Rustic motel room 5 at Meling Guest Ranch

Andrea Meling led me to room 5, which was to be my home at Meling Ranch for the next three nights, and when I asked her for the key, she replied, "We don't use keys at Meling Ranch. They're not needed; we have zero problems with anything getting misplaced." I was surprised, as you don't find many places where you don't have to lock up your belongings, and where you can leave your door open, if you choose, and sleep blissfully in an unlocked room.

Photo: Cuerto numero cinco, my room where I enjoyed 3 pleasant nights at Meling Ranch. Note the table and chairs on the veranda, and the beautiful landscaping.

If I could only use one word to describe my motel room, the word "rustic" would immediately come to my mind, as that generally describes the room. Its also very large for a motel room, as it measures about 15 by 20 feet, not including the spacious bathroom, complete with house-size shower, which is an oddity in a motel room. However, Meling Ranch is not just a motel, it's a guest ranch, at a real, working cattle ranch, located in the foothills of the Sierra San Pedro Martir, in Baja California, Mexico. The room features a shiny tile floor, and the windows are adorned with homestyle white curtains, which add a very homey touch. The king-size bed is covered with a attractive comforter, and towels, soap and shampoo are placed on the towels. The towels impressed me, as they aren't those tiny, paper-thin, variety of towels found at most motels; these towels are large, thick, and just the sort that you'd find in your bathroom at home. Oh yes, you can drink the tap water at Meling Ranch, as the water comes from a nearby spring.

Photo: This lovely veranda enjoys uncluttered, spacious seating, with a view of the mountains in the distance.

There is no air conditioning at Meling Ranch, but since the ranch is located at the 4000 foot level, its not really needed. If your room gets too hot, all you have to do is to open the door or the windows, and enjoy the breeze. Or better yet, sit outside of your room, under the covered porch, and gaze at the beauty of the Sierra de San Martir in the distance. Since you're facing east, sitting outside in the afternoon will be very pleasant, and you're guaranteed shade. Room heating is accomplished by a wood-burning stove! As you walk into your room, you'll notice the faint aroma of wood smoke, which is present in every building at Rancho Meling.

Photo: Looking at the dining room and the distant Sierra San Pedro Martir from the doorway of my motel room.

Next to the bed, on the night stand, is a kerosene lamp and a book of matches. As mentioned in a previous chapter, the ranch's electrical generator shuts off at 9 O'clock in the evening, and if you want to read a book or whatever, you'll be doing it by kerosene lamp. Forget about television, as Meling Ranch doesn't have any, and if you desire to listen to the radio, be sure to bring along a battery powered radio that receives the old-fashioned A.M. band, as you'll have to rely upon receiving distant radio stations via skywave reception at night. To me, the wood stove and the kerosene lamp makes a visit to Meling Ranch more fun.

Photo: Check out the thick, towels, the sort that you'd find at your grandmother's, as oppesed to the small, thin typical motel towels. How many motel rooms feature a kerosene lamp on the night stand?

Meling Guest Ranch's accomodations aren't fancy, but they're charming, clean, comfortable and very rustic, and they ranch is unlike any other place where I've had the pleasure to stay in my travels.

Photo: Looking from the bed, this photo gives you an idea of how large the room really is.