| Saturday, November 1, 2014 | Issue #127 | Eric Fry, musing about love at first sight, reports... The first time I laid eyes on her, I was thunderstruck... captivated... I was in love. Her beauty was as natural and effortless as it was alluring. That's probably why she knocked me off my feet from the very start. "She had me at 'Buenos dias,'" to paraphrase that famous line from Jerry Maguire. The nights with her were sultry and intoxicating; the mornings were utterly magical and delicious. She was delight, incarnate. The year was 2002 and we spent four incredible days together. I'm talking about Rancho Santana, of course - an amazing stretch of Nicaragua's Pacific coast. After my initial visit to Rancho Santana, I vowed to return, at least as a tourist, if not also as a property owner. I kept my vow. After spending a decade visiting the place as a tourist, I finally purchased a home there two years ago. I have no regrets.  But before continuing to gush on and on about the place, I should mention a couple of material facts: - The same folks who issue my paychecks also hold a substantial stake in Rancho Santana.
- The Oxford Club receives commissions on certain property sales at Rancho Santana.
Fortunately, these potential conflicts of interest present no moral conflict whatsoever because I truly love the place. In fact, immediately after my first trip to Rancho Santana, I published the following impressions in the December 19, 2002, issue of The Daily Reckoning: While it's true that my body has returned from Nicaragua, my mind is still drifting somewhere around the 12th parallel north of the equator... It's difficult to forget the soothing combination of sun, sand, stunning views and superb food - all of which Rancho Santana offers in abundance... If Rancho Santana had been equipped with an Internet connection, you would have needed a crowbar to pry me out of the place...
Today, of course, Rancho Santana is equipped with high-speed Internet access, along with every other modern amenity and creature comfort. But you probably shouldn't visit Rancho Santana just to check out its high-speed Internet. Your time down there is much better spent checking out the sunsets, the Flor de Caña rum drinks, the pristine beaches and the myriad other ways to delight the five senses. "The more often we visit Nicaragua," Bill Bonner, founder of both Agora Inc. and Rancho Santana, once remarked, "the more we begin to think that turning into a banana republic wouldn't be so bad. The weather is nice. The fruit is fresh. And the cost of living is low. Besides, people take their politicians less seriously; they seem to expect them to act like clowns, crooks and desperadoes. They suffer few disappointments." Bill, for one, has suffered very few disappointments in Nicaragua. He has constructed a very nice home overlooking Rancho Santana's Los Perros beach... and he visits often. I, too, have suffered few disappointments in Nicaragua, except when the incredible sunsets end too quickly. I visit often and sometimes stay for weeks at a time. So why all the to-do about Rancho Santana in today's edition of The Daily Grind? Two reasons: - Rancho Santana's CEO, Matt Turner, told me yesterday that the resort's brand-new inn will be opening its doors next March.
- To celebrate the opening of The Inn, Matt also told me that he'd like to offer deeply discounted room rates to Oxford Club Members.
To get the full story, please read on...
The Inn at Rancho Santana Opens Its Doors By the Team at Rancho Santana
 | Rancho Santana, the picturesque seaside residential and resort destination that sits on 2,700 acres of Nicaragua's southwest Pacific coast, announced yesterday the opening of The Inn at Rancho Santana in March 2015. The two-story inn - which will also feature its own art gallery, courtyard, café and lounge - is just steps from Playa Santana, one of the ranch's five beaches. Prior to the decision to build The Inn, travelers eager to visit " Las Cinco Playas" had their choice of private ocean-view homes, garden-view casitas or oceanfront villas. Not surprisingly, as the buzz about Rancho Santana has spread, these luxurious residences have become increasingly popular vacation destinations. But the new 17-room retreat promises a totally unique experience for guests of the property. (And, coincidentally, Rancho Santana will celebrate 17 years this month). The Inn is tucked intimately into the hub of all "the ranch" has to offer, including renowned farm-to-table restaurant La Finca y el Mar.  Rancho Santana's 2,700 acres along two miles of shoreline boast a unique isthmus climate that creates steady, but varied, patterns of coastal breezes, which when paired with year-round warm ocean waters make the beaches' surfing conditions some of the most coveted on the planet. And so it's only natural that The Inn's architectural design, interiors and landscaping all drew inspiration from their coastal locale.  The building's use of materials and thoughtful finishes reflect Rancho Santana's unique "agrarian meets coastal" architectural style. Each of the 17 handsomely appointed guestrooms and suites, ranging in size from 350 to 850 square feet, is spacious but inviting. Decidedly down-to-earth, and yet overwhelmingly beautiful - the rooms are much like the ranch itself. The interiors were imagined as a collection of four schemes that reflect different distinctive natural elements; earth, water, air and fire. And though no two suites are identical, together they are a seamless and thoughtful portrait of life through the eyes of Rancho Santana. The Inn is truly a homegrown affair. The artistry of the woodwork - which was designed by Altevers International and created on-site by the ranch's very own wood shop. The casual, comfort-centric furnishings like abaca lounge chairs, ottomans and benches were also custom-made by the wood shop to suit the seaside sanctuary. Details like curtain rods, which are typically regarded too simply as a necessity, were carefully crafted by hand in the Iron Works at Rancho Santana, while the window treatments were thoughtfully designed exclusively for The Inn by Peter Fasano and fabricated locally in Nicaragua.  Still the calming coastal breezes swirl through the vaulted ceilings overhead and inspire a change of scenery by drawing attention to the private covered terrace with views of the pool, the sands of Playa Santana and miles of uninterrupted coastline, which is nevertheless Turner's most favorite feature of them all. "So many destinations right now strive to deliver a shock factor. We never wanted that," says Turner. "'Sublime' may be the word. 'Stunning' will do, certainly - but not 'shocking.'" Eric's Note: The Inn at Rancho Santana will offer introductory rates of $249-$349 per night. However, here's the really good news: Oxford Club Members may book a vacation at Rancho Santana for as little as $190 per night. And for Chairman's Circle Members, the discounts are even deeper.
Given that Rancho Santana really is a "Club community" on the Pacific, with many Oxford Club Members living there part-time (including yours truly), Chairman's Circle Members get two free nights at the new Inn.
After that, Chairman's Circle Members can stay for as little as $140 per night. But we've secured these discounts for 2015 only. So if you're as intrigued by this jewel on the Pacific as I am, and you're an Oxford Club Member, 2015 would be a good time to visit!
To take advantage of these Members-Only discounts, please email your inquiries to ranchosantana@oxfordclub.com. Or, if you prefer, you may contact the reservations team directly at 310-929-5221. Tell them The Oxford Club sent you! I hope to see you down there sometime soon. |
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