For Hard-Core Leaf-Peepers: The Best Hotels for Fall Foliage
By Everett Potter
Chebeague Island is a short ferry ride from the hipster scene in Portland, Maine, but it still moves to a 19th-century tempo. So you can take your time walking among the brilliant fall colors and, when the evening turns cool, cozy up to the fireplace of the Chebeague Island Inn.
That crispness in the air is a sure sign it’s time for the annual pageant of vivid reds, oranges, and yellows that inspires leaf-peepers to explore the towns and byways of New England, the Midwest, the mid-Atlantic, and the Northwest. But what makes a fall foliage pilgrimage truly memorable is where you choose to stay. We searched the country for properties that put you in the thick of things—and discovered that the best hotels for fall colors are as varied as the colors themselves.
So when exactly should you head out for a leaf-peeping trip? Anytime from mid-September to early November; generally, the further north you are, the sooner the leaves turn.
Omni Mount Washington Hotel, Bretton Woods, N.H.
(Courtesy: Omni Hotels & Resorts)
This 1902 grande dame hotel in New Hampshire’s White Mountains has wide verandas, baronial public spaces, and views of Mount Washington—the highest peak in the Northeast—in all its blazing fall glory. History is served in the Main Dining Room, with its potted palms and Edwardian splendor, and in The Cave, a vaulted-ceiling Prohibition-era speakeasy. One welcome touch of modernity: the 25,000-square-foot spa complete with a glass-encased day pool. Doubles from $387 with full breakfast.
Room to Book: The Corner Vista rooms have seating areas with huge windows overlooking the White Mountains.
Get Outdoors: New Hampshire’s best hiking trails are minutes away, and there are zipline canopy tours through the maple trees at adjacent Bretton Woods Resort.
Cedar Glen Lodge, Lake Tahoe, Calif.
(Courtesy: Cedar Glen Lodge)
North Lake Tahoe is a fine starting point for fall color drives—especially when you wake up at Cedar Glen, a series of 31 rooms and cottages built in the 1950s and recently updated. You don’t need to wander off property to eat, thanks to the Rustic Lounge, and there are a variety of California wines to sample in the wine bar. Doubles from $169.
Room to Book: Families and groups will appreciate the two bedrooms and two baths in Cottage No. 14.
Get Outdoors: Hiking past aspens along the Tahoe Rim Trail.
Related: Fall Foliage Destinations: 10 Best Places to Go Leaf Peeping (and When!)
Point Pleasant Inn, Bristol, R.I.
(Courtesy: Point Pleasant Inn)
With lovely Federal and Colonial architecture, Bristol is waterfront New England minus the crowds of nearby Newport. The best accommodation in this traditional Yankee sailing town is the Point Pleasant Inn, which calls itself “a bed & breakfast resort.” The mansion has just seven suites and rooms, leaving space for an open bar, a swimming pool, a hot tub, a tennis court, a sauna, fitness center, billiards, and bikes. Doubles from $295.
Room to Book: The Bristol Harbor Suite for its king size four-poster bed and views of Bristol Harbor.
Get Outdoors: Borrow a bike from the inn to ride along the East Bay Bike Path.
The Inn at Kent Falls, Kent, Conn.
(Courtesy: The Inn at Kent Falls)
You’ll find Kent in Connecticut’s northwest corner, where forested hills blend in with the Berkshires of neighboring Massachusetts. Make yourself at home at the Inn at Kent Falls, a six-room property dating back to 1741 that’s been meticulously renovated. French antiques furnish the living room while a screened porch overlooks the inn’s acreage and Cobble Brook’s waterfall. Doubles from $215.
Room to Book: The Lakes Suite has a king-size canopy bed, a claw-foot soaking tub with a rainfall showerhead, and two fireplaces lit by candles instead of logs.
Get Outdoors: Local hiking paths intersect with the Appalachian Trail for a workout combined with foliage viewing.
