Inn of the Five Graces - Santa Fe, NM

I booked my flight from San Diego, connecting into PHX to land in Santa Fe. All via American Airlines, and yes, the plane into Santa Fe was a small one as Santa Fe is a regional airport. ABQ is only 45 minutes to an hour away, which is very important to note. Upon arrival into Santa Fe, I was greeted by the lovely Maria at the Inn of the Five Graces — almost immediately I noticed the elevation, which is about 7000 feet above sea level.

It was about a 20 minute ride from the airport into the lovely Inn. The check-in process was seamless, and the lobby area felt like a home away from home. My unit was called "Moonstone" and from the moment I stepped into my room, I never wanted to leave. There's not many words that can encompass this property, and I knew that this trip was going to be something special. Not only because of the destination, but because I found myself in one of the most beautiful hotel rooms I've ever been in. The fire was on while I unpacked my bags and got ready for dinner.

Before leaving for New Mexico, I called my grandpa, who grew up not too far away. He told me all the "most-dos" as well as shared his favorite restaurants, the Pink Adobe and the Dragon Room. Low and behold, those were the two restaurants on-site at the Inn of the Five Graces and some of the most beloved spots in town.

I put on my jacket and headed over to the Dragon Room to meet my new friends for the weekend. Everyone was lovely and we had the chance to meet with Joanna from the City of Santa Fe, who shared so many fun facts and great history to start our trip.

The next morning, I woke up pretty early. Typically, I would be upset — as it's Saturday! But that also just meant more time in my amazing room.

ALL rooms at the hotel have breakfast included, whether that's room service or at the restaurant. I took this opportunity to start a fire and order room service. I went simple with the American Breakfast with Bacon, coffee and OJ.

I met up with the group in the lobby for our Site Inspection. we saw their suites, their spa, their fitness area, everything was so perfectly curated and fit the space beautifully. Their 25-room property is so special that each unit takes about 9–12 months to create.

After the tour, we headed across the street to the Oldest Church in America to meet up with our Santa Fe Walking Tour Guide. She was lovely and had so many great stories to share. Not only did we visit the Oldest Church, but we also visited the Oldest House. (*People still have opinions about if these places really are the oldest, but for this post, we're not getting into that!)

After the tour, we went over to the Compound for lunch, which was our first look at Canyon Road.

After lunch, I had a lovely facial at the Inn. I felt so relaxed, I went back to my room after and ran myself a bath. After that I went into town and did a little shopping before meeting up with the group at Heidi Loewden's studio for some wheel-throwing / ceramics! This was an absolute highlight of an evening. Heidi is so great and really made our Santa Fe experience something to remember. She even joined us for dinner at the Santacafe, which she noted as one of her favorites. We just couldn't get enough of her!

Sunday was spent in Abique. First at Ghost Ranch, which was once home to the great Georgia O'Keefe and where many of her illustrations came to life. We drove through the small town of Abique as well, stopped at the General Store and drove past Miss O'Keefes famous ladder at one of her other residences. On our way back, we stopped along the river to have lunch and drink some Gruet. Gruet is a sparkling wine special to New Mexico. It was tasty and boy does the hotel make an amazing chicken wrap!

Our driver throughout Abique was with Heritage Inspirations and was such a great addition to our day. She talked all about what it was like growing up in the Pueblos and shared many experiences she's had since. I wish we had more time because I would've let her take me anywhere! Definitely will be using them for tours in the future.

Sunday night, we went over to the Pink Adobe for dinner. We got to be testers for the "Do you trust Chef Mario" tasting, and let me just say the answer is Yes Yes Yes. We had about four different dishes, including dessert, and I wish I had had another stomach to take it all in — because it was delicious. I tasted the authenticity of Santa Fe in every bite. This was a must for any foodie visiting Santa Fe for the first time.

Did you know Santa Fe is a great winter destination, too? Their ski mountain is about 45 minutes away and is great for families, couples and groups alike. This destination is best spent outdoors and should not be overlooked — especially for girl trips or honeymooners! There's such a sense of relaxation, mixed with bubbles and margaritas that makes for such a fun and unique trip.

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Santa Fe. In need of further inspiration? Check out Nicole Bushhouse’s guide, Best Things to do in Autumn in Santa Fe.