Please help us find a wonderful boutique hotel in the western U.S.
 

After dozens of trips abroad, we're thinking it's time to look out west, hoping to find a small place (under 30 rooms) with luxurious accommodations, excellent food, beautiful surroundings, and reasonable proximity (up to 90 minutes) to an airport with direct flights from New York. We're looking for some opportunity to explore the area, but have no need for an onsite golf course or tennis courts or the like. Tentatively, we thinking of 10 days or so in late summer 2018. Daily rates up to $1200 are OK. All suggestions greatly appreciated.

Hi nrwayne,
We are in the NY area and have been several times to Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch in Stanley, ID. Spectacular setting, beautiful surroundings of the Sawtooths. It is beautifully appointed but rustic in that you will not be wearing your latest fashions to the dining room and your daywear will be Merrells and hiking shorts. It is about hiking, mountain biking, trail rides, fly fishing. At the end of the day, take a soak in the pool, which is fed from a hot spring. Even better, go for a soak after supper with your glass of Armagnac and watch the stars you don't see in NYC because of the light pollution.

First, about the place: approx 50 guest rooms. Most are in log cabins with fireplaces and slate showers. The central ranch building does have some guest rooms (I do NOT recommend these: too noisy and not private). Food is very high quality, and all meals are included. Lunch is a "bag" that you take with you on your daily adventures but don't be fooled...extraordinary fare. You must be aware that cellular service is spotty except for the central building. And ZERO televisions (hurrah!) and no phones in rooms. The only extra to speak of is wine. Given your budget, you will have plenty of latitude: the adult per-person rate for Deluxe is $350.

Surrounding area: simply breathtaking. And whatever you want to do, they can organize a guide or give you maps and suggestions. They even have fishing lessons. One of our favorite activities has been seeking out abandoned mining towns. It is an extraordinary place.

To get there: direct...into Salt Lake City from JFK and drive 6 hours. Or connect into Sun Valley and the drive is an hour. Is it convenient to get to? No...but that's what makes it special.

If you like the outdoors and have the budget, you will love it.
Link: www.idahorocky.com

If you decide on Portland OR, try the Hotel Lucia https://hotellucia.com/
or the Mark Spencer.
The Mark Spencer is across the street from my favorite Jewish deli Ken & Zukes and about 3 blocks south of Powells World of Books.

I love the Stanley suggestion. Scenery doe not get better than that.

There are places in Northern Idaho that would fit your needs, too, although I agree with the above- the really special places are more difficult to get to. The direct flight thing makes it a bit tough.

Other places to investigate- San Juan Islands, WA; Santa Fe, NM. Sreamboat Springs CO. Some family friends like that kind of lodging and they've been to all of those locations and loved them. Unfortunately, I don't pay much attention to where they stay.

What about one of the lovely places on the Oregon Coast. such as Salishan or the Inn at Otter Crest? You could fly in to Portland and drive from there.

Post Ranch Inn or Ventana in Big Sur. Hwy 1 will be re-opened by next summer. You can fly into SFO, San Jose or Monterey.

www.postranchinn.com

www.ventanabigsur.com

A few places to investigate...

Salish Lodge, Snoqualmie WA. https://www.salishlodge.com/ . Set overlooking Snoqualmie Falls, 45 minutes east of Seattle (and the airport.) Used in <i>Twin Peaks</i> and located close to the Cascade mountains; it's at the top of the gorgeous Snoqualmie Valley (farm stands, U-pick berries and orchards) and of course Seattle is easily reachable (as is Tacoma with its surprising arts scene.)

Inn at Langley, Whidbey Island, WA. https://innatlangley.com/ . Langley is a charming waterfront village ten minutes from the ferry terminal at the south end of Whidbey (20 min. ferry crossing from Mukilteo, itself 40 min. from Seattle airport.) Langley is full of galleries and cafes, Whidbey Island is full of terrific sites - beautiful beaches with views of the Olympic mountains, lighthouses, farmers markets, easy access to the Olympic Peninsula or the San Juan Islands.

