As the ongoing pandemic continues to impact our lifestyles, both hotel operators and travelers are adapting and reshaping the way we can explore the world. While some opt for local getaways, those who can venture farther afield safely are embracing the latest travel trend: reserving an entire hotel. This unique experience offers safety, privacy, and the luxury of optimal social distancing, creating an ideal setting for travelers to indulge in extravagance. These luxury hotels, ranging in size from a few rooms to hundreds, present guests with exclusive perks such as private pools, beaches, personal chefs, and dedicated butlers, ensuring a truly indulgent getaway. Below, we’ve compiled a list of top luxury hotel buyouts for your consideration on your next vacation.
Dive Palm Springs
This charming former motel in Palm Springs has been transformed into a chic hideaway. It can be entirely booked at standard room rates, plus a $5,000 event fee, to fulfill your desert dreams. Dive Palm Springs offers nine uniquely themed rooms and suites, adorned with hand-painted tiles, rattan furniture, original murals, and vintage posters. Two particularly exceptional rooms stand out, featuring a Parisian elevator-turned-canopy bed and custom Christian LaCroix wallpaper with a ceiling mural. The property boasts a beautifully restored 1960s-era tiled pool by renowned pool designer Maurice Libbot, surrounded by fringed umbrellas and striped cabanas. Guests can also enjoy a fire pit, relax on rattan swings, and even try their hand at a secret three-hole putting green. Don’t forget to inquire about the enticing “Magic Menu” for additional fun experiences.
The Maker
Perfect for weekend getaways from New York City, The Maker in the Hudson Valley offers eleven rooms, making it ideal for small group getaways. Situated on Warren Street, amidst a vibrant array of restaurants and shops, the hotel spans three meticulously restored historic buildings: an 1800s-era carriage house, a Georgian mansion, and a Greek revival building. These spaces blend original architecture with the craftsmanship of local artisans, celebrating the spirit of creativity. Each of the rooms features distinct bohemian decor inspired by belle epoque, art deco, and mid-century modern styles. Guests may find themselves vying for the four maker studios, each named after a different creative figure: the Architect, the Artist, the Writer, and the Gardener. The hotel also offers a European-style café, a full-service restaurant housed in a glass conservatory, a stylish cocktail lounge, a library stocked with books selected by New York City’s Strand Book Store, and the first hotel pool in Hudson.
Sheldon Chalet
For a truly remote escape, Sheldon Chalet, perched atop a glacier in Denali, Alaska, offers an exclusive experience. Accessible only by helicopter, this unique retreat accommodates up to ten guests in its five-bedroom chalet (starting at $35,000 per couple for three nights). The buyout package includes all necessary gear, two adventure guides, a dedicated concierge, a personal chef preparing gourmet meals with premium wine pairings, guided glacier adventures, snowshoe treks, gourmet picnics inside an igloo, ice cave exploration, and helicopter transportation to and from the chalet. Surrounded by five acres of pristine private property, guests can savor breathtaking views of the Alaska Range and, if lucky, witness the awe-inspiring Northern Lights. Additional activities such as flight-seeing tours and other adventures are also available.
Life House, Nantucket
The latest addition to the chic lifestyle hotel brand Life House, this Nantucket property brings the brand’s signature aesthetic to Cape Cod and New England for the first time. Located within a beautifully restored Coastal Federal-style mansion built in the 1830s by Captain Robert Calder, the property pays homage to the region’s heritage, featuring local art, vintage artifacts, and raffia writing desks. A full buyout (from $3,000 per night in low season) grants exclusive access to all 14 rooms, each equipped with Le Labo bath products, Marshall speakers, and Revival luxury linens. Guests can enjoy a lush garden terrace with daybed loungers and a fire pit, a cozy living area with a fireplace, and a well-appointed kitchen stocked with delectable grab-and-go treats.
Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi
Celebrating its 30th anniversary this fall, the iconic Santa Fe-based Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi offers a range of special experiences, including the opportunity to reserve the entire property (starting at $30,000 for two nights). This package encompasses 30 of the hotel’s deluxe rooms and suites, a private tequila tasting at the Anasazi Restaurant’s Tequila Table, and the option to add private meals prepared by Executive Chef de Cuisine Julio Cabrera. Rooms feature gas-lit traditional adobe kiva fireplaces, hardwood floors, and Southwestern-style textiles. Additionally, guests have access to a state-of-the-art fitness center and a spa room for added relaxation.
