The right property doesn’t just give you a place to sleep, it becomes part of the experience, setting the tone for everything that follows. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to personally visit and tour several of Santa Fe’s most distinctive properties, exploring their rooms and suites, common spaces, restaurants, spas, and grounds. Each of the six properties speaks to a different kind of traveler. Which kind of traveler are you?
For the Traveler Who Wants to Sleep Inside a Work of Art
Inn of the Five Graces | Relais & Châteaux | Virtuoso
Step through the unassuming adobe exterior of the Inn of the Five Graces, and you enter a world unlike anything else in New Mexico. The property sits within Barrio de Analco, one of the oldest continually inhabited neighborhoods of European origin in the United States, and it looks and feels like the life’s work it is. Ira and Sylvia Seret, the founders of the inn, spent decades collecting Silk Road artifacts and furnishings, which are prominent in every guest room along with his wife Sylvia’s one of a kind tile and mosaic artworks. The result is 27 completely unique suites filled with antique carpets, textiles, hand-carved wooden furnishings, and bathrooms lined in intricate mosaic tile, like soaking tubs framed in inlaid onyx, lapis, and jade. Nothing is generic. Nothing is repeated.
The Serets lived in Afghanistan for a decade, selling gorgeous carpets, fabric, and furniture to some of the great American designers. There, they also worked with local Afghan artisans to help preserve their ancient crafts. Their import business, Seret & Sons, has operated in Santa Fe for decades. The hotel is the fullest expression of that remarkable life: a place where the American Southwest and the ancient Silk Road have been woven together with extraordinary care and intention.
The inn was assembled suite by suite as the family acquired former homes and apartments in the historic neighborhood, which is why every suite is completely different in layout, character, and orientation. Many returning guests request the same suite year after year. Several suites have private terraces; all include a sitting area and exquisitely decorated private bath. Breakfast is served on-site and included in the rate. A three-bedroom casita is also available for small groups or families looking for more space.
Best for: Couples, solo travelers, and girlfriend getaways who are drawn to art, craft, and exceptional detail. Culture-forward travelers who want to feel genuinely transported rather than simply accommodated. Those who prize intimacy and character over grand-hotel formality.
For the Traveler Who Wants a True Mountain Retreat
Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado | Virtuoso
If you are looking for the kind of escape where the pace slows, you’re surrounded by mountains, and the property feels like it was designed for calm rather than crowds, Rancho Encantado is the answer. Situated on 57 acres in the Sangre de Cristo foothills, just 65 rooms share the entire property. That low density is immediately felt. Guests are genuinely separated from one another, and every room has its own private outdoor space.
The property sits on the former working dude ranch of Betty Egan, a widow who moved from the Midwest after falling in love with Santa Fe and converted her land into a place where guests could stay. Though in keeping with the ranch’s spirit, participation in its rhythms was expected. Her phrase was “dirty boots and bubbles”: after a long day outdoors with muddy boots, you’d come in for a glass of champagne at the bar. That spirit still lives in the property today.
What distinguishes this Four Seasons from most in the portfolio is the Adventure Center. Every guide is a Four Seasons staff member hired directly. Each of their hiking guides specializes in something different: one focuses on botany, one on geology, one on bees and apiaries. Taking a hike with different guides on different days means genuinely different experiences. For off-property excursions, the approach is fully custom. Rather than a fixed menu of options, the team wants to understand exactly what each guest is looking for and build something from scratch.
The spa is the largest of any property I visited in Santa Fe, with 15 treatment rooms. A full gym, and a movement studio offering yoga and sound baths add to the wellness opportunities. The team suggests a minimum of four nights (three full days) to feel the full rhythm of the property — a day in downtown Santa Fe exploring museums and galleries, a day on the property partaking the myriad activities and wellness experiences available, a day on a longer off-property excursion, like to Taos, Abiquiu, or Bandelier National Monument.
