Bright Star Casa & Casita is in the Arroyo Seco/Des Montes area on a high mesa with wrap-around mountain views. Located half way between Taos Plaza and Taos Ski Valley, it is 9 miles to the plaza and 11 miles to the lifts, making it ideal for a vacation at any time of the year. This property has spectacular 360 degree views of the Taos area mountain ranges and the desert plains to the west. In the distance, one can see the Rio Grande rift. The space ----- 2 Master Bedroom Suites / 2 Full Kitchens / Courtyard, Patio, Deck, Covered Portal / 4 Fireplaces / Sleeps 16 ----- Bright Star Casa & Casita is in the Arroyo Seco/Des Montes area on a high mesa with wrap-around mountain views. Located half way between Taos Plaza and Taos Ski Valley, it is 9 miles to the plaza and 11 miles to the lifts, making it ideal for a vacation at any time of the year. This property has spectacular 360-degree views of the Taos area mountain ranges and the desert plains to the west. In the distance, one can see the Rio Grande rift. Bright Star sleeps 16: The Casa sleeps 6 in beds, and a Casita sleeps 4 in beds, and both are under one roof, for a total of 10 in beds. An additional 6 sleep on very comfortable cots plus 4" foam mattresses, suitable for both adults and children up to 300 pounds. Thus we can sleep a total of 16. To rent the Casa without the Casita, search for the Airbnb listing titled "Bright Star Casa in Arroyo Seco" or on HomeAway #4628225. A 7- person, 16-jet hot tub has a great view of the mountains to the East, and there is ample parking for 8 or more cars. There are 2 covered car ports under the 440 square foot partially covered Casita deck. It has a kiva fireplace and offers spectacular 360-degree views of the entire Taos county mountains and plains. The property occupies two and a half acres of land and has a lovely acequia (irrigation watercourse) which winds through the property. When the acequia is running, which is early spring into late summer, there is a small pond on the south end that is separately fenced for the benefit of the horses which frequently graze there. The observatory on the property is operated remotely over the internet and images from the observatory are on the walls. High definition digital copies of these images are free to guests. This is a perfect location with very dark skies for you to bring your own telescope. Bright Star Casa is a southwestern-style stucco 3000 square foot, one story home with traditional Taos blue-trimmed windows. Arroyo Seco and neighboring Arroyo Hondo are charming ranching communities with historic roots in the Spanish Land Grant system. The Casa is within walking distance to Arroyo Seco on a rural road which passes an old Penitente cemetery and the back of Julia Roberts’ 50-acre ranch. This spacious adobe hacienda was built in the mid ‘90s of hand-made adobe blocks covered with stucco. The resulting 12” thick adobe walls provide excellent insulation summer and winter and keep inside temperatures relatively cool in the summer. (Summer temperatures in Arroyo Seco average 4 degrees cooler than temps in Taos.) The house features Spanish colonial corbels and lintels, romantic arches, flagstone, brick and timber. The ceilings are roughhewn logs, called vigas, layered with pine slats, called latillas. The radiant-heated floors are Saltillo tile. On the exterior, the 3000 square foot house features a 500 square foot courtyard off the long hall, portals (covered entrances), and a kitchen patio with a kiva fireplace and a dining table for 6. With the added 1200 square foot Casita, there is a total of 4200 square feet of living space. Lots of room for a very large group. Bright Star Casa sleeps up to 14, with 2 king bedrooms and a bedroom with 2 twin beds which can also be made up as a king, plus 8 Byer of Maine cots with 4" mattresses. These cot/mattresses are amazingly comfortable. With the added Casita it sleeps an additional 4, a King bed in the Casita Master Bedroom, and a foldout Queen memory form bed in the Casita living room/family room/kitchen. House plus Casita therefore sleeps a total of 18 people. The 8 folding mattresses (4” thick) with cots sleep up to 8 adults or children. The cots that hold the mattresses are "Byer of Maine Easy Cot", the best cot on the market. They measure a spacious 78" x 31" x 18" and are rated for a 330-pound person. They are easy to set up in 30 seconds. The picture gallery includes an image of a cot with mattress. These are amazingly comfortable to sleep on. They of course include a pillow with full set of linens. Three bedrooms have an en suite bathroom. The fourth bathroom is accessed from the hall for the convenience of all the guests. Bright Star Casita is a recently constructed 1200 square foot Casita with great room and full-kitchen on the first floor, and a double-sink bathroom, large master bedroom, and laundry/closet on the second floor. The great room includes an island with 4 stools and a wood burning kiva fireplace. Both floors have viga/latilla ceilings. The 400 square foot bedroom has French doors to a large, partially-covered deck which features a wood burning kiva fireplace. The deck has spectacular mountain views. Bright cushions for the deck chairs can be found in the bedroom. The Casita sleeps up to 4 with a king-bed in the bedroom, and a queen fold-out bed in the great room’s leather sofa. The fold-out has a comfortable memory foam mattress. Other Amenities (available in both the Casa and Casita): 3 HD flat screen televisions, two in the Casa, a 60” in the spacious living room and a 50” in the Master Bedroom. The Casita has a 60” in the living room/kitchen. 23 local channels and 110 internet channels are available over the high-speed fiber optic internet service. Programs include YouTube TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Peacock, providing a wide range of live sports, news, movies, TV Series, music and other entertainment. The fiber optic internet also provides excellent WIFI connectivity throughout the Casa and Casita. The Casa and Casita each have their own internet phone providing land-line quality phone service with unlimited free incoming and outgoing calls throughout the US. The cell phone coverage from most of the providers in the Arroyo Seco/Des Montes area is usable but not always reliable. At night, guests enjoy starry skies over the Sangre de Christo Mountain Range. Bright Star is ideal for families and groups desiring to be together under one very Southwest roof for a true Taos experience! Option for live music entertainment: Billy Archuleta - Soloist Extraordinaire! Music styles - Country Rock, Spanish, Blues, Gospel, Bolero, Reggee Music for any occasion, Wedding, Birthday, Anniversary, Social Gathering, etc. Contract rate: $150/Hr.for first two hours, $100/hr after that. Contact Info: contact Jerry for contact info for Billy. Please contact at least 2 weeks in advance, thank you. Guest access Other Amenities (available in both the Casa and Casita): 3 HD flat screen televisions, two in the Casa, a 60” in the spacious living room and a 50” in the Master Bedroom. The Casita has a 60” in the living room/kitchen. 23 local channels and 110 internet channels are available over the high-speed fiber optic internet service. Programs include YouTube TV, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Peacock, providing a wide range of live sports, news, movies, TV Series, music and other entertainment. The fiber optic internet also provides excellent WIFI connectivity throughout the Casa and Casita. The Casa and Casita each have their own internet phone providing land-line quality phone service with unlimited free incoming and outgoing calls throughout the US. The cell phone coverage from most of the providers in the Arroyo Seco/Des Montes area is usable but not always reliable. At night, guests enjoy starry skies over the Sangre de Christo Mountain Range. Bright Star is ideal for families and groups desiring to be together under one very Southwest roof for a true Taos experience!