San Ysidro Ranch, A Rosewood Resort

California
United States

The Experience

A spectacular vista: 500 acres featuring private bungalows, pristine coastal hillsides, 17 miles of hiking trails and even a citrus grove, all nestled between the Santa Ynez mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Once a way station for Franciscan monks (there’s even a framed certificate near reception, tracing the property’s ownership from a 1769 title held by king of Spain), this Mission-style retreat completed a two-year, $150 million restoration in early 2007. The result: brilliant gardens, ocean views, the wafting scent of eucalyptus, orange and magnolia… and peace.

The Rooms

All of the renovated units include private outdoor patios with hot tubs, heated bathroom floors and antique furnishings, but no two units are alike. The Warner Cottage feels like a European country home, complete with two master bedrooms, three fireplaces, its own swimming pool and a patio with a view of the Channel Islands. If you prefer something more modest, the Kennedy Cottage down the road has only two fireplaces to go with its antiques and ocean view—but it was still good enough for JFK and Jackie, who chose this unit for their honeymoon.

The Service

The concierge can whip up anything from yoga instruction to hiking tours to tee times on one of three nearby golf courses, while the stand-alone bungalows mean that the 20 different in-room spa treatments available can take on unusually relaxing dimensions. A warm summer evening could mean taking a rosemary oil foot massage on the creekside deck, while a cool, foggy morning might lead you to prefer shiatsu next to a roaring fire.

The Highlights

Thanks to its spectacular setting and careful restoration, the ranch has a singularly tranquil, timeless quality. The Stonehouse restaurant, built in a 19th-century citrus packing house, features heirloom tomatoes and other produce nurtured in the gardens outside your cottage, and an 1825 adobe dwelling is augmented with photos of the hotel's 117-year history. Best of all, even the smaller suites are landscaped to feel like independent structures with private entries. Even when the property is near full capacity, you may feel you have the breathtaking scenery almost to yourself.

 

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