For the 2026 AvantStay Awards, we invited our travel community to once again vote for their favorite homes across 20 standout categories. After tens of thousands of votes and weeks of anticipation, a new group of exceptional stays has risen to the top.
From elevated desert estates to design-forward coastal escapes and unforgettable mountain retreats, these homes represent the very best of AvantStay today.
With over 40,000 votes cast, this year’s winners reflect what guests value most—thoughtful design, iconic locations, and experiences worth returning for.
These aren’t just fan favorites—they set the standard for what an AvantStay should be.
Most Unique Home: The Malibu Retreat Estate, Calabasas
The Malibu Retreat Estate in Calabasas stands apart as one of AvantStay’s most unique homes, blending expansive estate living with total privacy just minutes from the coast. With its resort-style grounds, panoramic canyon views, and seamless indoor-outdoor design, it delivers a rare combination of seclusion and spectacle you won’t find anywhere else in the portfolio.
Best View: Ocean Haven, Oahu
Perched above Oahu’s coastline, Ocean Haven offers uninterrupted panoramic views of the Pacific that stretch as far as the eye can see. From sunrise over the water to golden-hour hues at sunset, it delivers a constantly evolving backdrop that’s truly unmatched.
Best Architecture: Vitamin Sea, Coastal Oregon
Designed to capture the coastline from every angle, Vitamin Sea pairs clean modern lines with expansive glass and open-air living. From the moment you step inside, the architecture creates a seamless, light-filled connection between the home and the ocean beyond.
Best Interior Design: Joshua Tree Mansion, Joshua Tree
Joshua Tree Mansion stands out for its richly layered interiors, where every room tells a story through bold design, artistic detail, and curated character. From the grand piano to the intimate library, each space feels immersive and intentional—creating an atmosphere that’s as memorable as the desert landscape beyond.
Best Estate: Crown Jewel of Keystone, Keystone
Crown Jewel of Keystone defines what a true estate experience should be—expansive, impeccably designed, and built to deliver both privacy and connection at scale. From its private indoor pool and full sports complex to its refined living spaces and mountain setting, every detail is elevated to create an unmatched retreat.
Best Pool: Gray Fox Lodge, Lake Norman
Gray Fox Lodge delivers a pool experience that goes far beyond the expected, with a waterslide, hot tub, and seamless lakeside setting designed for all-day enjoyment. Whether you’re swimming, lounging, or gathering fireside after, it creates a true backyard retreat that rivals the lake itself.
Best Mountain Retreat: Skyridge Summit, Park City
Perched above the Jordanelle with sweeping views of the Wasatch peaks, SkyRidge Summit captures everything a mountain retreat should be—private, elevated, and deeply connected to its surroundings. With seamless indoor-outdoor living, spa-level amenities, and effortless access to Deer Valley, it delivers a refined yet immersive alpine experience.
Best Desert Home: Red Rock Haven, Scottsdale
Red Rock Haven is the ultimate desert escape, where sweeping panoramic views of Sedona’s iconic red rocks greet you from every window, deck, and the private hot tub — because in this mid-century gem, the breathtaking Arizona landscape isn’t just the backdrop, it’s the main event.
Best Wine Country Home: Sonoma Sunshine, Sonoma
Sonoma Sunshine is the definitive wine country escape, where waking up nestled beside a vineyard with panoramic countryside views, a sparkling pool, and world-class wineries just minutes away makes every moment feel like a perfectly poured glass of Sonoma’s finest.
Best Beach House: Seascape, San Diego
Seascape is the ultimate beach house fantasy made real, where walls of glass frame endless Pacific blue, the sand is just steps away, and your days flow effortlessly from sun-soaked Del Mar beaches to stunning sunset firepits and private movie nights in your own oceanside retreat.
Best Coastal Home: Cove Keep, Oregon Coast
Cove Keep is the ultimate coastal sanctuary, where waking up to uninterrupted Pacific Ocean views, stepping out to a secluded beach, and unwinding by the fireplace in a serene Oregon hideaway delivers the kind of soul-restoring escape that only the wild, untouched coast can offer.
Best City Stay: SkyLux Penthouse, San Diego
SkyLux Penthouse is the definitive city stay, where commanding the entire 41st floor of downtown San Diego with floor-to-ceiling skyline views, resort-style amenities, and walkable access to the best dining, nightlife, and waterfront the city has to offer turns every moment into a truly elevated urban experience.
Best Lake House: Lagunita Shores, Big Bear
Lagunita Shores is the ultimate lake house experience, where over 100 feet of deep-water Big Bear shoreline, a private dock, 12-person hot tub, and unobstructed lake views — from Fourth of July fireworks to fresh winter snowfall — make this magnificent log cabin a four-season lakefront dream unlike any other.
Best Cabin: Mountain Gem, Asheville
Mountain Gem is the quintessential cabin escape, where soaring cathedral ceilings, a wrap-around deck with jaw-dropping 20-mile Smoky Mountain views, and a starlit hot tub in the heart of the Cataloochee Hills deliver the kind of rugged, soul-warming mountain magic that defines the perfect cabin getaway.
Best Hotel: The Code Hotel, Austin
The Code is the best hotel stay in Austin, where boutique-hotel freedom meets true neighborhood soul — planted steps from Barton Springs and Lady Bird Lake on South Lamar, with rooftop skyline views, resort-style amenities, and interiors so thoughtfully designed you’ll forget you’re not a local.
Best for Big Groups and Bachelorettes: 118 Charleston, Isle of Palms
The 118 Charleston beach house is the ultimate destination for big groups and bachelorettes, where seven private ensuite bedrooms, a rooftop sunset patio, an elevated pool, a wet bar built for happy hour, and steps-away beach access on Isle of Palms create the perfect storm of luxury, fun, and effortless coastal celebration.
Best Sports Court: Harmony House, Joshua Tree
Harmony House reigns supreme for sports court bragging rights, where a private pickleball court set against the jaw-dropping backdrop of Joshua Tree’s endless desert sky and golden sunsets turns every match into the most unforgettable — and most scenic — game you’ve ever played.
Most Zen Escape: Roca Roja, Sedona
Roca Roja is the ultimate zen escape, where panoramic red rock vistas flow seamlessly from every window and accordion door, a dedicated coffee bar greets your mornings, a standalone soaking tub and white noise machines ensure total restoration, and Sedona’s legendary spiritual energy wraps around every mindful moment of your stay.
Best for Family Trips: Shoreway Cove, Lake Norman
Shoreway Cove is the perfect family vacation headquarters, where Lake Norman’s unrestricted waters invite endless wakeboarding and water skiing adventures by day, while a private pool, hot tub, rec room full of games, and cozy bunk beds ensure the fun never stops once the sun goes down.
Best Pet-Friendly Home: Black Bear Lodge, Lake Norman
Black Bear Lodge is the best pet-friendly escape on the market, where your pets can run free on a private sandy beach along Lake Norman while you relax knowing this rustic-luxe 7-bedroom lodge was designed with every member of the family — including the four-legged ones — completely in mind.
These homes aren’t just winners — they’re guest favorites that define the very best of what AvantStay has to offer, and your next unforgettable stay is just a few clicks away.
