While hotels are nice, Airbnbs let you live out stays you’d never dream up yourself. Think: a yurt nestled in Montana’s wilderness or a designer dome in the Catskills. This year, I managed to snag one of the most wishlisted rentals—the Private Sage Canyon Cliff House in Cortez, Colorado. Built straight into a red-rock canyon wall, it’s equal parts tiny home and geological marvel. Canyon views? Check. Cliff-carved shower? Check. Cooler-than-it-looks-online factor? Double check.
Picture waking up with sandstone at your back, uninterrupted views of desert cliffs, and trails leading right from your doorstep. Basically, a hideaway for people who like their nature immersive and their Wi-Fi spotty.
What was it like to stay there?
Getting in feels a little like joining a secret club. Cell service cuts out long before you reach the gate, so it’s worth writing down the code old-school style. Once we passed the gate, we pulled up and stepped inside.
The living space is flooded with natural light, with a full kitchen, cozy office nook, and a lofted bedroom. But the scene-stealer is the bathroom. It features an open shower carved against the cliff wall, with well water treated with salts that left my skin and hair feeling softer than after most spa days. It’s not the amenity I expected to obsess over, but here we are.
The house balances seclusion with convenience: it’s 20 minutes from the town of Cortez and 40 minutes from Mesa Verde National Park. There are board games and books if you’re staying in, but the real draw is everything waiting just outside.
Best things to do nearby
If you’re into hiking, Mesa Verde is the big-ticket attraction, with trails winding past ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings. But we started closer to home with an Airbnb Experience’s sunrise tour at Hawkins Preserve in Cortez. Coffee in hand, we set out at 5:30am for a two-mile hike through pinyon-juniper woodlands, archaeological sites, and canyon overlooks. Along the way, I learned about Ute Mountain—its profile resembling a Ute chief lying on his back, arms folded across his chest—as the sun rose over the landscape. It was totally worth the 4:30am wake-up.
For breakfast, I headed 18 miles east to Mancos to Moondog Cafe & Bakery, which serves housemade pastries, specialty lattes (hello, baklava latte), and healthy plates like blueberry-lemon quinoa pancakes. Back in Cortez, we browsed the Saturday Farmer’s Market and popped into local shops like Merriweather Home + Market, a craft and home goods shop, and Turquoise Raven Art Gallery, which showcases local and formerly incarcerated artists.
One standout was Pueblo Seed & Food Company, a small business rooted in regenerative agriculture. Their café serves coffee, sandwiches, and some of the best veggie pizza I’ve ever had, plus they sell heritage grains and small-batch foods to take home.
My final takeaway
Staying at the Sage Canyon Cliff House feels like disappearing into another world—one where the shower alone is worth the trip. If you’re craving a stay that’s equal parts adventure and escape, it’s one of Airbnb’s most wishlisted rentals for a reason. Just make sure to book early; this one sells out fast.