The Winston
An upscale boutique hotel located in Santa Barbara wine country, The Winston opened its doors in July within the historic Old Mill Clock Tower. The property offers 14 rooms, many with exposed wooden beams and a bohemian, eclectic ambiance thanks to pieces collected from around the world, bold colors, interesting textures, and contrasting patterns. Buyouts start at $5,000 per night and include breakfast delivered to your room, as well as an honor bar stocked with local wines and snacks, making it an ideal destination for a girlfriend getaway.
The Lake House on Canandaigua
Nestled in the picturesque Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, The Lake House on Canandaigua, designed by Studio Tack, offers 125 chic rooms and the option to reserve the entire property (starting at $102,000 per night) for a lakeside retreat. Buyouts include indulgent spa treatments at the wellness center, all meals at either the seasonal Rose Tavern restaurant or the casual poolside Sand Bar, boat excursions, hikes, yoga classes, and access to the pool and hot tub. For a quicker journey, consider booking a seaplane flight directly from New York City’s East River to the lake.
Four Seasons Philadelphia
For a luxurious urban escape, consider booking the stunning Four Seasons Philadelphia, a hotel in the sky that opened in 2019 in the heart of Philadelphia. Occupying the top 12 floors of the new Norman Foster-designed 60-story Comcast Technology Center, this hotel stands as the tallest in North America. In addition to plush rooms with breathtaking views, guests have access to the 57th floor’s crystal-themed spa and an indoor infinity pool that creates the sensation of swimming among the clouds. The hotel also offers dining options at Jean-Georges Philadelphia and Vernick Fish, led by James Beard award-winning chef Greg Vernick, along with a rooftop bar, JG Skyhigh, on the 60th floor.
The Wheatleigh
For those seeking a touch of European elegance, The Wheatleigh, a member of Leading Hotels of the World, awaits in the heart of the Berkshires. Built in 1893 and inspired by Italian palazzos, this mansion boasts 19 rooms, an outdoor heated pool, a fitness room, bicycles, paddleboards, kayaks, a tennis court, and spa services. Buyouts, starting at $24,000 per night, grant exclusive use of the property, custom menus curated by Forbes Five-Star Chef Jeffrey Thompson, daily breakfast, a welcome champagne reception, and complimentary soft drinks.
Lumière with Inspirato
For the ultimate Telluride ski vacation, consider reserving all 18 deluxe residences at Lumière with Inspirato, ranging from one to five bedrooms (starting at $20,500 per night). Guests can expect personalized, attentive service throughout their stay, beginning with a locally sourced organic breakfast hamper placed in each residence, which includes full kitchens that can be equipped with private chefs upon request. After a day on the slopes, relax in the private pool and gym or arrange for private guides to lead backcountry ski or snowmobile expeditions. For an extraordinary adventure, consider a heliski experience, and private charter flights can also be arranged.
Espacio
While already providing ample privacy, Espacio, a luxurious Waikiki hotel, offers the option of a full buyout (starting at $45,000 per night). Each suite occupies its own floor, and the hotel boasts just nine of these exclusive accommodations. Suites feature two or three bedrooms, four bathrooms, a personal elevator entry, a state-of-the-art kitchen, a dry sauna, and a Jacuzzi-equipped balcony overlooking Waikiki Beach. The ultra-private experience extends to contactless personal styling through a partnership with Neiman Marcus, butler service, and exclusive access to the hotel’s fleet of luxury vehicles.
Mustang Monument
Imagine immersing yourself and up to 20 friends in the company of 1,000 rescued wild mustangs, and you’ll get a sense of the unique experience that awaits at Mustang Monument, an eco-reserve retreat in northern Nevada. Buyouts start at $26,000 per night, and the property spans an impressive 900 square miles of wilderness. It includes 10 homestead safari-style cottages and offers outdoor activities such as ATV rides, rappelling, archery, horseback riding, horse-drawn wagon rides, sunrise horse feedings, and wild mustang safari adventures. Beyond the exceptional getaway, every stay contributes directly to the conservation efforts of the Saving America’s Mustangs organization.