Review: Bishop’s Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection

Why book?

For ages, Santa Fe has lured visitors with its rich history, cultural diversity, mystical landscape, and extraordinary art scene. All of these charms combine at Bishop’s Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection. The century-old resort reopened in the summer of 2021 after a $75 million-dollar renovation led by international design firm HKS and renowned architect Nunzio M. DeSantis. Its unique 317-acre setting in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains gives guests the gift of a total immersion in nature, despite being just minutes from New Mexico’s world heritage city.

Set the scene

My Uber ride from Santa Fe’s Regional Airport was a quick 15 minutes. (The drive from Albuquerque is one hour by Interstate.) Stepping from the car, I took in the landscape and felt immediately transported to a historic New Mexican village. Adobe structures specked the hillside, framed on either end by a large lodge, an old chapel, and a barn-like bunkhouse. Faralitos, or traditional paper lanterns, lined the walkways as I paced around the property. Unlike other hotels in Santa Fe, this one is meant to immerse its guests in the vast expanse of the outdoors. Outside SkyFire, the hotel’s signature restaurant, a generous patio overlooking the valley and mountains is a popular perch for locals and visitors alike.

Inside the main lodge, older couples, young families, and mixed-age friends bundled in woolen ponchos and turquoise jewelry huddle around wood-burning kiva fireplaces. Intimate seating areas invite with layered cow skin rugs, leather armchairs, dried flowers, and baskets of Pendleton blankets. These rustic touches give the space a taste of cowboy culture without feeling overbearing. The traditional Pueblo architecture has touches of Native American and Western influences, along with European and Mexican motifs. Because of the property’s sprawling size, there are no shortage of event venues, including 10,000 square feet of entertainment space, a 3,200-square-foot Lodge Hall with a 4,000-square-foot adjacent event lawn, and a 2,200-square-foot secret garden, making this a hot spot for destination weddings, family reunions, and corporate events of all kinds.

Art has always been an important part of Santa Fe’s identity, and the hotel carries that tradition forward through their Artist in Residence program, along with local art displayed from galleries in town.

The backstory

Like all of the properties within Auberge Resorts Collection, this one honors the distinct history and culture of its setting. Bishop’s Lodge dates to the 1860s when Santa Fe’s first archbishop, Bishop Jean Baptiste Lamy, built a chapel and private residence here. The site later became the summer home of the Pulitzer family and hosted many notable guests, including several U.S. presidents. It was then acquired by the Thorpe family from Denver, who turned it into a high-end dude ranch called Bishop’s Lodge Resort. In the early 20th century, a plethora of people were coming to Santa Fe by automobile, and Bishop’s Lodge became a social gathering place and one of the first “drive-to” resorts in the country.

In 2015, the property was acquired by HRV Hotel Partners before partnering with Auberge Resorts Collection in 2016. The six-year renovation and restoration was spearheaded by the design firm HKS and renowned architect Nunzio M. DeSantis, both of whom reignited the site’s century-old spirit of hospitality.

The rooms

There are 100 keys in total, ranging from guestrooms and suites to multi-room casitas and a 12-bedroom Bunkhouse. The latter, which is particularly popular with wedding parties and multi-generational family vacations, boasts 36-foot ceilings and reclaimed wood from old barns across the state, giving it a Yellowstone-esque feel. Capturing the iconic light and brilliant sunsets of New Mexico—aka the “Land of Enchantment”—was a priority for the designers, and as such, almost every room and building has a westward exposure. The rooms feature classic Southwestern style with contemporary furnishings.

Don’t miss the three adults-only Kiva Suites, aptly named “Sun,” “Moon,” and “Star.” With locally-milled flagstone floors, giant windows overlooking the Rio Grande Valley, mirrored kiva fireplaces, hammered bronze tubs, plunge pools, and more, they are a treat in every sense. I loved the tiny yet charming details, like the stained glass peepholes, which infuse the space with light and color throughout the day.

Food and drink

The hotel is home to two dining options. Two Dogs Café, located next to the fitness center, is an easy grab-and-go spot for craft coffee, cold-pressed juice, fresh pastries, and hearty sandwiches. Meanwhile upstairs, SkyFire serves up sophisticated Southwestern dishes. The latter is the hotel’s signature restaurant, conceived by Chef Dean Fearing (aka the “Godfather of Southwestern Cuisine,”) and led by Executive Chef Pablo Peñalosa. The breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus were all surprisingly small, though well-curated with memorable dishes like yellow corn pancakes, tortilla soup, and savory chicken enchiladas with smoked red chiles. An emphasis on local artisans can be seen in everything from the restaurant’s clay tableware to the spirits used in The Bar’s impressive craft cocktail list.

