Fall - 2022

are seasonal—exciting new offerings for the fall include Elevate and Aerial, an experience in which you are suspended high above the earth on silks and rings, for an exploration of aerial acrobatics. For those less inclined to aerial feats, try Macrame and Chardonnay, where you’ll sip fine wine and create your own macrame wine tote. Other offerings, like foraging, ax throwing and even falconry, are offered year round. The resort is true to Big Sur’s bohemian roots, from the rustic nature of the struc- tures to the clothing optional Japanese Baths with their high wood walls open to the sky, making it a dreamy spot for soaking and stargazing.To cool off after a soak, there are two beautifully situated pools to choose from, or for more heat, visit the barrel sauna or the infinity edge hot tub with its spectacular redwood and ocean views.. The resort has accommodations to suit every taste, with 59 guestrooms, suites and villas, as well as glamping sites for a more rustic adventure. Rooms feature a mixture of wood-burning or gas fireplaces, private verandas or balconies, and pri- vate hot tubs or outdoor showers. Suites feature newly added deep soaking tubs positioned per- fectly to take advantage of the striking views. The Sur House Restaurant interiors are warm and inviting, with private dining areas and screening to create more intimate spaces, but the Sur House Terrace is the main attraction, thanks to its unobstructed views of the Pacific Ocean to infinity. The restaurant at Ventana has been a local dining destination since its incep- tion but, due to Covid, was closed to the public for the last two years and recently reopened for limited dinner reservations. Those reservations are hard to come by, and for good reason— every menu is focused on celebrating the boun- ty of Big Sur, with tantalizing options.The resort’s cocktail menu features many staples with excit- ing twists as well as signature innovations, such as theThe Marine Layer which features a bubble of lavender smoke “fog” atop a sparkling citrus gin creation. The dinner menu truly does offer something for everyone. Fish, fowl and meat are regionally sourced and much of the pro- duce is grown in the bountiful on-site organic garden. For those with food sensi- tivities, a portion of the menu allows you the opportunity to create your own “simply pre- pared” meal. Seafood is ethically sourced in cooperation with the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch Program. Options like Seared Baja California Sea Bass and the tender and deli- cious organic-fed, Pescadero pasture-raised chicken from Fogline Farm are prepared to per- fection.The dessert menu features delights that 170 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 2 The interior design of the Sur House is perfectly suited to the building’s original character and creates a warm atmosphere, through the use of well-placed lighting, natural wood tables and seating, and rich leathers and natural fibers for upholstery. Previously known as Ventana Inn, the resort opened in 1975, built by producer and entre- preneur Lawrence A Spector with money earned from the iconic film “Easy Rider.”