When you say you want to get away from it all, you mean it. These hotels are so remote that no one’s likely to wind up at them by accident. If you take your solitude with a healthy dose of natural beauty, these incredibly isolated hotels are worth the trek.
Explora Patagonia, Torres del Paine National Park, Chile
This 49-room lodge, one of three Explora properties in Chile, is located at the center of Patagonia’s Torres del Paine National Park, on the shores of Lake Pehoe. For hundreds of years, Patagonia was considered the literal end of the world, where the sea, mountains, and ice fields served as natural barriers to exploration. At Explora Patagonia, this remoteness isn’t just in evidence: It’s part of the appeal.
The lodge provides a front-row seat to breathtaking views of the Paine Massif and the Salto Chico waterfall, and simply getting there is a memorable experience. From the international airport in Santiago, you’ll connect to Punta Arenas (about a four-hour journey) and then be driven another 4.5 hours to the lodge by hotel staff. Once there, you may want to visit the massage room and/or fully stocked bar to restore your sense of adventure!
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Palacio de Sal, Colchani, Bolivia
Bolivia’s world-famous salt flats are notoriously remote. So once you’ve made it out to Salar de Uyuni, why not stay in a hotel that really embraces the environment? The Palacio de Sal is built entirely of salt. That includes its chairs, tables, beds, and sculptures. (Don’t worry—not everything is made of salt. There’s running water and electricity to keep you comfortable.)
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Tikchik Narrows Lodge, Wood-Tikchik State Park, Alaska
Accessible only by seaplane, Tikchik Narrows Lodge is more than 300 miles from the nearest connecting road system. It’s a dream for fishing enthusiasts and wildlife watchers. There’s no early check-in here—you’ll have to arrive on the same flight from Dillingham (the nearest airport) as all the other guests coming in that day.
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Motu Teta, Rangiroa, Tahiti
Most all-inclusive resorts have one thing in common: They’re crowded. Not so at Motu Teta, an all-inclusive that’s actually a private island. (A really remote private island.) This nine-acre oasis can be rented out to families or just two people for the ultimate romantic getaway. To reach Motu Teta, you’ll fly to Tahiti’s international airport, connect to Rangiroa via a domestic flight, then transfer by boat (the ride takes approximately 1.5 hours) to the island. Boat transfers are included in the price of your hotel stay.
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Hotel Arctic, Ilulissat, Greenland
You literally can’t sleep in comfort any farther north than at Hotel Arctic, the world’s most northerly four-star hotel. From Copenhagen, it will take you about seven hours to reach this hotel. You’ll have to take a flight to Greenland, and then another flight to Ilulissat, before driving to the property. Make the experience even more remote by staying in one of the hotel’s five igloo cabins, located right on the edge of an ice fjord.
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Rifugio Torre di Pisa
Better pack light if you’re going to stay at the Rifugio Torre di Pisa, as the only way to get here is via a two- to three-hour hike through the Italian Dolomites. The refuge is only open from June through October (it’s inaccessible by foot in the winter). You’ll need to do more than make a reservation to prepare to stay here—the hotel’s website notes that, for the ascent to the hotel, “most of the walking is on good, well-marked footpaths and mule tracks. However, mountain equipment and some pre-trip training are recommended.”
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Casa Andina Private Collection, Isla Suasi, Peru
The Casa Andina Private Collection Isla Suasi is located on the only private island in Lake Titicaca, so you know it’s exclusive. You’ll have to take a boat from Puno (which takes about 4.5 hours) or drive to Cambria and take a small zodiac boat. Once at the hotel, you’ll have uninterrupted views of Lake Titicaca. Each of the 23 rooms has large picture windows and skylights.
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Bloomfield Lodge, Far North Queensland, Australia
Deep in the heart of Far North Queensland’s Daintree Rainforest, Bloomfield Lodge doesn’t have much in the way of neighbors. Well, unless you count the natural scenery—which is kind of the point. The lodge is about three hours from Cairns. You can get there by flying your own plane to the lodge’s private airstrip, taking a scenic flight (in someone else’s plane or a helicopter), or driving.
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Jules’ Undersea Lodge, Key Largo, Florida
You won’t get any surprise guests at Jules’ Undersea Lodge, except for maybe a fish or two, because this hotel is located 21 feet below the sea. It’s so remote that you have to be a certified scuba diver to stay here. (The lodge also offers PADI Discover Scuba Diving courses.)
Book it: Get prices for Jules’ Undersea Lodge and other area hotels
Kokopelli’s Cave, Farmington, New Mexico
You won’t have to deal with noisy neighbors at Kokopelli’s Cave, where your sleeping quarters are located a deep 70 feet underground. No need to worry about waking up with the sun here!
Book it: Get prices for Kokopelli’s Cave and other area hotels
Have you stayed in an isolated hotel? Tell us in the comments!
More From SmarterTravel:
- 10 Far-Off Destinations at the Edge of the World
- Unforgettable Places to Sleep in National Parks
- Seven Epic Walking Trails Around the World
Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2014. It has been updated to reflect the most current information.
We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.
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