Experience One of America's "Best Cities" with Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado

For the second consecutive year, Travel + Leisure readers selected Santa Fe as the highest-ranking western US destination in the 2024 World’s Best Awards list of the 15 Best Cities in the US. Guests staying at the newly enhanced Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado can discover the best of Santa Fe, from art and adventure to wellness and cultural immersion.

"We are fortunate to have such a unique blend of cultures, landscapes and attractions right in our backyard,” says General Manager Melissa Sims. “With direct flights to Santa Fe and nearby Albuquerque, visitors can escape to a destination with cosmopolitan appeal, all with the ease of domestic travel.”

Learn more from the onsite team of experts about what makes Santa Fe – and Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado – a top travel destination:

Acclaimed Art and Culture

With more than 250 galleries, the highest concentration of any city its size, Santa Fe is a cultural mecca synonymous with artistic ventures. Many of the galleries are within a two-mile (3.2 kilometre) radius on the iconic Canyon Road, allowing art enthusiasts to explore the bevy of studios on foot.

The signature Art Concierge program at Four Seasons Resort Rancho Encantado makes it easy for guests to explore Santa Fe’s international treasures. Led by Mike McKosky, a fixture in the Santa Fe fine art scene since opening InArt Santa Fe in 2006, the Art Concierge program provides a range of services exclusively available to Resort guests. Guests can customize an itinerary based on their style, budget, desired artwork, and length of visit to ensure a seamless shopping expedition to source items for their collection. The Art Concierge also can coordinate artist meet-and-greets, plus private showings or after-hours experiences at some of the city’s top galleries.

“As a lifelong art advocate, I love sharing my passion for the incredible arts community with guests,” says McKosky. “Santa Fe is welcoming and approachable, and this program is a way to build a personal connection to the vibrant arts and culture of our city.”

Adventure Awaits

Adding to the international appeal of Santa Fe are the unique landscapes and immersive cultural excursions available to visitors. Guests of Four Seasons can access customized experiences with the onsite Adventure Center, the only one of its kind in the city. All tours are catered for each individual guest and are led by expert guides. Exclusive offerings include the Tsi’pin Ruins Tour, an eight-hour expedition with a geologist and archaeologist, venturing to ancient Indigenous dwellings. Situated atop a mesa, the dwellings are delicately and respectfully explored for a one-of-a-kind encounter at Tsi-p 'in-owinge, a Cultural Heritage Site.

Leading the program is Adventure Architect Hans Loehr, a more than 10-year veteran of the property with extensive experience guiding in the destination. When not assisting with planning and guiding curated guest and group adventures, he is likely out researching new experiences, visiting with local tourism partners, and forging bonds with local artisans who can share their stories with Four Seasons guests.

“My passion is sharing my love of the outdoors and this magical destination with guests who are looking for authentic cultural experiences,” says Loehr. “The reward of seeing our guests enjoying the breathtaking beauty of New Mexico is priceless.”

Wellness and Mind-Body Connection

Serving as the ultimate self-care escape, The Spa offers high-desert healing and reinvigorating retreats, situated on a spiritual vortex. Those seeking serenity will find The Spa unmatched in its wellness offerings and restorative treatments, many incorporating botanicals and healing rituals of northern New Mexico, in addition to global influences and techniques.

“Our Spa team is well versed not only on traditional healing and wellness techniques, but also on new therapies and holistic methods,” says Spa Director Tina Hay. “Of course, you can have a relaxing massage, but the menu expands into spiritual journeys, sage smudging and chakra balancing.”

Signature therapies include the Mountain Spirit Purification ritual, incorporating sage smudging and an adobe-clay body mask, and the Journey to Abiquiu, taking guests on an immersive experience where yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and sense of place meet.

Culinary Creativity and Appeal

Four Seasons Resort Santa Fe is home to Terra, its signature restaurant where global influences meet regional delights. As the oldest European community west of the Mississippi and settled as a province of New Spain, Santa Fe’s culinary landscape is a blend of Spanish, Native American and Mexican influences and flavours – all reflected in Terra’s unique menus.

At the helm of the culinary operation is Executive Chef Andrew Fox, a seasoned hospitality professional with more than two decades of experience at luxurious resorts and hotels, upscale restaurants and cruise ships across the United States. In Santa Fe, Fox forges relationships with local vendors to bring new ingredients to Terra’s menu, introducing guests to the vibrant diversity of flavours in the destination.

“The complexity of the cuisine in Santa Fe reflects the many cultural influences and unique history of the destination,” he says. “We try to bring that blending of cultures to the plate for our visitors.”

Discover Santa Fe

Experience the magic of the Land of Enchantment firsthand with the Discover Santa Fe package. Guests can select their choice of two complimentary experiences per room, per stay, including: use of Resort mountain bikes; two-hour private family hike; in-casita s’mores night; Spa welcome basket; 60-minute private yoga session; cabana by the pool for a day; or a customized gourmet picnic (for up to four guests).