We Stayed at One&Only Moonlight Basin. A Montanan's Honest Review.

By Nicole Marchion, Editor-in-Chief, Montana Edit

I grew up in Montana and have traveled widely enough to know what sets this state apart. When One&Only Moonlight Basin opened its doors as the brand's first U.S. property and first alpine resort anywhere in the world, I wanted to see it for myself. Not as a travel writer parachuting in from somewhere else, but as someone who can tell when a place gets Montana right.

This year we kept spring break close to home. We loaded up the car on a Friday in April and made the 3.5 hour drive across Montana with our two boys (ages 4 and 7). What we found was something I had not quite experienced before in Montana. Not a ranch. Not a ski lodge. Something else entirely.

Built for This Landscape

The first thing you notice at One&Only Moonlight Basin is what isn't there. No buffalo mounts in the lobby. No antler chandeliers. No heavy-handed Western décor signaling that you are, in case you forgot, in Montana.

Designed by Seattle-based architect Tom Kundig, one of the most respected names in American architecture, the buildings nestle into the northeastern face of Lone Peak rather than competing with it. Dark-stained wood exteriors quiet the structures into the shadows of the treeline, letting the mountain do the talking. From a distance, the resort almost disappears into the landscape

Inside, walls of steel and white oak set a rugged but refined tone. The furniture is substantial and grand but genuinely comfortable, the kind of pieces that feel built for the setting. Floor-to-ceiling window walls frame Lone Peak and the surrounding forest, drawing the treeline right into the room. The atmosphere here is one of quiet luxury, and it earns it.

As a Montanan, this felt right. It felt honest. The design lets Montana be Montana, then adds something extraordinary on top of it.

What surprised me most was that this philosophy extended everywhere. Walking the hallways to our suite, floor-to-ceiling glass panels opened onto trees, mountain ridgelines, and sky. There was no dead zone, no transition space that felt like a generic hotel corridor. Every step through the property felt elevated and grounded at the same time.

Arrival

Before we even made it to our room, the tone was set. A host greeted us at the door with welcome drinks and warm towels, then guided us to a seat by the fireplace to check in. From there we were escorted outside for the resort's branding ceremony — a small fire pit lit, a selection of custom metal stamps laid out, each guest choosing one to press into a wooden coaster to take home. It is a simple gesture. But it is well executed and completely memorable. Thoughtful without being theatrical. It told us exactly what kind of stay this was going to be.

Where We Stayed

One&Only Moonlight Basin spans three main lodge buildings with 73 rooms and suites, plus 19 freestanding cabins and a collection of private homes. Accommodations range from Moonlight Rooms (starting at 725 square feet) to the sprawling Big Sky Specialty Suite at over 3,400 square feet. Every room, regardless of category, comes with a fireplace, private balcony, soaking tub, daybed, and a curated minibar stocked with local beers, Montana spirits, and gourmet snacks. 

We were in a Moonlight Suite in the main lodge, with the boys in an adjoining double queen room. For families, rooms can be connected to form a suite. A setup that worked perfectly for a family of four on a spring break trip. At 1,100 square feet, the suite has a separate bedroom and living space, a balcony, an in-room bar, a soaking tub, and nature-inspired décor that grounds you in the setting without being rustic about it. Kundig designed these spaces to feel residential rather than hotel-like, and he succeeded. 

The Dining

One&Only Moonlight Basin has several dining venues, and we made our way through most of them.

Wildwood anchors the main lodge starting with breakfast each morning, part gourmet buffet and part made-to-order, with Lone Peak filling the window behind you. My avocado toast was one of the better versions I have had anywhere. The kids loved the pancakes and bacon. We also had dinner at Wildwood on our first evening. The halibut was incredible. The boys declared the chicken tenders and fries the best they had ever eaten, which, if you know kids, is the highest possible endorsement.

Dear Josephine is worth multiple visits. The lounge is named for a female bootlegger from the region's past, and the copper tones and warm lighting give it a chic, cozy feel that somehow transports you. On our first evening we stopped in after dinner for cocktails and found ourselves lingering. It is impressive how seamless it felt while also being a bar experience that could hold its own anywhere. We came back the following afternoon for wine and crab rolls while the boys ran off some energy outside. 

Akira Back was the standout of the trip. Celebrity chef Akira Back's Japanese steakhouse is not what you expect to find tucked into the Montana wilderness. Getting there is part of the experience. The walk from the main lodge winds along what feels like a Montana trail, with a sweeping mountain view opening up as you go. We asked for the server’s recommendations and let them guide us through the menu. The tuna pizza, crispy rice with cajun tuna, cucumber sunomono, the Hot Mess roll, the Brother from Another Mother roll, and Wagyu fried rice all came recommended, and every single dish was incredible. Midway through dinner, a bald eagle swept past the window. In a state where I feel I have eaten at most of the best restaurants, this meal, in this setting, genuinely surprised me.

