Hidden in the foothills of Tesuque, a storied oasis straddles the desert hillsides. The updated and appropriately named Rancho Encantado sits on fifty-seven sweeping acres in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains north of Santa Fe. The best view of all can be found at Terra Restaurant, making it a haven for sunset chasers and food lovers alike. For centuries, this area has drawn artists, writers, and seekers of New Mexico’s wild beauty, yet somehow this resort remains quietly under the radar.

I visited during Global Wellness Day, fitting for a property where wellness is more than a theme—it’s an ethos. Four Seasons graciously comped my meals and accommodations as part of a two-night press stay which coincided with the wellness holiday. The spa alone takes up a generous stretch of the Four Seasons Resort, with sixteen treatment rooms nestled among just sixty-five casitas spread across the vast property. The wild space is now a vital habitat for the newest residents of Rancho Encantado: Betty’s Bees.

The apiary, lovingly named after trailblazing former owner Betty Egan, launched in the summer of 2023 thanks to resident adventure guide and beekeeper Amy Fredericks. I met Fredericks on a morning hike offered through the resort’s Adventure Center, where she leads guests on desert trails while weaving together information about native plants and the rich history of the land.

“I wanted a way to honor the ranching history of the property but in a manageable way,” Fredericks told me as we stood overlooking a hillside bursting with desert blooms brought on by recent rains. “Bees made perfect sense.” They also make a great talking point and segue into her mid-hike soliloquy on the importance of pollinators and supporting them through sustainable gardening practices. 

The property’s roots as a guest ranch stretch back to at least 1932, when former “Harvey girl” Bess Huntinghouse bought it and established a dude ranch known as Rancho del Monte. In the 1960s, Betty Egan purchased the land and turned it into Rancho Encantado, a charming guest ranch that attracted names like Johnny Cash, John Wayne, and Maria Callas. Egan was also the first woman fire chief in the United States, founding the Tesuque Fire Department while running the ranch. Today her legacy lives on not only in the name of the bees but in the kind of hospitality you feel from the moment you arrive.

The resort’s apiary houses four thriving hives, producing seasonal wildflower honey used throughout the property—from a local lavender-infused Beekeeper’s Tonic at Terra Bar to the signature Healing Honey Ritual at the spa. It’s also incorporated into seasonal specials at Terra Restaurant, where Chef Gregory Joseph uses it in specialty sauces such as a honey glaze. 

I would return easily just for the experience of sipping a Rise and Shine Margarita around the communal firepit at Terra Bar, which offers a relatively affordable dip into luxury. But the dinner menu, in my opinion, is just as worthy. I had the piñon-crusted scallops—perfectly seared and delicately flavorful—with a side of wood-fired corn topped with cotija and chile-lime butter, then dusted with local red chile powder. Keeping with the New Mexico theme, I ordered another crowd favorite, suggested to me by my waiter: green chile mac and cheese. Orechiette was the perfect pasta for the dish, not only because it’s a personal favorite but because it absorbs ample cheese and chile. I ended with a truly memorable sweet treat: Dulce de Leche Warm Cake. What appeared to be a chocolate orb dressed with gold flakes floated to my table, where hot caramel was poured over it from a teapot, melting the chocolate walls to reveal a bananas Foster–like concoction at its center. Needless to say, it was grand. 

Throughout my evening at Terra, I chatted with fellow diners seated nearby. One was a visiting opera coach in town for the Santa Fe Opera season; another was a local woman lounging at the firepit next to my table who confided that Terra has been her go-to underrated hangout spot for years. “It’s one of the few places that feels fun and casual, but the service is above and beyond.” 

Terra doesn’t feel like a hotel restaurant. Despite the price point, it has a community vibe that pulses with history and hums with the presence of creatives from all over the world. That night, full from dinner and good conversations, I made the gentle climb back to my casita. From my private balcony, I watched the moon rise over the desert. Sweetness, it seems, lingers here long after the last bite.

📍198 NM 592, Santa Fe, 505-946-5800