Post Ranch Inn

Rooms

All 39 rooms and suites - named for pioneer families in Big Sur - share a chic-rustic design, billed as 'organic architecture', in keeping with the wild beauty of the Big Sur coast. We loved the harmonious aesthetic of warm redwood and Bubinga wooden walls, polished concrete floors and sculptures (both wall and freestanding). Each room has a deliciously comfortable kingsized bed, a wood-burning fireplace (wood, kindling and fire-irons are provided), and sitting area with rattan chairs or leather sofa and armchairs.

From walking sticks to binoculars for birding and whale-watching, bathrobes, private massage tables and a digital music system, they've thought of everything. There's also a wet bar with ice bucket, and stacks of complimentary goodies (crisps, wine, coffee, juice, snacks) in the mini fridge - a nice touch. You get a half-bottle of local wine and signature water bottle to take away. There are no televisions - you won't miss it in such a setting.

The luxurious bathrooms are of grey slate and rugged granite, and have spa tubs as well as showers - top suites have twin sinks. Plenty of thick towels, refillable organic toiletries and a hairdryer are provided.

All rooms have private decks with loungers or chairs which face either the ocean or towards the mountains (there are automatic blinds in Cliff House, Peak House and Pacific Suites which block out most morning light). The 5 Ocean Houses, whose roofs are covered in wildflowers, have walls of glass overlooking the sea, and, uniquely, their fireplaces are two-sided so one can enjoy the flames from the bathtub. Cliff House has a deck seemingly suspended over the cliffs and an enclosed garden courtyard. Pacific Suites, where we stayed, are in 2-storey buildings with a curved ocean-front wall that maximises that magnificent vista. Coast House suites have a similar but smaller layout.

Mountain Suites are inspired by the redwoods and face the Santa Lucia Peaks and Ventana Wilderness. The 7 triangular Tree House rooms, built on stilts within hundred-year-old gnarled oaks, peer through trees to the ridges beyond. Butterfly Rooms have the same views and are so-called for the shape of the building with its outstretched wings.

The more expensive categories, which begin with the Peak House, have a custom-made infinity hot tub on the decks and are more spacious. For me, the ultimate Post Ranch Inn experience was birding from my hot tub overlooking the Pacific.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Fan
• Hairdryer
• In-room treatments available
• Iron
• Minibar
• Safe box
• WiFi

Eating

Meals are taken in the Sierra Mar restaurant, which is tucked, Hobbit-like, into the top of the ridge. It has an organic veg and herb garden - some grown on its roof. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcase the beauty of the Pacific.

Breakfast is a sumptuous buffet, and you are encouraged to go back for third helpings - well, that's my story anyhow. Choose from fresh fruit such as strawberry and mango, yoghurt, granola and oatmeal, home-baked breads, rolls and bagels. The latter can be fixed up with smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, red onion and tomato. The hot dishes were sausages, garden frittata with housemade salsa and potatoes with provencale vegetables. You can have eggs and pancakes with a choice of fillings - my mushroom omelette was delicious. Beverages include fresh OJ, pink grapefruit and cranberry juices, tea, coffee and iced water.

Executive Chef Elizabeth Murray presides over a partially open kitchen (I was mesmerised by the chefs' deft movements) and prides herself on her daily seasonal and local menu of Californian with French, Asian and Mediterranean influenced fare - enquire about the occasional cooking classes on offer. The lunch menu begins with sharing plates such as house made antipasti, oysters, crab cakes or mushroom and goat cheese crostini. Entrees could include sustainable salmon, pork loin chop, butternut squash agnolotti; desserts are comfy - banana sundae, apple galette and creme brulee.

The prix fixe 4-course dinner menu is where the skills really shine. I agonised in choosing, going for the cauliflower tasting (an inspired trio of bisque, ceviche and gratin) to begin, lobster bisque to follow (divine), Berkshire pork tasting (roast loin, cassoulet and confit of pork belly) and then rice pudding with poached pear. All dishes are exquisitely presented.

There's also a bar serving seasonal cocktails (try the Soul Flower in spring) as well as the classics. There are over 13,000 bottles in the wine cellar.

