These Are the Winners of the 2026 Sunset Travel Awards

Every year, the Sunset Travel Awards give us a fresh reminder of why the West remains one of the most exciting places on earth to explore. This year, we saw a record wave of entries from hotels, restaurants, destinations, outfitters, parks, spas, wineries, museums, tour operators, and travel innovators across the region, each one making a compelling case for why the West continues to lead the way in adventure, design, food, hospitality, and pure sense of place. The competition was fierce, which makes this year’s winners all the more remarkable. From bucket-list resorts and road-trip-worthy motels to thrilling outdoor experiences, destination restaurants, and small-town surprises, these honorees are the best of the best. Consider this your essential guide to where to go next—and visit the Sunset Travel Awards Directory for our searchable database to start planning your next great Western escape. 

Where to Stay: Coastal Escapes

• Conrad Punta de Mita
• Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas
• Four Seasons Resort Tamarindo
• Hotel San Cristóbal
• Kaimana Beach Hotel
• La Bahia Hotel & Spa
• La Valise Mazunte
• Post Ranch Inn
• Malibu Beach Inn
• Timber Cove Resort
• NEST Baja
• Paradero
• Rosewood Mandarina
• Rosewood Miramar Beach
• Shutters on the Beach
• The Gilded Iguana Surf Hotel
• The Milo, Hotel by the Sea
• The Ritz-Carlton Bacara, Santa Barbara
• The Ritz-Carlton O’ahu, Turtle Bay
• Villa Santa Cruz
• W Punta de Mita
• Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal
• Las Rosadas
• Zadún, Los Cabos, A Ritz Carlton Reserve
• Regent Santa Monica Beach
• Dream Inn Santa Cruz
• Siari, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
• Surf & Sand Laguna Beach
• Thompson Zihuatanejo is Barefoot Luxury
• Lodge at Bodega Bay
• Pavilion Hotel
• SCP Mendocino Inn & Farm
• Laguna Surf Lodge by SCP Hotels
• Bay Shore Peninsula Hotel
• Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina
• Hotel El Ganzo
• Royal Lahaina Resort & Bungalows
• Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
• Fairmont Breakers Long Beach
• Sandbourne Santa Monica, Autograph Collection
• Hotel SLO
• Cannery Pier Hotel & Spa

Where to Stay: Mountain Getaways

• Montage Big Sky
• Edgewood Tahoe Resort
• Gravity Haus Breckenridge
• Hotel Jackson
• Hotel Ketchum
• Hotel Yellowstone at Jackson Hole
• Field & Stream Bozeman
• Outbound Mammoth
• Madeline Hotel & Residences, Auberge Collection
• Four Seasons Resort and Residences Vail

Where to Stay: Historic Hotels

• Arizona Biltmore
• Hotel del Coronado
• Inn at The Presidio
• Los Angeles Athletic Club
• The Broadmoor
• Grand Canyon Railway Hotel
• The Legendary Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs
• The Westin St. Francis
• The Lafayette Hotel & Club
• The Mining Exchange Hotel – Colorado Springs, CO
• La Fonda on the Plaza
• Arctic Club Hotel
• Washington School House Hotel
• The Garland
• Hotel Californian
• The Holbrooke Hotel
• The National Exchange Hotel
• The Marcus Whitman Hotel & Conference Center
• Asher Adams
• The All Inn Hotel

Where to Stay: City Stays

• 1 Hotel San Francisco
• Harrys Guest House
• Lotte Hotel Seattle
• Populus Seattle
• The Aster
• The Global Ambassador Hotel
• The Hôtel Lili
• The Ramble Hotel
• The Ritz-Carlton, Portland
• Thompson Denver
• ARRIVE Albuquerque
• The Heathman Hotel
• Beacon Grand
• Hotel Figueroa
• The Jay, Autograph Collection
• Clayton Hotel & Members Club

Where to Stay: Nearby Nature

• The Wildbirch Hotel
• Lightwell Hotel
• Ofland Escalante
• Americana Motor Hotel – Flagstaff, AZ
• Salish Lodge & Spa
• AutoCamp Sequoia
• Sunriver Resort
• Red Cliffs Lodge Zion, A Tribute Portfolio Hotel
• Riverhouse Lodge
• Bishop’s Lodge, Auberge Collection
• Treebones Resort
• Sky Rock Sedona
• Enchantment
• Index Cabins

Where to Stay: Luxury Lodging

• Four Seasons Resort Cabo Del Sol
• Four Seasons Resort Hualalai
• Fontainebleau Las Vegas
• Kona Village, A Rosewood Resort
• Montage Healdsburg
• Nobu Ryokan Malibu
• Parker Palm Springs
• San Ysidro Ranch
• Sensei Lānaʻi, A Four Seasons Resort
• Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas
• The Maybourne Beverly Hills
• L’Ermitage Beverly Hills
• Sensei Porcupine Creek
• Carmel Valley Ranch
• Cavallo Point
• Banyan Tree Mayakoba
• Alila Ventana Big Sur

Where to Stay: Ranch Stays

• Brush Creek Ranch
• Alisal Ranch
• Dawn Ranch
• Dude Ranchers’ Association Member Dude Ranch
• NewTree Ranch
• Rancho de los Caballeros Resort
• Tumbling River Ranch
• Brasada Ranch
• Sage Lodge

