Discover a breathtaking spa, gorgeous grounds and activities ranging from hypnotherapy to hilltop yoga at the resplendent Carmel Valley Ranch.
Guests of all ages are invited to interact with the ranch’s resident animals
THE DESTINATION
Located on the sunny side of the Monterey Peninsula in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains, Carmel Valley Ranch was built in 1986 and underwent a complete refresh in 2019. This year brings even more renovations, including the revitalization of the Valley Kitchen restaurant, the Valley View Room and the meeting-focused Think Tank—plus the relaunch of the family friendly River Ranch featuring a new outdoor pool bar and a children’s wading pool and splash area surrounded by olive trees and fire pits. With 139 suites, ranging from studios to four-bedroom accommodations, guests will find sweeping views of the lush grounds blooming with lilacs and Spanish moss-covered oak trees.
Select suites offer outdoor soaking tubs.
THE ACTIVITIES
Sprawled across 500 breathtaking acres adjacent to the 4,400-acre Garland Ranch Regional Park, Carmel Valley Ranch invites families, couples and solo travelers to embrace the great outdoors. Animal lovers will be delighted to discover falconry; beekeeping; visits with alpacas, goats, steers, and chickens; and picnics with Pablo and Paco, the ranch’s resident donkeys. Meanwhile, golfers can tackle the 18-hole, Pete Dye-designed course, where holes wind through blooming lavender fields, vineyards and ponds as deer, albatrosses and wild turkeys pass through.
A short hike leads to hilltop yoga
THE WELLNESS
The 15,000-square-foot Spa Aiyana lies next to the resort’s main pool, an outdoor space that overlooks the golf course and is highlighted by an oversize infinityedge spa. Twelve treatment rooms feature services that pay homage to the property’s fragrant gardens, from the Lavender Garden Swedish massage to the Bee Beautiful, a session that blends a honey and calendula body bu with a facial and honey shea butter massage.
The cabana-dotted main pool
The spa’s in-house hypnotherapist, Dr. Bee Epstein-Shepherd, o ers guided hypnosis sessions to help guests sleep better or achieve sound peace of mind. Further, find mind-body connections during hilltop yoga or a guided hike through the Santa Lucia Mountains. Carmel Valley Ranch also uniquely partners with fellow wellness enthusiasts, like Sefari founder Jobi Manson, to indulge guests in weekend retreats.
Guests can visit with the ranch’s resident alpacas.
Our Sefari activities included tranquil watercolor painting and journaling sessions, stone meditation and mindfulness on the property’s verdant grounds.
The Live Oak Suite
THE TAKEAWAY
Alfresco massages await at Spa Aiyana.
Like a breath of fresh air, Carmel Valley Ranch recharges the mind, body and spirit through a curated connection to the land and its creatures. An expert team of artisans is waiting to lead you to a heightened state of serenity, where luxury and top-notch service bolster the one-of-a-kind experience. Paradise found.
Photography by: PHOTOS COURTESY OF CARMEL VALLEY RANCH; YOGA AND ALPACA PHOTO BY STEPHANIE RUSSO PHOTOGRAPHY
