Our
Story
Rancho Manzana was established in 1995 by current owner Jody Kent.
With her lifelong connections to the art and design world, Jody has created a warm and beautiful space, where the spirit of celebration and true hospitality meet to honor the history of Chimayo.
Jody has populated her space with art and furniture from her travels around the world.
Each of the rooms contains heritage pieces with a story: from the Taos-made sofa covered in Museum of New Mexico fabric, to the hand-embroidered sheets from Morocco that dress the queen bed in the loft apartment: everything has been chosen with an incredible eye for detail.
Rancho Manzana ran for over twenty years as a destination Bed & Breakfast for international guests.
It was home to 2,000 lavender plants for many years—birthing the Lavender Festival attended by many locals and tourists alike. The property has played host to chefs of international acclaim over it's life and was involved in the very beginnings of the 'Santa Fe Wine and Chile' festival: hosting world class chefs to hold dinners and classes out in the orchard.
Today, Rancho Manzana still hosts guests from around the world: for outdoor special events in our orchard, and as a resting place for those who want to truly take an authentic view of the old New Mexico countryside.
Rancho Manzana is on the historic Plaza del Cerro
which dates back to the mid-1700’s when Northern New Mexico was still largely unsettled.
Once the town square, the plaza housed the post office and mercantile store. We have gone to great lengths, over 30 plus years, to lovingly restore the building and bring the property back to life. Provided in each room is "Sabino's Map", a terrific book about the old plaza, including historic photographs.
The light is here magical, and the setting is in many ways unchanged from centuries past. Reminders of these earliest beginnings are everywhere on our property, such as the plaza's original torreon (watchtower) which still stands on our grounds, and the ancient irrigation ditch ("acequia") that watered families' orchards for centuries, still providing tranquil views to our apartment upstairs. We are very pleased to be able to share this special place with you and hope you deeply enjoy your stay.
A view into early Chimayo from one of our favorite reads:
"The village of Chimayo stands eight miles east of Espanola, at the eastern edge of
the Santa Cruz Valley, where bone-dry foothills start their climb to the
Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Ancestors of the present day Tewa Pueblos in the nearby Espanola Valley inhabited the fertile valley floor near Chimayo from at least 1000 AD. Tsi Mayoh, the prominent hill southeast of the plaza, remains a sacred Tewa site.
In long-lot fields surrounding the plaza, early Chimayo villagers raised
wheat, corn, chiles, pinto beans, apples, apricots and cherries.
Located on the heavily-traveled Truchas - Trampas - Penasco high road between
Santa Fe and Taos, Chimayo provided a welcome stopping point for travelers.
Chimayosos traded their chiles, fruit and renowned woven blankets
for (sheep), bolito beans, and potatoes grown at the higher elevations."
—The Plazas of New Mexico, Chris Wilson and Stefanos Polyzoides
