San Ysidro Ranch, A Rosewood Resort: Checking in to a Santa Barbara Classic

Even though San Ysidro Ranch is in my own backyard, I haven't stayed there since its total refurbishment, unveiled in 2007. My wife and I dined from time to time at The Stonehouse (always exceptional, by the way), but for some reason, we'd never fully experienced the property by spending the night.


All of that changed on June 1-my wife's birthday. Before arriving at San Ysidro Ranch, I thought I knew what to expect. I was wrong! From the moment we opened the gate outside of our cottage, I felt relaxed. I climbed the stairs and stepped onto the patio, where I could already envision reading the newspaper and sipping my coffee in the sun the next morning. Once inside our cottage, I felt very far from home. I certainly didn't feel like our kids were just three miles away, playing in the backyard.

Our cottage was beautifully decorated, and we were told it was rebuilt from the ground up to match the exact specs of the original structure. The bathroom was huge and had a full bath and separate shower. A door connected the bathroom to the patio outside, where we discovered our own private hot tub adjacent to our outdoor shower. The patio was completely private, surrounded by lush landscaping and fencing that must have been eight feet high.


After checking out our room, we headed up to the pool for a while, and then decided to hike up the mountains just behind the property. A great many trails skirt the property. Each one provides stellar views of Santa Barbara that few people ever get to see. We hiked for about an hour before heading back to our room. There we took full advantage of our outdoor Jacuzzi, sipping champagne and enjoying the rare opportunity to just relax and take in the view. Our dinner that night at The Stonehouse was spectacular, as always, and the next morning we woke up to sunny skies. (And yes, I took advantage of reading the paper and sipping my coffee on the patio as planned.)

San Ysidro Ranch exceeded my every expectation, and I would highly recommend it to any group looking for a relaxing, but luxurious property. It's an ideal for board meetings or other small groups. And as an incentive retreat, you'll hit a homerun with your attendees-guaranteed!