By John O’Ceallaigh
Not that I’d ever describe One&Only Resorts as a commonplace brand, but I’ve known of it for so long that it was quite a surprise to realise the company doesn’t yet have a presence in North America. I was alerted to that by a press release saying that will no longer be the case from 2024, when just-revealed One&Only Moonlight Basin will launch in Big Sky, Montana.
If you’re into rural resorts then it looks like the wait will be worth it. Parent company Kerzner International Holdings Limited has secured quite the setting for this new retreat: One&Only Moonlight Basin will sit in an 8,000-acre site that offers direct access to Big Sky’s 5,850-acre ski terrain. Less than an hour’s drive from Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport and an hour from Yellowstone National Park, Big Sky is itself situated within a 3-million-acre national forest that connects with the 20-million-acre Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
As such, outdoor pursuits are going to be key to the resort’s appeal. Beyond skiing, there’ll be hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fly fishing and snowshoeing, not to mention dog-sledding and snowmobiling. Additional activities will cater to families, while One&Only’s ongoing partnership with Switzerland’s wellness brand Chenot will see North America’s first dedicated Chenot Spa open at the property. There’ll also be a de rigueur state-of-the-art fitness centre. One&Only is committed to ensuring the resort remains in just as much demand in summer as in winter: “Big Sky is the perfect site, where guests and residents alike can enjoy the very best of nature year-round through the life and energy of One&Only,” says Philippe Zuber, CEO of Kerzner International.
As for the property itself, it will comprise 73 bedrooms and suites alongside 19 secluded villas; that guest accommodation will be complemented by 62 private residences strewn across the landscape. Those homes will be designed by Olson Kundig and will offer modern interiors, complete with glass walls so those soaring mountain views are always on display. Details about F&B are vague: as with pretty much every luxury resort, the resort’s restaurants will offer “fresh, local ingredients” in venues “defined by their own distinct ethos, design and flavour.” What does sound more promising, though, is that the resort will transform locations throughout those extensive grounds to provide for memorable, intimate dinners that make the most of the surrounding views.
Presumably there’ll be far more precise details shared in the months to come, but initial signs are good and One&Only fans won’t need to wait until 2024 for a new property to join the fold. In the Cyclades and Athens respectively, One&Only Kéa Island and One&Only Aesthesis will open before One&Only Moonlight Basin, with the latter expected to launch some time this year.
LUTE is a luxury-travel consultant and content agency that works with hotel groups, tour operators, tourist boards, airlines and more. You can learn more about LUTE here. For frequent luxury-travel updates, follow LUTE and LUTE founder John O’Ceallaigh on Instagram.