Alpine Falls Ranch

The mountainous western edge of Montana isn’t a place where edgy urban-inspired modern design makes a lot of sense. But fortunately there’s more than one way to design an extraordinary hotel. Alpine Falls Ranch takes the classic mountain-lodge aesthetic that its name implies and simply executes it with commitment, with verve, and with a rare tastefulness. The landscape, after all, is the real star of this show, and the best approach a hotel can take is to complement it rather than distract from it.

It’s a four-season destination, fit for skiing, fishing, biking, hiking, horseback riding, and the list goes on and on. The ranch spans some 250 acres, and the accommodations include a five-bedroom villa as well as a trio of cabins, from the cozy two-person Stagecoach Exchange to the six-bed Bunkhouse. The style is unmistakably Mountain West, with a depth and authenticity that keeps it from crossing over into kitsch.

Meanwhile the Ranch’s Six8 Saloon is decorated in an even more pronounced Western style; there’s a billiards table and a piano as well as an abundance of lounge space. Proper meals are served here as well, though they’re by no means mandatory — there are grills outside for guests’ use, and each cabin is equipped with its own kitchen.