The Best Hotels in Ketchum, Idaho

Bald Mountain is home to a ski resort complete with log cabins and sweeping vistas
Bald Mountain is home to a ski resort complete with log cabins and sweeping vistas | © Anna Gorin Travel / Alamy Stock Photo
Nick Dauk

If you’re staying in Ketchum, at the foot of Bald Mountain in central Idaho, you’ll find a wealth of cozy and welcoming hotels. Whether you’re skiing, hiking or diving into the area’s celebrity-filled past, make one of the best hotels in Ketchum your home away from home.

Stuck in the center of Idaho between Boise and Yellowstone National Park, the mountain resort town of Ketchum lets you take your pick of mountains to ski, trails to hike and eateries to dive into. An ideal base from which to explore the Sun Valley, this town is known as the final resting place of Ernest Hemingway as well as being an epicenter of flaming log races and sheep herding festivals. Experience everything that Ketchum has to offer with a stay at one of these awesome hotels, all bookable with Culture Trip.

1. Limelight Hotel Ketchum

Hotel

Limelight Hotel Ketchum terrace with mountain views
Courtesy of Limelight Hotel / Expedia

Bask in the Limelight of the Sun Valley and embrace the Ketchum community at this fantastic hotel. A community-style breakfast in the morning and live music with apres-ski in the afternoon await in the lively Lounge. Luxury amenities include free bus and ski shuttles, including airport shuttles, a special kids’ playroom and the sprawling Plaza for adults. You shouldn’t need a car at any moment during your stay, but if you want to rev things up a bit, the Audi Experience lets you cruise through the Sun Valley with an unforgettable test drive.

2. Hotel Ketchum

Hotel

Hotel Ketchum room interior with fireplace and stag head feature
Courtesy of Hotel Ketchum / Expedia

Hotel Ketchum makes it effortless to settle in so you can set out on a new adventure every day. Surrounded by downtown’s best breweries and restaurants, your suite’s cozy fireplace and mountain-facing balcony offer a welcome respite from a long day on the slopes. Grab a cup of Hailey Coffee Company java with the new friends you met on the ski lift at The Hangout, or spend a little solo time shopping for handmade local items from Independent Goods in the lobby.

3. Best Western Tyrolean Lodge

Lodge

Best Western Tyrolean Lodge with mountains behind
Courtesy of Best Western Tyrolean Lodge / Expedia

Best Western Tyrolean Lodge lies walking distance from the Sun Valley Ski Resort, meaning the staff here will take no offense if you dump your bags in the Alpine-themed rooms to hit the ski lifts. If you spring for the upgraded room though, you will have to make time for a soak in the whirlpool tub. The game room and sauna are equally alluring, especially since the free shuttle service around Ketchum is ready to roll whenever you are.

4. Best Western Plus Kentwood Lodge

Lodge

Best Western Plus Kentwood Lodge room with traditional decor including blankets, carpets and long window
Courtesy of Best Western Plus Kentwood Lodge / Expedia

Enjoy all the conveniences of Main Street Ketchum at Best Western Plus Kentwood Lodge. Step into this cozy mountain lodge and warm up by the stone fireplace as you await your room keys. Drop your bags and head to the indoor spa for some more warmth and relaxation. When you’re ready to venture into town, the Smoky Mountain Pizzeria Grill and the Pioneer Saloon are great local spots to plan out your day over burgers, brews and Ketchum’s best bites.

5. Sun Valley Resort

Resort

Woman enjoys mountain biking in Sun Valley Resort
Courtesy of Sun Valley Resort / Expedia

You can’t go wrong staying at the Sun Valley’s eponymous resort. Take your pick from self-catered condos and townhomes or cozy cottages and lodge suites just a mile west of Ketchum. The Carols’ Trailhead is right across the street, but if you’d rather get your steps indoors, the Sun Valley Mall is just a few paces away too. Summer, winter and anytime in between, the staff at the Sun Valley Resort will tip your family off on the best hikes and happenings around Ketchum.

6. Tamarack Lodge

Lodge

Tamarack Lodge hot tub with skis, book and water bottle and mountains beyond
Courtesy of Tamarack Lodge / Expedia

Tamarack Lodge invites you to roam, rest and repeat in downtown Ketchum. Head out into the Wood River Valley with complimentary snowshoe and bicycle rentals or hop the shuttle to Bald or Dollar Mountain. Not feeling one with nature? Find yourself one with spirits at the Warfield Distillery and Brewery two blocks away. Need to rest your snowshoes? The king fireplace bedroom and year-round outdoor hot tub will keep you warm and relaxed for hours.

7. Knob Hill Inn

Inn, Hotel

Knob Hill Inn exterior with Christmas lights
Courtesy of Knob Hill Inn / Expedia

With stellar hospitality and service, you might as well call Knob Hill Inn the ‘hassle-free inn’. From the heated boot and ski storage to on-demand transportation around Ketchum and the Sun Valley, these dog-friendly guest rooms include keepsake reusable water bottles, mountain-view balconies and wood-burning fireplaces.

8. AmericInn by Wyndham Hailey Sun Valley

Hotel

AmericInn by Wyndham Hailey Sun Valley interior pool with terrace outside
Courtesy of AmericInn by Wyndham Hailey Sun Valley / Expedia

Just an 11-mile drive from Ketchum, the exposed beams and stone flooring throughout AmericInn’s indoor pool area are nearly as gorgeous as the Sun Valley itself. Whenever you’re not making wet footprints between the spa or sauna and your double queen room, the staff will gladly point you to the nearest lava field and ice formations that are ripe for exploration. Before you bounce from your free breakfast up to Ketchum, take a few hours to hang out in Hailey. Hike the Buttercup Hill Trail or visit the Blaine County Historical Museum.

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