Post ranch inn
By this point in history, COVID-19 had just started to creep into our lives. It was still a time that the severity of the situation had escaped my optimistic mind - I still thought I would be back in school to finish my fifth year in the next week or so. Little did I know! I had to cancel my trip to Colombia and ended up moving in with my mom back in Laguna Beach. My sister did the same, but got antsy and decided to go on a solo trip around California’s state parks. One morning, while I sat on my couch watching Cowherd, I heard my sister tell my mom on the phone that she was going to spend her last to nights at, in her words, “some place called the Post Ranch Inn”. Being a travel fanatic, I immediately jumped out of my seat, talked to my sister, and long story short, met her at the hotel 7 hours later.
Post Ranch Inn is consistently ranked as one of the best hotels in the US, so I just had to go up and check it out. Perched on top of a cliff overlooking the majestic Pacific Ocean, and designed harmoniously with the lush greenery of the site, this hotel is an architect and traveler’s dream. Here are my thoughts on this iconic hotel.
Location: A-
Look, you come to this hotel for an escape. You’re not coming for nightlife, you’re not coming to go to museums or touring the old town. This place is made to connect guests to nature, and it does so brilliantly. This portion of the California coast is stunning, and the Post knows it. Buildings cantilever over cliffs and are complete with massive, flor-to-ceiling windows, luring guests towards the view (keep your eyes open for whale spouts and dolphins). Breath in the natural air, enjoy the immaculate views over the ocean, watch some shooting stars fly across the night sky, and enjoy peace and quiet. With all that said, it is pretty far from any sort of city, so keep that in mind.
Rooms: A
These rooms are basically houses, inside wonderfully unique architecture. You’ll find everything you need and more in your room (like, I’m talking freshly baked cookies and milk instead of just your standard mini-bar snacks). The design is anything but cookie-cutter, with each piece of furniture hand crafted for the specific room. A fireplace adds to the natural, cozy vibe of the hotel, as does the beautiful bath overlooking the rolling hills behind the property. Walk outside, and you’ll find some lounge chairs beside your very own hot tub with sweeping views. I could go on and on but seriously, these rooms are fucking awesome. Probably a top 5 hotel room I’ve ever stayed in.
In room jacuzzi with some slightly above average views
Dining: A
We stayed as the pandemic crept into our lives, so it was quite empty at the restaurants. In fact, our second night there, we had no choice but to have room service as per government orders. So naturally, we decided to get an entire fish delivered to our room, and it was very solid. Breakfast was also spectacular. Honestly, hard to complain about anything here. Everything here is fresh and locally sourced too, which adds to the sort of cozy feel in a way.
Can you tell I was very excited about this set up?
Service: A
Like I said, pandemic made this place quite empty, so we had an extra layer of personal service on top of the already wildly personal service provided by the Post. We made friends with the staff and had a great time with them. They all were very knowledgeable about the area as well, giving us tips about what hikes to do, how we should schedule them all, and helping facilitate it as well (providing water bottles, directions, walking sticks, etc.)
Amenities: B+
One of the two stunning (albeit somewhat small and not hot enough) pools on the property.
The hotel is actually quite large. I went for a run around the property, through the forest, out into the fields (past some deer) and to the gym, where I had a nice 30 minute workout. The gym itself was surprisingly on the smaller side, but maybe it doesn’t matter because not very many people are working out when you could be hiking instead. There are several pools around the property to choose from. the larger pool is tucked away in the back of the property, and two smaller ones have awesome views over the ocean. I almost wish there were more jacuzzis/pools, or at least larger ones - maybe that’s the point, they don’t want to intervene too much in the natural landscape. There are a bunch of lounge areas and fire pits and whatnot as well. You really don’t need to leave the hotel once you check in (and honestly, I wouldn’t).
Look, this hotel isn’t cheap. I’m well aware. But my god, its one of those places that really should be on every traveler’s bucket list, even if it is just for one night. This place is beyond beautiful, no words I write on this blog can properly describe how jaw-dropping every direction I looked was. Couple that with superb, unique architecture, fresh and local food, and fantastic service, it really is worth the $$$.