Best for: Couples seeking a peaceful luxury retreat, wellness travelers, outdoor enthusiasts, and anyone who wants to feel tucked away from the city rather than at its center. The bespoke excursion approach makes it a natural fit for curious, active travelers who want expert guidance without a fixed group itinerary.
For the Traveler Who Wants to Step Back in Time
La Fonda on the Plaza
La Fonda has a story that very few hotels anywhere can claim. Opened in December 1922, it is the only hotel located directly on Santa Fe’s historic Central Plaza. The “living room of Santa Fe,” the property itself describes its role as a living museum, and walking the building with the hotel historian, you feel that. The long-tenured staff, the original art throughout the public spaces and individual bedrooms, the architecture — all of it speaks to a place that has been a gathering point for this city for over a century.
The hotel has 180 rooms across several categories, including 15 Terrace rooms that function as a hotel-within-a-hotel: a completely separate, brighter, more modern, and airier product, with a dedicated concierge.
La Fonda has on-site docents and art history tours, and Ed, the hotel historian, brings genuine depth and warmth to the story of the building. For guests who want to understand the layers of this city and this property, spending time with him is one of the better investments of a Santa Fe morning.
Best for: History-minded travelers who want to stay at the center of Santa Fe and feel connected to the city’s past. Those who value location above all else and appreciate historic character over contemporary polish.
For the Traveler Who Wants History With a Side of the Miraculous
Inn and Spa at Loretto | Virtuoso
The Inn and Spa at Loretto sits at the end of the historic Old Santa Fe Trail and is widely considered the most photographed hotel in New Mexico. Its architecture is modeled closely on Taos Pueblo, giving it a deeply regional, adobe-inspired aesthetic. The property is steps from the Plaza, and a short walk to the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum and the Palace of the Governors.
The history here is fascinating. The hotel sits on the former site of Loretto Academy, a Catholic girls’ school established in the early 1850s. Bishop Jean-Baptiste Lamy, the influential French-American prelate who shaped much of Santa Fe’s Catholic heritage, invited the Sisters of Loretto to come from Kentucky and establish a school for girls on the frontier. The academy operated for more than 115 years before closing in 1968.
Immediately adjacent to the hotel — independently owned and operated as a private museum — is the Loretto Chapel, built in 1878 for the Sisters to worship. The chapel’s design was reportedly inspired by Sainte-Chapelle in Paris. And inside it is a mysterious engineering wonder.
The “Miraculous Staircase,” a beautiful spiral staircase leading to the choir loft from the chapel, makes two complete 360-degree turns, stands 20 feet tall, and has no center support column. It was supposedly constructed without nails or glue — held together only by wooden pegs — and continues to perplex architects and engineers who study it.
The story behind it is equally remarkable. When the chapel was completed, there was no safe way to reach the choir loft. Every carpenter consulted agreed the only option was a ladder. The Sisters prayed a novena — nine consecutive days of prayer — to Saint Joseph, the patron saint of carpenters. On the ninth day, a man arrived with a donkey, tools, and wood, built the staircase, and left without payment or identification. He was never seen again. Whether you approach the story through faith or through pure architectural fascination, the staircase is a sight to behold.
The Inn and Spa at Loretto has 138 rooms, and because of the Pueblo-inspired architecture, every single one is different in shape, size, and character. The spa is on-site, there is a beautiful pool on the property.
With Virtuoso amenities, the Loretto stands out among the four-star properties in town. Its location is excellent and the rooms are comfortable. The main draw here is the setting, the story, and the unbeatable walkability.
Best for: History and architecture enthusiasts, travelers visiting Santa Fe for the first time, and those who want a central, well-located base with genuine character and a remarkable adjacent landmark, along with the added bonus of Virtuoso amenities.