Where to Stay: Resorts & Retreats

• The Ranch Malibu
• Ambiente, a Landscape Hotel
• CIVANA Wellness Resort & Spa
• Inn the Ground
• Dive Palm Springs
• Vermejo, a Ted Turner Reserve
• Hotel Marina Riviera
• Outlook Inn – Orcas Island
• Nat Hab’s Alaska Bear Camp
• Romer House Waikiki
• The Cottages at Little Saint
• The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe
• Thompson Palm Springs
• Murrieta Hot Springs Resort
• Hotel Valley Ho
• Bernardus Lodge & Spa
• Kimpton Miralina Resort & Villas Paradise Valley, Scottsdale
• The New Inn
• JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass
• Drift Palm Springs
• Appellation Healdsburg
• The Lodge at Pebble Beach Resorts
• Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia
• Castle Hot Springs
• Terranea Resort
• The Cloudveil
• Sanctuary Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa
• MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa
• Grange Estate
• Farmhouse Inn
• h2hotel

Where to Go: Wine Country Escapes

• Healdsburg, California
• Visit McMinnville
• Napa Valley
• Santa Barbara Wine Country
• Visit Walla Walla
• Travel Paso
• Visit Lodi
• The Walls Vineyards

Where to Go: Coastal Classics

• Carmel-by-the-Sea
• Love Catalina
• Coronado Island
• Laguna Beach
• Marina del Rey
• Monterey County
• Newport Beach, California
• Pismo Beach
• Santa Monica, CA
• Victoria, B.C.
• The Ranch at Laguna Beach
• Lincoln City
• Santa Barbara

Where to Go: Mountain Wonders

• Breckenridge, Colorado
• Canyons Village at Park City Mountain
• Deer Valley Resort
• Pagosa Springs, Colorado

Where to Go: Classic West

• Grand Canyon West
• Greater Palm Springs
• La Paz, Mexico
• Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico
• The Loneliest Road Nevada
• Visit SLO CAL
• Klawock Island
• Icy Strait Point
• Visit San Simeon
• Pasadena
• Grants Pass (OR)
• Boise, Idaho

Where to Go: Urban Escapes

• Beverly Hills, California
• San Francisco
• Reno Tahoe
• Albuquerque

What to Do: On the Water

• Kauai Sea Tours
• Sea Cave Kayaking at Channel Islands National Park

What to Do: Food & Wine Experiences

• Frank Family Vineyards
• Marietta Tasting Room
• Napa Valley Wine Train
• Presqu’ile Winery
• Cachasol
• Temecula Wines
• The Hilt Estate
• West Wine Tours
• Alma Rosa Winery
• Demetria Estate
• DANCIN Vineyards
• Hood River Fruit Loop
• Evening Land Vineyards
• Savor Southern Oregon
• Bouchaine Vineyards
• Cliff Lede Vineyards – Backstage Tasting Lounge
• VARA Winery & Distillery
• The Original Farmers Market
• Sequoia Grove Winery

What to Do: Wellness Wonders

• Spa Montage at Montage Los Cabos
• Miraval Arizona Resort & Spa
• Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary
• Spa Montage at Montage Laguna Beach

What to Do: Outdoor Adventure

• Willamette Valley Visitors Association – Tree Climbing
• Wood River Extreme Skijoirng
• Raft the Wild & Scenic Rogue River
• Tamarack Resort
• John Hall’s Alaska
• Yellowstone Signature Experience Vacation Package

What to Do: Classic Western Experiences

• A Refined Rodeo Experience in Idaho
• Bountiful Santa Ynez Valley
• The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch
• Beverly Gardens Park, Beverly Hills, California
• Arts District Liberty Station

What to Do: Behind-the-Scenes Access

• Route 66 Remixed – ABQ
• STEELPORT Knife Factory
• Take Flight at Hotel Polaris

Where to Eat & Drink: Destination Dining

• Alteño
• Fleurette
• Hamdi
• Kauboi Scottsdale
• MÄS
• Nightbird
• Acre Restaurant & Cocktail Bar
• Madrina Cocina Mexicana
• Fitoor San Jose
• Mahina & Suns
• Clementine
• Butterfly
• Maydan
• San Laurel
• Zaytinya Palo Alto
• Mawa’s Kitchen
• Xiquita
• The Star Hotel
• Songbird Parlour
• Salt Harvest
• Anthology
• Sierra Mar
• Juliette
• Sky Room
• Soko
• Bear
• Goldener Hirsch, Auberge Collection
• Folia Bar & Kitchen

Where to Eat & Drink: New Classics

• A.O.C.
• Mizuna
• Pizzeria Delfina
• Tony’s Pizza Napoletana
• Jax Fish House & Oyster Bar
• Tavernetta Vail
• Bob’s Well Bread Bakery
• Hitching Post 2
• Jar
• Loquita
• Cattlemen’s Bar
• Pasta Sisters
• Paloma
• Elena’s Mexican Restaurant
• Little Original Joe’s
• Roosevelt Lodge Dining Room & Saloon
• Hearth and Hill Sugar House
• Honey Salt

Where to Eat & Drink: Dialed Up Drinks

• Call Me Pearl
• The Lobby Bar and Emporium
• Oxbow Public Market
• FiNO
• Marelle Santa Monica
• El Dorado Kitchen
• Dom’s Taverna
• Pig and Tiger
• The Alchemists’ Garden
• Wild Rye
• 99 Prince Bar

How to Get There

• AdventureSmith Explorations
• Alaska Railroad: Seamless Journeys from Sea to Rail
• BARK Air