From secluded cabins with saunas to single-room huts, these rentals have everything you need to relax and recharge.
There’s a kind of romantic idealism around so-called “cabin life” that’s been brewing, collecting hashtags and admirers along the way. People who search for these woodland retreats, the more rustic and remote the better, are longing for peace, quiet, and simpler times.
It’s important to remember that anyone 30 and under has never lived in a world without readily available cell phones. Nokia released its first mass-produced iteration in 1992. The ensuing three decades have seen the tech sector explode with new ways to interrupt your peaceful afternoons. And people are feeling the crunch of constant accessibility in crowded cities with excess concrete acutely.
Designed for people to check in and check out, these rustic-chic cabins embrace life off the beaten path, from the high desert of California to the deep woods of British Columbia.
Check out some of our favorites:
Fun and functional single-room huts furnished with leather ottomans, daybeds, and comfortable bedding dot this 20-acre property in Southern Utah, in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument near the stark and beautiful moonscape of Bryce Canyon National Park. Each of the 22 cabins has a private firepit and a picnic table for al fresco meals. Stock up at the general store, grab a bite from the onsite food truck, lounge in the communal lodge or the hot tub, and enjoy the wide expanse of nature that surrounds you.
If you’re as big a fan of the A-frame as we are, this hotel should be in the running for your next vacation. Construction is almost finished on the 31-cabin property, complete with a historic saloon turned restaurant. Designed by Skylab Architecture, the 450-square-foot cabins are set on low stilts and connected by a series of boardwalk-like pathways amid the pines, so it doesn’t disrupt the ecology of the forest floor. A central gathering space, The Lodge, is outfitted with Malm fireplaces, where guests can sip Negronis and pretend they’re in a modern-day Slim Aarons photo.
Sit on the back deck and listen to the babbling creek. Admire the view of the cedar and fern-covered mountains that surround you. Hop into the cedar barrel sauna to fend off a chill. Drift off to sleep in a loft bed nest. Repeat. Just 45 minutes from the wild wonderland that is Whistler mountain, this secluded cabin, which shares a property with a larger rental house, is consistently ranked among B.C.’s best rental retreats. And it’s dog-friendly!
A young Bay Area family realized their dream of owning a slice of Tahoe heaven and embarked on a long, impressive DIY adventure, turning a neglected two-bedroom cabin into a “Hygge Barn.” (See the progress for yourself at @tahoelittleblackcabins.) With a picture-perfect outdoor gathering space and simple boho interiors, including a soft leather sofa and Moroccan rug in front of a wood stove, the barn is the ideal spot for long nights in. It’s away from it all, but walking distance from South Lake Tahoe and a short drive from the famous Emerald Bay.
“Offbeat but comfortable” is how the team behind this nonprofit hospitality experience in the rural California high desert describes the five Shelton huts on a rustic but homey property. The design, which is part covered wagon, part yurt, is as simple as it gets. So don’t expect luxury here. But the center’s larger purpose, to support economic development and community partnerships in the region, will appeal to anyone who prioritizes an authentic travel experience, and using tourism dollars to support local initiatives.
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