Overview
An operationally green, luxurious sanctuary for the soul located atop the cliffs of Big Sur, just 30 miles south of Carmel, California, and 150 miles south of San Francisco.
The Property
Post Ranch Inn is an idyllic property where nature’s beauty meets with innovative energy-management practices and architectural sophistication, making it ideal for explorers who take both sustainability and hospitality very seriously. When Post Ranch Inn was invited to join One Nice Hotel, we thought that it is the exact type of property our community would want to experience when road tripping in West Coast or are simply looking for an experiential retreat within short proximity from San Jose, San Francisco or Los Angeles. Post Ranch Inn is an artfully-built heaven within the borders of what used to be a family-owned ranch. Besides the family ranch’s history, which is going back to 1860s, the property opened in its current form in 1992 offering its visitors a warm welcoming as well as breathtaking views of both the Pacific and the mountains as well as an accommodation experience which has been very well thought of. Since 2009, techniques that provide passive solar heat have been incorporated to the unit, not to mention that the hotel represents the largest hotel solar project in California and one of the largest in the U.S. In fact, we were wowed by the fact that Post Ranch Inn’s environmental infrastructure is estimated to reduce carbon emissions by 611,000 pounds annually, which is equivalent to removing over 50 vehicles from the road.
Room & Suite Types
Wood framed independent Guest Houses, free-standing Tree Houses, luxurious Cliff and Mountain Houses with circular design inspired by the redwood trees that are found nearby are only some of the unique accommodation options Post Ranch Inn provides. For more space and exclusivity, its Private Houses are ideal, however, our favourite accommodation type is the Ocean Houses, which allow guests to become one with nature; sleeping and waking up to the sounds of the waves is just invaluable. Their bio-structured architecture which consists of natural materials, like the rest of the property, and more specifically their curved, beamed roofs with a soft carpet of grass and wildflowers, that make you feel as if you sleep inside the mountain’s slopes, encourage guests to connect directly with nature released from the noise of the big cities. Additionally, the large windows all around the Ocean Houses, which allow the light to gently come in, complement the architectural science behind the concept. The breakfast is offered on complimentary basis to all guests regardless of the accommodation type they choose, so there is always a good excuse to spend some more time in bed, if guests feel like it.
Location
Post Ranch Inn is located along the Big Sur coast, between San Luis Obispo and Monterey. The closest airport is Monterey (about 1 hour driving) and it can be accessed easily by car from San Francisco and Los Angeles. Due to its positioning along California’s Highway One, which is one of the world’s most renown drives, it can be plugged in several routes and travel itineraries. Our team here at One Nice Hotel would include it as a post-adventure treat after a visit to Yosemite National Park and on the way to Los Angeles. Additionally, on the way we would also ensure we crossed Bixby Bridge, which is one of the world’s highest single-span concrete arch bridges, and we would like to also go to Monterrey for whale watching.
Experience
Lure your senses and mind into the on-property Art Gallery, called Post Gallery, or spoil your palate by tasting the eclectic wines offered at the restaurant, Sierra Mar, which is one of the largest homes for wines in North America. The hotel’s wine specialists will ensure they guide you through Sierra Mar’s 14,000- bottled wine list, but they cannot guarantee for stopping you. The fans of sports can enjoy their complimentary daily yoga or meditation classes as well as the guided forest hikes without leaving room for their muscles to complain after, as guests can relax in one of the two therapeutically heated basking pools which have an infinity edge overlooking the Pacific. If you enjoy stargazing, you will be very happy to hear that the guests of Post Ranch Inn can make use of the telescope, which happens to be one of the largest hotel telescopes in U.S. and Big Sur offers some of the clearest atmospheric conditions for viewing the stars, nebulas, and even the rings of Saturn.
What we like about it
Post Ranch Inn is a place of sublime natural wealth paired with remarkable artificial settings. We like the fact that staying there feels like sleeping in a luxury nest, connecting with the wilderness and yet enjoying the lushness of the high-quality facilities. This property combines everything our philosophy stands for; great design, sustainability, arts, culinary and wine excellence. At One Nice Hotel we are always in search of highly experiential properties and Post Ranch Inn is definitely one of them.
