Story and photography by Susan McKee
 

The Inn of the Five Graces
150 E. DeVargas Street
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
Tel: 505.992.0957
Toll Free: 866.992.0957
Fax: 505.955.0549
http://fivegraces.com/

Pine logs crackled in the fireplace as I listened to the rain pelting the roof. I was in Santa Fe, NM, where the sun shines 300 days of the year, and there were thunderstorms in the forecast for the entire weekend. However, I was snug and cozy in my room at the Inn of the Five Graces, just a couple of blocks south of the plaza.

My room, named “Aria”, had a traditional Santa Fe-style fireplace in one corner, complete with a ready supply of wood. Who needs to watch something inane on the admittedly gorgeous flat-screen television when the flickering flames supply so much entertainment? Besides, there were blue corn tortilla chips and fresh salsa (my welcome refreshment!), plus a mini-fridge full of drinks and snacks – all included in the room price, along with a full breakfast.

Nope, this wasn’t the typical one-size-fits-all breakfast, but an order-from-the-menu breakfast. I enjoyed Huevos Rancheros with green sauce (although I could have had red sauce or both – called the “Christmas option”). My husband had French toast with real maple syrup and, he said, darned tasty strawberry butter.

Inn of the Five Graces, a Relais & Chateaux property, is a collection of historic adobe buildings right on the historic Santa Fe Trail. Each room is different – ours had framed pages from a Persian manuscript featuring songbirds on the wall. Pieces of ancient woodwork were reconfigured to make shelves and other architectural details. Elaborately patterned broken pottery was fashioned into flowery mosaics on walls surrounding both the whirlpool tub and separate shower.

The Pink Adobe, a Santa Fe landmark restaurant, is part of the complex. Our dinner there was Santa Fe chic. I started with the signature salad, a mix of fresh spring greens enlivened with chopped onions, slivered red pepper, and black olives while my husband enjoyed his traditional French onion soup. For a main course, I had lobster, crab and shrimp blue corn enchiladas garnished with black beans, Spanish rice and the best guacamole I’ve had in a longtime. His pork chops came with baby pumpkin squash – a Santa Fe special.

Turn down service each night at the Inn of the Five Graces included a special treat (we had oatmeal cookies one night, chocolate-chocolate chip the next).

Definitely, we’ll be back to experience more Santa Fe hospitality.

 

 

 

© June 2009 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.

 

Issue:
January
2012