Santa Fe Luxury Hotels & Destination
Santa Fe, NM
History lives in Santa Fe. In many towns, history is relegated to museums, however in Santa Fe, history is in the casually draped textiles on hand-carved furniture, or the massive oak of front doors. Santa Fe boutique hotels are luxurious, eco-conscious and always elegant. The seamless interweaving of history, culture and modern elegance are hallmarks of Santa Fe’s boutique hotels, attracting luxury hotel guests in every season.
Santa Fe Outdoors
When you venture out into Santa Fe, sky rolls out above you like carpet, and white fluffy clouds populate the scenery like carefully chosen accessories. The ecological beauty of Santa Fe looks as if each tree, bush and rock were designated placement by a master planner. Standing at 7,000 feet, Santa Fe is the perfect climate: cool, but not cold; warm, but not hot. Scads of tourists flock to the surrounding high desert in Santa Fe, hiking boots laced up and water bottles in hand. You can avoid the crowds by hiring a private guide to take you to the popular outdoor spots, including Bandelier National Monument and Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument. If you set off on your own, then plan on an early morning visit. This is the best time to see the Santa Fe outdoors, anyway, when the rising sun dyes the desert pink and gold, and when the cool morning air enters your lungs in quick oxygen shots. Winter time in Santa Fe brings snow to the desert landscape, and skiers come in droves. Santa Fe Ski Basin doesn’t have the terrain variance of other, larger ski resorts, but the relative quiet vistas can, at moments, give you the lovely feeling of being the only one on the mountain. Sipapu Ski Resort caters more to families, and has a friendly, carnival like atmosphere. Sipapu has the added benefit of being just a few miles outside of Santa Fe. Romantic types might consider chartering a hot air balloon, which is a charming way of seeing the Santa Fe outdoors. Santa Fe is one of the world’s most popular hot air ballooning spots. Make sure to take a picture of the brightly colored balloons against the perfectly blue Santa Fe sky; the sight, no matter how familiar, is always impressive.
Santa Fe Heritage
The Pueblo Indians made a mark on the current Santa Fe culture in a way that completely outdoes every other American city. Modern Santa Fe textiles, buildings and art are all influenced by the artistic Pueblo nature. The Pueblo built solid, apartment-type structures whose form is dominant in American Indian history. Pueblo ruins are immaculately preserved at Bandelier National Monument and other historic sites throughout and around Santa Fe; but the architectural style of these ancient buildings has been replicated throughout the city. The Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and Laboratory of Anthropology show this interweaving of past and present. Located on the famous Museum Hill complex, this museum is the most complete collection of Pueblo artifacts and history in Santa Fe. The New Mexico History Museum and Palace of the Governors is another stop on your Santa Fe heritage exploration; these historic buildings have the added benefit of being located on the Plaza, which is in the center of Santa Fe and is the heartbeat of the Santa Fe social scene. Bold, bright textiles are what the Pueblos are famous for, of course. Street vendors on the Plaza sell everything from tablecloths to necklaces on homemade stands. Most of these goods are authentic, original and well-priced. The Spanish side of Santa Fe heritage is best discovered at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, whose opulence and devotion on the part of the Santa Fe locals might bring Notre Dame or St. Paul’s to mind.
Santa Fe Arts
There isn’t enough that can be said about the Santa Fe art scene; the arts in Santa Fe are as common and vital as air. The art ranges from the funky to the elite, but everything in the Santa Fe art world is distinctively Santa Fe. Something about Santa Fe, whether it is the desert beauty, the high importance placed on heritage or the general erudition of the locals lends itself to an intensely artistic culture. The Museum of International Folk Art is regarded as the foremost folk art museum in the world; both local and international folk art is displayed in revolving and permanent exhibitions. The highlight of the Santa Fe art year is the Santa Fe Indian Market, which brings in art buyers and tourists from all over the world. After the Pueblos, the most famous artistic to come out of Santa Fe is Georgia O’Keeffe. This illustrious portion of the Santa Fe art scene is well celebrated in Santa Fe; The Georgia O’Keeffe museum has dozens of original O’Keeffe works as well as exhibitions on her life. The Georgia O’Keeffe Home and Studio is available for tours as well, and has been precisely preserved, down to chair and table placement. Tours are popular and often sold out, so ask your hotel concierge to book you well in advance. Ghost Ranch, O’Keeffe’s second home, is also available for tours. The surrounding scenery of Ghost Ranch is the same scenery that shows up in her paintings; this hands-on recognition of relationship is staggering. Serious art buyers should designate some time at the Gerald Peters Gallery, which is considered the highest-end art gallery in Santa Fe. If nothing else, consider this gallery a museum: Winslow Homer, Jackson Pollock and Ansel Adams are the norm.
Santa Fe Luxury
Spas, golf courses, art galleries and elegant restaurants abound in Santa Fe. The city of Santa Fe runs a little like a boutique hotel; elegance and sophistication is the rule, not the exception. In fact, if Santa Fe is lacking anything, it might be a certain sense of bawdiness and unpredictability. But Santa Fe is never stiff, never formal. Santa Fe is lovely, elegant and refined, perfect for a luxury vacation.
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new mexico
