a beautiful resort outside Santa Fe

sunset at Four Seasons Santa Fe (c) 2020 by David Ourisman, all rights reserved

We had planned to spend two evenings at Four Seasons Rancho Encantado in Santa Fe, New Mexico. I'm resuming Travel Horizons after a hiatus of about three weeks. As most of my readers will know, we have just moved cross country from Berkeley, CA to Asheville, NC. As it would take a couple of weeks for our furniture to rejoin us, we took advantage of the situation with a cross-country road trip. After delightful stays at the Beverly Hills Hotel and Auberge de Sedona, we headed north through Arizona towards I-40, then drove east towards New Mexico.

We were upgraded to an Encantado Suite, the same size as the resort's 1100 square foot Sunset Suites but located at the very top of the resort with the panoramic view pictured above. Our suite boasted a King bedroom, separate living room with pull-out queen sofabed, and a large master bathroom with dual vanities, soaking tub, and step-in shower. There was also a powder room off the living area.

Santa Fe has beautiful hiking trails. Claire and I enjoyed walking the trails pictured below. Part of the Dale Ball trail system, it's right on the outskirts of Santa Fe at the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The views were scenic with patches of snow on the ground, and the air was cool and crisp. I regretted not bringing along my good camera, but this iPhoto snapshot will give a sense of the winter landscape.

Our hosts at Four Seasons were looking out for us, and the GM personally informed us about the winter weather system forecasted to arrive early the next morning. We sadly left FS Rancho Encantado after only one night, getting out of the mountains before the next morning's anticipated snowstorm. This proved to be fortuitous advice, as the snow came earlier and accumulation was greater than anticipated. After spending a night in Tucumcari, NM, we headed out the next morning toward our next destination. Stay tuned!

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copyright (c) 2020 by Ourisman Travel LLC.  All rights reserved. We provide Virtuoso and other Preferred Partner amenities as an affiliate of Brownell, a Virtuoso® Member.

summer vacation idea | Four Seasons Santa Fe

National Gallery, Santa Fe, NM

Looking for a summer vacation idea? I spent a month in Santa Fe during the summer of 1991 and really enjoyed the city. Warm, dry days (except for the occasional thunderstorm and flash flood) and cool, dry nights. We never had the air conditioning on in our condo.

Why Santa Fe? Three reasons...

1. Opera. The Santa Fe Opera House is one of the most renowned opera companies in the country, and its season runs from June 29 to August 25. If you're an opera fan, Santa Fe is a must-do destination.
2. Pottery. The American southwest is rich in Native American culture, and I especially enjoyed shopping for traditional pottery (and even tried my hand at spinning my own pot in a pottery class with my kids). My creation is sitting on my desk right now.
3. Art. Lots of artists live in the Santa Fe area, and you can enjoy galleries displaying paintings and craft shops featuring jewelry.

And don't miss the stories... Joe Hayes is a gifted storyteller, and you can hear his weekly stories every Saturday and Sunday evening at 7 p.m. (July 20-August 14) at the Wheelwright Museum. Free admission, and such a treat!

Where to stay? Four Seasons Santa Fe — Rancho Encantado — is an intimate resort with just 65 casita guest rooms, each a spacious 630 square feet. My clients receive exclusive added-value amenities that make your stay even more of a treat:

• Daily full American breakfast for two people per bedroom, served through In-Room Dining or in the hotel restaurant (including buffets)
• Food and beverage credit of USD100
• Upgrade of one category, based on availability at time of check-in (excluding signature suites and villas)
• Complimentary high-speed Internet access for all guest room and suite bookings

Four Seasons Santa Fe (search here on Google)

copyright (c) 2013 by David Ourisman LLC. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.