Looking for an easy getaway? Taos, located in the mountains of northern New Mexico, is home to a World Heritage Site, amazing art and food, world-class skiing and loads of culture.
And… El Monte Sagrado is the perfect lodging from which to launch local adventures. Surrounded by ponds, waterfalls and centuries-old cottonwood trees, the 10-acre oasis is a place to relax and recharge.
“This property is what I would call the ultimate mountain getaway. … It really is a retreat,” says Liz Robinson, corporate director of branding & marketing for Heritage Hotels & Resorts.
Built in 2003 and purchased by Heritage in 2015, El Monte Sagrado sits a few blocks from the historic Taos Plaza. But it feels a world away—remote, special.
Luxury Lodging
So. Many. Choices. Select from six historic casitas, 48 Taos Mountain rooms, 18 Native American suites or 12 luxurious premiere or global suites.
Global Suites: Japan, Spain, Texas, Marrakech, Argentina, Mexico, Morocco. Individually themed, 1100-square-foot suites with two bedrooms and bathrooms, private courtyards, gas fireplaces and spacious living and dining areas.
Premiere Suites: Bali, Tibet, Egypt, Romance. Located along the historic Taos acequia, with large bedrooms, dining/seating areas and private patios with mountain views.
Historic Casitas: Mayan, Caribbean, Painted Horse, Tribal, New Mexican, Caballo. Viga ceilings, stunning décor and private courtyard patios.
Native American Suites: Chief Seattle, Cochise, Geronimo, Handsome Lake, Jim Thorpe, Joseph, Oren Lyons, Osceola, Quanah Parker, Red Cloud, Red Jacket, Sacagawea, Sequoyah, Shenandoah, Sitting Bull. Native American-inspired suites with Kiva-style fireplaces, handcrafted stone tile work and private patios or balconies.
Taos Mountain Rooms: Fireplaces, large soaking tubs, and private patios or balconies and garden views.
Wellness
Simultaneously manicured and wild, the grounds at El Monte Sagrado start and end in the center… at the Sacred Circle, surrounded by cottonwood, willow and Chinese elm trees.
“It was conceived as a place for meditation, to unwind and relax. … It’s a great blending of nature with humans,” says Spa Director Dianna Thomsen.
That feeling of nature permeates the entire resort from the outside in, with lush plants and trees—bamboo, guava, hibiscus, native desert plants—sprinkling the inside of the property, too. The Living Spa, for instance, features 10 treatment rooms, some with sunlit showers or natural waterfall cooling systems.
And the spa treatments? Extraordinary.
Take Gourd Sound therapy. Benito Concha, a member of the Taos Pueblo Native American community, leads sessions, playing multiple instruments that he created himself—drums made with hides and gourd rattles containing sand and small pebbles.
“That one is truly the most unique,” Thomsen says. “It is… magical is about the only word I can come up with. … It’s not just the sound therapy. It’s the vibrations.”
Alison Beckner offers Red Thread Active Breath Journey, which combines breathwork with a meditative period for integration and relaxation. And Ru Chao, another breathwork practitioner, provides guided sessions partnered with music and drumming designed to release stress and help return clients to balance.
The Living Spa also offers various types of massage, meditation, waxing and facials, as well as life path coaching, tarot and more. Try fan favorite Sagrado High Desert—desert salt exfoliation, followed by a mineral-rich sea clay mask wrap, then a gentle massage. Or ask about the candlelit couples' suites.
Rounding out the “wellness” area of El Monte Sagrado are the saltwater pool, yoga classes, a fitness center and a full line of plant-based Naturopathica skin care products.
Food + Drinks + Events
Like the rest of the resort, the award-winning De La Tierra Restaurant draws inspiration from both the local and the international. The red chile-roasted Meyers Ranch beef tenderloin, for example, features whipped crème fraîche potatoes, grilled asparagus, roasted corn pico, cowboy butter, merlot demi-glace and blue corn onion strings. And the setting? It’s entirely indoors, but it’s “so lit, so open, so beautiful, you feel like you’re outside,” Robinson says.
A few steps away sits the Anaconda Bar, an opulent gold snake winding its way across the ceiling. “The snake is just wild,” Robinson says. “Guess love it!”
Craft cocktails and mocktails, artisan beers, a solid wine list and a creative bar menu make this a terrific gathering spot. Want to try something different? The New Mexico green chile flight features green chile sauce, fresh roasted green chile con queso, green chile-corn pico, fresh guacamole and blue corn chips. Robinson calls it “a tour through one of New Mexico’s most talked about and prized ingredients.”
A private, Mediterranean-style wine room is available by reservation. And El Monte Sagrado features more than 7,000 square feet of meeting and event space, as well as stunning outdoor locations with the Taos mountains as a backdrop.
Various specials are posted on the resort’s website, including a “neighbor” discount for Colorado residents.
Website: https://www.elmontesagrado.com/
Facebook + Instagram: @ElMonteSagrado