Dunton Hot Springs, near Dolores, CO

From a distance, it’s True Grit. Up close, true Ritz. At first glance, Dunton Hot Springs, in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains southwest of Telluride, gives off an aura of pioneer simplicity. But the Old West was never this posh. Dunton’s new life springs from German entrepreneur Christoph Henkel, who transformed the 125-year-old mining town into a high-end resort. The 12 guest cabins blend rustic with insanely comfortable. The former saloon/dance hall is now the dining room, serving mostly regionally sourced food. Two cabins are devoted to spa treatments. Guests tend to be adventurous and interesting. Expensive? Yes.  But where else do you get your own town? Local activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and dogsledding on-site; downhill in Telluride, 1 1/2 hours away. From $550, including meals; duntonhotsprings.com