A Family Escape to The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe

There are very few places in California that still feel untouched by time. Hidden among eucalyptus trees, citrus groves, horse ranches and winding roads in North County San Diego, The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe is one of them.

Originally opened in 1924 as a guesthouse designed by pioneering architect Lilian Rice, the property was envisioned as the heart of the newly planned Rancho Santa Fe community, a romantic interpretation of a Spanish village tucked into the beautiful rolling hills of Southern California. Over the decades, it became a retreat for Hollywood royalty including Bing Crosby, Charlie Chaplin, and Mary Pickford, who escaped here for its privacy, understated elegance, and slower pace of life.

After an extensive restoration completed in late 2023, the Inn emerged with a fresh identity that feels both elevated and deeply respectful of its heritage. The redesign preserved the property’s Spanish Colonial soul while layering in a more refined, residential sensibility. Think marble baths, vintage furnishings, velvet drapery, cozy fireplaces, and beautifully collected interiors balanced by the relaxed ease that defines coastal California luxury.

What makes the property especially unique, though, is that despite the impeccable design and polished service, it never feels precious. It feels lived in. Warm. Intimate. More like staying at a chic private estate than at a traditional resort.

For our stay, we checked into one of the newly renovated three-bedroom residences, which ended up being the perfect setup for our group of seven. The residence truly felt like a home away from home, with expansive living spaces, a full kitchen, layered interiors, and enough room for everyone to comfortably gather while still having privacy with some rooms having their own entrances and patios. Traveling with family can sometimes feel chaotic, but the residence allowed the trip to feel relaxed and effortless from the moment we arrived.

The Inn has mastered the art of multigenerational travel. Mornings began slowly with coffee on the patio while the baby napped nearby, afternoons were spent by the pool beneath striped umbrellas and lush palms, and evenings ended gathered around dinner at Lilian’s, the property’s signature restaurant named after Lilian Rice herself. The atmosphere throughout the property feels intentionally unhurried… the kind of place where nobody seems to check the time.

For families, there’s an ease to staying here that is increasingly rare in luxury hospitality. The sprawling grounds give children room to roam without ever feeling overwhelming. There are pickle ball courts, golf nearby, horseback riding trails woven throughout Rancho Santa Fe, complimentary bicycles for exploring the village, and the serene Mila Moursi Spa with amazing treatments and amenities for anyone craving a quieter afternoon like my mom and I did.

And while the amenities are exceptional, it’s really the feeling of the Inn that lingers after leaving.The property somehow captures the romance of Old Hollywood while still feeling relevant for modern family travel.

During a time where slowing down and being together felt more important than anything else, our stay at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe was exactly what we needed: restorative, relaxing, and memorable.