For some, a tasteful touch of humanity amid the randomness of nature helps us appreciate both even more. The hotels listed below—each selected for the Guide by MICHELIN Inspectors for their overall excellence—are located in or near some incredible National Parks. But that's not the only reason they're on this list. Each hotel below is a monumental work of art and hospitality of in its own right, on the same aesthetic footing as the spectacular landscapes and cultural treasures that surround it. Looking for a glamorous spot for a natural escape this summer? Look no further.
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Gora-Kadan
Hakone-machi, JapanJust eighty-five minutes outside Tokyo you could be at Gora-Kadan, a one-time imperial family retreat, now a first-class ryokan inn in the middle of the Hakone National Park, a rural idyll in the shadow of Mount Fuji. The construction is contemporary, but the style, of course, is traditional, and everywhere you turn there’s a magnificently framed view of the Hakone countryside.
The Lindis
Omarama, New ZealandSet in the less-traveled Ahuriri Valley on the South Island of New Zealand, The Lindis is reminiscent of the best Patagonian hotels for the way it melts into the landscape, and for the way it demonstrates that unapologetically modern architecture and design are the perfect complement for their ageless natural surroundings, which here includes Mount Aspiring National Park and, a little further on, Fiordland.
Plataran Komodo Resort & Spa
Flores, IndonesiaOn the island of Flores, just across the strait from the islands that comprise the rest of Komodo National Park—yes, that Komodo, of dragon fame—is Plataran Komodo Resort & Spa. Even aside from the park, it’s a phenomenal location for a resort. Waecicu Beach is perfectly picturesque, and its oceanfront villas look out over the islands that rise dramatically out of the waters of the Flores Sea.
Aman-i-Khás
Ranthambhore, IndiaStaying at Aman-i-Khás means staying in Rajasthan’s Ranthambore National Park, surrounded by acres of wilderness and wildlife, including one of India’s top tiger reserves. The hotel is little more than an encampment of tents, each one heated and air conditioned, but minimally decorated in a combination Mughal/British colonial style, with simple furnishings. As much as it can be, this is a modest form of luxury.
Kayakapi Premium Caves
Urgup, TurkeyIt’s true; these really are some premium caves. We’ve come a long way since prehistoric times. And even in Cappadocia—which is pretty much the alpha and the omega when it comes to luxurious cave-dwelling—Kayakapi is a standout, with twenty-nine beautifully retrofitted rooms carved into the soft stone cliffs of the Kayakapi neighborhood, in Turkey’s Göreme National Park.
Jusandi
Ishigaki Island, JapanIriomote-Ishigaki National Park is at the far southern end of Japan, much closer to Taiwan than to Tokyo. There aren’t many accommodations down here, but there is Jusandi, just one island over. A mere five villas, Jusandi is a distinguished piece of modernist minimalist architecture, custom-tailored to its sublime natural setting of beautiful beaches, crystal-clear water, and lush sub-tropical forest.
InterContinental Khao Yai Resort
Nakhon Ratchasima, ThailandThe InterContinental Khao Yai Resort is nothing if not unique: a lakeside jungle escape right outside of the UNESCO-listed Khao Yai National Park, designed by the eminent resort architect Bill Bensley, and featuring an extraordinary collection of suites and villas built from upcycled train cars, inspired by the region’s pivotal role in Thai railway history.
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Spicers Sangoma Retreat
Bowen Mountain, AustraliaOn the edge of Blue Mountains National Park, Spicers Sangoma Retreat is just fifty miles from Sydney, but far enough into the wilderness that the urban sprawl is but a distant memory. That faraway feeling is accentuated by the forest views and by the African-inspired interiors—Sangoma is the Zulu word for “healer”—and there’s more than a little bit of a safari-lodge accent to these eight lavish modernist suites.
Amanoi
Ninh Thuan Province, VietnamIf Aman knows anything, it’s how to pick a location. Amanoi, the group’s first hotel in Vietnam, sits on one hundred acres of elevated hillside above the shores of Vinh Hy Bay, surrounded inland by Núi Chúa National Park. Dense forest and rocky outcrops remain in their natural state, but the resort’s architectural style is signature Aman, combining modern design with the indigenous building tradition.