For the Traveler Who Wants a Ranch Retreat With Room to Roam
Bishop’s Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection | Virtuoso
The story of Bishop’s Lodge also begins with Archbishop Jean-Baptiste Lamy, who commissioned a chapel and lodge on this land in the 1860s as a private retreat for quiet contemplation, surrounded by lush gardens and orchards. The chapel he built is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and it remains the emotional heart of the property today — used for sound baths, yoga, and occasional gatherings for guests.
After a $75 million restoration, Bishop’s Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection sits on 317 acres bordering the Santa Fe National Forest. The original orchards of apple, pear, and apricot trees are honored today through the property’s signature apricot puree margarita — a small, lovely continuity between the 1860s and now.
The property has around 100 keys ranging from standard rooms to multi-bedroom casitas and full houses. The standout for groups is the Bunkhouse, a 12-bedroom residence that sleeps up to 24 adults — ideal for corporate or wellness retreats, multi-generation families, or milestone celebrations. The Lamy Chapel and multiple event lawns make it one of the most atmospheric settings in the region for private gatherings.
The Auberge philosophy here is firmly rooted in sense of place: you feel the history, the landscape, and the culture at every turn. On-property activities include horseback riding (minimum age eight), hiking, and fly fishing. Off-property tours and excursions can be arranged through the concierge. The spa is highly regarded as well.
Best for: Families, multigenerational groups, honeymooners, and wellness-focused travelers who want a self-contained retreat with meaningful activities on-site. Ideal for guests who want a true basecamp — somewhere to plunk down, exhale, and let the days unfold without needing to venture far.
For the Traveler Who Wants to Experience the Spirit of the Southwest
Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi | Virtuoso
Tucked on Washington Avenue just steps from the Plaza, the Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi is a considered love letter to the cultures that shaped this region. Massive hand-carved doors open into an elegant interior of sculptured stairways and sandstone walls that whisper of prehistoric Pueblo living. Huge cacti stand sentry while gently contoured corridors are adorned with hand-crafted textiles, paintings, carvings, and baskets from the inn’s collection of Native American, Hispanic, and Anglo art.
The inn’s 58 guest rooms reflect a modern, sophisticated aesthetic while still celebrating the hotel’s Southwestern spirit and adobe architecture, featuring a restful palette of natural earth tones with colorful accents. Every room includes a gas-lit kiva fireplace and a traditional wooden ceiling with the hand-laid pine logs and wooden latticework that are as native to this landscape as the adobe walls themselves.
The Anasazi Restaurant offers traditional Southwestern cuisine with regional Latin influences. The wine cellar doubles as a private dining space, and the patio offers al fresco dining within earshot of the Plaza’s energy. The 58-room property is intimate, which means a level of personal attention that larger hotels simply cannot replicate.
Best for: Travelers who want to feel fully immersed in the cultural and artistic heritage of the Southwest, without sacrificing elegance. Those who appreciate understated luxury, beautiful craft, and a dining experience that matches the quality of the rooms.
A Note on In-Town Versus Out-of-Town
Santa Fe’s downtown properties — La Fonda, the Inn of the Five Graces, the Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi, and the Inn and Spa at Loretto — all put you within easy walking distance of the Plaza, Canyon Road, and the city’s galleries, restaurants, and museums. A car is largely unnecessary as the city is walkable, and excursions can easily be arranged with the hotel concierge.
The two out-of-town properties, Four Seasons Rancho Encantado and Bishop’s Lodge, are a short drive from downtown. Both offer shuttle service into the city, and both reward the trade-off in space, nature, and solitude. If the goal is a retreat — a place to breathe deeply and feel truly away — either of those properties delivers something the in-town options simply cannot.
If any of these properties have piqued your interest, I’d love to help you figure out which one, or which combination, fits you best. Every client I work with gets a recommendation built around their specific travel style, not a one-size-fits-all approach. You can start by submitting a trip inquiry, and we’ll take it from there. If you’d like destination inspiration and travel ideas delivered straight to your inbox, my weekly newsletter is a great place to begin.