Related: “We Can’t Stand You” and Other Confessions of a B&B Owner
The Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls, Hocking Hills, Ohio
The Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls (Photo: Jumping Rocks Photography)
Not all of Ohio is flat. Hocking Hills, in the state’s southeast corner close to West Virginia and Kentucky, is covered with oak, walnut, and hickory trees. Base yourself at the Inn & Spa at Cedar Falls, a rustic getaway with 26 rooms, cottages, and cabins—not to mention a destination spa with more than a dozen treatments. The Kindred Spirits Restaurant delivers a contemporary take on American cuisine. Doubles from $170.
Room to Book: The Tree House Whirlpool Cabin, which has a gas log stove, private deck, and whirlpool hot tub.
Get Outdoors: There are six major hiking trails in the Hocking Hills along with climbing and rappelling opportunities.
Sun Mountain Lodge, Wash.
Sun Mountain Lodge (Photo: Robb Drake)
About four hours northeast of Seattle, this 3,000-acre resort is set atop a foothill in the North Cascades mountain range, an ideal perch for admiring fall colors. Guests come here to embrace the outdoors and to unplug, with no televisions to spoil the serenity. It helps that Sun Mountain’s service is among the best in the Northwest. Rooms come with gas fireplaces, and you can enjoy panoramic views from your balcony or from the dining room, with its added perk of a notable wine collection. Doubles from $215.
Room to Book: One of the Mountain View Guest Rooms, with unimpeded views of the Cascades.
Get Outdoors: Fly-fishing on the Methow River for cutthroat trout, rainbow trout, and steelhead.
Hacienda del Sol, Taos, N.M.
Hacienda del Sol (Photo: Rick Collins)
This husband-and-wife-run B&B counts 12 rooms across four adobe buildings dating back to 1804, with the charm to prove it. Handcrafted quilts, antiques, kiva fireplaces, and viga and latilla ceilings set a romantic scene. Adjacent to Taos Pueblo, Hacienda del Sol occupies a little more than an acre; pull up a lawn chair to soak up the fall scenery of Taos Mountain. It’s the definition of tranquility, yet only a short drive from artsy Taos, with its shops, cafés, and galleries. Doubles from $255.
Room to Book: The Cowgirl room, with a king-size bed and a spectacular view of Taos Mountain framed in a picture window.
Get Outdoors: See the changing aspens on a hike to Williams Lake.
Clearwater Lake Lodge, Minn.
(Courtesy: Clearwater Lake Lodge)
On the Gunflint Trail in Minnesota’s Boundary Waters, the Clearwater Lake Lodge epitomizes the rugged spirit of the Great North Woods. The hand-hewn log lodge is the state’s oldest (with a spot on the National Historic Registry). Its collection of eight cabins and five guest rooms looks across the water at 400-foot palisades. The bed-and-breakfast package ensures a morning of pancakes and bacon before heading out on the lake. Doubles from $80.
Room to Book: Suite A, a two-bedroom cabin with a view of tree-ringed Clearwater Lake.
Get Outdoors: Canoe among the loons, bald eagles, and changing leaves.
Related: Many Hotels Have a Mini-bar… These Have Their Own Pets
Triple Creek Ranch, Darby, Mont.
(Courtesy: Triple Creek Ranch)
Montana’s Triple Creek Ranch, a Relais & Châteaux mountain sanctuary, presents the American West at its most luxurious. At this ranch, walls are covered in a museum-quality collection of western art while the on-site restaurant showcases the talents of chef Jacob Leatherman, who recently cooked at New York’s James Beard House. The 23 cabins come with wood-burning fireplaces, hot tubs, and locally woven woolens. Doubles from $950, including all meals.
Room to Book: Chipmunk, a secluded cabin with a fireplace and a loft for reading and writing.
Get Outdoors: Horseback rides through the 4 million acres of surrounding forest are the best way to see the fall colors. But that’s just one of the activities staff can arrange to suit your interests.
See All of America’s Best Hotels for Fall Colors
More from Travel + Leisure
America’s Best Cities for Fall Travel
America’s Best Fall Color Drives
