Summer 2025

186 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • S U M M E R 2 0 2 5 Timeless Tranquility Eco-Luxur y at the Award-Winning Post Ranch Inn B Y B R E T T WI L BUR PHOTOGRA PHY B Y KOD I A K GR E ENWOOD B IG S UR HAS INSPIRED COUNTLESS ARTISTS , POETS , TRAVELERS AND NATURE LOVERS WITH ITS RUGGED BEAUTY , IMPOSSIBLY GORGEOUS COASTLINE , WATERFALLS , REDWOOD HIKES , FLOWER - DOTTED MOUNTAINSIDES , FRESH AIR , PLENTIFUL WILDLIFE AND HIDDEN BEACHES . A T P OST R ANCH I NN , THE MAGIC OF GETTING AWAY FROM IT ALL IS SUPPORTED BY WHIMSI - CAL STRUCTURES , FROM YURTS TO OCEAN - SIDE LODG - ING WITH GRASS COVERED ROOFS THAT BLEND INTO THE UNREAL SETTING — SOMEHOW PROVIDING JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF CREATURE COMFORTS WHILE ALLOWING FOR A TRUE IMMERSION IN NATURE . “P OST R ANCH I NN WAS BORN OUT OF A DEEP RESPECT FOR THE LAND IT SITS ON ,” SAYS G ENERAL M ANAGER T IM L EE . “T HE PROPERTY ITSELF HAS A RICH HISTORY — ORIGINALLY HOMESTEADED BY THE P OST FAMILY IN THE 1800 S — AND WHEN THE IDEA FOR THE INN BEGAN TAKING SHAPE IN THE LATE 1980 S , IT WAS ALWAYS ROOTED IN HONORING THAT LEGACY . P OST R ANCH I NN OPENED IN 1992, BUT THE VISION FROM THE BEGINNING WAS TO CREATE SOMETHING THAT FELT LIKE IT BELONGED TO THE LAND , RATHER THAN PLACED ON IT . T HE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN WAS DONE BY M ICKEY M UENNIG , WHO WAS AHEAD OF HIS TIME . H IS ORGANIC ECO - FORWARD APPROACH TO USING NATURAL MATERI - ALS , CURVING LINES AND STRUCTURES BUILT INTO THE EARTH , BLENDED EFFORTLESSLY WITH B IG S UR ’ S DRAMAT - IC CLIFFS AND SIGNATURE REDWOOD TREES . O VER THE PAST 33 YEARS , P OST R ANCH I NN HAS STRIVED TO CON - TINUOUSLY EVOLVE WHILE STAYING GROUNDED IN THE BELIEF THAT LUXURY SHOULD NEVER COME AT THE EXPENSE OF THE ENVIRONMENT .”