Recently Renovated Boutique Hotel near Skiing

In 1935, Union Pacific Railroad hired Austrian Count Felix Schaffgotsch to find an ideal site for the next grand American resort. Arriving at the small mining town of Ketchum, Idaho, Schaffgotsch wrote in a wire that he had found "more delightful features than any place” in Switzerland, Austria, or the United States. Amid the Rocky Mountains, generous snowfall, and abundant sunshine, Knob Hill Inn, a boutique mountainside hotel, offers majestic views and alpine recreation.

The hotel's recent renovation included the addition of the lobby's double-sided fireplace, constructed from Boulder Mountain flagstone and flanked by leather ottomans. Updated king rooms feature marble-tiled bathrooms with radiant floor heating, frameless glass showers, and fiber-optic dental floss. Shared wooden balconies look out onto forested hills.

The onsite Grill at Knob Hill uses tree branches and earthy tones to evoke the hotel's natural surroundings. For dinner, the culinary team prepares sophisticated Northwest fare such as Idaho rainbow trout and lollipop lamb chops.

Ketchum, Idaho: Small Country Town Surrounded by World-Class Outdoor Attractions

Located just east of the sprawling Boise National Forest, Ketchum is best known for the diverse terrain of Bald Mountain. Stretching to the edge of Sawtooth National Forest, "Baldy" covers more than 2,000 acres with intermediate skiing and snowboarding trails.

Eight miles north, Sawtooth Wilderness features hiking trails, pine forests, and more than 300 alpine lakes. The jagged peaks of Sawtooth Mountains rise up more than 10,000 feet, and deep, sheltered valleys protect the habitat of fish, moose, and alpaca. To the southeast, the Craters of the Moon National Monument makes for an excellent day trip—the preserve's volcanic terrain is ideal for cave tours, bird watching, and filming fake moon landings.