15 of the Most Charming Boutique Hotels in the U.S.

The way we travel is changing and so is the way we choose our hotel stays. As more of us identify with the term traveler rather than tourist, we seek deeper travel experiences when visiting a new city. Boutique hotels, inherently more intimate due to their smaller size (maxing out at around 100 rooms) provide the sorts of local charms that larger hotels lack, articulated through a more curated hospitality directive. Design is a big focus, and they lean on a city’s history and specialties to help guide their approach. Boutique hotels also possess a community element—whether through more personalized guest experiences or by using spaces and dining environments to help blend local communities with hotel guests, giving you an even deeper sense of place.

Below, our favorite boutique hotels in the U.S.

Spread across 21 acres of campground in Marfa, El Cosmico’s accommodations range from vintage trailers to tents, teepees, and yurts tricked out in retro furniture and Southwest-inspired colors. The property also features a hammock grove, an outdoor kitchen and dining area, wood-fired hot tubs, and an outdoor stage for performances. Bikes are also available for rent to explore the town. Go during the Trans-Pecos Festival of Music + Love in September, which draws musicians like Cat Power and Angel Olsen.

Inside an El Cosmico Airstream.Photo: Courtesy of El Cosmico

Whether you’re road-tripping along Route 66 or simply in town to soak in the magic of Santa Fe, El Rey Court is worth a stop. The renovated and reimagined adobe motor inn, originally built in 1936, evokes that contemporary southwest vibe you’d find in Alexander Girard or Georgia O’Keeffe’s homes in the ’60s and ’70s. The 86 rooms, pool, and courtyard, as well as at the hotel’s bar, La Reina, which hosts live music throughout the week, are designed in Pueblo Revival style, which helps guests get into the hotel’s slogan, painted above the fireplace: “where fast lives slow down.”