San Ysidro Ranch, Montecito, CA

In short… A legendary old-world hideaway in the hills above Santa Barbara

The surroundings… Overlooking the Pacific Ocean with the Santa Ynez Mountains as a backdrop, this beloved property with the most beautiful gardens has been attracting the glamorous set—from Audrey Hepburn to Winston Churchill to the Kennedys on their honeymoon—since it opened in the late 19th century.

The vibe… The Ranch, as it is lovingly referred to, is discreet and not at all flashy. There is no big building that everyone congregates in—just a series of small cottages scattered throughout the 550-acre property, anchored by the Hacienda (reception house), and the Stonehouse restaurant. Even when the property is full, you rarely see anyone outside of the restaurant or spa—I had my dog Prune with me and we walked at all hours, and I never ran into anyone. It’s not a place to be seen; it’s a place to truly get away and unwind. I heard while there that the Ranch served as major inspiration for the Pellicano, and I completely felt that—in the mix of understated glamour, impeccable gardens, and a meandering property set against mountains and overlooking the sea.

The rooms… There are 38 bungalow-style cottages throughout the property, and while they may look similar from the outside, the interiors are all very different. We were lucky to stay in the Kennedy Cottage, a two-bedroom with an ocean view. After the devastating 2018 mudslide and subsequent rebuild, every cottage now has a working fireplace, hot tub, tub, and outdoor shower. It’s super cozy and very much a year-round experience. I toured a couple of other rooms and they were all very generous in size, with tasteful decor (leaning more timeless hodgepodge than decorator of the moment), and super charming.

The food & drink… As we were in town visiting friends, we only had breakfast, dinner and cocktails here. The huevos rancheros we shared at breakfast were delicious, and our cocktails in their Plow & Angel speakeasy were excellent. We were particularly impressed with their housemade potato chips. There are plenty of old-school tableside options on the dinner menu—the steak Diane and Caesar were solid orders.

Minigolf; Spa

The wellness…There’s a small gym, a nice pool (which we didn’t experience, because it was rainy one day and too cold the next), and a mini-golf course, which is brilliant. It was designed to be a bit harder than you would think—to keep the guests coming back to it. It worked for my husband and our friend, who played until dark, and then met up early the next morning to play another hour. We also had excellent massages at the spa.

Is it kid/dog friendly? Very family friendly, especially for multigenerational groups who have been coming here for decades. It isn’t a place you’d want to come with your kids if they want to play Marco Polo in the pool, though—personally it felt more romantic than family oriented, but if you have grandparents who want to spring for it (and the tab!), go for it. It’s also super dog-friendly—besides the dog beds and bowls, they offer massages for dogs in their spa.