Post Ranch Inn
Where Big Sur meets the sky at 1,200 feet above the sea
Reserve this StayBoutique Hotel in Big Sur, CA
/Post Ranch Inn
Post Ranch Inn
22 Total Rooms
19 Room Types
4.8 (22 Reviews)
The road bends and narrows, redwoods give way to open sky, and the coastline reveals itself in a single, staggering drop. Post Ranch Inn sits here, along a ridge of the Santa Lucia Mountains in Big Sur, 1,200 feet above the Pacific Ocean. Built into the cliffs and cantilevered over the edge of the continent, the property is less a traditional hotel than an architectural dialogue with one of the most dramatic landscapes on earth. Since its opening in 1992, it has remained one of the most singular destinations on the California coast, a place where every structure was designed by architect Mickey Muennig to disappear into the terrain rather than impose upon it.
Thirty-nine guest rooms and suites are distributed across the property's 100 acres, each conceived as an individual dwelling shaped by the land it occupies. Tree houses rest among the branches of old-growth oaks. Ocean houses, clad in stainless steel and sod roofs, emerge from the clifftop like natural extensions of the hillside. Coast houses offer floor-to-ceiling glass and private terraces that frame the Pacific with nothing but open air between you and the horizon. Butterfly houses feature angular, wing-like rooflines and warming fireplaces. Nearly every accommodation includes a wood-burning fireplace, a private deck, and an in-room spa tub, with no televisions or alarm clocks by design. The architecture feels born of the ridgeline itself, with living roofs planted in wildflowers and grasses that mirror the surrounding meadows.
Sierra Mar, the property's restaurant, occupies a glass-walled perch at the cliff's edge, offering a four-course prix fixe dinner menu that changes with the seasons and sources from the property's own organic garden and local purveyors. The wine list is extensive and deeply Californian, and breakfast here each morning unfolds against a panorama that stretches to the curved horizon of the Pacific. The property also maintains two infinity basalt pools, one heated and set into the cliff with an uninterrupted ocean view, another nestled among the meadows. A full-service spa draws on the natural setting with treatments informed by the surrounding botanicals, while guided nature hikes, stargazing sessions, yoga, and garden tours round out the daily rhythm. The on-site infinity-edge hot tubs, positioned at the land's outermost point, may be the most quietly spectacular bathing experience on the West Coast.
Big Sur is not a town so much as a state of mind, a seventy-mile stretch of coast where the mountains meet the sea with almost no mediation. Post Ranch Inn sits near the heart of it, within reach of Pfeiffer Beach, the Henry Miller Memorial Library, and miles of trails through redwood groves and coastal bluffs. But the property itself is designed so that leaving feels almost unnecessary. The land here operates on its own clock. Morning fog lifts from the canyon below. Hawks circle the thermals at eye level. At night, with no ambient light for miles, the stars arrive with an intensity that feels almost physical. Post Ranch Inn does not attempt to translate this landscape into luxury. It simply removes every barrier between you and the experience of standing at the edge of the world, held there by architecture that honors the wilderness it inhabits.
The road bends and narrows, redwoods give way to open sky, and the coastline reveals itself in a single, staggering drop. Post Ranch Inn sits here, along a ridge of the Santa Lucia Mountains in Big Sur, 1,200 feet above the Pacific Ocean. Built into the cliffs and cantilevered over the edge of the continent, the property is less a traditional hotel than an architectural dialogue with one of the most dramatic landscapes on earth. Since its opening in 1992, it has remained one of the most singular destinations on the California coast, a place where every structure was designed by architect Mickey Muennig to disappear into the terrain rather than impose upon it.
Thirty-nine guest rooms and suites are distributed across the property's 100 acres, each conceived as an individual dwelling shaped by the land it occupies. Tree houses rest among the branches of old-growth oaks. Ocean houses, clad in stainless steel and sod roofs, emerge from the clifftop like natural extensions of the hillside. Coast houses offer floor-to-ceiling glass and private terraces that frame the Pacific with nothing but open air between you and the horizon. Butterfly houses feature angular, wing-like rooflines and warming fireplaces. Nearly every accommodation includes a wood-burning fireplace, a private deck, and an in-room spa tub, with no televisions or alarm clocks by design. The architecture feels born of the ridgeline itself, with living roofs planted in wildflowers and grasses that mirror the surrounding meadows.
Sierra Mar, the property's restaurant, occupies a glass-walled perch at the cliff's edge, offering a four-course prix fixe dinner menu that changes with the seasons and sources from the property's own organic garden and local purveyors. The wine list is extensive and deeply Californian, and breakfast here each morning unfolds against a panorama that stretches to the curved horizon of the Pacific. The property also maintains two infinity basalt pools, one heated and set into the cliff with an uninterrupted ocean view, another nestled among the meadows. A full-service spa draws on the natural setting with treatments informed by the surrounding botanicals, while guided nature hikes, stargazing sessions, yoga, and garden tours round out the daily rhythm. The on-site infinity-edge hot tubs, positioned at the land's outermost point, may be the most quietly spectacular bathing experience on the West Coast.
