HAP WEEKLY Dark Sky GetawaysBy Stacey Leasca |  | | Courtesy of Glamping Skies |
| It’s easy to want to fall fast asleep in your cozy hotel bed after a long day of adventuring on vacation. But before you do, step outside for a moment and look up to make sure you don’t miss the literal star of the show. Dark sky getaways offer a sense of calm and solitude that’s hard to find in the light of day, but boutique hotels offer the rare chance to find yourself under a blanket of stars—and do it in luxury. In Portugal's Alentejo, there’s Glamping Skies, a getaway that sits in the countryside near Estremoz, about 90 minutes from Lisbon, part of the Dark Sky Alqueva network, the first place in the world certified as a Starlight Tourism Destination. Here, you’ll find just 10 fully transparent, adults-only domes. That means "the sky is not somewhere you go in the evening—it is the ceiling above the bed," Pedro Gonçalves of Glamping Skies said. There are no telescope tours here, and that's by design. "Our honest answer is that the stargazing is the accommodation," Pedro said. However, the team will connect guests with local astronomy guides and the observatory at Cumeada if they want to go deeper during their stay. Fair warning, though: this setting has a way of moving people to make big, wild decisions. "One thing we did not plan for is guests started proposing here," Pedro said. "Enough of them that we now treat it as something we quietly prepare for." In Tucson, The Oasis at Cat Mountain spreads across 13 acres of Sonoran Desert on the edge of Saguaro National Park West, a DarkSky Urban Night Sky Place. Its private observatory sits steps from the rooms and features a retractable roof, three telescopes, and two-hour guided star tours. "I also like that stargazing isn't something they just added to an activities list," Justin Keeperman, founder of JustKeeps Travel, said of his stay there. "On the right night, you can see the Milky Way from the property without even using a telescope."
| FEATURE CONTINUED |  | | Courtesy of Hotel Rangá |
| In South Iceland, Hotel Rangá near Hella also has its own observatory, with two telescopes under a roll-back roof and local astronomers guiding guests on clear nights. It's "a great choice for travelers who want astronomy to be a main part of their trip, not just a hotel that happens to be far from city lights," Andres Serra, head of operations at Optimise Travel, said. The hotel will even give you an aurora wake-up call, so you can sleep instead of standing watch, and there are three outdoor hot tubs you can soak in while watching the Northern Lights above. However, Andres recommends booking at least two nights, just in case. "One night can be risky since clouds, rain, or strong winds might close the observatory," he said. And keep expectations in check: "Any aurora sighting should be considered a bonus, since the Northern Lights cannot be guaranteed." There’s also Castle Hot Springs in Morristown, Arizona, which has been drawing guests to its canyon in the Bradshaw Mountains since 1896. Its Sky View Cabins include a telescope on the private deck; the resort hosts monthly stargazing sessions with a professional astronomer, and the natural hot springs offer a warm float under the stars. And in western Montana, travelers can check into Alpine Falls Ranch, a property on roughly 250 acres, which lets guests take in the night sky beside a fire pit or right from their cabin porch. And for a stargazing session that doubles as date night, Menizei, a new adults-only retreat on the north coast of the Olympic Peninsula, pairs the night sky with a little sweat sesh. "At Menizei, you get stargazing over the Salish Sea from the comfort of your private, custom-built for two, sauna," founder Janice Wilson said. Best of all, you can do that one in the nude. Telescope optional.
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