10 of the best cowboy hotels

1. The Smith & Western, Tunbridge Wells

Go from Kent to Kentucky in just a swing of a saloon door. Guests at The Smith and Western are greeted cowboy memorabilia, saddle-topped bar stools, giant cowboy boots and a restaurant toting a totem-pole. The ranch-style bedrooms come with antler-shaped bedside lights, Navajo blankets and cowhide rugs. Don't miss the hearty cowboy breakfast.

Prices start from £95 a night via hotelscombined.co.uk

2. White Stallion Ranch, Picture Rocks, Tucson, Arizona

Stay on a real wild west film set. Used for Hollywood cowboy classics such as Arizona (1930) and Confessions of Dangerous Mind (which starred George Clooney), the White Stallion Ranch is located in the Sonoran Desert. Whether travelling in a herd or as a lone ranger, this ranch has all the action you'd expect in a saloon bar, from rock-climbing, fly-fishing and trick-roping to wild Mustang rescue training.

3. Ranchos Las Cascadas, Mexico

Saddle up cowboys, for this is one for the horse lovers. Riders will be spoilt for choice at this Mexican ranch which offers thirty different horseback treks and routes through the mountains and across the open plains. After a hard day in the saddle, take a dip in the glorious infinity pool and say howdy to the perfect partner: an ice-cold margarita.

Radio Times Travel offer: San Francisco, the Grand Canyon and National Parks of the West, 17 days from £2,399

4. Dunton Hot Springs, Dolores, Colorado.

Play prospector or lone-ranger against the backdrop of the rivers and valleys of the San Juan National Forest. Buried in rural Colorado, this tranquil ranch on the site of an old mining town is made up of several log cabins. As the name suggests, it sits on natural hot springs where the original Ute Indians once bathed, so put down the chaps and hop into the restorative waters under Colorado's vast sky.

5. The Resort at Paws Up, Montana.

No need to rough it under these big skies – this resort offers the ultimate glamping experience with 30 luxury tents and log cabins surrounded by the snow-capped mountains of Montana on a 37,000 acre ranch. Activities include fly-fishing, rafting, archery, kayaking and wagon rides. Eat your heart out, Annie Oakley.

6. Emirates One & Only Wolgan Valley, New South Wales, Australia.

In the Blue Mountain region of the Australian outback is a canyon-sized ranch resort so good it'll make guests feel like they’ve struck gold. This place is Australia’s first environmental conservation resort, recycling everything from waste to water from its 40 luxurious villas and swanky spa. Guests can explore the 4,000-plus acres of wilderness on horseback, mountain bikes and wildlife safaris. Kid-friendly pursuits include bushcraft and pony-trekking.

4 nights costs from £4,013 all-inclusive in a King Villa

7. Colorado Cattle Company Guest Ranch, Colorado

This is a working cattle ranch where guests are taught roping, team-penning and cattle-tracking. At the end of the day, you can take a dunk in the hot tub or jump on the band wagon to the saloon – Tuesdays are on-the-house all-you-can-drink margarita night. Just don’t drink and ride, kids.

Radio Times Travel offer: California & the Golden West, 15 days from £1,849pp

8. Westgate River Ranch Resort and Rodeo, Florida

This dude ranch is perfect for cowboys with kids. You can choose from luxury lodges, cottages, or to glamp in a teepee. Spend sunrise to sunset horse-riding, trap-shooting, fishing and hover-boating, followed by a night at the rodeo or line-dancing at the River Ranch Saloon.

5 nights costs from £805 glamping or £440 for a double room

9. Bush Creek Ranch, Saratoga, Wyoming

Whether a seasoned cowboy or a city slicker, this luxury dude ranch is a diamond in the craggy landscape of the Wyoming prairie. Pick from the 41 western-styled lodge rooms and cabins decorated with fur-trimmed beds, antler chandeliers and giant stone fireplaces. Guests can kick up their boot heels with opportunities to trail ride, round up cattle, clay shoot, fly fish and ATV drive. Then pull off those cowboy boots and unwind in the new wellness retreat.

10. The Ranch at Rock Creek, Philipsburg, Colorado.

Established in the 1800s, these guys know a thing or two about frontier life. Sitting in the Sapphire mountain range of the Rockies, this working cattle ranch combines the great outdoors with the luxury of glamping cabins and the majestic Granite Lodge. Boasting a rodeo arena, ropes course, wildlife safari, rifle range and hot air balloon tours, this resort is a gold mine for activities. Pull up a saddle in the Silver Dollar Saloon for a cold beer or buck up your bowling skills at the bowling alley.

The Radio Times Guide to Films 2017 is out now, featuring in-depth reviews for more than 24,000 films.

Radio Times Travel offer

San Francisco, the Grand Canyon and National Parks of the West, 17 days from £2,399. This wonderful tour is bookended by stays in beautiful San Francisco and desert playground Palm Springs. It takes in glittering Las Vegas, awe-inspiring Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and a quartet of stunning national parks. You'll also enjoy stays in western-themed hotels as you journey from scenic Northern California to the majesty of the West. Click here for the full itinerary and to book.

California & the Golden West, 15 days from £1,849pp. There are few places in the world that generate more iconic imagery than California and the western USA, with even fewer living up to reality! The sights and amazing natural wonders just roll off the tongue, with probably nothing more aptly named than the Grand Canyon. Then there’s Monument Valley, whose towering sandstone pillars are immortalised in countless Westerns, the Painted Desert, Yosemite, the astonishing national parks of Bryce Canyon and Zion and the lofty snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada. Combine these with the allure of such genuinely unique cities as San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Las Vegas and you have a destination that simply cannot be matched! Click here for the full itinerary and to book

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