Modern in Moab

Red Cliffs Lodge receives a head-to-toe renovation to preserve its western heritage and embrace contemporary hospitality

Photos courtesy of Red Cliffs Lodge Moab

Tucked in a remote glen alongside the Colorado River, Red Cliffs Lodge Moab is a collection of 110 standalone cabins and creekside suites. The property, which began as a working ranch settled in the 1800s, has endured multiple interpretations over its 200-year history. The desert setting also played a key role in Utah’s film history, drawing dozens of Hollywood figures like the acclaimed John Ford, who filmed Rio Grande and Fort Apache amidst Moab’s iconic red rock landscapes. Entering a new era of hospitality, Red Cliffs Lodge recently joined the Marriott’s Tribute Portfolio and underwent a multimillion dollar transformation that both honors the property’s Western roots and welcomes the comforts of a modern age.

Creating a refined, National Parkinspired retreat was at the heart of the renovation, headed by designers Sormeh Rienne and Stina Funch of Atwater Inc. Studio in Los Angeles. Drawing inspiration from the surrounding landscape, the duo refreshed guest rooms and social spaces with organic textiles and earthy hues, and sourced natural materials to echo the Utah desert. The approach required both restraint and innovation, resulting in spaces that elevate their dramatic surroundings rather than competing with them.

Behind the check-in area, a custom bookcase honors the hotel’s Western heritage with a collection of wildlife figurines, dried flora, Arches National Park memorabilia, and cowboy accessories.

Gather

The original lodge resembled a dated cabin, marked by a drab palette and a domineering stone fireplace. Low walls bisected the space into a disjointed breakfast hall and check-in area, while the spectacular creekside vistas remained hidden from view. To open the space for communal leisure, Rienne reimagined the floor plan to flow organically between the lobby and dining spaces. Rustic tongue-in-groove ceiling planks and log columns celebrate the original architecture, while the formerly stodgy fireplace was transformed into a view framing central feature. Vertical oak slats anchored to the ceiling subtly demarcate the cocktail lounge from Ember’s dining room without constricting the space, while overhead, recessed lighting draws the eye upward toward the pitched ceiling.

BEFORE (left): The Cowboy Bar & Grill, the hotel’s former restaurant, was cut off from the spectacular views beyond. AFTER (right): To separate Ember’s bar area from the dining room, floor-to-ceiling wooden slats were installed between two of the lodge’s original wood columns. The floor’s stone pattern brings in warm desert hues and geometric interest. “I have several details that definitely made my designer heart sing,” designer Sormeh Rienne says, “but I think the most impactful and special was being able to execute the floor pattern at that scale.”

“I wanted the transitions to feel natural and intentional, rather than like a series of barriers, and I believe the end result really achieved that,” Rienne reflects. Throughout the lobby and restaurant areas, Rienne used rustic materials to make connections to the region “while still bringing a sense of character, warmth, and depth to the lodge.” Handmade glazed tile accents, Roman clay, and statement-making stone details contrast with the soft, desert-hued palette. “Warm earth tones reference desert varnish and stone, muted greens echo native cottonwoods, and sun-baked oranges recall seasonal blooms,” Rienne says. “I wanted the materials to feel like an interpretation of the place rather than something imposed upon it.”

“We wanted to preserve the connection to the Colorado River, the red rock landscape, and the lodge’s Western heritage rather than create something that could exist anywhere. The result feels like an evolution of the lodge’s story, not a departure from it.” — Red Cliffs Lodge general manager Nicholas Fogarty

In addition to the lobby and guest spaces, Red Cliffs’ former restaurant was completely remodeled and reintroduced as Ember. The sleek new signature dining experience and cocktail lounge offers a live-fire approach to modern American cuisine, as well as some of the best desert views in Moab. Floor-to-ceiling windows invite diners to admire towering mesas between bites, and bathe the dining hall in golden light during sunset hours. Wide wicker seating lines the plein air patio, while inside, leather and fur textures encourage guests to linger long after dessert.

Ground

Atwater Inc. Studio’s Stina Funch led the design approach in the guest suites and cabins, each intentionally placed alongside the curved banks of the Colorado River. In reverence to the hotel’s natural surroundings, Funch balanced comfort with restraint to curate retreats where guests can recharge from the day’s adventures. “The location is extraordinary, and we never wanted the interiors to compete with it,” Funch says. “We borrowed from the landscape — the colors, textures, river rock, desert varnish, and weathered tones. Then we brought those elements inside in a quieter, more contemporary way.”

BEFORE (left): The guest rooms were formerly marked by a domineering stone fireplace and monochromatic palette. AFTER (right): The hotel’s two-bedroom suites were redesigned by Atwater Inc. Studio’s Stina Funch. “The two levels transition almost like the landscape itself, and the cascading decks are really what make it special. There was so much potential in that footprint. It already had drama, movement, and these incredible outdoor spaces.”

The material and color palette inside the two-level suites and cabins were both derived from the desert scenery beyond. Crackling fireplaces were clad in a stone veneer to emulate the natural varnish on the canyon walls, and river rock appears in the bathrooms to remind guests of the rushing water feature right outside their doors. Desert colors inherent to Moab — rust, sage, warm wood, and muted greens — are complemented by soft tactile area rugs, bed linens, and woven materials. The end result is a retreat that’s in harmony with its location. “It almost lowers your heartbeat a little,” Funch remarks. “The rooms are meant to be a place where you come back after hiking or exploring all day, take your shoes off, sit down, and just exhale.”

BEFORE (left): Two-level guest rooms presented a unique challenge for Funch. “It wasn’t about ‘fixing’ the two-level layout. It was about making sure the interiors lived up to what was already there,” she says. AFTER (right): Creekside suites feature materials and textiles inspired by the location. “I love the tables in the rooms that emulate the river rocks outside,” designer Stina Funch says, “and the tile in the living spaces. It’s dusty and a little rusted, but still feels modern.”

Set in Stone

In Ember’s bar and dining areas, principal designer Sormeh Rienne sourced stones specifically with the landscape in mind. “Together, the stones bring depth, warmth, and a subtle connection to the surrounding landscape,” she says.

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