What we love about this stay
There's a particular quality to a place built into a cliff rather than on top of it — where the architecture doesn't compete with the landscape but quietly dissolves into it. Post Ranch Inn has that rare self-assurance. The rooms are designed with an eco-conscious sensibility that feels genuine, not performative, with expansive windows that essentially eliminate the boundary between you and the Pacific or the redwood-covered mountains beyond. It's the kind of property where a private fireplace and the sound of the ocean do most of the work, and nothing feels like it's trying too hard. Dining at Sierra Mar, perched on the cliff's edge, isn't just dinner — it's a relationship with the horizon. This is Big Sur distilled into a stay: raw, unhurried, and quietly profound.
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Where you'll be staying
47900 Highway 1, Big Sur, California, 93920, Big Sur, CA, US
Hear it from other travelers
Guest
OCT 2009
Smitten, absolutely smitten by the raw beauty of nature that abounds Big Sur. Henry Miller once lived here. And he wrote. "On a clear, bright day, when the blue of the sea rivals the blue of the sky, one sees the hawk, the eagle, the buzzard soaring above the still, hushed canyons. In summer, when the fogs roll in, one can look down upon a sea of clouds floating listlessly above the ocean; they have the appearance, at times, of huge iridescent soap bubbles, over which, now and then, may be seen a double rainbow. In January and February the hills are greenest, almost as green as the Emerald Isle. From November to February are the best months, the air fresh and invigorating, the skies clear, the sun still warm enough to take a sun bath." Nothing beats camping under the redwoods, lying on the ground gazing through the branches of the tree and the vastness of the blue sky opens up to you. Coming to Big Sur is a cathartic experience, ridding you of all the poisons that city life and capitalism gives you. It is a holy experience, if I may put it that way. There's plenty to do. Camping, hiking. And so many secrets that you have to discover every time you go there. Every time we're there their is always something new I learn, new places that I've never seen before. Viva Big Sur...
Guest
JUN 2012
If you are ever in California you must visit the coastline around Big Sur. Jaw-dropping scenery that astounds you. The beautiful blues & greens of the Pacific Ocean meeting with the white sandy beaches juxtaposed with the rocky cliffs and multi-colored flora rolling on the nearby greens is just amazing. I was vacationing in San Francisco and drove southward on Route 1. Many mapping websites may direct you to take Route 101 to Route 1 but in doing so you miss a lot of the coastal scenery. The best way is to pick up Route 1 around Daly City. On the way to Big Sur on Route 1 you will passed Point Pigeon Lighthouse. A definite must stop. Off the cliffs of the lighthouse we saw harbor seals playing in the water and lounging on the rocks. Further down on Route 1 you will pass through Monterey and Carmel by the Sea. Both places worth a stop for both their beauty and their many shops. Passing these towns you then arrive at Big Sur. I can not describe enough the beauty of this area. I can see how it always tops the lists of most beautiful places on Earth.
Guest
APR 2008
Big Sur is a beautiful 5 or so hr. drive north up the scenic PCH. The drive is most of the reason to go. Plan to stop a lot and just take the whole day to jump in and out of the car ooohing and aaahhing at the breathtaking cliff vistas of the Pacific crashing into giant boulders and through cool caves. You'll quickly forget you are anywhere near the overpopulated city life of LA. P.S. Don't forget to stop and see (smell and hear too) the Elephant Seals laying on the beach in the hundreds. Cooler than you'd think.
Guest
NOV 2008
I had no idea that Big Sur was such a short distance from Carmel and yet a million miles away in mood and atmosphere. At this point, Highway 1 is an old fashioned switch back road where the breakneck speeds of today's hectic life are thankfully impossible. Every turn of this magnificent journey yields another vista, another photo opportunity and another State Park. Don't make the mistake of driving through this majestic scenery without stopping off for a few hours or a few days. I thought I might drop down to Randolph Hearst's castle at San Simeon for the day...after all it is only 66 miles further on. Thankfully, when I saw the road and the range of things to do and see on the Big Sur, I thought better of it. Leave it for another vacation, another life!. If you ever get to San Francisco on your travels, then go one step further and get down to Big Sur, you'll never forget it.
Guest
SEP 2008
It took us 6 hours to make the drive because we stopped at every turn out because the views were so awesome. This is where the mountains meet the coast. You must do this in your lifetime.
What you need to know
6:00 AM
We understand that plans can change. The cancellation terms below describe the standard policy. Your specific booking’s eligibility for cancellation and refund is determined by the terms shown at the time of booking. **Standard Refundable Terms** For reservations that are marked as refundable: - Guests may cancel up to 48 hours before check-in to receive a full refund - Cancellations made less than 48 hours before check-in may be eligible for a partial refund No refunds are issued for: - No-shows - Cancellations made after check-in - Non-Refundable Reservations Some reservations may be marked as non-refundable. - For these bookings, cancellations or no-shows are not eligible for a refund, regardless of timing. **Refund Processing** Eligible refunds are processed to the original payment method and typically appear within 5–10 business days, depending on your payment provider.Reservation Changes Changes to reservations, including date modifications, are subject to availability and may incur additional charges and must be made up to 48 hours before check-in
Social distancing measures are in place Professional property host/manager Protective clothing is available to guests Contactless check-in is available Guests are provided with free hand sanitizer Contactless check-out is available Commonly-touched surfaces are cleaned with disinfectant Masks are available to guests Staff temperature checks are conducted regularly Bed sheets and towels are washed at a temperature of at least 60°C/140°F Staff wears personal protective equipment
12:00 PM
Not allowed
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