In the afternoons, the Pultizer living room adjacent to The Bar and SkyFire restaurant is a happening place. Guests sip on signature drinks, like the “Holy Margarita,” made with lime and local apricots, plus the property’s own hatch chile-infused liquor and tequila. The scene is a sensory one, with layered cowhide rugs, leather armchairs, a wood-burning fire, and twinkling chandeliers that were original to the Pulitzers’ home. Four paintings from the 1920s by the master Warren E. Rollins hang throughout the space, with the canvases' cool blues and seafoam greens inspiring the hotel’s tranquil, modern color palette.

The spa

The Stream Dance Spa was the highlight of my visit. The wellness sanctuary and healing arts studio is rooted in ancient rituals and holistic treatments, like sacred sound therapy. There are four treatment rooms and a common area filled with crystals, local art, and books about herbs and poetry. My 60-minute “Serene Essence” aromatherapy massage took place in a sunlit, white-washed room with soft turquoise bed blankets and a wood-burning fire. The treatment began with a turquoise tincture and the selection of my Ayurveda-inspired aromatherapy oil by Shankara. My masseuse, Lydia, was also a certified energy healer, and I left feeling significantly more at ease, tranquil, and connected to myself.

The neighborhood/area

The light has a different power in Santa Fe, and there is no better place to soak it in than the 317 acres where Bishop’s Lodge is situated. The grounds sit in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo mountains bordering Santa Fe’s 1.5 million-acre National Forest. Given this remoteness, it’s hard to believe that the historic plaza in downtown Santa Fe is just a few miles away.

The service

There are no nametags or uniforms here, giving the staff a relaxed approachability. The concierge can accommodate a wide range of activities, from touring Georgia O’Keeffe’s Ghost Ranch to hiking the Bandelier National Monument to see its historic petroglyphs. The hotel also has partnerships with private ranches for fly fishing adventures and can arrange a bespoke hot air balloon ride through the Rio Grande Gorge, ending with a champagne toast and sunrise brunch. Pristine skiing is just 30 minutes from the property and private transfers can be easily arranged.

Of all the activities offered, from archery to rafting and chocolate tasting, the most popular by far is horseback riding from the hotel’s historic stables through the trails and forests surrounding. Even during the pandemic, the hotel offered twice daily housekeeping service with unique nightly turnaround amenities distinct to New Mexico and Santa Fe, like spiritual healing stones from the Stream Dance Spa and homemade cookies.

For families

Though the property is overall quite intimate, its relaxing nature and outdoor adventures make it family-friendly to boot. The “Coyote Camp” was designed specifically with young guests in mind, with programming involving useful wilderness skills, art, and immersion with Mother Nature. I was particularly interested in the children’s ancestral pueblo activities, from learning to read pictograph stories to making paint with natural materials.

Accessibility

Every building on property has some form of accessibility. There are ADA-compliant rooms for mobility, with features like roll-in showers. For the hearing impaired, select rooms feature visual fire alarms plus signals for telephone ringing and door knocking. Furthermore, all guests with disabilities will be taken care of and escorted by a lodge host to any of the areas on site, from the restaurant to the swimming pool.

Eco efforts

The landscaping was designed with all-natural indigenous flora, like Russian Sage and Buffalo Grass. These varietals are not only tolerant to the high desert environment, but they were also planted with the sole purpose of conserving water and controlling run-off. The hotel even has a water reclamation system used for recirculation and purification of all ground water on site.

Anything left to mention?

As someone who struggles with the dizzying effects of altitude, I was quickly reminded of Santa Fe’s 7,000-foot elevation. That said, I would definitely go back, specifically for the spa, where my experience bordered on spiritual. While my trip took place on a snowy weekend in late winter, I look forward to returning in the peak season (mid-May to first week of November) when it’s a bit warmer. There’s a great pool along with countless outdoor seating areas scattered across the hillside that would have been nice to enjoy had it not been so cold.

Finally, in 100 words or less, what makes this hotel worthy of Hot List?

The hotel is an excellent, much-needed addition to Santa Fe. It’s a high-end yet unpretentious place to immerse oneself in nature, adventure, spiritual healing, and local traditions, bundled in the signature comfort, style, and authenticity of the Auberge Resorts Collection. With all of its properties, the hotel group prides itself on its AAA 5 Diamond ratings, and Bishop’s Lodge is eagerly poised to be New Mexico’s first with the designation.