ForbesTraveler.com, the prestigious list-maker of the world’s wealthiest, biggest and finest, has just named San Ysidro Ranch as “America’s Best Hotel”. This announcement comes as part of the annual ForbesTraveler 400 which lists the best luxury hotels and resorts in the world.
The San Ysidro Ranch was chosen “America’s Best Hotel” by a board of elite luxury travelers including Peter Greenberg, Todd English and Arianna Huffington, as well as top travel professionals Matthew Upchurch of Virtuoso, Ltd. and Benson Cowan from Butterfield & Robinson.
ForbesTraveler emphasizes the charm of the Ranch’s 41 suites and cottages which feature private outdoor decks with hot tubs, outdoor rain showers, fireplaces and heated bathroom floors. Antiques, Persian rugs and original artwork compliment the one-of-a-kind cottages. The 500 acre property includes breathtaking gardens that bloom year-round, lily ponds, rose-covered pergolas and 17 miles of stunning hiking trails in the adjacent Santa Ynez Mountains.
Today a sandstone packing house built in 1889 accommodates the Stonehouse restaurant, where Chef John Trotta cooks with fruits, vegetables and herbs grown on the Ranch’s grounds in his contemporary American cuisine. The more casual Plow and Angel, located downstairs, is a local favorite for its cozy ambiance – and mac ‘n’ cheese.
The Ranch was purchased in 2000 by Ty Warner, who subsequently invested $150 million in an ambitious, very hands-on three year renovation. On receiving his “America’s Best Hotel” award, Mr. Warner commented, “I recognized this property’s unique character when I was a guest here more than 30 years ago and am grateful to be a part of its storied history.”
Ty Warner is no stranger to Forbes, having landed on their ranking of The World’s Billionaires and The 400 Richest Americans for more than a decade.
In addition to the San Ysidro Ranch, Ty Warner owns the Four Seasons Hotel New York, where the Ty Warner Penthouse is the World’s most expensive suite at $35,000 a night. Ty Warner is also the Chairman and CEO of Ty Inc., the largest manufacturer of plush in the world which includes Beanie Babies® and Ty Girlz™.
The story of San Ysidro Ranch, named after San Ysidro the Patron Saint of Madrid, is intertwined with the history of Old California. Originally part of land titled in 1769 by the King of Spain, the Ranch served as a way station for Franciscan monks in the late 1700s, a working citrus ranch in the 1800s, and hosted its first guests in 1893. In the 1930s, Hollywood discovered the Ranch, transforming it into a hospitality haven for celebrities. Famous guests over the years range from Audrey Hepburn, Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby and Groucho Marx to Winston Churchill, Somerset Maugham and Sinclair Lewis. Vivien Leigh and Laurence Oliver were married at the Ranch, John and Jacqueline Kennedy honeymooned there and John Huston completed the script for The African Queen during a three-month stay.