Some year, some hotel will doubtless dethrone Post Ranch Inn, but 2026 is not that year. It once again reigns as the Harper member favorite. In general, this list is remarkably similar to 2025’s, with only two different hotels (The Swag and Rancho Valencia). Considering the number of luxury hideaways that have opened in the United States in the last few years, that’s a real testament to the quality of the properties below. It isn’t easy to be consistently extraordinary.

Post Ranch Inn
Big Sur, California

“Really just about everything” delighted members at this perennial winner, which offers an “incredible mix of luxury and the outdoors.” Everyone seems to agree on the “absolutely stunning setting,” and people praised the 40 “gorgeously appointed rooms,” “great food” and “superb massages.” “Unusual in a good way,” Post Ranch Inn “never disappoints.”

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Blackberry Mountain
Walland, Tennessee

There’s “so much to do” at this Great Smoky Mountains retreat with 43 “lovely rooms/villas.” “No detail is overlooked” by the “extraordinary staff” who provide “off the charts service.” “The sheer beauty of the setting” is similarly notable, as are the “great hiking trails” and “amazing farm-to-table food.”

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San Ysidro Ranch
Santa Barbara, California

This “intimate resort with glorious gardens and romantic cottages” is in a “gorgeous location” that has “everything you want in one place.” The staff thinks of “every detail,” and “meals are always made perfectly to order.” In short, the 38-key San Ysidro Ranch is “perfect from the moment you arrive” and “the most special place in the world.”

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Twin Farms
Barnard, Vermont

Members enjoyed the “privacy” and “seclusion” at this 28-room Vermont retreat, which boasts “simply awesome accommodations” and “amazing artwork.” The “all-inclusive” “Michelin-class food” also drew plaudits, as did the “service, service and more effortless service.” And we should probably mention the “fabulous service,” “exceptional service” and “extraordinary service.”

Read our full review of Twin Farms »

Amangiri
Canyon Point, Utah

“The service is outstanding” at this 34-room desert resort, too. “It has an awe-inspiring location” near Lake Powell, and “the way the hotel fits into the landscape” earned praise, along with the “incredible” food and activities. Members also enjoyed the property’s 10-tent Camp Sarika, which afforded “breathtaking views, total privacy and peace.”

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Triple Creek Ranch
Darby, Montana

One member has “been going every year since 2006” to this ranch with 25 “well-appointed cabins,” and another has been returning “for 30 years.” The “spectacular setting” is part of the appeal, but just as important, “the service, food and accommodations have always been at the highest level.” This place is “Montana magic at its finest!”

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The Swag
Waynesville, North Carolina

Members likewise appreciate the “beautiful nature and great service” at this High Country sanctuary with 18 “luxury accommodations and a flawless staff.” The property presents “great mountain views,” and more than one correspondent extolled “the excellent food and the relaxed atmosphere.” Overall, it’s a “favorite hideaway resort.”

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Auberge du Soleil
Rutherford, California

Auberge Collection’s first hotel remains one of its best (and most popular with Harper members), thanks to its 50 “beautiful rooms, serene atmosphere and excellent food.” The hillside hideaway has “great views,” offering “spectacular breakfasts on the patio overlooking the valley.” The “top-flight service” also earned compliments.

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Little Palm Island Resort & Spa
Little Torch Key, Florida

This private island resort is a boat ride away from the nearest inhabited key, which makes reports of its “highly trained staff” all the more impressive. “The water is beautiful” around the 30 “amazing” thatched-bungalow accommodations. They lack TVs and phones, which enhances the “romantic and remote” ambience.

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Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
Rancho Santa Fe, California

“From the moment you arrive, you feel as if you’ve found nirvana” at this 49-casita Spanish hacienda-style resort. The “service, cuisine, villa design, pool and landscaping [are] all excellent,” and the “fabulous tennis and outstanding spa” are also noteworthy. When you have “laid-back luxury close to great beaches,” “what’s not to like?”

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