Start your engines—summer has arrived, and with it, all sorts of new hotel options to explore. There’s a major renovation of a Cape Cod classic with an unbeatable beachfront location. Near Yellowstone, design-forward cabins come with their own private wood-fired hot tub. And on the banks of the Kiawah River in South Carolina, a new Auberge Resort offers some serious Lowcountry R&R just minutes from downtown Charleston, yet worlds away from the hustle and bustle. This summer’s most exciting openings aren’t merely places to rest your head—they really help you disconnect from your home life in order to savor the great outdoors. And isn’t that what summer is all about?
Yellowstone Peaks Hotel—Island Park, Idaho
Where it’s located: On Route 20 right on the banks of the Henry’s Fork River, a 40-minute drive from the West Entrance to Yellowstone National Park.
Why we’re excited: The greater Yellowstone hotel market skews very spendy (i.e., Montage Big Sky) or very rustic, and with few design-forward options in that sweet middle spot—until now. There’s a lot to love about this collection of charming, contemporary cabins, each with its own full kitchen, outdoor grill and picnic table, and private wood-fired hot tub. Between the king bed, bunk beds, and pullout couch, each cabin can accommodate up to six people, making it a great option for groups or families. Yellowstone Peaks is a perfect example of the type of contemporary boutique hotel that offers everything you need for an outdoor adventure—a great location, a sauna and cold plunge to revive tired legs, Instagram-worthy vibes—and none of the stuff you don’t.
Wayfinder Bishop—California
Where it’s located: Right on the main drag, walking distance to everything and across the street from Bishop City Park—and more importantly, a short drive to all the outdoor adventures that the Sierras have to offer.
Why we’re excited: Bishop is a great place to base yourself if you’re looking to log some hiking this summer—or horseback riding, or a visit to Wild Willy’s Hot Springs, or a boat rental on Lake Sabrina. Consider this a choose-your-own-adventure hotel that brings you as close as possible to California’s wild side without having to actually sleep in a tent. Wayfinder has set up an impressive network of local operator partners to make your visit as busy (or not busy) as you would like, whether that means personalized fly fishing trips booked through Golden Trout Guiding Co., customized climbing adventures with Sierra Mountain Center, or ceramics workshops with local artisan Uzumati Ceramics. (PS: If you’re heading to Rhode Island this summer, keep an eye out for the newly refurbed Wayfinder Newport, which is in the process of reopening after a fire in 2022.)
The Henson—Catskills, New York
Where it’s located: If you’ve heard of Hensonville—a once-sleepy hamlet with 292 permanent residents and zero stop lights—it’s probably thanks to chefs Jeremiah Stone and Fabian von Hauske, the duo behind popular downtown NYC restaurants Contra and Wildair. The duo opened an upscale pantry and provisions store Paracasa here in 2022, a luncheonette next door called Day June in 2023, and have now opened The Henson, a sixteen-room boutique hotel.
Why we’re excited: The Henson occupies a historic building that once operated as The Hensonville Hotel over a century ago, and now Stone and von Hauske have breathed new life into the premises with all the modern amenities. A centerpiece of the hotel is its new fine-dining concept Matilda, which incorporates bounty from local purveyors as well as the hotel’s own expansive herb garden. The accommodations are downright posh, outfitted with Casper mattresses, Marshall speakers, and Grown Alchemist amenities. There isn’t a bad room in the house—but if you ask us, go for the Corner Juliet, which offers a Juliet balcony overlooking the property’s gardens and surrounding mountains. (And make sure to inquire about the on-site creek, we hear it’s perfect for afternoon dips in the summer.)
The Dunlin, Auberge Resorts Collection—Johns Island, South Carolina
Where it’s located: An idyllic twenty-mile waterfront stretch of the Kiawah River, about 40 minutes from downtown Charleston.
Why we’re excited: Calling all Coastal Grandma and Nora Ephron types, there’s a new hotspot to add to your bucket list! Auberge makes a much-anticipated, mint-hued debut in the Lowcountry with The Dunlin, named after one of the region’s iconic shorebirds. This being an Auberge—and this being the South—F&B is a huge focus here, whether it’s contemporary Lowcountry cuisine at signature restaurant Linnette’s, a Charlestown Swizzle and some wood fire-grilled oysters at the Willet Room, or even just a perfect snow cone enjoyed at the riverfront pool area. Designed by Amanda Lindroth, the 72 rooms and suites here have a distinctly residential feel—think less “hotel,” and more “your coolest Southern friend’s coastal retreat.”
Edgecamp Pamlico Station—Hatteras Island, North Carolina
Where it’s located: On Hatteras Island, a part of the Outer Banks known for its excellent beaches and water sports, but not necessarily for its hotel scene.
Why we’re excited: When the membership-based Edgecamp Sporting Club fully opens later this year, it’s going to basically be the Soho House of kitesurfing. There will be a pool, a sauna, waterfront dining, and tons of wellness programming to really round out the kitesurfing experience for locals—and if you’re visiting, booking a room at the just-opened Pamlico Station (Edgecamp’s boutique hotel component) grants you access to it all. The 700 square-foot rooms designed by Jonathan Adler offer fully-equipped kitchens, living rooms with pull-out sofas, and plenty of storage so you can stretch out and recharge before your next kitesurfing sesh.
Snow Peak Long Beach Campfield—Washington
Where it’s located: On 25 bucolic acres on Washington’s Long Beach Peninsula, where the Columbia River meets the Pacific.
Why we’re excited: High-end Japanese camping brand Snow Peak speaks to an extremely specific customer who values outdoor performance as well as super smart design, but this concept will have widespread appeal. The brand has built up a cult following for its five existing “campfields” across Japan, and now makes its American debut on a quiet slice of Pacific Northwest coast, where forest meets river meets sea. The Campfield offers 56 tent sites, 7 tented suites, and 14 micro-cabins, as well as gear rentals, and an open-air Ofuro spa with a sauna as well as a hot tub and cold plunge. It’s about as turnkey and elegant as camping gets—and what better place to put all your Snow Peak gear to the test?
Red Jacket Resorts—Yarmouth, Cape Cod
Where it’s located: This cluster of five quintessentially Cape Cod resorts is spread throughout the town of Yarmouth, with three physically located on the beach itself. That being said, you’re never far from the water here, and guests of any one of the resorts have reciprocity to the amenities and beach access at all the others. Plus, they’re all about 15 minutes away from Cape Cod Gateway Airport, which (new for this season) added American Airlines service to LaGuardia and DCA airports.
Why we’re excited: Since 1968, Red Jacket Resorts have been the preeminent no-fuss destination for a Cape Cod getaway. Now, after a stunning $40 million renovation, this resort collection is back and better than ever—the rooms are refreshed, the F&B menus have been updated, and the pool and beach areas have been remodeled with brand-new daybeds and chaise lounges. If plopping down on the sand and never leaving the resort is your vacation style, this is the place to do it. Are there other, more luxe or boutique offerings on the Cape? For sure. But if you’re traveling with kids, or in a large group, or simply looking to enjoy the Cape’s only F&B service directly to your seat in the sand, Red Jacket Resorts’ new renovation asserts its place as the Cape’s most foolproof option.