For eating out, buy a picnic and cruise down the Pacific Coast Highway for a quintessentially Californian day trip. If you can be bothered to leave this idyll for newer pastures in the evening, across the Highway is upscale Ventana, which also focuses on California Central Coast fine dining. The more affordable Big Sur Roadhouse serves Californian-Latin American cuisine. Nepenthe Restaurant is in the former home of Orson Welles and is 800ft above the Pacific with fabulous views.

Features include:

• Bar
• Organic produce
• Restaurant
• Room service
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Begin your day by birding on your private deck - binoculars are provided. Expect to see Turkey Vulture, White-crowned Sparrow, Western Scrub-jay and deer grazing. The California Condor is worth looking out for - Big Sur is one of only 3 places on the planet you can see them
  
  
• Enjoy a yoga, meditation or Tai Chi class. There's also a gym and heated lap pool for a morning workout
  
  
• Go on a guided Nature Hike; you can also explore these beautiful 100 acres yourself - follow the signs marked Billy's Trail
  
  
• Hike the Santa Lucia and Ventana mountains led by a PRI hiking guide - or take yourself to Partington Cove to find a smuggler's tunnel and otters swimming off the rocks
  
  
• There are art galleries to browse along the Highway (the sculptures on site are from the Hawthorne Gallery), and the Henry Miller Library which houses the author's best known work
  
  
• The state parks are wonderful: ford the Big Sur river at Andrew Molera through flower-filled meadows to a glorious beach (Andrew Molera also has horse riding); Pfeiffer Big Sur has great hiking through redwoods; Julia Pfeiffer Burns has mixed woods and an 80-foot waterfall which crashes onto a perfect horseshoe beach
  
  
• The nicest beach is Pfeiffer Beach - it gets very busy so get there early to avoid a queue to get into the car park
  
  
• Just outside the Big Sur region, in Monterey, about 50km north, you can take boat trips, play golf, go cycling, fishing, sailing, scuba diving, (wind) surfing, kayaking and play tennis, as well as visit John Steinbeck's famous Cannery Row, and the excellent aquarium; or go wine tasting in the Carmel valley
  
  
• Return to Post Ranch Inn to watch gray whales from the infinity-edged basking pools - choose from Jade or Meditation, both kept at 104ºF. Note that in season (late winter through spring) a naturalist will join you for Mimosas and Whales on the restaurant terrace during breakfast to talk about whales
  
  
• Relax in the spa, which has a big menu of massage (therapeutic, aromatherapy among others), body treatments - I liked the sound of Big Sur Jade Stone Therapy, which uses local jade and basalt - body wraps, exfoliation, facials, craniosacral, reflexology and Reiki
  
  
• If this isn't hippy dippy enough, try one of the following: shaman sessions, illumination, crystal therapy, soul or destiny retrieval, fire ceremony or a drum journey
  
  
• End your day in the company of the astronomer and his telescope; the isolation means little light pollution and a fabulous celestial panoply

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Boat trips
• Cooking classes
• Cycling
• Fishing
• Golf
• Hiking
• Horse riding
• Kayaking
• Mountain biking
• Museums / galleries
• Plantlife / flora
• Private guided tours
• Sailing
• Scuba diving
• Stargazing
• Surfing
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Well being
• Whale watching
• Wildlife
• Windsurfing
• Wine tasting
• Yoga

Kids

This is an adults only retreat (no under 18s). And frankly, why not? I couldn't wait to leave mine at home to be here.

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Post Ranch Inn is sited high on a ridge overlooking the Pacific, off the iconic Pacific Coast Highway, in the heart of Big Sur. It is a 6-hour drive north of Los Angeles and 3 hours south of San Francisco on the west coast of America.

By Air:
Most guests come to Big Sur while travelling up from either LA or SF, but you can also fly to Monterey Airport or to San Jose, which is in Silicon Valley over the hills.

By Car
You will need a car to get here and to explore the area - if you can tear yourself away from Post Ranch Inn. See our car rental recommendations. There is a guardhouse making sure that only those staying at the hotel and their guests come onto the 100-acre compound.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.

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