Ventana Inn and Spa – I tend to produce short photo journals during our travels.  I have found that if I attempt to take the 6-8 hours that it takes to produce some of our video posts, I would never get to experience the wonderful places we visit.

Therefore, when we get back home, I will have more than a week’s work of production time sitting in my Herman Miller Aeron (the chair that saved my butt).

The Ventana Inn & Spa has recently weathered a horrific series of events that threatened its very existence.  First, there was the Big Sur Basin Complex Fire which caused evacuation and damage, followed immediately by a kitchen fire (video here) which destroyed the resort’s posh restaurant.

To add to the drama, Ventana Inn and Spa had just started a $26 million property-wide renovation.

Phew!  What a tough year for the Ventana Inn and Spa team!

Well, I’m happy to report that there is absolutely no evidence of all this travail.  The place looks spectacular and the setting is utterly magical.

One of the daily morning events that we have really enjoyed is the resort’s daily complimentary continental breakfast.  Each morning we enjoy fresh squeezed juices, unbelievably fresh fruit, house-made granola, yogurt, hard-boiled eggs, and a variety of fresh-baked breads and pastries.

Here is a photograph of Carol enjoying her breakfast at Ventana Inn and Spa with a Pacific Ocean panorama behind.

After a few hours of work in our room, The Restaurant at Ventana had invited us to enjoy lunch on their patio with incredible long-range Big Sur vistas.

Look at this setting!

We enjoyed the resort’s Chicho’s Chicken Enchiladas which have evidently been a favorite here for 30 years!

After lunch, we then proceeded to the pool to relax, enjoy a good book, and take advantage of the resort’s Japanese hot baths.

Note:  this photograph is courtesy of the Ventana Inn and Spa

Of course I can’t let another day go by in beautiful Big Sur without presenting you with another of my dramatic coastal photographs.

How’s this?

After sunset, it was back to Ventana Inn’s Japanese hot baths to watch the incredible display of stars through the open roof.

What a perfect day!