A Nightcap at the Moonshack

After dinner at Akira Back on our last evening, our host arranged a ride to the Moonshack in a side-by-side. It was snowing. The kind of quiet, heavy snow that settles into the trees and makes the Montana woods look like something out of a film. The Moon Shack is a Prohibition-inspired whiskey bar hidden in the woods, a small, cozy, speakeasy-style cabin pouring fine whiskies and craft cocktails.

We did not know until we arrived that it was the last night of the season. We ordered Blanton's on the rocks and watched the snow fall in a 100-plus year old cabin. We had no idea it existed before we got there, and it ended up being one of our favorite moments of the entire stay.

Built for Families Too

One&Only Moonlight Basin welcomes kids and means it. There was no shortage of things to keep them busy.

The heated pool and hot tubs sit along the resort with gorgeous mountain views in every direction. It was early April and on the chilly side, but that did not slow our boys down for a second. When our youngest decided he needed a peanut butter sandwich midway through hot tub time, the team tracked one down and delivered it poolside. It was not on the menu, and they did not hesitate.

The game room kept them busy during downtime, with pool, foosball, dominoes, chess, and more. Right next door is the KidsOnly Club, a dedicated space for ages 4 to 12 with its own programming and activities. We did not make it in on this trip, but it is first on the list when we return.

Guided hikes and a full slate of outdoor activities are available for families who want something more structured. We spent most of our time at the fishing pond where the boys caught and released fish, threw rocks, and ran around in the dirt for hours.

The Spa at One&Only Moonlight Basin

On Saturday afternoon I headed to the spa while my husband took the boys to the pond and tennis courts. Walking in felt like an extension of the resort: calm, unhurried, and quietly luxurious.

I started in the sauna, moved to the steam room, then settled into the onsen, where the view of the mountains and trees made it easy to lose track of time. The space never felt crowded. Between treatments I rested in the post-treatment lounge, where oxygen is part of the recovery experience.  

The 90-minute Renewal Facial uses AUTEUR's advanced treatment serum alongside lymphatic drainage, tension-release sculpting massage, and gua sha, a precision ritual that left my skin noticeably firmer and refreshed than when I walked in. The 60-minute Révérence Foot Ritual followed, exfoliation, nail buffing, and a tension-relieving massage from toes to knees, with a mountain view from the treatment room that made everything else feel small.

The spa is 25,000 square feet, with seven treatment rooms, sauna and steam facilities, a fitness center, a beauty lounge stocked with Sachajuan hair products and Dyson dryers, and an indoor pool. Every detail is considered, nothing is overdone. Three hours in and I felt like I had been gone for a week. Highly recommend clearing your afternoon when you visit the spa.

A Wildlife Encounter the Kids Won't Forget

One&Only Moonlight Basin sits within the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, part of an 8,000-acre community that links two vast sections of protected wilderness in southwestern Montana. The landscape provides critical migration routes for elk, deer, bears, moose, and more. In spring and fall especially, wildlife sightings are part of the experience.

During breakfast at Wildwood on our last morning, word spread through the dining room that a moose had been spotted near the pool. We took off down the hallway, floor-to-ceiling glass the entire way, and arrived at the doors just in time to watch a female moose walk directly up to the windows. The closest we have ever been to a moose in our lives. She was completely unbothered. Our boys have grown up in Montana and seen their share of wildlife. Nothing quite like this.

That moment could not have been planned and felt entirely fitting for a resort that seems to understand what makes Montana worth coming to in the first place.

First-Class Service

Every guest is assigned a dedicated host for the entire stay, one person who handles everything. Ours checked in throughout each day in a way that felt natural, never hovering but always there when we needed something. They anticipated requests before we made them, flagged wildlife sightings, placed room service orders for the kids, and had tennis rackets waiting without being asked. That extended to every interaction we had on the property. Every person we crossed paths with made us feel welcome.

A Montanan’s Honest Take

One&Only Moonlight Basin is the most elevated luxury experience in Montana. Montana has always been extraordinary. One&Only just adds a level most people never get to experience. If you are coming from out of state and want that, there is nowhere better. If you are a Montanan who has been wondering whether there is something worth staying home for, there is. We came for a family spring break and my husband and I are already talking about coming back to celebrate our anniversary.

Plan your stay at oneandonlyresorts.com/moonlight-basin. Follow along on Instagram at @oomoonlightbasin.