Words by Johanna Harlow
It’s the kind of landscape that inspires poetry. Driving along the Big Sur coastline, I can’t help but start spinning metaphors. These soaring cliffs are giant green waves plunging into the sea. No, they’re the fingers of some emerald-hued giant, stretching out to the water. This mountainside, now cloaked in sunshine, would look equally splendid shrouded in a shawl of fog.
I’m on my way to Post Ranch Inn, a luxury retreat where those stunning natural views spread across its 98-acre property. It’s no surprise that all 40 of its luxury cabins and treehouses—whether built into the bluffs or roosted among the redwoods—are exuberant with windows. The same goes for the onsite restaurant Sierra Mar, which toes the edge of those jaw-dropping cliffs.
Lofty not only in elevation (1,200 feet above the Pacific, if you were wondering), but also in reputation, Post Ranch Inn earned three-key status from the Michelin Guide. With a plenitude of activities on the grounds and several on-property trails, the inn also boasts lavish accommodations and Architectural Digest-worthy building design, meaning you’ll be surrounded by beauty even when indoors.
Settling Inn
Needless to say, Post Ranch Inn’s contemporary cabins aren’t your typical Lincoln Log structures. Frank Lloyd Wright-esque in design, these organic architectural wonders of wood, metal and glass with their intriguing lack of 90-degree angles were built by Mickey Muennig, with later additions by Vladimir Frank. “Treehouse” rooms on stilts seem to tiptoe through the forest, while other lodgings cling to the cliffs. A row of hobbit-like houses burrow into the hillside, their roofs sprouting with native grasses and wildflowers.
My room, an ocean-facing suite, is flush with rich wood paneling and funky, colorful artwork and statues. Alarm clocks and televisions are intentionally absent, leaving nature center stage. Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors lead to a deck with chaise longues and a stainless-steel hot tub with a spillover water feature. I note the towels folded neatly beside it, the staff anticipating my needs before I do. The soundproof windows and the tub’s rushing water completely mask any sounds from the neighboring cabins and the strategically angled windows almost completely block them from sight, creating a welcome sense of seclusion.
The wood furniture is cut and assembled on-site by descendants of the Post family. Who are the Posts you ask? It all goes back to 1848, when 18-year-old William Brainard (W.B.) Post sailed from Connecticut to the untamed expanses of California. After marrying an Ohlone woman named Anselma, the couple and their children homesteaded this parcel of land in 1860. The family raised cattle and hogs, cultivated an orchard, and William, living up to his last name, opened the area’s first post office. One of the Post’s ranch hands, a young man by the name of John Steinbeck, mended fences and herded cattle here to earn some cash before starting his studies at Stanford University. In the 1980s, the Post family pivoted from ranching to hospitality. They named the cabins after Big Sur homesteaders. The inn’s logo remains the ranch’s old cattle brand.
As I settle into my room, I scout out the room’s ample amenities. In the closet: robes and slippers for the laid-back guests as well as binoculars and carved walking staffs for the more adventure-seeking visitors. In the complimentary mini-bar: seven kinds of drinks, locally made salami and fresh cheese. In the bathroom: poison oak wipes and sunblock. Epsom salts by the tub. A floating flower on the coffee table. Cookies and cabernet. No detail is left unconsidered.
Out on the Grounds
The tantalizing views out the windows require closer investigation, so I set off to track down the many sculptures tucked among the trees and shrubs. Afterward, I hike one of Post Ranch’s private trails, savoring the dry crunch of pine needles under my shoes. I take a dip in one of the infinity pools (open 24 hours), and plan to come back when the light-pollution-free night sky brings out the blazing stars.
The resort’s outdoorsy opportunities extend to a full roster of activities. Whether it’s an early morning yoga session at the yurt with Jade, a garden tour of the season’s herbs, edible flowers and fruits with head gardener Chris or an art walk of the property’s sculptures with Mike, the onsite gallerist, there’s something for everyone.
I’m most looking forward to a session with falconer Antonio Balestreri and six of his feathered friends. Since it’s on the far side of the property, I catch a ride with the ranch’s task force director Phil Hildreth. Due to the property’s windy, narrow roads, the staff and a fleet of Lexus vehicles assist guests in navigating the grounds. You’re also welcome to borrow the keys yourself for adventures along the picturesque Highway 1 or famed Pfieffer Beach.
When I ask what to expect from my time with Antonio, Phil chuckles. “Sometimes I think he has wings tucked underneath his jacket.” Soon I understand why. Standing under a willow, the falconer spouts a torrent of raptor facts and introduces us to owls, hawks and a peregrine falcon. He invites us to press our foreheads to the chest of a great horned owl who seems to welcome the interaction—though Antonio assures us it’s not because it wants a cuddle, but because it more or less views us as treelike sources of shelter. We then pull on gauntlets for a “hawk walk” with Diego, a Harris’s hawk who uses us as landing pads whenever Antonio tempts him over with bits of meat.
As the day draws to a close, I arrive for my dinner reservation at Sierra Mar. My Fogline Farm chicken breast in red wine jus and asparagus with fermented gai choy and trout roe are served at a table beside floor-to-ceiling window panels. It’s a front-row seat for watching the sun as it sinks into the sea. When a bobcat slinks along the ridge no more than a dozen yards away, I want to applaud. Mother Nature and Post Ranch Inn have put on quite the show.
nature nurture – postranchinn.com