Freycinet Lodge
Coles Bay, AustraliaIf you’ve made it to Freycinet Lodge, on the sparsely populated east side of Tasmania, a hundred miles off the south coast of Australia, you’ve really gotten somewhere. With Freycinet National Park on one side and Coles Bay on the other, the lodge is a destination worthy of the effort. In keeping with the rugged realities of the landscape, its something like a luxury rethink of the classic camp cabin.
Six Senses Krabey Island
Koh Krabey Island, CambodiaKrabey Island is a private speck of a place in the spectacular Gulf of Thailand. And if you don’t know Six Senses, take it from us: you can trust them to do luxury villas right. Here there are 40 of them, but from within your own, you’d be forgiven for thinking you had the island all to yourself. But don’t get too comfy. Make time for excursions to the neighboring islands and Ream National Park.
Wild Coast Tented Lodge
Yala, Sri LankaThe Sri Lankan coast is an extraordinary place for a holiday, and the luxury-tent safari camps of southern Africa offer an unforgettable immersion in nature. Put the two together and you’ve got Wild Coast Tented Lodge, on the southeast coast of Sri Lanka, sandwiched between a gorgeous beach and the utterly wild Yala National Park, home to elephants, leopards, monkeys, and much more.
Gidleigh Park
Chagford, England, UKGidleigh Park is a little different from the typical English country house hotel. Not many houses can boast of a location in the heart of Devon’s Dartmoor National Park. Even the style is a departure—the exterior is Tudor, the interior Arts and Crafts, and so carefully has the building been restored that it’s nearly impossible to tell where the original house ends and where the contemporary addition begins.
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Related Read: A MICHELIN Guide Road Trip Around Dartmoor National Park
Grand Forest Metsovo
Metsovo, GreeceThe Pindus Mountains of the Greek mainland are far less heavily traveled than the islands and the coast, but a hotel like Grand Forest Metsovo makes a strong case for a landlocked itinerary. It’s family-owned and operated, though more substantial than that might imply. And it’s plenty luxurious as well, the better to contrast with the rugged pleasures of the mountains.
Bellevue Hotel & Spa
Cogne, ItalyBellevue Hotel & Spa is family-owned and has been in business for almost a century—just after the nearby Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy’s oldest, was founded. In 1926, the year after the hotel was built, Italy passed a law preventing further construction in the area, so the Bellevue stands virtually alone on the gloriously verdant meadows of Sant’Orso, facing spectacular views of the Gran Paradiso Glacier.
Emily Moon River Lodge
Plettenberg Bay, South AfricaJust up the waterway from Plettenburg Bay—and down the road from South Africa’s Garden Route National Park—is a perfectly tranquil rural escape that overlooks the winding Bitou River: Emily Moon River Lodge’s suites are filled with eclectic treasures from Africa, Asia and Polynesia, and come standard with plenty of space, wooden viewing decks, outdoor showers, and all the luxe necessities.
Charming Lonno Lodge
Watamu, KenyaAn Italian couple built the beach getaway of their dreams on a gorgeous stretch of coastline near the fishing village of Watamu, Kenya. Today, it’s the Charming Lonno Lodge, an eight-suite boutique hotel personally presided over by the owners. You’re splendidly isolated here, but the staff are eager to help plan your excursions into the nearby Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve.
EN Hotel
Zakopane, PolandThe mountain town of Zakopane is one of Poland’s gems, but the EN Hotel goes a bit further. It’s set actually within the Tatra National Park, and occupies a repurposed historical structure in a no-development zone—you’ll leave your car in Zakopane, in fact, and be picked up by the hotel’s driver. Once you’ve arrived, you’re treated to an extraordinary measure of seclusion, and impressive boutique hotel surroundings.
