America’s premium nature attractions keep pulling in visitors, but until recently, most of the accommodation options were not too grand. These chic inns offer everything from soaking tubs to telescopes for stargazing.
3 min
Copyright 2020, Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. LEARN MORE
America’s national parks experienced their busiest year ever in 2024 with tens of millions of visitors seeking a slice of nature at sites from Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula to the Great Smoky Mountains.
Though the U.S. park system is facing budget cuts, its popularity isn’t slowing down.
And thanks to a spate of luxury boutique hotels opening near these storied landscapes, Americans can now bond with nature more poshly.
“National parks offer accessible, restorative travel experiences, but for years, visitors had to choose between some version of camping, select service hotels or inconsistent independent properties,” said Mike Weiss, co-founder and co-CEO of Trailborn and Castle Peak Holdings based in New York.
He and his co-founder, Ben Weinberg, are among those updating the idea of “camping out” by launching boutique hotels near national parks.
While demand for legendary lodges, such as the Ahwahnee in Yosemite, the Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone and the cliff’s-edge El Tovar Hotel at the Grand Canyon hasn’t dwindled, boutique hotels draw guests with serene spas and fine-dining restaurants that offer spectacular views.
Among their non-rustic features: soaking tubs, fancy high-count bed linens and telescopes for stargazing. Here, the new hot tickets where swooning over Mother Nature doesn’t mean roughing it.
Don’t let the name fool you: Wyoming’s most famous park is a 2.5-hour drive away.
But at this adults-only lodge that opened last summer, waking up in your roomy suite includes perks like views of the Grand Tetons and Snake River Valley.
Should the scenery become too overwhelmingly majestic, focus instead on the house granola or a huckleberry and peach smoothie, options on the breakfast menu.
Situated right outside the billionaire bustle of Jackson Hole, the retreat houses a tranquil spa, where guests can book 10 minutes in the Himalayan Salt Treatment Room ($60) to wind down after a day spent with Old Faithful at Yellowstone National Park.
Others watch the sunset from the patio with a glass of William Knuttel “Atlas Peak” Cabernet from Napa Valley, Calif. From US$1,199 a night.
Set in Williams, Ariz., arguably the Route 66-iest town in America, this newly opened outpost dispenses with road-trip kitsch to offer 96 colorful rooms beside the celebrated ravine.
Consider a curated hike, lounge by the pool or schedule a laser-guided constellation tour for a group of up to 10.
A Southwest-inspired steakhouse and on-site saloon (named Miss Kitty’s after Amanda Blake’s character in “Gunsmoke”) are nods at the area’s rootin’, tootin’ heritage, while extras like bocce ball courts and a scavenger hunt board for children provide entertainment before, or after, visiting the main attraction. From US $123 a night.
For California travelers exploring Yosemite’s granite domes and sequoia groves, this gaggle of pet-friendly cottages and villas in the town of Groveland, Calif., makes a good base camp.
Guests can kick back in spacious indoor-outdoor living spaces, play cowgirl on a trail ride or try mountain cuisine (like bone-in wild boar) at on-site restaurant YOVA .
Opened in the spring of 2024, the welcoming spot has a heated saltwater pool and hot tubs.
Its proximity to the northwest entrance station of Yosemite is a plus too. From US $525 a night.
Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes might not be the best-known national park, but this luxury resort in the San Luis Valley (a certified Dark Sky region) is attracting travelers with its inventive design and focus on astronomy.
The rooms—transparent geodesic domes—cater to those who want to marvel at the Milky Way by night and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains by day.
Amenities include private Jacuzzis, heated floors and, of course, high-end telescopes. Situated 3.5 hours from Denver. From US $700 a night.
Nestled between Utah’s iconic national parks—Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef and Zion—this adventure-focused retreat sits within a landscape no one would call dull. Choose between vintage Airstreams, cozy casitas and 4-person cabins.
When you’ve had your fill of nature, spend an evening at the drive-in movie theater, cannonball into the pool, or order patty melts and soft serve at its Americana food truck.
