California Confidential
With Spanish-colonial style architecture and a relaxed, So-Cal vibe, discover the many delights of Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
When you escape to the picturesque Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in Santa Fe, you are treated to a timeless Mediterranean ambience and a refreshing residential experience. Amid the inviting courtyards and bubbling fountains, the hotel’s 49 authentic, hacienda-style suites – which are lovingly called casitas – are the embodiment of sophistication, pampering you with an artful mix of comfort, luxury and privacy. Each spacious hotel suite boasts rustic custom furnishings, romantic lighting and a private garden patio overlooking the olive groves and surrounding canyons of Rancho Santa Fe, California.
The award-winning Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa – Southern California’s only Relais & Châteaux property – has garnered a reputation as one of the West’s most sought-after five-star resorts. A sanctuary of good living tucked away on 18 hectares of lush gardens, olive groves and citrus trees, Rancho Valencia boasts spacious, luxuriously appointed guest casitas, sumptuous outdoor dining and unique indoor/outdoor meeting spaces, as well as the Forbes-rated five-star spa featuring a new fitness centre and locker rooms, hydrotherapy area, relaxation lounges, retail area and a beautiful new salon offering hair, nail and makeup services. The spa is detailed with signature hand-painted Mexican tile among lush landscaping, in keeping with the rich heritage of Rancho Valencia.
The signature restaurant, The Pony Room, offers cuisine that is intentionally crafted using seasonal produce sourced directly from California’s family farms, fishermen and ranchers. It all adds up to an exceptional dining experience that is far from the ordinary, and simply perfect.
The talented culinary team, led by executive chef Alex Bloom, works personally with some of the country’s most notable farms to source the elements for Rancho Valencia’s cuisine, ensuring only the best ingredients and freshest flavours possible. The Pony Room brings together stunning valley views in a captivating, candlelit modern hacienda setting, serving up imaginative craft cocktails and tequila alongside fresh Coastal Ranch cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Rancho Valencia is proud to partner with Relais & Chateaux, an association of some of the world’s finest independent innkeepers, chefs and owners who share a passion for their businesses and a desire for authenticity in their relationships with their clientele, setting the standard for excellence in hospitality. Relais & Châteaux has redefined luxury hospitality by emphasising holistic experiences that transport its guests, taking them on a sensual journey and introducing them to a deeper, truer understanding of the art of living.