Royal Zambezi Lodge
Lower Zambezi River, ZambiaRoyal Zambezi Lodge is situated on nearly 500 acres in the pristine Chiawa Game Management Area, directly across the river from the Mana Pools National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and just minutes from the Lower Zambezi National Park. Its fifteen airy suites take full advantage of its unforgettable location, with views from every angle, along with expansive decks, patios, and plunge pools.
Aristi Mountain Resort
Zagori, GreeceIn the northwest of Greece is the region of Zagori. It’s a landscape of rocky cliffs, verdant slopes and tiny, ancient villages clinging to the hillsides. And among the many lost-in-time-looking villages, one of the most picturesque of all is Aristi—a smattering of traditional stone homes at the edge of Vikos National Park, and home to the eighteen-room Aristi Mountain Resort.
The Victoria
Killarney, IrelandIreland’s Killarney National Park is home to some of the country’s most inspiring landscapes, and also the remains of structures that are over a thousand years old. It is, in some ways, a trip back in time—which makes it all the more surprising that just outside the town of Killarney is a totally contemporary boutique hotel: The Victoria, a classic country-house hotel, full of details that recall, perhaps not coincidentally, the Victorian era.
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Related Read: The Wild Atlantic Way Road Trip, which takes in five of Ireland's National Parks
The Hearts Hotel
Braunlage, GermanyThe Hearts Hotel’s name is a pun on its location, in the mountain town of Braunlage, surrounded on three sides by Saxony’s Harz National Park. It’s not the first place you would expect to find a playfully stylish, decidedly modern boutique hotel, but that’s exactly what it is. The rooms come with a bit of rustic roughness, but for the most part, they’re minimalist-inspired and rather urban in their refinement.
Les Roches Blanches
Cassis, FranceLes Roches Blanches is perched on the white limestone rocks that give it its name, with impressive views out to sea. And though it dates back in one form or another to the 19th century, its most recent renovation is focused on the Art Deco inspiration of the Twenties, one of the golden ages of French hospitality. You’re right near the city of Marseille, and even closer to the seaside Calanques National Park.
Honeyguide Tented Safari Camps
Hoedspruit, South AfricaBordering on South Africa’s famed Kruger National Park is the Manyeleti Game Reserve, encompassing nearly a hundred square miles of wild bush, populated by all manner of game. It’s home to some humans as well, namely the Mnisi tribe, who own and manage the lands. And now it’s open to guests of the Honeyguide Tented Safari Camps, which are more or less exactly what the name would have you believe.
Hana Maui Resort
Maui, HawaiiHana Maui Resort goes less for architectural amazement and more for another kind of wonder: the 21st-century human who can detach from their favorite devices and cast off their reliance on modern conveniences. Located on this desolate eastern tip of Maui, the resort’s open-air cottages are appealingly rustic, providing an appropriate home base for exploring the volcanic features at the nearby Haleakalā National Park.
Marquesa Hotel
Key West, FloridaThe islands that make up Dry Tortugas National Park are the westernmost of the Florida Keys, and visitors typically reach them via a ferry or seaplane from Key West. Before you depart, rest up at the incomparable Marquesa Hotel—set in historic Old Town, this is the Key West of Hemingway and Tennessee Williams, an oasis of old-world refinement at the edge of the continent.
Blackberry Farm
Walland, TennesseeBlackberry Farm may well be the most delightful place on the Eastern seaboard. Nestled in the foothills just outside Great Smoky Mountains National Park, it includes the best parts of American hospitality. Picture this: 4,200 acres of wildflower-strewn land, 44 rooms of feather beds and English country antiques. Then add a regime of iced tea picnics, horseback riding, tennis, fishing, and fireside dining.
Sage Lodge
Paradise Valley, MontanaThere’s much more to Yellowstone than Old Faithful, and though most of the park lies within Wyoming, the neighboring portion of Montana is no less impressive. It’s here, by the park’s northern entrance, that you’ll find Sage Lodge, along the banks of the Yellowstone River in the aptly named Paradise Valley. The style is modern-rustic and the comforts are as plush as the landscape is rugged.