Beach House, Hermosa Beach CA. http://www.beach-house.com/hermosa-beach/ . Right on the Strand (pedestrian/bike path) facing the Pacific, you're in one of the most exciting parts of LA. Walkable to numerous great cafes and bars, including the Lighthouse jazz club (did you see <i>La La Land?</i>) and the best breakfast in America at Martha's 22nd Street Grill. Ten minutes or a million miles from LAX.

Monterey Plaza, Monterey, CA. http://montereyplazahotel.com/ . Located on Cannery Row, the hotel is built in part over the water. The lodgings are fab, the food great, and you're minutes away from Carmel with its shops and Spanish mission, Point Lobos State Reserve (stunning scenery and wildlife) and Big Sur. Day trips can include the fun amusement park on the beach in Santa Cruz, or the Henry Cowell or Big Basin redwoods, or the Steinbeck Center in Salinas. It's right about 90 min. from San Jose airport (nonstops from EWR.)

100% agree with JerseyKat and mm re: Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch. I've never been fortunate enough to stay there, but I have vacationed in that area the past 7 summers. It's gorgeous with little to no "touristy" aspects.

Most of these are larger than what we had in mind. Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch sounds great, but we'd prefer to avoid the difficulty in getting there. We just came back from the far south of Italy. After our transatlantic flight, we had a three-hour train ride across the country followed by a three-hour drive down to the bottom of the boot. That ended up wasting a full day in each direction.

We've been to the Inn at Langley. The place was nice enough, but the nearby food options were quite disappointing. We wouldn't recommend it.

Of the suggestions so far, those at Big Sur are the most interesting. I suspect that there are others either on the coast or inland that may work. In all cases, we're looking for really top-end accommodations and facilities. Neither golf or fishing would be of interest. Great food, a marvelous setting, and excellent service are the most important.

>>we're looking for really top-end accommodations and facilities. Neither golf or fishing would be of interest. Great food, a marvelous setting, and excellent service are the most important.<<

Both places I linked tick all of those boxes.

Devil's Thumb Ranch ticks all the boxes for you. It's a real ranch, with eco-policies that protect the land, 5-star accommodations, food and service.
We have gone to this ranch since the 70s, when it was much simpler than today, but the owners have been very attentive to history and the environment with their additions.

It is a special place. "The Ritz Carlton of the Rockies", I call it.

Fly in and out of Denver, drive 1.5 hrs. Or take Amtrak train from downtown Denver to Fraser. The Ranch will pick you up.

http://www.devilsthumbranch.com

It might have more rooms than you want, but it feels very cozy. You can choose from fantastic Ralph Lauren-esque cabins to rooms in either lodge.

I don't know. I like Big Sur but I actually think Stanley is less of a pain to reach. Whatever appeals to you most though.

Flathead lake Lodge in N.W. Montana may be what your looking for.
WWW.Flatheadlakekodge.com

Sorry, Flatheadlakelodge.com

Mobro- looks fabulous, bookmarking for my own purposes, thank you!!

One more thing: Adults only. Our kids are grown, so it's time for a bit more tranquility. No family-friendly places, please.

marvelousmouse, it is a very special place. The Ranch spreads all the way up to the Continental Divide, as far as you can see.

It's pricey, but worth it.

The fabulous Ranch House Restaurant has been our go-to for special dinners for many years.

Our DD was married at DTR. It was perfection.

Adults only might be a tall order.

Devil's Thumb has activities for families, but it is not a place that is overrun with kids, probably because it's pricey. It's also big enough to get privacy.

Highlands Inn in Carmel has gorgeous drop dead views.

I don't think this place allows kids. Actually, I'd be shocked if they do. Not my taste at all but my parents love it.

https://cameoheightsmansion.com

The pretty pictures of the fields, though, that's definitely a spring thing.

A kid ban- maybe in California but you really see that much less in the west than on the east coast. But it really isn't an issue at the kind of price point you're looking at and the kind of accommodations you want.