The Inn of the Five Graces

Character and identity

Tucked into the Barrio de Analco just south of the Plaza, this 25-room inn occupies centuries-old adobe (and rare riverstone) buildings on both sides of a quiet one-way street, in what's often cited as the oldest residential neighborhood in the country. The aesthetic is wildly maximalist Silk Road: Persian and Afghan rugs, Tibetan furniture, carved Indian doors, hand-laid mosaic bathrooms designed by co-owner Sylvia Seret, piñon-stocked kiva fireplaces, and hidden courtyards strung between the buildings. Breakfast is made-to-order New Mexican; the expanded spa runs Ayurvedic and Himalayan-influenced treatments; Bar Analco, a guests-only speakeasy, hides behind the Dragon Room. Service is warm and personal, more private-home than resort.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The defining quality is immersion: this is one of the most atmospherically distinct small hotels in the United States, and the property itself becomes the reason you came to Santa Fe. Book it if you want a stay that feels like a private fantasy world, splurge on a suite with mosaic bathroom and good natural light (some rooms read cave-like), and target winter for piñon-fire weather.