Black Rock Oceanfront Resort
Ucluelet, CanadaOn the theory that there are enough rustic, woodsy old lodges in coastal British Columbia, Black Rock Oceanfront Resort hired a big-time modern design firm. It’s a decision that would have to be judged a success; the result is a hotel that’s not just stylish and comfortable, but quite close to the cutting edge in terms of sustainability, and located across Barkley Sound from the Pacific Rim National Park.
Post Hotel & Spa
Lake Louise, CanadaThe WWII-era ski lodge that would become the Post Hotel was given a thorough going-over by one of Canada’s leading architecture firms. The red roof remains, but beneath it is a thoroughly contemporary take on a rustic tradition. Public spaces are warm and inviting, courtesy of gold wood-paneled walls and timbered ceilings. And it’s all located at Lake Louise, in the heart of the picturesque Banff National Park.
Canyon Ranch Tuscon
Tucson, ArizonaTo say that Canyon Ranch Tucson is an all-inclusive spa and wellness resort is a bit like saying the Beatles were a rock band from Liverpool—it’s certainly accurate, but it leaves out both of their central roles in defining their genres, as well as the significance of their continued influence on the form. There’s no better basecamp for popping into nearby Saguaro National Park, east or west.
The Blackburn Inn
Staunton, VirginiaFrom a glance, you’d think there’d been some mistake—surely this lush neoclassical red-brick monument, now home to the Blackburn Inn, couldn’t have begun its life as the Western State Lunatic Asylum. Then again, Virginia isn’t like most places; nor is the town of Staunton, in the Shenandoah Valley, 40 miles to the west of Charlottesville and even closer to the Thorton Gap entrance of Shenandoah National Park.
Fogo Island Inn
Joe Batt’s Arm, CanadaPerhaps the only thing stopping the Fogo Island Inn from becoming the most famous high-design luxury hotel in the world is its far-flung location, on a tiny island off the coast of Newfoundland. Its remoteness is key to its appeal, along with its architecture, an ultra-modern reinterpretation of traditional, utilitarian maritime architecture. It’s enough to maybe keep you from leaving to visit Terra Nova National Park.
Camden Harbour Inn
Camden, MaineA 19th-century mansion with a view of Camden, Maine’s picturesque harbor might sound like a recipe for a trip back in time. But the Camden Harbour Inn is owned not by the descendants of its original owners, but a pair of Dutchmen who’ve adopted Camden as their second home—and adapted this beautiful old house, 70 miles south of Acadia National Park, to its new use as a very modern boutique-style bed and breakfast.
Ofland Escalante
Escalante, UtahWith 22 acres of land and a collection of compact cabins and Airstream trailers, Ofland Escalante is pitched at outdoor-oriented travelers visiting Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, a significant site for geology and paleontology in the spectacular landscape of southern Utah. But this area is also rife with National Parks, including two that Ofland is sandwiched between, Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon.
Parker Palm Springs
Palm Springs, CaliforniaTwo popular activities when visiting the Coachella Valley are to stay at a mid-century modern hotel in Palm Springs and enjoy a hike into the nearby Joshua Tree National Park. You can figure out the second part. For the first, you can’t do much better than Parker Palm Springs, where designer Jonathan Adler alternately recalls the Mod Sixties, the feel-good Seventies, and the classic Rat Pack vibe the town is known for.
Gaia River Lodge
Cayo District, BelizeAptly named for the Greek goddess who’s no less than the personification of the Earth itself, Gaia River Lodge immerses you in the Belizean rainforest, and gives you a front-row view of the majestic Five Sisters Waterfalls in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve and proximity to the Elijio Panti National Park. Getting there is far from quick and effortless—but it’s worth the trouble.
Rancho do Peixe
Jericoacoara, BrazilRancho do Peixe, located on the pristine and somewhat remote northern coast of Brazil, started out as the rustic beachfront getaway of a group of windsurfing enthusiasts. These days, there may be wifi access and fine linens on the beds, but the rugged look and convivial spirit survive — and, as in the past, the star attraction is the magnificent natural beauty of Jericoacoara national park.
