Friday Fantasy

Ever come across an incredible hotel that stops you mid-scroll and makes you think, Wow, wouldn’t it be something to stay there? We do, too—all the time. Welcome to Friday Fantasy, where we highlight amazing hotels, lodges, cabins, tents, campsites, and other places perched in perfect outdoor settings. Read on for the intel you need to book an upcoming adventure here. Or at least dream about it.

Latest Stories

North America

I Stayed at a Remote Glamping Dome in Minnesota and Finally Unplugged

Sweetbriar Ridge in Pine City, Minnesota, offers luxury domes and wood-burning hot tubs just an hour outside of the Twin Cities.

Abigail WiseSeptember 4, 20261

South America

I Stayed at a Newly Revamped Lodge in the World's Driest Desert. It Felt Like Another Planet.

Tierra Atacama officially reopened in the driest place on Earth. Following a massive renovation, the lodge offers a high-design launchpad for exploring salt flats, high-altitude geysers, and the world’s clearest night skies.

Mark JohansonMarch 24, 2026

North America

An Inside Look at Joshua Tree's First New Hotel in 15 Years

One of the closest hotels to the north entrance of J Tree offers stargazing, swimming, and Mojave magic.

Kristine ThomasonJanuary 11, 20262

North America

Big Sky’s Newest Hotel Is on a Whole New Level—And You Won't Believe the Price Tag

After skiing, fat-biking, and sauna-ing, here’s our honest review of One&Only Moonlight Basin.

Jessica Campbell-SalleyDecember 19, 20255

North America

These Remote Escapes—One Only Accessible by Seaplane or Boat—Are Not Your Grandpa’s Fishing Lodges

Moutcha Bay and Newton Cove Resort are sister resorts on Vancouver Island's “salmon highway”

Robert AnnisSeptember 5, 2025

Central America

At This Remote Costa Rican Retreat, Your Room Is in the Rainforest

Corcovado Wilderness Lodge, the only lodge situated within a national park accessible solely by boat, earns its prime real estate through environmental efforts

Calin Van ParisApril 18, 2025

Europe

Yes, This Magical Icelandic Fantasy Lodge Is Real

Iceland's Deplar Farm is an extreme adventure outpost counterbalanced by a boutique resort ready to swaddle you in comfort.

Grayson Haver CurrinJuly 1, 20251

National Parks

This Hotel's Best Amenity? An Active Volcano.

Volcano House overlooks the Kīlauea Crater, increasing guests' chances of witnessing an eruption.

Robert AnnisJuly 1, 20251

Central America

I Stayed in a Costa Rican Treehouse. It Was Just the Jungle Getaway I’d Hoped For.

I wanted off the tourist track, and these unique bungalows, set amid a canopy home to butterflies, iridescent birds, and monkeys, delivered

Lisa JhungFebruary 14, 20251

North America

I Found the Best Place to Stay in Utah Canyon Country. Bonus: It’s in a National Monument.

This lodge is all about its spectacular location, within a national monument and between two national parks. It also has fire pits, free s’mores, and access to endless trails and rivers.

Alison OsiusJuly 2, 2025

North America

The Destination Hotels That Wowed Us Most in 2024

Our travel writers spent weekends at some fabulous places: a red-rock retreat, stargazing domes, and one of the national parks’ hardest-to-book cabins. Here’s where we’re sending our friends next year.

Tasha ZemkeJuly 1, 2025

North America

Is the Vortex Energy at This Sedona Resort for Real or a Bunch of Woo-Woo?

