We might think there is just one reason the esteemed Post Ranch Inn is widely recognized as one of the most exclusive sustainable luxury resorts in the country. But in fact, there are many.
It’s not just how the architecture blends into the surrounding nature, or the decks with sweeping views where guests can lose themselves in the endless search for a whale spout during the day, or star gaze during the night. Nor is it just the award-winning cuisine, paired with one of the most coveted wine lists in California, or even the deeply restorative and unique daily wellness experiences. These are all part of the collective experience.
What is nearly impossible to find anywhere else is the deep connection to nature and this storied coastline that resort enjoys. Where else can you literally air kiss a Harris’s hawk named Diego as it lands on your gloved forearm, prior to entering the bliss zone from a deeply restorative cranial sacral spa treatment surrounded by swaying redwoods?
Okay, there’s one more reason Post Ranch Inn is special: The people. Founder Michael Freed has assembled the on-site hospitality dream team to ensure guests are taken care of from the moment they arrive. Many live on property and have for generations. They are deeply passionate about the land, and it shows.
This unique combination of sustainability and luxury did not happen by luck or accident, instead, it originates from the vision of Freed, who’s also a California native and managing partner of Passport Resorts, and has honed the adage of better living through inspired design.
Post Ranch Inn started with a dream. Back in 1980, Freed, with the blessing and partnership of Billy Post (descendant of the original ranch owners) and the creative genius of renowned architect Mickey Muennig, is credited with creating the model for sustainable luxury resorts, well before it was a search term. While some of the Inn’s sustainable efforts are noticeable, such as the green roofs, cool benches made from fallen trees, reused old-growth redwood panel walls and tree houses (built on stilts to project root systems of the ancient redwoods and oaks), most guests won’t notice one of the large solar power arrays in California on the property, the first commercial greywater system created in Monterey County and the fact that 90% of the resort is preserved as open space.
Unlike so many resorts these days that are successful, then acquired, renamed and rebranded, the resort has remained true to its origins and its soul remains alive and well.
If You Go
Known For
Direct connection to nature for romantic escapes. Decades before forest bathing became a thing, guests roamed the quiet redwood groves, observed the rhythms of nature and dined on award-winning organic cuisine, sourced from the property and local purveyors. Nestled on a cliffside 1,200 feet above the churning Pacific Ocean, each room is designed for privacy allowing couples to wake up to fog drifting through ancient redwoods and fall asleep to the sound of crashing waves and a bit of stargazing.
Highlights
Meals. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all chances to experience Sierra Mar perched on the cliffs of the Pacific and an award-winning restaurant (and Wine Spectator Grand Award-winning wine list) with extensive views of the coastline. Michelin-star chef and culinary director Reylon Agustin/Post Ranch Inn is helping to develop nonprofit, Regenerative California, a new 68-acre farm and garden in nearby Salinas that will supply Sierra Mar and other local restaurants with produce grown in a responsibly organic and regenerative manner.
The Magic
The design of the architecture — uses natural materials, flowing lines and open space — embracing the principles of biophilic design (shown to reduce stress and enhance well-being). Spa therapists draw on time-tested techniques like aromatherapy, sound healing and energy work, while cutting-edge options such as craniosacral therapy offer deeper physical release. Classes, such as yoga, tai chi and falconry, keep guests connected to nature, which is part of the property’s secret sauce.
Details
Post Ranch Inn offers a combination of 40 rooms, suites and private houses, each uniquely designed to reflect the natural beauty surrounding them — think floor-to-ceiling windows, outdoor soaking tubs, and earth-sheltered dwellings. Nightly rates start at $1,925 and can top $5,000 for the private houses. Rates include a gourmet breakfast, a fully stocked minibar, yoga and wellness classes, and access to the property’s luxury amenities including high-end Lexus vehicles for touring. The inn does not charge resort fees and is intentionally tech-free: no televisions or alarm clocks, just organic linens, wood-burning fireplaces and views that redefine relaxation. With its all-uniqueness and high-touch service, Post Ranch Inn is a splurge — but one many say is worth every cent.
47900 CA-1, Big Sur, 831.667.2200
