Yosemite, CaliforniaGroveland
Rush Creek Lodge and Spa at Yosemite
Wooded Sierra lodge
Groveland Yosemite, California
Opened
2016
Price
$$
Rated for
Wellness Resort LocalOutside the door
The house
First Light ResortsWooded Sierra lodge
The lodge runs as an easygoing Sierra outpost, bringing hikers together for nightly s'mores around the outdoor fire pit.
“The vibe here is log-cabin chic, with contemporary furnishings and amenities like Keurig coffee machines, satellite radio, and feather pillows.”
What it’s good at
Notable
Twenty forested hillside acres hold private walking trails and a heated saltwater pool.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and AFAR.
The rooms aren’t aggressively overdesigned, but they’re clean-lined and contemporary, while the villas split the difference between hotel suites and vacation homes.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Yosemite's Big Oak Flat entrance sits less than a mile up Highway 120, with Yosemite Valley twenty-five miles east.
The rooms
Rooms skip televisions in favor of board games and private decks. Suites add cast-iron fireplaces behind sliding barn doors.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
The 2,400-square-foot heated saltwater pool sits among towering pines, flanked by yellow loungers and two outdoor hot tubs.
The baths
A stone waterfall empties into a covered mineral tub, set beside mosaic thermal loungers and a salt block sauna.
The spa
Quiet treatment rooms host customized massages and facials, with therapists using hot stones to ease trail-worn muscles.
The Restaurant at Rush Creek
An open kitchen with a wood-burning oven serves California mountain fare under vaulted timber ceilings and iron chandeliers.
Five minutes outside of Yosemite’s western entrance lies a full-service lodge fit for couples and families, with a year-round heated saltwater pool, private hiking trails, and a relaxed-yet-sophisticated restaurant
At the table
The seasonal pool bar mixes fruit smoothies and pours craft beers beside lawn games on the sun terrace.
How it began
The property occupies historic Gold Rush mining territory, and nineteenth-century artifacts still sit scattered among the pine trees.
Yosemite
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The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.