Origins Luxury Lodge
Bijagua, Costa RicaFantastically secluded in the mountainous interior of northern Costa Rica, Origins Luxury Lodge isn’t one for subtlety. Its elevated perspective gives it a panoramic view that takes in the rainforest’s treetops, the vast Lake Nicaragua, and the distant volcanoes of Volcán Tenorio National Park. Its unique construction is eye-catching even as its natural materials blend with its surroundings.
Bahia Vik
Jose Ignacio, UruguayJosé Ignacio is a happening beachside enclave that’s superseded Punta del Este as Uruguay’s most desirable destination. Here, set on the dunes beside the ocean, is the thoroughly modern Bahia Vik. Like other hotels by Alex and Carrie Vik, there’s a firm focus on a notable art collection and ongoing involvement with contemporary artists. There’s also Cabo Polonio, a splendid National Park just up the coast.
Amomoxtli
Tepoztlán, MexicoTepoztlán is a mountain town near Mexico City that’s known for its significance in Aztec history and culture—as well as the ruins of the nearby El Tepozteco temple, and the National Park that surrounds it. And with the advent of Amomoxtli, the region’s first high-end luxury boutique hotel, it’s a destination that’s set to welcome a new crop of international travelers.
Remota
Puerto Natales, ChileRemota’s industrial, bunker-like design was groundbreaking when it was unveiled in 2005. It’s a huge architectural statement that comes with a small human footprint, putting the emphasis on the surrounding natural landscapes instead of the manmade structures. It’s a good thing, too. Those surrounds include Patagonia and Torres del Paine National Park, two of the most beautiful places on earth.
La Alondra Casa de Huespedes
Corrientes, ArgentinaPerhaps inspired by the old-fashioned Argentinian tradition of the pulpería—a tavern-meets-guesthouse that hosted gauchos and travelers during their long journeys across the pampas—La Alondra Casa de Huespedes, a small guesthouse near the historic center of Corrientes, brands itself as a “refuge for nomads.” It’s also a good place from which to visit the wetlands and wildlife of Iberá National Park.
Casa Chablé
Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, MexicoThere are hotels closer to Tulum National Park, just 30 miles north, but Casa Chablé puts you directly in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site dedicated to preserving the flora and fauna of the Yucatán coast. This hotel single-handedly demonstrates that the desert-island atmosphere of a true eco-resort is entirely compatible with the white-glove elegance of a modern luxury hotel.
Refugia Chiloé
Castro, ChileIt’s true that Chiloé, the largest island on a northern Patagonian archipelago, surrounded by deep blue water and dotted with colorful fishing villages, doesn’t have the name recognition of Atacama or Torres del Paine. But the eye-catching Refugia Chiloé will help put it on the map. The hotel is all about views of the pristine waters surrounding the island, and for the extra-adventurous, access to Chiloé National Park.
Belmond Hotel das Cataratas
Iguazu Falls, BrazilStaying at Belmond Hotel Das Cataratas means that you’ll sleep just a stone’s throw away from the thundering series of more than 275 waterfalls that make up Iguazu Falls National Park, one of our planet’s most astonishing natural landmarks. The hacienda-style hotel is no slouch either, having been lovingly restored to its 1950s glory, with the original Portuguese-inspired charms on proud display.
Six Senses La Sagesse
St. David's, GrenadaSix Senses La Sagesse occupies a headland on the quiet south coast of Grenada, a place that’s rapidly ascending the luxury destination rankings. The hotel’s low-profile structures are nestled into the rises and falls of the land in a way that affords it an extraordinary sense of privacy and seclusion. When you get bored of the beach, visit the exotic wildlife and waterfalls at Grand Etang National Park.
Casa Gangotena
Quito, EcuadorBuilt as a private residence in 1534, the Renaissance-style Casa Gangotena honors its history through lovingly restored painted ceilings, wooden paneling, oil paintings, murals, and friezes. It’s set in a prominent corner of Quito’s Old Town, itself a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and allows for trips to a quartet of Ecuadorian National Parks: Cayambe-Coca, Sumaco Napo-Galeras, Cotopaxi, and Llanganates.
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