Header: Robert Miller
Red Cliff’s Lodge Zion is one of the BLT Built Design Awards‘ newest accolades, having been deemed the winner in the “Interior Design – Hospitality: Hotel and Resort” category. The reason? The interiors were built around the habits and rituals of being outdoors, a subtle upgrade from the typical “using the landscape as a backdrop” design approach. The interior design was created by Atwater Inc. Studio, with Stina Funch as lead designer and Ohlisa Gutierrez on the design team, alongside architecture studio Van Zeeban and construction company Fahrenkamp.
A symbiosis between the hotel and the park
The project is located in Springdale, Utah, and was completed in November 2024. It sits just a few steps from the entrance to Zion National Park, which allows the hotel to welcome people arriving dusty from a trail, planning a long day out, or coming back late and hungry. While these details seem basic, they are precisely what the design vision revolves around: if the park is the reason you’re here, how should a hotel behave before and after you go out into it?
The most comfortable campfire set
Instead of treating the lobby like a normal waiting room, the designers created a kind of “Campsite”, a gathering space where guests can pause, talk, and reset, just like they would around a campfire when the day is done. Here, the emphasis is on warmth and socialising, inviting guests to share stories rather than engage in the typical reception experience. The concept can be found throughout the space, such as in the weathered front desk, which is described by the studio as “echoing the park’s wind-brushed rock formations”.
Fun and drinks at the Lobby Bar
From there, the designers separated the public spaces into different types of downtime, which is quite practical when one thinks about the mix of guests the hotel gets at any given hour. The Lobby Bar was thoughtfully designed as a lively social hub, with soft lounge seating, delicious craft cocktails, and even a shuffleboard. It is the perfect spot for groups to regroup, for strangers to end up chatting, and for the post-hike buzz to carry into the evening.
Nostalgic and relaxing spaces
Guests also have access to an all-American restaurant, the Bar & Grill, which serves hearty comfort food in a relaxed, nostalgic setting. The objective is to give guests precisely what they need after or ahead of a physically demanding day: familiar meals in a comfortable setting that doesn’t force one to engage in formal dinner etiquette. The guestrooms follow the same idea, having been inspired by modern camping styles while infusing them with all of the luxuries and comforts of a typical hotel room. Per the studio’s description, this is “a sophisticated retreat with nature-infused details, bold accents, and a serene atmosphere”, making the bedrooms the “perfect base camp for exploring Zion and beyond”.
The Red Cliff’s Lodge Zion is organised around the guests’ experiences at Zion, both before the day starts and after it ends. This focus allowed the designers to avoid a heavy park theme, having leaned instead into comfort, functionality, and wellbeing, precisely what one needs after a hiking section.
