16 Best Hotels in Southwestern Utah, Utah

A strikingly contemporary, upscale hotel that's directly across the street from the buzzy shopping and dining of Ancestor Square, this stylish member of Marriott Bonvoy's indie-spirited Autograph Collection exudes hipness with its hardwood floors, bold-print pillows and chairs, high-tech entertainment centers, and cushy bedding. Premium units have soaring dormer windows, balconies with whirlpool tubs, and sweeping downtown views. The farm-to-table wood.ash.rye restaurant turns out superb fare, and there's a hotel hot tub to relax in at the end of the day.

The nationally renowned, Kanab-based Best Friends Animal Society runs this smartly designed, pet-centric motel that offers a slew of amenities for travelers with four-legged friends, including a fenced dog park and water feature, pet treats and beds, built-in cubbies for snuggling and napping, and dog-walking and pet-visit services. Even if you're visiting without animals, it's a fun place to stay, as rooms have striking pet photos, unfussy contemporary light-wood furnishings, tile bathrooms with sliding barn doors, and kitchens or kitchenettes in the suites. Proceeds help fund Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, which a shuttle bus can take you to visit, 10 minutes north of town. An airy and modern gift shop–café sells pet-related gifts, outdoor gear, and coffee; continental breakfast is served here in the morning.  Members of Best Friends receive $20 off the nightly room rate.

For discerning travelers venturing along beautiful Highway 12 between Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon national parks, it's hard to beat this wonderfully inviting lodge with a fireplace in the two-story great room, acclaimed Hell's Backbone restaurant, and spacious rooms furnished in a Western contemporary style with balconies and patios offering gorgeous views of the 11-acre grounds. Amenities include plush robes, a large outdoor hot tub, spa services, and all sorts of sports equipment and games.

With cattle-print throw pillows, papier-mâché mounted deer heads, log walls, and custom beds with rattan or carved-wood headboards, the playful vibe at this quirky 16-room boutique inn sets it apart from the usual budget-friendly lodgings in the Zion and Bryce area. Within walking distance of downtown restaurants and shops, the cozy lodging is part of The Canyons Collection, a small group of stylish but reasonably priced hotels and vacation rentals in Kanab.

Each of the eight rooms in this smart, contemporary lodge in downtown Escalante has a patio with grand views of the surrounding mountains, plus plenty of cushy perks like French presses and fresh-ground coffee, plush bedding, and 50-inch smart TVs. The accommodations are ideal for longer stays, with plenty of room to spread out and kitchens in some rooms. The guest laundry is another handy amenity.

Each of the 15 individually appointed rooms at this elegant but unpretentious 2,200-acre ranch hideaway has a wood-burning fireplace, efficient climate control and Wi-Fi, and either a patio or a balcony with grand views of orchards, the Fremont River, and the surrounding red-rock cliffs. The gourmet breakfasts (for an extra fee) showcase local ingredients, such as buffalo sausage and eggs raised right on the property. A few larger rooms have extra twin beds and can accommodate kids. 

In a dramatic, New Mexico adobe–style building, this upscale inn with spacious rooms and lots of big windows is 5 miles west of town—at the mouth of a canyon on the edge of the national monument—and has hikes right outside its door, as well as hosts who are happy to provide guidance on regional treks. Most rooms are in the main inn, with a few others in neighboring buildings, and some have private exterior entrances. Rates include a delicious full breakfast, and several units have kitchenettes or kitchens. The three-bedroom log cabin is a great option for larger families and groups but comes with extra charges for breakfast and cleaning. The Inn's North Creek Grill, open seasonally for dinner Wednesday through Sunday, is popular for its wood-fired pizzas and scenic patio dining.

Of the several hip glamping resorts that have opened in southern Utah in recent years, this sprawling compound on the west side of Escalante might just offer the best balance of a gorgeous contemporary design—accommodations are in sleekly restored Airstream trailers and cozy glass-walled cabins—and a welcoming communal spirit, thanks to an inviting patio served by a food truck, a huge pool, and a drive-in movie theater with seating in vintage autos. Note that only the deluxe cabins have private baths; guests of all the other accommodations have access to the common bathhouses, which are beautifully appointed with indoor-outdoor showers and look like those you might find at a posh spa. This pet- and family-friendly resort also has about 70 RV sites. The on-site general store carries a nice selection of craft beverages and prepared foods.

A few blocks from the interstate and near Southern Utah University, this two-story economical motel has spacious rooms with exterior entrances, refrigerators, microwaves, and—in the case of suites—kitchens and jetted tubs. It's a 20-minute walk or a short drive to downtown restaurants as well as the Utah Shakespeare Festival. Perks include a heated indoor pool, hot tub, and exercise room, and the free breakfast spread is pretty good. Some rooms are pet-friendly.

With its stunning scenery and prime location, this modern mission-style lodge is a welcoming base for outdoor adventures and offers a number of amenities, including a bar and grill, outdoor deck, indoor pool, and hot tubs, plus a spa where you can enjoy a range of body and beauty treatments. Rustic-chic guest rooms have modern bathrooms, premium bedding, and 49-inch TVs, and the more spacious suites include sleeper sofas and stone fireplaces.

Although there's nothing fancy about this low-slung adobe motel on the edge of downtown Escalante, the simple rooms have all the basics you need for a comfortable night or two—microwaves, fridges, coffeemakers, HDTVs, climate control—and one larger suite with a kitchenette sleeps six. In the evenings, guest gather around the shared firepit.

If you don't care about frills but do plan on adventuring in the area, consider one of this property's seven simple but cute log cabins, which share a bathhouse, or the large family cabin that sleeps four and has its own bathroom; tent sites are also available. On premises there's an outdoor gear store and a restaurant, and you can book fly-fishing and hiking excursions, as this property is also a tour operator.

Constructed in 1929, this landmark lodge hosted dozens of movie stars during Kanab's movie location heyday and is now a fun and simple, well-located base for budget-minded parks visitors. Accommodations are basic but have been nicely remodeled over the years. A reasonably priced breakfast buffet is served daily just off the lobby, which is lined with photos of Ronald Reagan, Barbara Stanwyck, Clint Eastwood, and others who stayed here while filming in the area. During the warmer months, Western movies are shown in the Old Barn Theater, complete with popcorn and ice cream.

On a bluff with outstanding views of red-rock palisades, this motel with clean, basic, and reasonably priced rooms (a basic breakfast is included) is one of the closest to the western entrance of Capitol Reef National Park. There are two restaurants on premises, one serving steaks and upscale American fare, and another more casual spot with good pizza and barbecue and a patio with fabulous red-rock views.

This beautifully situated outpost of the popular Under Canvas luxury glamping brand in a juniper forest outside Widtsoe, a hiccup of a village about 15 miles north of the national park entrance, offers safari-chic canvas tents decked out with tasteful West Elm furnishings, private baths with eco-friendly products, and USB battery packs to keep your toys charged, plus a restaurant serving locally sourced breakfast and dinner fare. The tents sleep from two to six guests, and each has a wood-burning stove.

This peaceful ranch-style resort with more than 50 handsomely furnished cabins and lodge-style vacation homes that sleep from 2 to 15 guests lies a mere 4 miles from the East Entrance of Zion National Park and offers a variety of activities, including horseback riding, jeep tours, and guided hikes. Amenities vary a bit from cabin to cabin, but all have fireplaces, and many have kitchens and spacious sitting areas. The high-end restaurant, Cordwood, serves some of the tastiest food in the region. Note that Wi-Fi can be unreliable in some units, and although they have TVs, they have no reception and are only for watching DVDs, which you can borrow from the lobby.