PHOTO: Family reunion at The Ranch at Rock Creek's 19th-century "Wrangler" accommodation (courtesy The Ranch at Rock Creek Facebook page)

One luxury hotel in Montana charges an average of $2,385 per night for its most affordable double room in the summer.

Yet, this hotel, The Ranch at Rock Creek in Philipsburg, received five out of five stars from guests on TripAdvisor.com.

But how is this possible? And how do 10 other luxury hotels in the United States charge more than $1,200 per night for their most affordable double room on average and still stay in business?

Well, lucky for you, Luxury-Hotels.com conducted a study of the most expensive luxury hotels in America (measured by average rate for their most affordable double room, related to the summer 2014 period).

And, lucky for you, TravelPulse did a little study of its own on the hotels listed to gauge what guests value the most in a luxury hotel.

That’s right, your favorite travel website looked at five of the six most expensive luxury hotels on the list (excluding one to include more states) and found out what they all had in common, based on guest reviews on TripAdvisor.

The five hotels are: The Ranch at Rock Creek (Philipsburg, Montana); The Point (Saranac Lake, New York); The Lodge & Spa at Brush Creek Ranch (Saratoga, Wyoming); Amangiri (Canyon Point, Utah) and Twin Farms (Barnard, Vermont).

Here is what earned them nationwide acclaim.

Staff, Service, Atmosphere

At all five hotels, guests made a point to highlight the staff, service and atmosphere specifically.

It wasn’t just the above-and-beyond service of the staff. It was the staff members themselves. Numerous guests talked about how they could tell staff members clearly loved and valued their jobs. It was more than doing a good job; it was inherently a pleasurable experience for hoteliers. They truly cared about people and brightened guests’ days in the process.

If there’s one thing a new hotel should take from this entire article, it’s to hire intrinsically positive, caring and sociable staff members. And, of course, keeping this blissful atmosphere alive starts with the hoteliers themselves.

Activities

Every one of the five luxury hotels featured an extraordinary range of activities, specifically when it came to the great outdoors.

But one guest’s comment that she liked the Stave jigsaw puzzles at Twin Farms shows that you don’t necessarily need a grand expanse to remain in the hearts of travelers.

Most guests don’t want to come to a hotel to just lounge around (even if the accommodations are top notch). They want to explore, they want to have fun and they want to be entertained.

Activities at the properties included archery, horseback riding, fly fishing, paintball, snowmobiling, tours and even a rodeo at The Ranch at Rock Creek.

Especially when it comes to high-priced hotels, guests are seeking more than a luxurious room; they are seeking an immersive experience. 

Accommodation

Of course…that’s not to say having a luxurious room is a bad thing.

The accommodations at the five properties were naturally a drawing point for guests, as well.

And it’s important to point out that guests at most of the properties included the word “rustic” when gushing about their rooms.

After all, luxury comes in many forms. In fact, given the evidence, you could say that including a throwback style is actually a bonus for hotels, as long as they keep the place renovated and in good condition.

Heck, The Point is well known for not having cell phone reception or including fancy gadgets (or even regular TVs). That didn't stop one reviewer from London (who admitted to being wary at first) from gushing about the “rustic” and “quirky” accommodations that, surprisingly, were comfy, too.

Food 

Whether you dub yourself a foodie or not, it’s always nice to sit down and have a mouth-watering meal that makes your taste buds explode while shockingly preserving your intestines.

First and foremost, guests want meals that are tasty and delicious. But other features were highlighted across the five properties, including the use of local ingredients, the innovative capabilities of the chefs and the varied menu. It also doesn’t hurt when a hotel allows you to order from several areas of the property.

On top of that, many guests said they were impressed with the amount of food that was served, leaving them satisfied. After all, guests are expecting to spend a little bit more on food at a luxury hotel—they just want value for their money.

The Point, for example, regularly offers four-course meals while featuring seven-course meals a couple days a week. 

Scenery

“From the moment we entered the Ranch, with its beautiful and iconic rock formations, meadows and mountain scenery, we knew we had entered a special and magical place…”

No, that’s not a PR blurb on a hotel website; that’s an actual guest’s comments on The Lodge and Spa at Brush Creek Ranch.

One reviewer called Amangiri a “desert oasis” sporting “incredible desert scenery.”

You can see why having great surrounding scenery would do wonders for a hotel, especially during the summer vacation months. A lot of people just want to get away from it all, and Montana, Wyoming, Utah and Vermont are spacious destinations that accommodate that desire rather nicely.

Even The Point, set in a state known more for its bustling and world-renowned city, offers picturesque scenery (plus, c’mon, you have to know by now that New York has an incredible amount of woodlands…right?). 

Follow me on Twitter @RyanRudnansky.