48 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {due west} A row of hobbit-like houses burrow into the hillside, their roofs sprouting with native grasses and wildflowers. My room, an oceanfacing suite, is flush with rich wood paneling and funky, colorful artwork and statues. Alarm clocks and televisions are intentionally absent, leaving nature center stage. Floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors lead to a deck with chaise longues and a stainless-steel hot tub with a spillover water feature. I note the towels folded neatly beside it, the staff anticipating my needs before I do. The soundproof windows and the tub’s rushing water completely mask any sounds from the neighboring cabins and the strategically angled windows almost completely block them from sight, creating a welcome sense of seclusion. The wood furniture is cut and assembled on-site by descendants of the Post family. Who are the Posts you ask? It all goes back to 1848, when 18-year-old William Brainard (W.B.) Post sailed from Connecticut to the untamed expanses of California. After marrying an Ohlone woman named Anselma, the couple and their children homesteaded this parcel of land in 1860. The family raised cattle and hogs, cultivated an orchard, and William, living up to his last name, opened the area’s first post office. One of the Post’s ranch hands, a young man by the name of John Steinbeck, mended fences and herded cattle here to earn some cash before starting his studies at Stanford University. In the 1980s, the Post family pivoted from ranching to hospitality. They named the cabins after Big Sur homesteaders. The inn’s logo remains the ranch’s old cattle brand. As I settle into my room, I scout out the room’s ample amenities. In the closet: robes and slippers for the laid-back guests as well as binoculars and carved walking staffs for the more adventureseeking visitors. In the complimentary mini-bar: seven kinds of drinks, locally made salami and fresh cheese. In the bathroom: poison oak wipes and sunblock. Epsom salts by the tub. A floating flower on the coffee table. Cookies and cabernet. No detail is left unconsidered. Out on the Grounds The tantalizing views out the windows require closer investigation, so I set off to track down the many sculptures tucked among the trees and shrubs. Afterward, I hike one of Post Ranch’s private trails, savoring the dry crunch of pine needles under my shoes. I take a dip in one of the infinity pools (open 24 hours), and plan to come back when the lightpollution-free night sky brings out
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