Some places are romantic because of what they add. Post Ranch Inn is romantic because of what it takes away. There are no televisions, no alarm clocks and very little to do except look at the Pacific from a soaking tub set on a cliff. On many mornings the fog fills the coastline below you like a white ocean. You wake above it, in sunshine, with ravens wheeling past the window.
The inn sits on land once homesteaded by the Post family, high on the ridges south of Big Sur's village. Its architecture is as famous as its views. Buildings were designed to disappear into the landscape: houses with living grass roofs, cylindrical rooms clad in redwood, triangular tree houses lifted on stilts among the oaks and redwoods. The result has earned Post Ranch Inn the Michelin Guide's highest hotel distinction, Three Keys, along with years of devotion from couples who return for every anniversary. If your honeymoon dream involves silence, wild coastline and a really, really good bottle of wine, this is the place.
Highlights at a glance
- Michelin Three Keys, the guide's highest hotel distinction
- Cliff Houses with outdoor soaking tubs above the Pacific
- Tree Houses with skylights for stargazing
- Sierra Mar, with a Michelin Green Star and a Wine Spectator Grand Award list
- Redwood Sanctuary couples' spa suite
- No TVs, no alarm clocks, breakfast included
Living on the Ridge
The property sprawls across a high coastal ridge, connected by paths and a shuttle that runs guests between houses, the restaurant and the spa. On one side, the land drops away toward the Pacific; on the other, it climbs into the Santa Lucia Mountains and their redwood canyons. California condors are occasionally spotted soaring along this part of the coast. With so little light pollution, the night skies are packed with stars.
Everything is designed to slow you down. Lexus vehicles are available for guests to borrow, valet parking is included and you will find that after a day or two, you barely want to leave the property anyway.
Choosing Your House
Each accommodation type has its own personality, so choosing between them is half the fun:
- Cliff Houses: the signature, with full Pacific views from the bed, the deck and an outdoor soaking tub
- Ocean Houses: freestanding with curved living grass roofs, panoramic ocean views and either an indoor spa tub or an outdoor soaking tub
- Pacific Suites: curved interiors where the ocean is visible even from the shower
- Tree Houses: triangular, lifted into the forest, with a skylight over the bed for stargazing
- Coast Houses: circular redwood designs with fireplaces and decks facing the sea and forest
- Peak Houses: mountain views and an outdoor steel soaking tub on a deck over the ridge
For a classic honeymoon, a Cliff House or Ocean House delivers the full cliff-top drama. Tree Houses are the cozier, more whimsical choice. They're often more attainable, too.
Sierra Mar
Sierra Mar is one of California's great restaurant settings: a glass-walled dining room perched on the cliff edge, where tables seem to float above the ocean. The cooking is artful and seasonal. The restaurant holds a Michelin Green Star for its commitment to sustainability. Its wine list has earned the Wine Spectator Grand Award, the magazine's highest honor, so this is the night to ask the sommelier to choose something special.
Breakfast is included with every stay and is a highlight in itself, best enjoyed slowly with coffee and views of the morning fog. Book dinner at Sierra Mar for sunset, when the sky and sea put on a show that rivals anything on the plate.
Why guests fall for it
The Spa, the Pools and the Redwood Sanctuary
The recently redesigned spa sits among the redwoods. Treatment spaces include two couples' rooms (one with its own soaking tub) plus a dedicated facial room. The showpiece is the Redwood Sanctuary, a private wellness suite for two in a redwood grove, where treatments begin with a calming ritual and end with Champagne and small bites. It is tailor-made for a honeymoon afternoon.
The inn's heated infinity pools, including a lap pool, face the ocean and are wonderful at dawn or under the stars. The wellness program goes beyond massage, too, with yoga, forest meditation, sound meditation and even private sessions with a resident shaman for couples curious to try something new.
Days at Post Ranch
Many activities are complimentary, including morning yoga, outdoor meditation, guided nature walks and garden tours. Falconry demonstrations are a memorable add-on. The staff can also arrange excursions along the coast.
Beyond the property, Big Sur's highlights are an easy drive. Pfeiffer Beach, with its keyhole rock and purple-tinged sand, is close by. McWay Falls, which pours onto a beach in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, is a short drive south. The redwood trails of Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, a glass of wine at a local roadhouse and a stop at Nepenthe for the view round out a perfect day. Then come back for a soak as the sun drops into the Pacific.
Why Guests Fall in Love
Guests describe Post Ranch Inn as transformative more often than any other word. The views are the first thing everyone mentions, followed closely by the outdoor soaking tubs, which many couples call the single most romantic part of their honeymoon. The absence of TVs, which some worry about before arriving, becomes a favorite feature within hours.
Service is consistently praised as warm and unobtrusive, with staff who seem to know when to appear and when to vanish. Dinner at Sierra Mar comes up again and again in reviews, while the included breakfast earns its own fan club. Many reviewers say it is the kind of place that changes how they think about travel (and about rest).
Good to Know
Highway 1 is your only road in, so check conditions before you drive. Landslides have closed sections of the Big Sur coast in recent years. As of late October 2026, the inn reports the highway fully open from both the north and the south, though Caltrans was running one-way traffic control at a few work zones and occasional daytime closures for slope repairs. Check Caltrans QuickMap or roads.dot.ca.gov before you leave. Build in extra time.
Cell service is limited in Big Sur. The drive from Monterey takes roughly an hour. Rates are among the highest in California, with breakfast, many activities, pool access, valet and Wi-Fi included. The inn is designed for couples seeking quiet; confirm the age policy if you are planning a family celebration.
Insider tips
- Book a Cliff House or Ocean House for the full ocean-view experience; a Tree House is the romantic, more attainable alternative.
- Reserve Sierra Mar for sunset and ask the sommelier to guide you through the list.
- Book the Redwood Sanctuary as early as possible; it is a single suite for two.
- Check Caltrans road conditions the morning you drive. Download maps too, since cell service is spotty.
