For those drawn to Georgia O'Keeffe country by the artist's major new blockbuster retrospective at Tate Modern, the spa resort of Ojo Caliente is a treat.
O'Keeffe often came up from her home in nearby Abiquiu, one of New Mexico's greatest attractions, to bathe in Ojo's natural hot springs. Its charming rooms furnished in south-west vernacular offer visitors the chance to absorb the mountain landscape, shifting colours, sage-scented air and special atmosphere of the north of the state.
The mineral baths are the star of the show. And bright new "Plaza Suite" rooms, opening onto patios and decorated with local textiles, offer the chance to soak in a restricted access pool from dawn to midnight.
Overlooking the mountains from a private pool warmed by an outdoor fireplace as dusk approaches is a truly unforgettable experience that's worth booking ahead though, perhaps followed by a massage incorporating local ingredients and ancient native American rituals.
The Artesian restaurant serves up excellent fare - hearty south-west-style breakfasts, more cosmopolitan dinners - there's a lively wine bar, and yoga and meditation are offered in a secluded yurt.
As well as the exquisite O'Keeffe Home & Studio, wild and beautiful Ghost Ranch 15 miles beyond, is where the artist lived in summer and painted her best-known landscapes. Both demand a visit to tour the painting locations by Jeep or to take an art class. Book well in advance as numbers are limited.
The main dining, shopping and cultural action may be an hour away in Santa Fe, where most visitors to the area stay, but to drink in the landscape which inspired those artists who made it a town of galleries, you have to come to the source of New Mexico's nickname, Land of Enchantment.
Yes, Ojo Caliente is a rare oasis in an untamed stretch of magnificent and also relatively untravelled Big Sky country.
