Hotel Review - One & Only Moonlight Basin

Vinterra Travel | Hotel Review

One&Only Moonlight Basin

Big Sky, Montana, USA
A five-star resort with direct ski access to Big Sky Ski Resort and Mountain Village and superb on-site amenities.

Best suited to: Couples / Active travelers / Families / Honeymooners
Ideal for: Exploring / Relaxing / Adventure

Date of stay: July 2026

The Vinterra Take

Few properties can combine luxury and outdoor adventuring successfully, but O&O Moonlight Basin does just that. Leave your cozy room to get dirty and exhausted mountain biking the dirt trails, hiking the neighboring mountains, snowshoeing in the highlands – and then return to a luxurious and calm space where you can rest tired muscles and indulge in a well-earned gourmet meal. This was my first One&Only stay, and while there were a lot of gaps in service at this newly-opened property (November 2025), I could see the intent towards warm friendly seamless hospitality. I would recommend this property to those who enjoy outdoor adventures and appreciate unfussy luxury, with the caveat that service are taking longer than expected to resolve.

This property really shines in a design that makes you feel connected with the mountains while encouraging each guest to be as active or relaxed as they want. It’s “Montana Light” - enough cowboy hats and flannel to remind you that you’re in the West, but with a luxury resort sensibility that would translate to any location. The guests here are as beautiful and warm as the hotel – well-dressed without being fancy, well-mannered and respectful without being snobby, curious by nature and ready to explore. The extensive dining, wellness, and activity options will keep your stay interesting and active. And the location of being near the town of Big Sky is perfect – unlimited adventure opportunities, while the resort itself offers an environment you just want to relax in and absorb.

Location

With the Spanish Peaks on one side of the property and Big Sky Ski Resort on the other, every room has a view. During ski season, there is a private lift to Madison Base, but for any independent exploring, it’s best to have a rental car. The town of Big Sky, with its local breweries, restaurants and gourmet grocery stores, is about 20 minutes away. The nearest commercial airport is in Bozeman (BZN), about 1 hr 20 min away. The O&O Moonlight Basin is ideally located as a base for outdoor adventuring including fly fishing, hiking, horseback riding, river rafting, skiing, snowshoeing, fat-tire biking – all of which can be booked through the resort or you can arrange on your own. It is also close enough (about 1 hour) to Yellowstone National Park to encourage exploring the North side of the park.

Worth knowing: The town of Big Sky has a lot of charm and personality and great restaurants – but book ahead!

Rooms & Accommodations

I stayed in the Moonlight Room King which was generously sized at 750 square feet. It had a sitting area, room to do yoga (mat provided in the closet), mini bar, and a beautiful, oversized bathroom with a plush rug over the heated tile floor. There was also a balcony which was perfect for a takeaway lunch with views of Lone Peak while guests lounged at the pool below. The bed was a bit too soft for our liking but was good quality and didn’t sag. The Dyson hairdryer was a nice plus and the bath amenities were great quality. The rooms were also fairly soundproof – until the hallway smoke detector low-battery alarms started to go off at 2 am for no reason…. probably just a minor construction issue. Overall, the room was spacious, had a great design and was well constructed.

Other room types include – larger hotel rooms, connecting rooms, suites, one-to-three bedroom cabins, and private residences.

What I'd book: Moonlight Room King (Max 3 people)
Why: At 750 square feet, this is plenty of space to enjoy the views and relax after a day of adventuring.

Service

Unfortunately, the service was highly variable during our stay – but I still recommend it for the right traveler. Prior to our stay, I was contacted by the Connectivity Team. They were very helpful in communicating the range of experiences the property offers, but I do wish they had emphasized how busy the Big Sky area is. We did not get any dinner reservations (either at the resort or in Big Sky) prior to arrival and had to scramble. Arrival at the hotel could be an impressive experience – big modern entry, crackling wood fire – but unfortunately, our check-in process did not live up to the brand’s standards. We were left waiting in the lobby/lounge for far too long and received an incomplete overview of the property. But the amenities at the property are extensive and the property tour at check-in can take as much or as little time as you prefer.

During a stay, the Connectivity Team establishes a WhatsApp connection with the guest with a single point of contact. This aspect of service worked very smoothly, and we found our concierge to be very responsive and helpful. All of the staff on property were very warm and friendly, with a characteristic hand-over-heart gesture during every encounter.

I love a good turn down service, I just wish they wouldn’t knock on the door at 5 pm when I’m freshly out of a shower… A little more communication between departments and they could time turn down to when we were dining at the resort’s venues. Housekeeping was done well except for the day they forgot to restock our coffee. That resulted in us calling the front desk at 5:15 am since we had plans to leave early for a hike. After four phone calls and 40 minutes, we finally received coffee pods and some creamer – which we later found they had charged us $177 for! They apologized and credited that charge post-stay when I discovered it. After our stay, I also realized I had been significantly overcharged about 25% on the room rate. We got it resolved but communication with most departments pre and post stay is more difficult than it should be.

So why do I still recommend it? Because of the underlying philosophy of warm seamless service by the brand. And because the people we encountered were good and motivated and seemed to genuinely care about good hospitality. I believe these are new-property problems exacerbated by the fact that this is One&Only’s first mountain lodge and first foray into the US market.