For a more secluded experience, deluxe cabins come with private bathrooms and fire pits. The cozier lodging options feature shared bathhouses with shower stalls. Tiny cabins start at US $169 a night, deluxe cabins, US$259; Airstreams, US$175.
Bar Harbor’s newest boutique hotel is two blocks from the sandbar to Bar Island, a part of Maine’s Acadia National Park. Situated downtown on Cottage Street, with its nearby shops and restaurants, the Pathmaker’s 46 rooms have Americana-style furnishings and smart TVs.
Dining is easy too: The mid-century-furnished restaurant serves up a complimentary breakfast, which includes Belgian waffles or spicy frittatas. From US$139 to US $329 a night, depending on the season.
The Australian leather house has opened an immersive four-day pop-up in Manhattan, unveiling its Bloom Collection and redefining what a product launch can look like.
Following the successful launch of its Palais Collection, MAISON de SABRÉ has unveiled a new modular handbag system offering more than 720 styling combinations.
رغم التوترات الإقليمية، يواصل سوق العقارات الفاخرة في الإمارات جذب المشاريع الجديدة، مع تصدر الواجهات البحرية المشهد. وتستعد دبي وأبوظبي ورأس الخيمة لإطلاق مجموعة من المشاريع السكنية الفاخرة، بينها مساكن تحمل علامات فندقية عالمية مثل Ritz-Carlton وJanu.
6 min
Long-term optimism remains strong in the United Arab Emirates, even as the war in neighboring Iran hinders home sales and demand for now.
While there have certainly been residential and commercial real estate projects across the U.A.E. that have been paused or delayed due to the turmoil experienced across the region, by and large, new developments continue to be launched.
That’s the case in the luxury residences sector in particular, where a string of starry, big-name projects are putting homes on the market before the close of the year. One trend is that the islands of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the U.A.E. at large that are taking their turn in the spotlight, as waterfront living continues to be in demand and come at a premium.
For would-be buyers looking for resort-style homes along the shores, there’s an array of upcoming projects to get excited about. Right at the top of the list are hotel branded residences from the likes of Ritz-Carlton and Janu, the sister brand of powerhouse Aman, among five swanky projects selling this season.
Luxury hotel branded residences are thriving, and the exciting Ritz-Carlton Residences Al Maryah Island development is a great example of why. Residents can expect hotel-style amenities and services from a locale within Abu Dhabi’s thriving waterfront district, with the creature comforts of home built into it.
This project was unveiled at Abu Dhabi Finance Week 2025 and promises to offer The Ritz-Carlton brand’s signature, timeless style and unwavering attention to detail. All units will feature floor-to-ceiling windows with enviable views, while residents will be able to take advantage of a resort-grade, infinity waterfront pool, immersive spa and wellness facilities, and a waterfront promenade with curated outdoor spaces as well as high-end retail and dining venues.
Sales launch in October.
Number of Units: 172
Price Range: Starting at $1.2 million
Developer/Architect: Killa Design and Tara Bernerd, with SAAS Properties.
Home Sizes: One- to four-bedroom residences ranging from 882 square feet to 4,962 square feet, and a five-bedroom, 13,713-square-foot penthouse.
Amenities: Wellness facilities including premium fitness center, massage room, meditation and recovery rooms, cold plunge and indoor pool. There’s also a rooftop pool, co-working lounge, executive golf lounge, and a games room and children play area.
Just 50 minutes from Dubai International Airport, Janu Al Marjan Island aims to both feel a world apart from the city, while also offering supreme ease of access. The property has its own private stretch of beach and marina, ideal for superyacht mooring and serving as the scene of a beach club.
The Janu Residences will be positioned next to the Janu hotel, with residents able to take advantage of its many social and wellness spaces, in addition to resident’s-only amenities and services. Meanwhile, the adjacent Wynn Al Marjan Island, the U.A.E.’s first integrated resort, is in direct proximity as well.
Social life by the sea, with discretion and wellness on tap, not to mention a chance to get in early on burgeoning Ras Al Khaimah.
Sales launch in late October.
Number of Units: 73
Price Range: Starting at $2.3 million
Developer/Architect: Jointly developed by Marjan and Wynn Resorts, with architecture by SCDA Architects.
