A Hotel Like No Other
An extraordinary addition to an extraordinary place. The new One&Only Moonlight Basin.
Designed by renowned architecture firm Olson Kundig
When planning a new hotel property for Moonlight Basin, not just any brand would do. The new resort had to be representative of the community. It also had to be an added amenity.After years of research, Lone Mountain Land Company settled on One&Only, the chic, lux, international brand ranked number two in the world by Travel + Leisure magazine. The five-star One&Only chain is known for award-winning properties like the Gorilla’s Nest on the edge of Rwanda’s Volcanoes National Park, and the Maldives’ Reethi Rah, a five-star property on a private island. The Moonlight Basin resort will be One&Only’s first in the United States.Anyone who has seen Moonlight will appreciate that One&Only’s architecture for the site is designed to blend seamlessly into the basin’s natural landscape. But at the same time, Moonlight’s Vice President Kevin Germain is sure that one of the resort’s buildings is destined to become the heart of the community. The resort’s ski lodge, which is open to the public, sits on a rise boasting unobstructed views not just of the ski area and Lone Peak, but clear down to the Madison River. “When we bring even longtime locals to the site, they are blown away,” says Germain. “The ski lodge deck will get sun all day, including the sunset’s last rays. Everyone in Moonlight is going to want to be there.”
“One&Only Moonlight Basin will undoubtedly be one of the finest hotels in the United States, and it will elevate the overall Moonlight experience.”Sam Byrne, cofounder of CrossHarbor Capital Partners, parent company to Lone Mountain Land Company
Set to open in the 2025 ski season, One&Only Moonlight Basin will offer 73 rooms and suites in three main lodge buildings, plus 19 guest cabins, 62 homes, and 8 custom home lots, all designed by renowned architecture firm Olson Kundig. Its amenities include a world-class spa and six restaurants and bars. The flagship steakhouse, will top the lists of Montana’s best eateries. Moonlight residents will receive preferential reservations at each of those facilities.“One&Only Moonlight Basin will undoubtedly be one of the finest hotels in the United States,” says Sam Byrne, cofounder of CrossHarbor Capital Partners, parent company to Lone Mountain Land Company. “It will elevate the Moonlight experience.”One&Only Resorts are known for their exceptional service, thanks to three-to-one guest-to-staff ratios, but also for the way each unique resort reflects the spirit of their location. Rwanda’s Nyungwe House is laid out around a working tea plantation. Mexico’s Mandarina features treehouse suites built into the rainforest canopy. As the name implies, each property is a luxurious one-off. At Moonlight Basin, the directive was “views of ridgetops, not rooftops,” says Germain. To fulfill the vision, One&Only hired architect Tom Kundig, known for his mountain contemporary style with slanted overhanging roofs that visually echo the peaks and allow for unobstructed views through floor- to-ceiling windows.
“At Moonlight Basin, the directive was ‘views of ridgetops, not rooftops.’”Kevin Germain, Vice President of Moonlight Basin
"Moonlight is beautiful the way it is, so the challenge was: How do you make an architecture that enfolds itself into the landscape and doesn’t detract from it?”Tom Kundig, architect
“Moonlight is beautiful the way it is, so the challenge was: How do you make an architecture that enfolds itself into the landscape and doesn’t detract from it?” says Kundig. “When One&Only and Lone Mountain Land Company invited me into this project, I couldn’t imagine a higher honor—to help create a place like this for clients who are sensitive to maintaining the beauty of the landscape and the spirit of the local culture.”That culture, most would agree, is based on the adventures the landscape provides. At One&Only Moonlight Basin, that starts with the ski lodge, with its guest lockers, full-service ski shop, cocktail bar, and of course, the sun-drenched deck. “That’ll be the resort’s melting pot,” says Germain. The new lodge also includes a new gondola, a year-round portal to the Madison Base, a five-minute ride away. Those outdoor adventures also inspired the Whiskey Shack, a rustic, 1,500-square foot tavern set in the woods along the resort’s cross-country trail system. The shack will serve as a warming hut by day and a saloon by night. Just a few steps away, a night-sky observatory is going up with visiting astronomers to guide guests through Big Sky’s dramatic starscape.The attention to mountain culture also requires an expansive spa to relax and repair muscles taxed from skiing and other mountain pursuits. With a generous array of pools, treatment rooms, and exercise facilities, the One&Only Spa is an exceptional amenity. Members and guests can indulge in a tranquil hammam-style experience, complete with a rejuvenating sauna, steam room, and cold plunge. The facility features seven treatment suites including a dedicated couple’s suite, an indoor lap pool, outdoor spa pools, a fitness center and yoga studio, and a full-service salon.The culinary scene across the restaurants will be centered around healthy, hearty fare that’s a must for a mountain lifestyle. “It’s tantalizing to imagine what inspirations will be drawn from Montana,” says Germain.Other plans include trout ponds with native cutthroat trout and converting the ski shop to a fly-fishing outfitter each spring. “We’ll hand guests a rod and walk them down to the pond to give it a cast,” says Eric Christensen, LMLC’s VP of Hospitality. “If they like it, we can set them up for a guided float on the Madison for the next day.”Wildlife interactions are another pillar of the One&Only Moonlight Basin experience. Particularly important is thatthe 240-acre campus will be 60 percent open space, and surrounded by thousands of acres of conservation land, giving the ecosystem’s signature wildlife plenty of room to roam and thrive. In that spirit, One&Only Moonlight Basin’s construction is working towards LEED certification, ensuring the most sustainable building possible.
Learn more at oneandonlymoonlightbasin.com.To view this article in Big Sky Life, click here.
