The Rosewood Inn Of The Anasazi is the perfect home base for exploring historic downtown Santa Fe

Exciting Santa Fe, New Mexico is a high desert city in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains that is equally popular for its art and architecture. Just one block from the main square, the Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi is in the ideal location for easy access to museums, historical sites, restaurants and shopping. Add to this the world class hospitality that is synonymous with the Rosewood brand and your itinerary practically writes itself.

I’ve just had two days in this city, which I used to visit 20 years ago, and coming back to this place felt like seeing an old friend again. Unlike so many destinations around the world, Santa Fe has a timeless consistency — call it the fresh, piñón-laced air or just the stunted serenity of its roots in history — whatever the reason, Santa Fe has a transcendent appeal That doesn’t fluctuate wildly with passing trends.

Despite the Inn of the Anasazi’s proximity to the square, as soon as you step through its doors you are transported into a world of art, gracious hospitality and culturally significant cuisine – a holistic way of caring for the traveler, whether you are a regular or brand new to the scene.

The Inn is a special place to stay because it pays close attention to opportunities for the quality of time you spend there. There are no wrong paths, but I particularly enjoyed my own route through the offering.

After checking into my (again, remarkably quiet) junior suite with a balcony in the afternoon sun, I settled in for a tequila tasting with expert Ray Mendea to get my bearings on arguably the most popular local drink. The experience was set up in the “living room,” a private space with a comfortable couch and table that was already set when I arrived. Mendea guided me through the nuances of a Blanco, a Reposado and two Anejo bottlings: Casa Dragones Blanco, Tres Generaciones Reposado and Casa Noble Anejo – but the crowning jewel of this tasting was the in-house cask, Código Anejo, which the teams unanimously selected in a blind tasting would have. Mendea said many diners first think it’s Calvados or even Scotch, so elegant and layered is this atypical bottle: somber, balanced, gently fruity with hints of elegant smoke. The tasting is served with a salmon carpaccio, but at the main restaurant it’s often served with a chocolate dessert, according to Mendea.

Feeling really welcome in the city, I took a little stroll around the square to remember it, passed Cafe Pasqual’s and Santacafe, and made mental notes to see if those two old haunts still stand two decades later although I actually never made it because I always just followed my nose and preferred to hike rather than plan.

I spent an hour at the New Mexico History Museum — not nearly enough time, but enough to see the state’s current hot springs photo exhibit, which has been fodder for future travel and a fascinating historical lens to see this particular intersection of tourism and culture.

That evening I had an exquisite, bespoke dinner at the Inn where Chef Daniel Hurtado presented five elegant courses, each paired with wine, my favorite of which was a perfectly cooked octopus appetizer.

I went to bed vowing never to eat again, but the breakfast menu is just as compelling, and my green chili chilaquiles reminded me why I came here: once you’ve tasted New Mexico chiles, you’ll understand they are the desert island ingredient makes this style of Southwestern cuisine forever memorable when you long to return.

On the second day, time was running out and I had only eaten. I planned to attend the first annual Santa Fe Literary Festival, whose many highlights included a morning meditation and author talk by Roshi Joan Halifax and a conversation between US Poetry Award-winner Joy Harjo and novelist Sandra Cisneros, three women contributors have the common good through their various peacemaking practices, including through language. It was a well-curated event and a delightfully welcoming, non-snobby affair.

I was also able to visit the Georgia O’Keefe Museum, a destination for anyone wanting to learn more about the artist’s life and see her wide-ranging, iconic work first-hand.

Every night when I returned to my room there was something delicious: chocolate truffles on one night, macarons on another. And when it came time to check out, the maid thoughtfully left a ziplock bag for any small liquids I needed to check in on my flight.

Everything about my stay at the Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi was restful, from the relaxing, quiet, and luxuriously comfortable room to the gracious service at every turn. This is a place I will keep coming back to for the authentic Santa Fe experience.