Worth knowing: As a brand, One&Only encourages their staff to interact with guests with a hand-over-heart gesture. It’s memorable, warm and friendly, and I found myself starting to do it in response – almost like a covid handshake.

Dining

There are three to four dining venues on property depending on the season. Prices are higher than average for the area, but this is not a property for budget-minded travelers. We ate at Wildwood, the more casual venue, and Akira Back, the celebrity-chef mini-chain gourmet Japanese restaurant. Both had creative menus and the food was prepared very well. The breakfast buffet at Wildwood was extensive, fresh, and varied, with options to order from a menu of both complimentary items and upgraded dishes. There is also a cozy speakeasy in the woods. The cocktails were only ok, but the atmosphere is amazing. No one told us about the speakeasy until a couple days into our stay when one of the valet team casually asked my husband if we had been there yet. I still can’t decide if keeping it a secret was intentional or just a result of our incomplete check-in process. But it was definitely worth the side-by-side trip out there!

Due to the location, expect to eat most meals at the resort where you won’t be disappointed. There are a variety of cuisines, the food is wonderful, and the views add to the experience. But if you have a rental car, definitely plan on going into Big Sky for a couple meals – there are a couple great local breweries, a market with amazing prepared meals perfect for a picnic, and a pizza place we loved. There are also restaurants in Mountain Village worth trying, though we did not venture there.

Worth knowing: Definitely book all your dining reservations in advance of your stay (both at the resort and in town). It’s also possible to order food at the Dear Josephine bar and they have food service at the pool and cabanas.

Amenities & Experiences

The resort has more amenities than most travelers will be able to use in just one stay. The spa is gorgeous! Even if you don’t book a treatment, you can book a one-hour spa access time which gives you access to the locker room, indoor lap pool and outdoor onsen (hot) and cold plunge. I really wish I had set aside time during our stay for a spa treatment… the staff was kind and professional, the treatment rooms were cozy and relaxing, and there was even a post-treatment oxygen room for recovery. The gym is large for a resort gym and includes some interesting amenities such as high-quality supplement powders for pre- and post-workout. The outdoor pool is large and heated and has private cabanas with plunge pools that can be rented. We saw a lot of guests lounging by the pool and soaking in the mountain views. The O&O Moonlight Basin also has a super cute kids camp for youngsters with a wonderful playroom and outdoor play space. Definitely check with the hotel for updates on age limitations and times of operation. One key amenity that we did not utilize (since it was summer) was the Sky Lodge and the private ski lift. The Sky Lodge is a large space with all the winter rental equipment you could need (as well as mountain bikes and other equipment for summer sports). There are also lockers for your ski gear, a coffee and take-away breakfast station and another restaurant (The Landing) with spectacular views.

An aspect that O&O hits out of the park is the variety of experiences they offer – pretty much any Montana activity you can think of is on their experiences menu with a note to call them if you need something unique. Think fly fishing, zip lining, horseback riding, hiking, even a resort pick-up for a helicopter tour of Yellowstone National Park. And those were just a few of the summer activities! At the time of our stay, O&O Moonlight Basin had access to two tee times per day at the private golf course, Reserve at Moonlight Basin. The course is challenging and beautiful and definitely worth booking during your stay. We focused mostly on hiking and golf during our stay, but for anything else, I would recommend booking through the resort. I was impressed with the quality of vehicles and the friendly professionalism of the various tour operators picking up guests at the entrance.

Worth knowing: At the time we stayed, there was a resident bull moose that often made an appearance around the pond in the mornings and evenings. Also, it’s recommended to carry bear spray during any hikes.

Moonshack speakeasy style cabin in the woods

What I Loved

The spacious, well-designed rooms with a view
The gorgeous natural setting and the opportunity to walk through the woods on your way to dinner
The spa facilities – nothing better than sitting in the hot onsen outdoors staring up at Spanish Peaks after a strenuous hike
The communication of the Connectivity Team while onsite – the chat method was quick but personal and I never had to worry about trying to find a concierge member in person

What I'd Change

Consistency of service across pretty much all departments
Expanding their shuttle service operations particularly in summer to reduce the need for a rental car
More emphasis by the Connectivity Team pre-stay to plan ahead for activities and dining

What Surprised Me

The resort is very family friendly and there were quite a few small children and teenagers staying there. All the children were very well behaved and did not impact our experience which was nice.
I’m not a big shopper, but the boutiques at O&O are pretty impressive! High quality western wear and jewelry in the lounge, top-of-the-line beauty and skin products and clothes in the spa, and great athletic wear and winter gear in the Sky Lodge (where the ski lift is).

Who It's Right For

I'd recommend it for:
Active explorers of all ages · Those with unique specialized requests during their stay · People who want a taste of Montana without being at a dude ranch

I'd look elsewhere for:
Boisterous families · Travelers with a tight budget · Travelers who expect perfection

The Vinterra Verdict

The resort exudes quiet luxury with warm and generous hospitality, and this is mirrored in the clientele. Despite the service issues that I experienced, I would recommend it to clients who appreciate the outdoors, quality design, and strong amenities and who are tolerant of imperfection.

Hotel Review - One & Only Moonlight Basin

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