It turns out that Fantasyland is only one mile from my house in the Casa Solana neighborhood of Santa Fe. I checked into the Inn of the Five Graces recently, and was magically transported to the other side of the world… perhaps Morocco, where I was supposed to celebrate one of those big-zero birthdays back in 2020. We all know what happened to that idea. After snooping around the suite for a bit, marveling at the embroidered suzanis and stunning statuary, I quickly drew a bath in the palatial yet intimate bathroom, which was completely covered in intricate tile and semi-precious stone renderings of mystical flora and fauna. I took a deep breath and truly, completely relaxed. So began a perfect staycation weekend of escape from the stresses of my normal routine.
How to Staycation Five Graces Style
If there is one thing that we perfected since the pandemic, it is the art of the staycation. We took so many fun road trips and visits all around New Mexico (and just over the borders to our neighboring states). We define staycation broadly: if you can get there by check-in time without getting on a flight, it’s eligible. I came to realize that the staycation is not just for pandemic times, but something so nurturing, healthy, fun, and awakening that we will want to incorporate it more regularly into our post-pandemic lives. Staycations when done right can have all the joys of true vacations with few of the hassles. Have you had a flight cancelled recently? I think you get my drift.
With just one night at The Inn of the Five Graces, we managed to achieve a sublime state of staycation perfection. Established by Ira and Sylvia Seret in 1994, the Inn’s aesthetic is rooted in their 10 years living in Afghanistan, which informed the East-meets-West maximalist décor of the hotel’s 25 rooms. Carved wooden architectural details and the Serets’ skilled eyes for room composition made us forget the world outside. Our room, and indeed all the spaces on the property, embraced us. We felt more than cared for and comfortable.
A Stay Close to Home
Another benefit of a staycation in your own hometown is that you can invite friends along for the fun. And we did just that. The Inn had our very own New Mexican Gruet sparkling already chilled in the room; after soaking up the atmosphere with another couple, we headed across the street to Santa Fe’s mainstay classic French bistro, 315. The menu offers a diverse and innovative selection of dishes, including fresh oysters flown in daily. Chef Louis Moscow, quite the well-known character around town, will certainly stop by your table to chat about 315’s extensive selection of amazing wines.
The next morning, we were very slow to leave our nest but the prospect of a full breakfast, included with the stay, eventually motivated us out our little door and through our private gate to meander across the street. I’ve had a lot of New Mexico-style breakfasts in my day, but this elevated version had to be one of the most delicious ever. Be sure to order “Christmas” with your dish because both the red and the green chile were fantastic. We chatted with some folks at the next table who were from LA, and it was their first time in Santa Fe. They had starry-eyes with the whole experience, and it was gratifying to share in the joys of our town with them.
Relaxing at The Inn of the Five Graces
Our staycation concluded in the Inn’s new spa, which proved to be the highlight of the weekend. If The Inn of the Five Graces is a sanctuary, then the spa is the precious sanctuary within a sanctuary––and only hotel guests can go there. Upon entering, we felt as if we had unlocked another luxurious level of our own hometown. To prepare for our massages, we steamed in a seriously gorgeous tiled room. If we had any remaining doubts that we were in a sublime fantasy Moroccan vacation, they quickly vanished into the mists of that room and the unparalleled feeling of a 90-minute-deep-tissue massage. Afterwards we lingered in our bathrobes in the lounge’s sumptuously upholstered chairs for as long as we thought we could get away with, murmuring all the while, There’s no place like home.
Story by Alex Hanna / Photography by Gabriella Marx
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