all your sports and wellness requirements. Built in a mountain lodge style, The St Regis encompasses a 14,000 square-foot Remède Spa, a 3,000 square-foot fitness centre overlooking a year-round, outdoor, split-level pool and hot tubs. Stay in one of 177 guest rooms, including 64 suites featuring the brand’s signature butler service. Replenish after an active day on the slopes, with seafood and steak at RIME, or classic French dishes at Brasserie 7452. The hotel’s impressive Wine Vault houses over 10,000 bottles of wine, and there’s a cocktail bar.

Occupying a prime ski-in/ski-out location, the Viceroy offers upscale accommodations in Snowmass Village, just a little outside of Aspen’s centre. Ideal for families and those wanting to self-cater, rooms come with kitchenettes and there’s a daily programme of activities for younger guests. But there are also two eateries on-site – the fine dining Eight K Restaurant and a poolside Asian inspired cafe, Nest. After-dinner drinks can be taken alfresco, or indoors beside a roaring fire. The huge spa spans a total of 7,000-square-feet, incorporating plunge pools, a Vichy wet room, jacuzzis and a blissful relaxation suite. Outside, there‘s a heated saline pool with a fire pit and cabanas.

An eco-friendly option, Hotel Jerome is set up with in-room recycling bins, filtered water in glass bottles, LED light bulbs, low-flow water systems and locally sourced edibles. 94 rooms come equipped with a yoga mat, Nespresso machine, a humidifier, complimentary minibar packed with decadent goodies and hand-blended Auberge toiletries in refillable containers. While this hotel is deeply chic with excellent apres, it’s also welcoming of families (there’s a games room and chargeable babysitting service) and dogs. Formal meals take place at Prospect restaurant or on the terrace (weather permitting), while the J-Bar serves bar food alongside tipples in a vintage styled setting.

Found at the base of the Canyons ski area, looking onto the Wasatch Mountains, the Waldorf Astoria Park City has 175 bedrooms decorated in a natural palette, with custom furnishings. Formerly the Dakota Mountain Lodge, the three-storey property now features sophisticated public spaces with chandeliers, rooms with gas fireplaces and a large spa. The building centres around a sheltered outdoor patio with fire pits, a heated pool and whirlpools, with a seasonal pool bar. Guests also have access to a fine dining restaurant, a private ski gondola and a golf course.

The Big Cypress Lodge is a one-of-a-kind pyramidal hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. Each of the luxurious guestrooms and suites has a contemporary design with a uniquely rustic feel. The hotel features the Governor’s and Junior adjoining suites which can host up to six people with multiple bedrooms, bathrooms, and living spaces. There are multiple dining options including the Mississippi Rooftop Terrace & Lounge which offers views over the city skyline. A stay at Big Cypress Lodge provides guests with complimentary and unlimited access to the Express Sky High Ride elevator that takes you to the top of the Pyramid where you’ll find The Lookout restaurant and bar as well as the Glass Observation Deck. The hotel has everything you need, around the clock, thanks to the 24-hour business and fitness centres. The hotel offers guests a complimentary shuttle service to downtown Memphis and is pet friendly.

This five-star establishment’s pool and outdoor hot tubs look out onto the hotel’s majestic neighbour, Aspen (also known as Ajax) Mountain. Rooms at St Regis come with opulent leather and marble furnishings, Bang & Olufsen sound systems, beds and desks custom designed by Ralph Lauren and 24-hour butler service at the touch of a button. Dine in Velvet Buck and sip on outstanding cocktails at the Mountain Social. Kim Kardashian, Kanye West and daughter North, Paris Hilton and Uma Thurman have all stayed here.

Perched beside the ski lift, this mid-mountain hotel in Silver Lake Village is handy for the slopes (you can ski in/ski out and there’s a ski valet). Guests can stay in bedrooms in the old house — a Bavarian-style inn — or in sleek multi-bedroom residences designed by the award-winning architect Tom Kundig. There’s a bar, a restaurant (do try the fondue), a pool, a terrace and a hot tub on the rooftop of the new wing, from which you can gaze at the neighbouring mountains through the ethereal rising steam.

The Limelight Hotel Aspen is a 126-room, family-friendly hotel in the heart of downtown Aspen, offering a relaxed, modern mountain aesthetic with light, inviting interiors. Originally a theatre and nightclub in the 1950s, it was transformed into a contemporary hotel in 2008. Rooms feature flat-screen TVs, Keurig coffee machines, wet bars, and complimentary Wi-Fi, with select options offering private terraces. Guests can enjoy The Limelight Lounge, serving casual dining, craft cocktails, and live music, along with a heated outdoor pool, two rooftop terraces, hot tubs, and a fitness centre. The hotel provides complimentary cruiser bikes and shuttle services for easy exploration. Located steps from Aspen Mountain and Silver Queen Gondola, it offers effortless access to skiing, hiking, and the city’s vibrant cultural scene, including the Aspen Art Museum. A standout feature is its pet-friendly policy, welcoming furry companions with in-room beds and water bowls.

Occupying nearly 100 acres of desert plateau in the Catalina Mountain foothills, this resort is fronted by its own lake and multiple waterfalls. This leads onto two golf courses and four floodlit tennis courts. The spa has won multiple awards and there are two heated pools and jacuzzis for some relaxation time. 398 rooms and 27 suites have private balconies, on which you can dine. Or pay a visit to the Loews Ventana Canyon Resort’s two restaurants; Flavor Ventana for a gourmet take on Arizonian favourites and the Flying V Bar & Grill, a casual eatery offering 70 different types of tequila and a “guacamoliere”.