Introduction -Photos:&nbsp;<a href="http://theluxurytravelexpert.com/2014/06/11/post-ranch-inn-a-big-sur-legend-california-usa/">http://theluxurytravelexpert.com/201...alifornia-usa/</a> -Youtube clip with impressions:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip5sbCgYIxw">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ip5sbCgYIxw</a> &nbsp;I stayed at the Post Ranch Inn 2 weeks ago. It was very high on my Bucket list, since it is hyped as one of the best hotels in the USA and the website photos look stunning. I could not find a recent review on this website, so I thought I may share my recent experience. I really enjoyed my stay, especially the scenery of Big Sur, but my high expectations of the Resort were not fully met (and not sure whether the very high prices, that come with very high expectations, are justified). I uploaded a lot of photos here &amp; made a youtube clip as well to give you an idea of what to expect:&nbsp; Pros <span style="line-height:1.6">•Lots of little touches make you feel very spoilt, from the glass of local champagne on arrival to the flasks of cold water when you leave. A lot of thought and care has clearly gone into making guest’s visit so special.</span><span style="line-height:1.6">•The Post Ranch Inn is an adults-only property (so perfect for those in need of romance and tranquility). </span><span style="line-height:1.6">•The resort is eco-friendly (guests can even borrow a Lexus Hybrid). </span><span style="line-height:1.6">•The staff was as friendly as they could be, and they offered excellent service.</span><span style="line-height:1.6">•We did not try it, but the Post Ranch Inn has a Spa on site. </span><span style="line-height:1.6">•The resort has many complimentary activities on offer: morning yoga, guided hikes or saunters, stargazing with a celestial telescope, and whale watching (from the resort terraces in the right season).</span><span style="line-height:1.6">•The restaurant offers exquisite dining with endless ocean views (and when you time it right, gorgeous sunset views). The dining menu changes daily with the choice between a four or nine course tasting menu, priced at $120 or $160 per person respectively. Each morning, until 10.30 am, complimentary gourmet breakfast buffet (with cold and hot food stations) is offered and this was truly one of the highlights of our day. I especially liked the selection of fruits and the salmon bagels.</span><span style="line-height:1.6">•The Post Ranch Inn offers two cliff-top hot basking spas and one swimming pool. The two infinity Jade and Meditation Spas offer expansive ocean views and are kept at a constant 104 degrees Fahrenheit (41°C). Located down the hill (a 15 minute walk away), the heated lap pool is perfect for a refreshing swim or a relaxing poolside sun bath. </span><span style="line-height:1.6">•Valet parking is complimentary. </span><span style="line-height:1.6">•WiFi is complimentary. </span><span style="line-height:1.6">•The minibar is well stocked with lots of complimentary snacks (cheeses, fruit juices, wines, soft drinks, chips, fresh baked cookies). Great! </span><span style="line-height:1.6">•Rooms are cozily decorated in a warm Pacific design with lots of wooden touches. All rooms feature a heavenly soft King bed (with organic mattress), a wood-burning fireplace, large windows to take in the splendid views, a private deck, and a spacious bathrooms with an indoor – or outdoor (in the most expensive room categories) – spa tub for 2 (only the Lower Butterfly Room does not have a spa tub). </span><span style="line-height:1.6">•Rooms come in 8 categories and are all located in separate “houses” located along the pedestrian walkway atop the clip: Butterfly, Mountain House, Tree House, and Peak House rooms all face the mountain side (some of them with open views, some of them with a view through the forest). Coast House, Ocean House, Pacific House, and Cliff House rooms all enjoy stunning views of the ocean. We stayed at both an Ocean House room and an Upper Butterfly Room, and we loved them both, although the views from the Ocean House were hard to beat. </span>•It has been written and said many times before by other guests, but the setting of the resort is spectacular beyond words, high atop the cliffs of Big Sur, 1200 feet (400 meters) above the massive Pacific Ocean. The breathtaking views over the blue waters, with the cloud layer in the distance, will keep you mesmerized no matter what time of the day.&nbsp; Cons &amp; Things to Know •The old-fashioned blinds were really hard to use and kind of annoyed us (they were not closed by staff during the turn down service). In addition, the room could not be completely darkened and the sunrise light woke us up each morning. Not sure whether I would bring a return visit (maybe yes, if the hotel lowered its prices or updated its room decor).•All rooms feature one King-sized bed, so, unfortunately, this is not the best resort for a friends getaway. Only 4 rooms do have a window seating area that has a twin day-bed, hence allowing separate beds for friends (Ocean House North, Ocean House South, Upper Butterfly room, and Middle Butterfly room).•The decor of some room does feel a little dated and tired, and they are in need of a little refurbishment to make guests feel a little more accepting of the very high room rates (which come with high expectations).•While views over the Ocean are terrific, you cannot really see the cliffs very well. I missed the presence of some paths, small hiking trails or benches down the hills below the Inn (without compromising the privacy of the guest rooms) to soak up the spectacular views and surroundings.•Sunset views are only possible from the restaurant and the adjacent relaxation garden, but not from most ocean facing accommodations, at least not in spring &amp; summer.•We found the dining room and its views to be more impressive than the dinner which we thought was a little underwhelming for the price and did not fully met our high expectations. But les goûts et les couleurs ne se discutent pas. Anyways, you pay the views, not the food.•WiFi at the swimming pool was working, but not near the 2 hot tubs, where we spent most of our time, because of the views. We missed it to surf the internet on our tablets while enjoying the view there. Maybe this is a feature that the resort can add/fix ?•Hot tubs and swimming pool are located at a distance from each other (15 minutes by foot), so it is not an option to swim and revitalize in the hot tub immediately afterwards. In addition, in the blistering heat of a hot summer day, a hot tub temperature of 104 degrees Fahrenheit (41°C) is simply too hot, and there was no possibility to cool down the tubs a little.•The rooms have no TVs or alarm clocks. But I considered this to be an advantage, not a disadvantage (why would you bother watching tv in this kind of setting, with all the utterly romantic amenities on offer ?).•The Post Ranch Inn is high above the sea and does not have access to a beach. However, it is only a 10-minute drive to stunning and wild Pfeiffer Beach.•Room rates (starting at $750 for a mountain view room and more than $1000 for an ocean view room) and food (fixed dining menu starting at $120, excluding wine) are very high, but you should know this upfront, so this should not be an issue. Nevertheless, the rates are too high IMHO, especially when not staying at an ocean-front room.