Things to do / Travel Guide
There are some regions in the U.S. that are so unique against the backdrop of the big cities of the East and West Coast, that for your money you'd be certain you're somewhere else. Northern New Mexico and southern Colorado is one of those regions. The comprised areas contain a high concentration of Native Americans and Latin Americans, there are sparse deserts and flourishing forests, and manifold signs of cultures from ages past.
In a region like northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, luxury takes on a different face: Instead of tall glassy hotels and fancy bars, and patrons flashing the latest fashions, you get wide open resorts with buildings made of adobe and dark woods, and saloons where the proprietor is a friendly guy who wants to hear tall tales from the big city. The spas are sun-soaked facilities where water is held sacred as the gift of life, and mud is life's primary material. The restaurants often get their meats from some of the West's best ranches and herds.
It's a simpler life in northern New Mexico and southern Colorado, in which you get a chance for well-earned pampering and rejuvenation. The region's cities of Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos all offer the visitor the Southwest's best.
Luxurious Lodgings and Activities in Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado
Northern New Mexico and southern Colorado contains some pretty exceptional resorts, so if you are planning on frequenting the region, you'll have a good selection every time you visit. For instance, there's Ten Thousand Waves, in Santa Fe. Here wilderness takes the front seat, with a Japanese-styled spa, Zen-like service, and clean symmetrical lodgings with lots of right angles and solid colors. Ten Thousand Waves is a statement of art, which you live and breathe for the duration of your stay. It's about as unique as this region gets.
A slightly more standard hotel is the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort and Spa, with probably the region's best spa, plus an acclaimed golf course to boot. It's the perfect place to stay on business in the area or for an out-of-the-way resort vacation. It's hard to believe, but the entire hotel, containing 350 rooms and suites, is made up of sprawling pueblo-style blocks of different shapes and sizes. The rooms look out on the pink-tinted Sandia Mountains and the Bosque cottonwood forest, awesome Albuquerque icons. They're appointed with the most modern of amenities, every article of furniture crafted with comfort and style foremost in mind. The jade-slate bath, among other things, is sure to awe.
The town of Taos is wrapped in mystique, owing to its proximity to the authentic Native American pueblo of the same name. The pueblo is in parts up to 1,000 years old; and its influence is tangibly felt in the nearby resort called El Monte Sagrado - The Holy Mountain. This boutique lodging focuses on humanity's connection with nature, and the theme of the suites is nationalities: each suite is an inspiration from a different country or culture, and each one is exquisitely executed.
The spa at El Monte Sagrado is a world unto itself. Treatments vary from Sacred Time, in which a variety of incremental treatments together form a cleansing process of body and soul, to the Lemon Verbena Body Polish, for superior exfoliation and revitalization. Then take a dip at the spa's Aqua Center, in a hot tub, a plunge pool, and a wading pool. The structure is walled with glass panels, allowing you the opportunity to peer out while relaxing at the beautiful outside environment of herb gardens and fruit trees.
A winter vacation to the region warrants time spent on the slopes of the world-class ski resorts found near Taos and Albuquerque. Probably the best of the lot, and the best-known for its luxury packages, is Taos. Despite the fame, Taos isn't as crowded as other western resorts. You can stay at the resort, or you can stay at El Monte Sagrado, not too far away.
Luxurious Dining in Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado
A natural for good and unique eating in northern New Mexico is the restaurant at El Monte Sagrado, De La Tierra. This restaurant is not only graced by excellent cuisine, but it is also an architectural gem, a mixture of local design and international standards - much like the cuisine, in fact. How does this sound? Molasses-marinated grilled quail, or a pan-roasted rack of lamb with asiago, sage bread pudding, grilled asparagus, and black pepper demi-glace. For dessert, would you expect the normative selections? Prepare your taste buds for tequila lime pie with a white chocolate ancho chile crust and prickly pear syrup. Another El Monte Sagrado favorite is the Anaconda Bar, which features live entertainment and bold sculptures along with its fantastic tapas selection and endless cocktails, wines, and beers.
After you've finished with all of El Monte's culinary amenities, another regional favorite is La Mancha Restaurant and Bar, near Santa Fe. This is the restaurant of the Galisteo Inn, whose nearby neighbors are a nascent artists' colony. The restaurant is a signature of Latin and Mexican cuisine, while the atmosphere is thoroughly New Mexican. Try the Galisteo Jackalope pot pie, containing antelope and rabbit tenderloins, green chili, and seasonal vegetables - that's a special treat. The wine bar serves copious amounts of the red or white drink.
From all these resorts and restaurants, among other things, you get the idea that northern New Mexico and southern Colorado is not your typical region. Everything done here is done right, with a flair for luxurious regional touches. Perhaps the wilderness aspect of the areas involved lends people a certain freedom to think against the grain and to trust intuition. These do seem to be the sentiments you'll entertain upon visiting and spending a good time in the region.
Luxury Vacation Ideas in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Taos, Northern New Mexico and Southern Colorado
Luxury-Vacations
The Living Spa at the El Monte Sagrado Living Resort
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