Above the Rest: Why Coyote Bluff is the Valley’s Highest-Rated Estate

When people ask us what makes Coyote Bluff Estate different from other places to stay in the Flathead Valley, they usually expect us to say the view.

And I understand why.

We sit on 32 acres on a ridge above Flathead Lake in Somers, Montana, looking across the water toward the Mission Mountains. On a clear day, it is pretty hard to beat. We've had plenty of guests arrive, set their bags down, walk right past the room they just checked into, and head straight for the deck. Sometimes they just stand there and take it all in.

But after doing this for more than a decade, I don't think the view is what makes Coyote Bluff special.

The view may be what gets people here the first time. What brings them back is something different.

We Bought a Home, Not a Hotel

Rita and I bought Coyote Bluff in 2014. It's a 10,000-square-foot custom log home with more than 17 different species of wood used throughout the house. Someone put an incredible amount of time and craftsmanship into building this place, and we knew when we bought it that we didn't want to turn it into something it wasn't.

So we didn't.

There's no front desk or hotel lobby. When you come up the hill and arrive at Coyote Bluff Estate, you're coming to our home.

We've simply taken that home and tried to operate it with the standards you'd expect from a fine hotel while keeping the personal side of hospitality that is so often lost in the hotel business.

We're intentionally small. We're not trying to see how many rooms we can squeeze onto the property. We want Coyote Bluff to remain quiet, private and personal.

That's a big part of what makes staying here different.

Privacy Matters

Over the years, we've continued making changes based on what we think makes the experience better for our guests.

Today, our suites have their own private exterior entrances, private decks and private hot tubs. You can come and go without walking through the main house, and when you're sitting in your hot tub in the evening looking across Flathead Lake, that space is yours.

Inside, we've tried to pay attention to the smaller things too. Heated beds. Heated towel racks. Good coffee. Snacks in your room. Comfortable places to sit and enjoy the view.

None of those things by themselves are why someone comes to Montana. But put them together after you've spent a long day exploring Glacier National Park, hiking, boating or driving around the Flathead Valley, and they matter.

We want you to be able to come back to Coyote Bluff, close the door and feel like you've got your own little piece of Montana for a few days.

The Little Things Still Matter

One thing I've learned from spending most of my life working with people is that hospitality really isn't that complicated.

Pay attention.

We have a complimentary whiskey and scotch bar. We offer wine in the evening. We keep coffee and snacks available. We have a fire pit where guests can sit in the evening and watch the sun disappear over the valley.

Sometimes several couples end up around the fire talking and getting to know one another. Other nights, it's just one couple sitting there with a glass of wine enjoying the quiet.

Neither is planned.

And that's probably the point.

We don't want your stay at Coyote Bluff to feel programmed. We want you to have the freedom to enjoy the property however you want.

About 40 Minutes From Glacier National Park — And We Like It That Way

One of the most common questions we get is how far Coyote Bluff Estate is from Glacier National Park.

We're approximately 40 minutes from the west entrance, depending on traffic.

Every once in a while, someone tells me they'd rather stay right outside the park. I understand that. If your only goal is to be as close to the entrance as possible, there are places closer than we are.

But we've hosted people visiting Glacier for years, and I think there's something pretty nice about putting a little distance between the park and where you stay.

Glacier National Park can be busy, particularly during July and August. You can spend an incredible day on Going-to-the-Sun Road, hiking around Lake McDonald or exploring the park, and then leave the crowds behind.

You drive back toward Flathead Lake, come up our hill, pour a glass of wine and sit on your private deck or get into your hot tub.

It's quiet again.

For many of our guests, that's exactly what they're looking for.

And Glacier is only part of what there is to do here. Flathead Lake is right below us. Bigfork, Lakeside, Kalispell and Whitefish are all within driving distance. There's boating, fishing, golfing, hiking, rafting and some very good restaurants throughout the valley.

You can spend a week here and never run out of things to do.

Or you can do absolutely nothing.

We have guests who are surprisingly good at that too.

Hospitality Means Something Different to Us

This is probably the most important part.

Rita and I believe hospitality is a calling.

Long before we owned Coyote Bluff Estate, our lives were centered around serving people. That hasn't really changed. The setting has changed, but the purpose hasn't.

Scripture talks a lot about hospitality—welcoming the stranger, opening your home, sharing a table and caring for people along the way.

We've tried to carry that into Coyote Bluff.

When someone books a stay with us, we know there's usually more to the story than someone simply needing a room.

People come here for anniversaries. Honeymoons. Engagements. Birthdays. Trips they've saved for years to take. We've had guests come during wonderful seasons of their lives and others come during some pretty difficult ones.

We've helped hide engagement rings and champagne. We've helped plan surprises. We've sat around the fire and heard some pretty incredible stories.

Those are the things Rita and I remember.

You can build a beautiful property. You can buy nice furniture and put a hot tub on a deck. But hospitality is ultimately about how you make people feel while they're there.

That's the part that matters to us.

Traveling With Family? Take a Look at Somers House

Coyote Bluff Estate is designed as an adults-only getaway. We made that decision intentionally because couples come here looking for peace, privacy and time together, and we want to protect that experience.

But we also get a lot of requests from people traveling with children or larger groups.

That's where Somers House comes in.

Somers House is our three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath vacation home located a few miles from Coyote Bluff Estate. It has a full kitchen and plenty of room for a family or group to spread out, and children are welcome.

Guests at Somers House also have access to amenities at the nearby Best Western Plus Flathead Lake Inn & Suites, including the indoor pool, fitness center and breakfast.

It's a different experience from staying at the Estate, but it gives families another option when they're looking for a place to stay near Flathead Lake and Glacier National Park.

Come Stay With Us

Coyote Bluff Estate isn't for everyone, and we're okay with that.

We're small. We're quiet. We're adults-only at the Estate. We're about 40 minutes from Glacier National Park rather than sitting outside the entrance.

But if you're looking for a romantic Montana getaway where you can explore Glacier and Flathead Lake during the day and come back to privacy, a hot tub, a glass of wine and one of the best views in the Flathead Valley at night, I think you'll understand pretty quickly why our guests keep coming back.

Our summer months, particularly June through September, can fill well in advance. If you see the dates and suite you want available, I'd recommend booking them. If we're full, join the waitlist. Cancellations happen and we regularly reach back out when dates become available.

And if you have a question, call us.

There's a reason our phone number is on the website.

Rita and I would be honored to have you stay with us.

— Eric and Rita Bahme
Your hosts at Coyote Bluff Estate
457 Coyote Ridge · Somers, Montana
406-287-0009