Colorado's Stargazing Mountain Resort Is An Immersive Astro-Tourism Experience With Luxurious Perks

With the San Juan Mountains on one side and the Sangre de Cristo mountains on the other, the San Luis Valley in Southern Colorado is renowned for its dazzling night sky views, thanks in large part to low light pollution and high elevation. And in the center of the valley is an out of this world resort destination helping guests enjoy those stunning night sky views in style. Kosmos Stargazing Resort & Spa opened its first villa in 2025, and it's a luxury getaway unlike any other.

The resort is isolated in the high desert valley, helping make it ideal for astro-tourism. It's 16 miles west from the Great Sand Dunes National Park, home to the tallest dunes in North America and about the same distance north from the charming desert city of Alamosa. The resort features a series of villas designed to help maximize views of the night sky for guests, featuring geodesic domes alongside luxury amenities. Kosmos creator and CEO Gamal Jadue Zalaquett explained his vision for the resort to Colorado Public Radio: "It's meant to be an otherworldly experience from the very beginning. You're entering the cosmos. You're entering the universe ... it's going to be the Disney World of astronomy."

It's an off-grid, solar powered facility, and the first villa open to guests in 2025 was one of the Stargazing Villas. It's furnished with a telescope to help guests get a closer look at the sky, and there's a private hot tub beneath a dome, letting you stargaze while enjoying a soak. It's got a king sized bed as well as two twin beds, a small dining area, heated floors, and more for $700 per night.

As of this writing, Kosmos Stargazing Resort & Spa is still a work in progress. Along with the completed Stargazing Villa, you can make reservations for a two story Galaxy Villa, which will have two bedrooms, starting in October 2025. Cost is $1,400 per night. The plan is to have a total of 20 villas. Along with the completion of the villas, the eventual goal is to have a full planetarium and a spa on site. The resort was funded in part by a massive Indiegogo Crowdfunding campaign, which raised over $1.9 million.

Even if you're not a guest, you can attend one of the stargazing experiences here. These two hour outings are led by an astronomer, and you'll learn about constellations, galaxies, and more as well as getting a chance to use a telescope to get a better look at the stars. They're currently held on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays with a cost of $75.

Much of the Southern Colorado region is fantastic for astro-tourism. Just in San Luis Valley, there's Great Sand Dunes National Park, an International Dark Sky Park, and the UFO Watchtower, a delightful (and delightfully odd) roadside stop where you can keep an eye out for anything unusual in the sky. One valley east from San Luis Valley and about two hours away are the towns of Westcliffe and Silver Cliff, which make up the first certified International Dark Sky Community in Colorado.