I was in need of transformation, but wasn’t so sure chakra-balancing treatments and hikes through a mystical vortex site would help

Tasha ZemkeNovember 15, 2024

North America

This New Glamping Resort Has the Best Stargazing in Utah

I stayed in these glass-walled geodesic domes under dark skies, just a few miles from Bryce Canyon National Park and its world-renowned hoodoos

Alison OsiusJuly 2, 2025

North America

This Bay Area State Park Lodge Has It All

Hidden along Highway 1, not far from Point Reyes National Seashore and celebrated oyster farms, this camp-like retreat is drawing city-goers eager to be surrounded by wilderness

Tasha ZemkeJuly 2, 2025

North America

How to Get a Reservation at Phantom Ranch, the Grand Canyon’s Most Sought-After Lodge

Historic Phantom Ranch is the only park lodging on the floor of the Grand Canyon. Tens of thousands of people try to book a stay there. Our writer scored a night there recently, and if you follow her tips, you can, too.

Stephanie VermillionSeptember 18, 2024

North America

A Hot-Springs Resort in a Ghost Town? Now That’s R&R We’re Game For.

Colorado’s Dunton Hot Springs was revamped from a mining town that once hid outlaws. Now it’s a secluded outpost where you can fish for trout, hike the Rockies, overnight in a log cabin, dine at a saloon—and soak your heart out amid nature.

Emily PenningtonApril 19, 2024

North America

This New Hotel Gives Guests a Front-Row Seat to Nature’s Wildest Storms

The sound and the fury of winter weather lure travelers to the west side of Vancouver Island and The Nami Project, where storm-watching, surfing, and rainforest hiking await

Jen MurphyDecember 15, 2023

North America

This Is the Coolest New Hotel in Moab

Bike-tuning station? Check. Gear rental and storage for backcountry outings? Yep. At Field Station, near Arches National Park in Utah, guests are encouraged to explore outside, then welcomed back with cold beer, a hot tub, and an outdoor fire pit.

Megan MichelsonDecember 1, 2023

North America

This Hawaiian Resort Wowed Me in All the Right Ways

With access to one of the islands’ best-rated beaches and a 175-mile oceanfront trail, Pacific views from every guest room, and a mouthwatering macadamia-nut sundae, this property is paradise defined for our hiking-happy writer

James DziezynskiNovember 10, 2023

North America

Put These Beautiful Native-Owned Lodges on Your Travel-Bucket List

With an emphasis on Indigenous culture, unique architecture, tours that respect wildlife, and meals that draw from the land, a getaway at one of these properties is an unforgettable experience

Savannah RomeroOctober 14, 2024

Friday Fantasy

Latest Stories

I Stayed at a Remote Glamping Dome in Minnesota and Finally Unplugged

I Stayed at a Newly Revamped Lodge in the World's Driest Desert. It Felt Like Another Planet.

An Inside Look at Joshua Tree's First New Hotel in 15 Years

Big Sky’s Newest Hotel Is on a Whole New Level—And You Won't Believe the Price Tag

These Remote Escapes—One Only Accessible by Seaplane or Boat—Are Not Your Grandpa’s Fishing Lodges

At This Remote Costa Rican Retreat, Your Room Is in the Rainforest

Yes, This Magical Icelandic Fantasy Lodge Is Real

This Hotel's Best Amenity? An Active Volcano.

I Stayed in a Costa Rican Treehouse. It Was Just the Jungle Getaway I’d Hoped For.

I Found the Best Place to Stay in Utah Canyon Country. Bonus: It’s in a National Monument.

The Destination Hotels That Wowed Us Most in 2024

Is the Vortex Energy at This Sedona Resort for Real or a Bunch of Woo-Woo?

This New Glamping Resort Has the Best Stargazing in Utah

This Bay Area State Park Lodge Has It All

How to Get a Reservation at Phantom Ranch, the Grand Canyon’s Most Sought-After Lodge

A Hot-Springs Resort in a Ghost Town? Now That’s R&R We’re Game For.

This New Hotel Gives Guests a Front-Row Seat to Nature’s Wildest Storms

This Is the Coolest New Hotel in Moab

This Hawaiian Resort Wowed Me in All the Right Ways

Put These Beautiful Native-Owned Lodges on Your Travel-Bucket List

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