Montage Big Sky, Big Sky, Montana

Montage Big Sky brought a new level of luxury to Montana when it opened in December 2021. Set in the Spanish Peaks area of Big Sky Resort, it has ski-in, ski-out access to one of the largest and least crowded ski areas in America, a modern mountain design in stone and forest tones, a superb spa and enough to keep families busy for a week, from a bowling alley to a kids' club.

Location: Big Sky, Montana

The resort stands in the private Spanish Peaks Mountain Club area on the slopes of Big Sky, with ski-in, ski-out access to the wider resort. A beginner area sits just below the hotel, and a nearby chairlift reaches easier terrain, so children can ski from the door.

Big Sky is still a young, uncrowded resort, which is much of its appeal. Lone Peak rises to 11,166 feet, and from the top of the tram the views stretch across three states. The Gallatin River, one of the finest trout rivers in the West, runs through the canyon below, and Yellowstone's west entrance, with its geysers, bison and winter snowcoach tours, is within reach for a day trip. Big Sky Town Center has restaurants, cafés and shops, and the old cowboy town of Bozeman, with its breweries and Museum of the Rockies, is about an hour away.

Big Sky Resort is one of the largest ski areas in the United States, with more than 5,800 skiable acres spread across several peaks and served by modern lifts, including heated bubble chairs and a tram to the summit of Lone Peak. Crowds are famously light, with plenty of space per skier. Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is about an hour's drive away, with direct flights from many US cities, and Yellowstone National Park is within easy reach.

Rooms and suites at Montage Big Sky

There are 139 rooms, including 19 suites, plus private residences. Most rooms have a mountain-facing terrace, and the style is modern mountain: stone greys, forest greens, natural wood and leather, with Western touches and works by Montana artists. Suites and residences have extra living space for families.

Rooms are spacious and calm, with large windows framing the mountains, fireplaces in many categories and deep soaking tubs. Bathrooms are generous, and the residences, with full kitchens and living rooms, are a practical choice for families and groups who want to spread out after a day on the slopes.

Facilities at Montage Big Sky

Spa Montage has 12 treatment rooms, heated plunge pools, steam rooms and an adults-only indoor saltwater pool, while families gather at the heated outdoor pool, used all year.

There are six places to eat and drink, including Cortina, an Italian-inspired restaurant; Beartooth Pub & Rec, with pizza, ice cream and a bowling alley next door; the Alpenglow bar; the Rivalry Room sports bar; La Grande Après; and the Wildflower Market bakery. Paintbox, the kids' club for ages 5 to 12, runs arts, wildlife and outdoor activities.

Beyond skiing, the hotel arranges snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, dog sledding and Yellowstone excursions, and in summer it is a base for golf, fly fishing on the Gallatin, mountain biking and horse riding. The bowling alley and games room make it easy to keep children entertained on stormy evenings.

The mountain moment

The Big Sky moment is a bluebird day with almost no one else on the slopes. You ski from the hotel onto quiet groomers, ride the lifts towards Lone Peak's pyramid summit and look out over the wild mountains of southern Montana. Back at the hotel, the children head to the bowling alley and you head to the spa's saltwater pool.

Why Montage Big Sky is one of the best mountain hotels

Montage Big Sky earns its place as the finest ski hotel in Montana. Ski-in, ski-out access to a vast, uncrowded mountain, an excellent spa, family facilities and varied dining make it a complete resort. It is very expensive and quite remote, and Big Sky has none of the historic charm of Aspen or Jackson. But for space, snow and luxury, it is outstanding.

For a historic ranch alternative in Big Sky, see Lone Mountain Ranch.

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When to go to Montage Big Sky

The ski season at Big Sky usually runs from late November to mid-April, with January to March bringing the most reliable snow. Holiday weeks are busiest, but Big Sky's size means lifts rarely feel crowded.

Summer, from June to September, brings hiking, mountain biking, fly fishing and golf, with Yellowstone National Park within easy reach for wildlife safaris.

January and February usually bring the coldest temperatures and the lightest, driest snow, while March offers sunshine and deep spring snowpack. Big Sky is rarely crowded even on holiday weeks, thanks to its huge terrain. Summer and early autumn are perfect for Yellowstone, wildlife and the river, with golden aspens and fewer visitors in September.