Tl;dr – Viceroy’s newest property, The Harriman, will bring boutique luxury to Sun Valley, Idaho.
If you’re a fan of skiing and luxury accommodations, you’ll soon have a new option in Sun Valley, Idaho that will let you do both. Scheduled for a June 2026 debut, The Harriman Resort, A Viceroy Resort, is the newest development from the ultra-boutique hotel chain. Though Viceroy has just 10 existing properties worldwide, this is not the brand’s first rodeo for ski lodges. You can visit the Viceroy Snowmass in Aspen and the Kapaonik in Serbia.
The Harriman takes its name from W. Averell Harriman, a past Chairman of the Union Pacific Railroad and founder of the Sun Valley Resort. The Harriman won’t be a huge property; just 73 guest rooms and 12 penthouse residences are planned.
It will, however, have some pretty lush amenities, including “a full-service spa, fitness center, an indoor thermal pool, cold plunge, sauna, and steam rooms.” The property’s calling card will be “a state-of-the-art rooftop observatory and outdoor terrace bar” that provides “unobstructed access to the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve – the first designated preserve of its kind in the U.S. and one of only 12 globally.”
Sun Valley, Idaho, is a year-round outdoor destination where visitors can hit the slopes at spots like Bald Mountain and Dollar Mountain during the winter. For the summer months, Sun Valley offers travelers various activities like hiking, fishing, rafting, mountain biking, and swimming.
You also know Sun Valley for another reason – the Sun Valley Conference – a week-long annual meeting orchestrated by investment firm Allen & Company that attracts some of the biggest names in business and politics. Sometimes referred to as a ‘billionaire’s summer camp,’ the conference is often where ‘big deals’ are done. In recent years, the conference’s guest list has included an increasing number of leaders from the technology industry.
Viceroy No Longer Planning a ‘Sun, Splash and Fun’ property?
This splashy announcement from Viceroy reminded me about an ‘upcoming’ property the brand announced several years ago, that I’ve yet to hear any updates on – the Viceroy Bocas Del Toro. Located on Panama’s Caribbean coast, just southeast of the country’s border with Costa Rica, the Bocas Del Toro region is a smattering of lush islands, mangroves, and beaches teeming with beautiful water and wildlife. Though it’s seen more tourism in recent years, particularly for those after the nightlife scene, ‘Bocas’ still isn’t too developed and a bit under the radar.
First announced in 2016, the Viceroy Bocas Del Toro was slated to bring 42 overwater villas – the region’s first overwater bungalows – to market, and would have easily been the most premier resort in the area. Sadly, signs indicate this project’s early demise as you can’t find any updates on it, and even the dedicated link on Viceroy’s website routes to a page that no longer exists. What lives on is this relic of an Instagram post.. (Shout out to @torischuller, I hear you!)
This is a shame, as I feel this hotel would have been successful. As most legit overwater villa accommodations require visiting places like French Polynesia or the Maldives, it would have been great to have a comparable option in the Americas, accessible via a 3-4 hour flight (and connection). In my visits to islands like Moorea, Bora Bora, and Huahine, I’ve enjoyed staying in overwater villas. While a handful of properties in the Caribbean/Mexico offer legit overwater accommodations, they don’t quite look or feel the part to me.
Though it doesn’t appear we’ll be getting a Viceroy in Panama anytime soon, there are some cool overwater bungalows in Bocas Del Toro that I do recommend. I recently visited Bocas Del Toro and stayed at Sol Bungalows (full review coming soon!), a superb family-run resort with just four overwater bungalows.
I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and recommend you check them out if you plan to visit Bocas. Separately, for a premium experience, Nayara Bocas Del Toro is bookable on points via Leading Hotels of the World (LHW). LHW is currently running a sale where you can get a 100% bonus on your points purchase. If you find a competitive points redemption, you just might be able to knock a few dollars off the cash rate of your stay.
