Rancho Nambe
243 Camino de Rincon, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87506, USAWhy We Like It
It's rare to find an accommodation in Santa Fe that both captures the region's rich Spanish Colonial heritage and offers reasonable rates. Rancho Nambe occupies a magnificent old-world hacienda in a beautiful rural setting, far from the crowds yet within a 30-minute drive of both Santa Fe's key attractions and the magical High Road to Taos.
Fodor's Expert Review
This enchanting B&B has a Santa Fe address, but it's located 30 minutes' drive north of the Plaza in the lush, tree-shaded Nambe Valley, making it an excellent base for exploring the High Road to Taos, Los Alamos, Bandelier National Monument, and other noteworthy attractions north of the City Different. Occupying an early 18th-century hacienda surrounded by 24 quiet wooded acres and with a pool and a tennis court, Rancho Nambe is really a miniature resort, and a wonderfully relaxing hideaway.
You Should Know You won't find many restaurants or other amenities out in this part of Santa Fe County, so give yourself time to get places.
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Room
Each of the four spacious rooms in this rambling Spanish Colonial adobe hacienda are set along a broad portal (covered porch) with comfy seating and a kiva fireplace, and each has its own private entrance. In each you'll find a working kiva fireplace, wood-beam ceilings, and comfortable beds with soft linens. The Pojoaque Room has twin beds and is well-suited to friends traveling together or kids (it's often rented together with the adjoining Tesuque Room, as they share a bath), and the 1,200-square-foot casita has two bedrooms and is a terrific option for families or those planning a longer stay.
Bathroom
Bathrooms are simple and a bit old-fashioned, and the Pojoaque and Tesuque rooms share one quite small bathroom (but are often rented together).
Lobby
There's no lobby per se, but there is a very attractive common guest room as well as a dining room where breakfast is served each morning. The common spaces are decorated with Spanish Colonial artwork and antiques.
Pool
Nestled below ancient cottonwood trees, the curvaceous pool is a lovely spot for swimming, lounging, and relaxing. It's not uncommon that guests have the pool all to themselves.
Dining
There's no restaurant, but rates include an exceptional full-cooked breakfast that might feature tomato French toast or a seasonal-vegetable fritatta, plus excellent coffee.
Drinking
Although you won't find a bar, the rooms are equipped with corkscrews and wine glasses, and the inn is just a 10-minute drive from Kokoman Fine Wines & Liquor, which is regionally renowned for its impressive wine selection.
What's Nearby
Getting Around
Rancho Nambe enjoys a quiet but rather remote setting that's not accessible by public transportation, so a car is needed to make the most of a visit here. You could potentially get around the area using Uber, but the inn's distance from key attractions make this an expensive option.
Restaurants
You'll discover some of the region's best northern New Mexican fare in the nearby town of Española at historic El Paragua (18-minute drive), which doles out hearty portions of carne asada and chile rellenos. In a rambling adobe building in the charming little village of Tesuque, El Nido (20-minute drive) serves wood-fired pizzas and grills and hand-made pastas, and it boasts one of the better wine lists in the area.