Step into a fairy tale at San Ysidro Ranch

San Ysidro Ranch sits on 500 Californian acres between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean, and with its gorgeous gardens, quaint cottages and impeccable service, it’s clear why people have been staying here since 1893.

Over the years, the property has welcomed future presidents (John F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy honeymooned at the ranch in 1953) and prime ministers (Winston Churchill stayed here multiple times, fleeing harsh UK winters), along with those who just want an escape from the every day.

The charm is evident as soon as you turn down the lavender-lined driveway. Guests are greeted by gnarled oaks, blooming arches and bright bougainvillea. Around the bend, the property’s centrepiece comes into view: a rose garden, where pink, red, yellow, white and orange flowers mingle and the mountains provide a dramatic backdrop. A stone path winds its way through, allowing visitors to become part of the scene. It looks, and feels, straight out of a storybook.

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Why stay here?

Each one of the property’s 38 cottages has its own name and distinct personality. Most are named after flowers or plants – I was in Hibiscus – but the Kennedy and Churchill accommodations honour their famous past visitors.

Bungalows are decorated with antiques and art picked up from around the world, plus special touches like bespoke fabric wallpaper and stone fireplaces. The bathrooms have soaking tubs, radiant heated floors and luxe amenities like Dyson hairdryers, and all accommodations include private furnished terraces or patios, with an in-ground hot tub and outdoor rainfall shower.

The attention to detail is apparent everywhere. While walking up to the cottage, I saw my last name spelled out on a wooden sign at the front door, and on a desk inside personalised stationery declared that I was “In Residence at Hibiscus Cottage”. At night, slippers were placed on the floor beside my bed and chocolates and bottled water on the side table. Thought was even put into the design of the bathroom off the backyard, which has a glass door leading directly from outside into the shower so you don’t drip water when coming in from the hot tub.

Privacy is paramount at San Ysidro Ranch, and it’s easy to slip in and out of your bungalow without being seen (each one has an adjacent parking spot). There are also high fences around the outdoor spaces, so guests can feel completely comfortable using the hot tub and outdoor showers during the day or at night, under the stars.

Eating and drinking

Dining is included in your nightly rate (excluding alcohol), and options include eating all three meals at the Stonehouse Restaurant, having a bite and drinks while listening to live music at the swinging Speakeasy or ordering room service to enjoy in your cottage. I chose to have breakfast in the room, and it was a breeze calling in my order. Starting the day off with fresh juice, hot coffee, flaky pastries and eggs and bacon was definitely the right choice.

Lunch and dinner at the Stonehouse were just as good. Once a citrus packing house, it’s now a lovely restaurant with a terrace that looks out over the Pacific, covered in twinkling lights. Ingredients for the food and drinks are grown in the chef’s organic garden, and you can taste the freshness in each bite. Lunch was a more laid-back affair, and the Korean beef tacos with bulgogi and handmade tortillas were a flavourful way to start the meal. Several salads caught my eye but I went with the poke bowl, a mix of Hawaiian big eye tuna, brown sticky rice, avocado, daikon sprouts and sunomono, a Japanese cucumber salad. To end things on a sweet note, I enjoyed the deliciously tangy Meyer lemon tart.

Dinner took things to another level. I kicked things off with a blood orange margarita that was smoked at the table. This preparation wasn’t just for show; the smoke and wood really did deepen the flavour. For my entree, I wanted the fun to continue, and chose steak diane, an old school classic our attentive server flambéed tableside. The tender steak was a perfect medium rare, and the brandied mushroom sauce enhanced its flavour even more. As delicious as this meal was, the miso-glazed black cod I had for dinner the next night blew everything else out of the water. Sweet, savoury and slightly caramelised, this was the best fish I’ve ever eaten, and I wished I could stay one more night and have it again.

Things to do

You can do as much – or as little – as you like here. Feel like staying in your bungalow the entire time, reading in front of the fire and soaking in the hot tub? Go for it. If you prefer being outside, you can start your day off with a hike along one of the property’s trails, then hit the pool, play mini-golf and rent a bike for a ride around town.

I chose the rest and rejuvenation route, which led me to the spa. Inside this ivy-covered cottage is a salon and rooms for facials, massages and body treatments. It’s a calming space, with hand-painted birds on the walls and a roaring fire in the lobby. My massage therapist was warm and welcoming, and did an incredible job getting the kinks out of my back. The 90-minute Swedish massage went by in a flash, and I went back to my room to get ready for the next part of my itinerary: wine tasting.

San Ysidro Ranch boasts an extraordinary wine collection, with 15,500 bottles from more than 70 global wine regions. Walking through the cellar with one of the property’s sommeliers was a treat, and I enjoyed being able to see up close the extensive Chateau d’Yquem section, including a rare bottle from 1811. You can have a private wine dinner down here, but for my tasting I sat on a patio with a view of the mountains and rose garden. The sommelier selected five Californian wines to try, explaining each one as I sipped. It was a delightful – and educational – way to start the evening.

The verdict

San Ysidro Ranch strikes a perfect balance. It feels lavish yet refined, and both historical and of the moment. The service is outstanding (I especially appreciated the golf cart rides to and from dinner). This focus on ensuring each guest has the best possible experience is enough to make the property exceptional. Combine that with the lovely accommodations, decadent dining and peaceful surroundings, and San Ysidro Ranch is truly in a class of its own.

Catherine Garcia was a guest of San Ysidro Ranch, sanysidroranch.com