Home Sizes: One- to five-bedroom residences ranging from 2,117 square feet to 18,955 square feet, as well as five Marina Villas and a residential tower penthouse.
Amenities: An active lifestyle comes to the forefront with the Janu Spa and Wellness center and a padel court. Six dining venues and a signature beach club are key features for residents who want it all, right on-site.
Located in the Saadiyat Cultural District, Sei Saadiyat combines its historic locale with a unique spin rooted in the Japanese concept of stillness and calm, or “Sei.” That foundational principle is what this community will be based on, with a mission to foster wellness and relaxation in all forms, including fitness and social connection.
A total of 778 homes will be spread across six Jacobs-designed buildings. Aldar is also introducing a first in their residential portfolio in the form of their two-bedroom Kanso Lofts at Sei Saadiyat, featuring double-height, open-plan living in loft style spaces including an elevated bedroom.
Phase one sales launched in September.
Number of Units: 778 total (265 involved in this phase one launch)
Price Range: Starting at $800,000
Developer/Architect: Aldar with architecture by Jacobs and interiors by Kettle Collective.
Home Sizes: Residences range from 753 square feet to 2,238 square feet, in a range of floor plans including one- and two-bedroom apartments, three-bedroom Kanso Residences and two-bedroom Kanso lofts.
Amenities: Amenities tie into the brand’s ethos of stillness and calm: expect a Zen garden with serenity pool and outdoor yoga decks, along with numerous indoor and outdoor fitness areas, and hot-and cold-pool experiences.
Amali Canal Residences is located on Dubai Canal in Al Wasl. The community is suspended above the canal, and brings the presence of water even closer to home with a number of features including private plunge pools in every residence, and a swim-through, indoor-outdoor pool with a signature waterfall facade that would make the posh resorts of the Swiss Alps blush.
There will be no shortage of on-site entertainment and diversions, whether in the form of a private cinema and resident bowling alley, cigar lounge and library, padel and sports courts, a panoramic fitness center. Then there’s The Retreat, a wellness center incorporating spa, sauna, steam, onsen baths, hydrotherapy, and yoga and pilates studios. When it’s time for a bit of work in between the diversions, residents can use an executive boardroom, private studies and co-working lounges.
Sales launch in October.
Number of Units: 211
Price Range: Two bedrooms starting at $3.9 million; three bedrooms starting at $5.4 million; four bedrooms starting at $7.4 million; penthouse pricing on request.
Developer/Architect: Amali Properties in collaboration with AHS Properties, with architecture by Killa Design and interior design by HBA Residential.
Home Sizes: Two- to four-bedroom apartments ranging from 2,880 square feet to 7,800 square feet, in addition to four- and five-bedroom penthouses ranging up to 21,000 square feet.
Amenities: 55,000 square feet of interconnected amenity spaces including myriad lounges, infinity pools with cabanas, children’s waterpark and child care center, padel court and a rooftop secret garden.
The Rixo Residences on Al Reem Island, Abu Dhabi, are designed to match its island environs with the thriving culture and finance dynamics of the city. Panoramic water and skyline views bring both faces to life, in this East & West Properties project.
Residences showcase expansive terraces offering boundless views from within a community centered around three dedicated amenity zones: the Oasis, the Haven and the Gathering. Together, wellness, fitness, social life and relaxation are all available in a number of formats.
Less than half a mile from the coast, and only 10 minutes from downtown Abu Dhabi, Rixos Residences offers generous layouts and amenity-rich public spaces that deliver equally as well for family-friendly living as well as investors.
Sales launched in August.
Number of Units: 386
Price Range: One-bedrooms starting at $570,000, with larger loft units starting at $1.8 million.
Developer/Architect: East & West Property Development under the Ennismore portfolio, with architect Aedas and interiors by HBA Residential.
Home Sizes: One- to two-bedroom apartments as well as three- and four-bedroom lofts, from 954 square feet to 2,941 square feet.
Amenities: Wellness treatment areas as well as Turkish hammam and steam rooms, landscaped walking tracks, padel court, rooftop clubhouse and plunge pool, private cinema, and services including concierge, valet and security.
