Douglas Merriam
With warmer weather and longer days, it’s time to swap Zoom meetings for bicycle rides and hikes along the Bosque Trail at Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm, in Albuquerque, just off the Rio Grande and below the Sandia Mountains. This fantastic farm-stay set on 25 acres of lavender fields, cottonwood trees, and gardens is worth the scenery change. Breathe in as you pull onto the avenue of elm trees; you have arrived.
Tour The Farm With A Private Farm Safari
Check into your room, unpack your bags, and enjoy a complimentary glass of wine. Get acquainted with the 25-acre farm with a pre-arranged private Farm Safari on a guided golf cart. You’ll see lavender cuttings that were taken to the greenhouse during the winter months, sprouting roots, transplanted into larger pots, and encouraging growth, ready for planting in the spring fields. The daffodils and crocus are blooming.
Canadian geese that made the farm their winter home welcome a gaggle of goslings who parade to swim in the lotus pond. Learn about sustainable beekeeping practices and the organic kitchen gardens bursting with herbs and new vegetables. Visit the lavender fields with a set of binoculars to spot migratory birds and the mountain beauty of the Sandias. Get a glimpse of the farm alpacas, peacocks, and guinea hens.
Los Poblanos
Have A Cocktail On The Campo Patio
Designed by one of New Mexico’s most talented architects, the 1930s-era lodges have fireplaces, patios, and pitched tin roofs.
Relax and enjoy a specialty crafted cocktail like Campo’s version of the lavender margarita, perfect for enjoying the farm’s sweeping views and the Sandia Mountains from the Campo patio.
The Lavender ’99 cocktail pays tribute to 1999, the year Armin Rembre planted the first lavender crop on the farm. Sip the gin mixture with organic ingredients of lavender, lemon, sparkling wine, sweetened with the house-made lavender syrup. Order small plates from the bar menu for a light dinner.
Enjoy A Fully Organic Brunch
Begin the new morning with a leisurely, organic, seasonal brunch served on the Campo patio as you enjoy views of the farm and watch the guinea hens. I love the Chilaquiles, eggs with herbs de Poblanos, cracked potatoes, seasoned with red chile, Tucumcari jack and cheddar, onion, and tortillas. Start with seasonal fruit and pastry of the day, then add a mimosa or Bellini for a mellow morning. Enjoy a cup of Cutbow coffee, expresso, or tea by tea.o.graphy. Food and Wine Magazine voted Campo best breakfast in New Mexico.
Pro Tip: Make sure to schedule the themed Tour and Tea Tasting in advance for later in the day, and make your Campo dinner reservations for the evening.
Los Poblanos
Visit The Farm Shop At Los Poblanos
I love the lavender-scented hand soap and lotion at the Farm Shop at Los Poblanos, just like the spa amenities you’ll find in your room. This one-stop-shop checks everyone off your list, whether you are searching for Mother’s Day gifts, graduation, or birthday surprises. Choose artisan lavender products like bath gel, salves, lotions, and lavender-scented hand sanitizer. The handmade jewelry, kitchen products, cookbooks, and adorable children’s gifts make shopping creative and fun.
From the Farm Foods Market, add seasonal baked goods, artisan bread, lavender jelly, and house-made sausages. And best of all, you can order online from the Farm Shop when you return home.
Tour And Tea Tasting
Join a guided tour this spring as the gardens burst into bloom with magnificent color and fragrance. You’ll visit the Rose Greely Garden, LaQuinta’s formal manicured lawns, and the original Lord and Burnham greenhouse, where you’ll see various stages of plants from seed to flower.
Following the tour, you can enjoy a tea tasting on the gazebo terrace featuring botanical-inspired teas from tea.o.graphy, a Taos-based partner. Tours are held in small groups when reservations are made 48 hours in advance.
Historical Tour And New Mexico Wine Tasting
Exclusively to guests staying on the property, experience the majesty of John Gaw Meem’s La Quinta building, constructed in 1935 as a cultural center for the local community. Savor a private tour of the interior, followed by a one-of-a-kind wine tasting on the historic gazebo terrace. You’ll see some of the best art, architecture, and winemaking that are proudly New Mexican.
Monthly Menu Takeover At Campo
On the last Tuesday of the month, join the award-winning culinary team led by Executive Chef Jonathan Perno at Campo for a monthly menu takeover showcasing an element of New Mexico’s rich food traditions celebrating the cultural history and local ingredients that are paramount to Rio Grande Valley Cuisine. The April takeover focuses on Mavis’s Goat Cheese, and the May event emphasizes spring alliums grown at Los Poblanos, Amyo Farm, and Vida Verde Farm.
Supper at Campo
Los Poblanos was ranked as a “Top 10 Hotel for Food Lovers of America” by Bon Appetit. You’ll enjoy fine casual dining with the most highly crafted field-to-fork menu in the Southwest, created by Chef Perno. Campo highlights organic and seasonal ingredients from the Los Poblanos farm and local herders and farmers.
Savor a native beef ribeye with charred onions and asparagus, new potatoes, apple brandy, and peppercorn sauce with a suggested pairing of Kiona Cabernet Sauvignon. The tender braised New Mexico lamb served with blue corn polenta, carrots, blood orange, and mint is paired with Stolpman Syrah.
Pro Tip: Save room for the chocolate brownie with caramel popcorn, chocolate cream, and Chimayo Chantilly paired with a Fonesca 20-year tawny port. Unforgettable!
See a list on the menu of fine local farmers and products featured such as Shepherd’s Lamb, Silver Leaf Farm, Matt’s Mushroom Farm, and Rosales Produce.
Douglas Merriam
Accommodations
Whether you stay in the cozy Meem Room in the original hacienda surrounded by history and original artwork, a Farm Room with details inspired by the 1930s dairy buildings, or a Field Room overlooking the lavender and farm fields, you are sure to enjoy a relaxing and memorable escape. Savor luxurious organic bedding, signature lavender spa amenities, and plenty of fresh air. Los Poblanos offers a certified safe Well-being Hospitality Model of safety, health, and comfort.
The Lavender Lover’s Room Package
Relax and recharge with two relaxing nights at the boutique inn, an organic brunch for two each morning at Campo, and a seasonal selection of Los Poblanos lavender products as your special gift, now through October.
Up, Up, And Away Room Package
Partake in a 2-night luxurious stay at the Inn, brunch for two daily at Campo, and two tickets for a sunrise balloon ride, available year-round.
The privacy, comfort, and natural beauty of Los Poblanos make it the perfect place to escape, relax, and lift your spirits.
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