\u201cIt’s a foreign country in America,\u201d Angelisa Espinoza Murray, founder and CEO of Heritage Inspirations<\/a>, an immersive, educational New Mexico tourism company, says of the state. \u201cIt\u2019s timeless.\u201d<\/p>\n Taos is the rare ski destination that doubles as a cultural experience: the historic town of Taos, thirty minutes down the mountain from the Ski Valley, is a mix of Native, Mexican and Spanish influences, home to the more-than-1,000-year-old Taos Pueblo<\/a> and an artists\u2019 sanctuary that wooed Georgia O\u2019Keefe, D.H. Lawrence, and Julia Roberts, who bought a ranch in the halcyon days of the 90\u2019s and never left. Taos, as Murray says, \u201cgets into your soul.\u201d<\/p>\n Read on for where to stay and ski, what to eat, and how to soak up the culture of Taos.<\/p>\n Photo: Courtesy of The Blake<\/span><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n Apart from Taos\u2019s wild beauty, the ultimate luxury is staying at its signature hotel, a high-end hearth steps from the lift with a valet that stores your skis and warms your boots overnight, penthouses that feel like standalone condos, and two outdoor jacuzzis to soak in at magic hour.<\/p>\n The Blake\u2019s name is a nod to the founding father of Taos, late Swiss bon vivant Ernie Blake, who spotted the steep peak from the pilot seat of his Cessna in the fifties. The Blakes owned Taos for the next five decades, creating an intimate, ski equivalent of Dirty Dancing\u2019s<\/em> Kellerman (in the early days, the Blakes had a pet deer). In 2014, recognizing Taos needed extensive updates, the Blake family sold the resort to hedge fund manager, conservationist, and avid Taos skier Louis Bacon.<\/p>\n The Blake, born three years later, continues Ernie\u2019s European-style hospitality: 24\/7 \u201dhausmeisters,\u201d like super-concierges, are available for guests\u2019 every need, including stocking your fridge with groceries pre-arrival\u2014a perk that dazzled me and my family after a long travel day\u2014or arranging a private art tour of the hotel\u2019s museum-quality pieces, including an O\u2019Keefe and antique Navajo blankets from the 1800\u2019s hanging in the lobby. True to Taos\u2019s spirit, The Blake manages to be luxe but not stuffy, with vintage photos of the Blakes lining the walls.<\/p>\n<\/div>\nWhere to Stay<\/h2>\n
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