by Diane Brady

he Inn at Rancho Santa Fe is a charming boutique hotel, located in the California coastal foothills, about 25 minutes north of San Diego, and a mere four miles from the frantic bustle of Interstate 5. But it is a world away in terms of tranquility.

Many of the rooms have wood-burning fireplaces— nice for those chilly evenings

My husband and I were there last June, and the weather was perfect— warm during the day and cool at night. No need for an air conditioner for comfortable sleeping. In winter the weather is cool, with highs in the 50s and lows in the 40s. Many of the rooms have wood-burning fireplaces — nice for those chilly evenings.

Some rooms are located in the historic main building, but most are in tile-roofed buildings and individual cottages situated around the grounds, connected by winding walkways. This gives an air of luxurious privacy to each guest.

The inn can trace its roots back to a Spanish land grant called Rancho San Dieguito, but was then renamed Rancho Santa Fe. In 1906 the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad purchased the land to grow eucalyptus trees for railroad ties. The trees proved useless for this, so the railroad formed the Santa Fe Land Improvement company to develop the property.

In 1922 the company hired the San Diego firm of Requa & Jackson, and in the hands of Lillian Rice, a gifted young architect the inn began to take shape.

The first building was a guesthouse in the Spanish Revival style, and was called La Morada (the house of many rooms). It was originally intended to accommodate prospective purchasers of property in the village of Rancho Santa Fe.

Ms. Rice continued to design buildings for the inn and the village, several of which are on the National Register of Historic Buildings, until her death in 1938.

The inn is just a short walk from the village, which can be seen across the lawn from the veranda.

There are many activities in the surrounding area, ranging from horse racing at Del Mar to golf and tennis. But how many places offer the opportunity to engage in a rousing round of croquet on the lawn?

The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe: tel. 800/843-4661; www.theinnatrsf.com.

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