There’s something inherently cozy about log cabins, with their rustic simplicity and proximity to nature. For those who like the idea of a back-to-the-basics vacation more than the reality of it, consider a log cabin hotel. They offer all the charm of a simple A-frame structure in the middle of nowhere, coupled with modern conveniences (hello, room service!). Here’s our look at some of the most luxuriouslog cabin-inspired getaways in the U.S., which offer welcome touches like rain-head showers, wood-burning fireplaces and high-thread-count sheets.
Dunton Hot Springs
The antique miner’s cottages at Dunton Hot Springs in Coloradolook historically accurate from the outside, but the interiors are anything but rustic. This entire resort is crafted from a restored 1800s ghost town. Some of the cabins have outdoors showers to make the most of the mountain views, and there are hot springs on site. Meals are served up in an old saloon, and there’s also a dance hall.
Insider Tip: While most people don’t associate Colorado with wine, Dunton has a sister property called Sutcliffe Vineyards, located about an hour and a half away.
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El Capitan Canyon
Known as a pioneer of glamping, El Capitan Canyon is tucked among groves of oak and sycamore trees in Santa Barbara. The resort offers a mix of safari tents, upscale cedar cabins and adventure yurts. The cabins offer front porches and A-line roofs, and interiors are decked out with all comforts, including full bathrooms and kitchenettes.
Insider Tip: Don’t miss the trout sculptures on the property’s Larry Callahan Bridge, which symbolize the fish ladders the hotel has helped build to allow safe passage of steelhead trout back to El Capitan Canyon Creek.
The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch
This luxury dude ranch is spread over 30,000 acres in Wyoming, and guests of The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch have plenty of choices when it comes to accommodation. The cabins range from new builds to renovated historic ones, and interiors are rustic but luxurious, with sitting rooms and glass showers. Some have potbelly stoves or furnaces. Family style feasts are served up in the Lodge Great Room, and activities include horseback riding, fly fishing, and clay pigeon shooting.
Insider Tip: To reach the ranch, take the Snowy Range Scenic Byway, which crosses the Medicine Bow Mountains and offers views of the glacial-fed Lake Marie.
Post Ranch Inn
The Post Ranch Inn at Big Suris located high above the Pacific Ocean, and the wood and glass design of the cottages is meant to blend in with the surrounding landscape. While accommodation style varies, some are meant to be a modern riff on a traditional log cabin, such as the stand-alone Tree Houses, which are built on stilts nine feet above the forest floor. The Mountain House has a circular design inspired by nearby redwood trees.
Insider Tip: Nearby Pfeiffer Beach is known for its purple sand and natural arches, but head to the far north end of the beach where heart-shaped rocks wash up on shore.
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The Ranch at Emerald Valley
Guests looking for a more rustic option at the famed Broadmoor resort can opt to stay at The Ranch at Emerald Valley in Colorado Springs, located just a few miles away in the 100,000-acre Pike National Forest. Take your pick from the 10 rustic log cabins, which offer one to three bedrooms, as well as fireplaces and every modern amenity. The main lodge offers a patio fire pit for morning “Cowboy Coffee” and evening storytelling. For a taste of the outdoors, guests can spend their time horseback riding, fly fishing, hiking, or canoeing.
Insider Tip: Book a spa treatment inside the spa tent, which is located right next to a waterfall.
For the rest of our picks for the most luxurious log cabins in the U.S., including ones with a view of humpback whales in Alaska, visit Fodor’s.
