Located at the threshold of the Santa Fe National Forest in New Mexico, Bishop’s Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection has debuted as the first luxury concept of its kind in the rustic locale. The new getaway unfolds like a village—with ranch-inspired volumes spread across the site, which were formerly home to a chapel and lodge built by Santa Fe’s first archbishop in the 1860s. HKS Hospitality Interiors collaborated on the project with Dallas-based Nunzio Marc DeSantis Architects to weave a thoughtful narrative informed by local history and culture.
“We decided to build upon an ethos and attitude that approaches Santa Fe architecture in a modern way,” Nunzio DeSantis says. “The imperfection of the adobe walls is the perfection. They are deep, strong, and created by people—not a machine. We aimed only to enhance the sense of place by adding new buildings, which bring comfort and technology, to dance alongside the old buildings.”
Adobe structures organically complement the surrounding landscape with earthen hues, while interiors showcase indigenous craftsmanship and the influence of fashion muse and local icon Millicent Rogers. At the heart of the property, the lodge houses signature restaurant SkyFire as well as a bar, lounge, café, living room, and an expansive outdoor deck. The NATHALIE at Bishop’s Lodge boutique, located beneath the lodge, offers local artisanal goods, while the adjacent Gerald Peters Gallery displays a range of local artwork and historic Navajo artifacts.
“The spirit of Santa Fe is alive in every design detail,” adds Mary Alice Palmer, principal and global hospitality interior design director at HKS. “The creative spirit that dwells in this region cannot be compared to anywhere else in the world. We have created the future for adventure, relaxation and authentic inspiration that was and always will be the legacy of Bishop’s Lodge.”
Modern accommodations include 83 guestrooms equipped with private terraces and fireplaces. Among the freestanding suites are six junior suites, three one-bedroom suites, one two-bedroom suite, and three signature Kiva suites located atop a scenic overlook. Outdoor soaking tubs and stone rain showers further elevate luxury in each suite. Three- and four-bedroom casitas are outfitted with living and dining rooms, a full kitchen, and an expansive patio as well. Crafted from reclaimed New Mexican barnwood, the 12-bedroom Bunkhouse accommodates larger groups beneath 36-foot-tall ceilings with a sprawling common area and oversized two-story stone fireplace. The restored, 2,000-square-foot chapel comprises one master suite, one king room, and a double queen suite in addition to indoor and outdoor living areas.
This fall, the Turquesa Healing Arts Studio is slated open with five treatment rooms, a saltwater pool, garden, meditation glade, and an array of other immersive, restorative therapies.
More from HD:
Auberge to Launch Wildflower Farms Resort in 2022
Austin’s Commodore Perry Estate Gets the Ken Fulk Treatment
What I’ve Learned Podcast: Kemper Hyers