Auberge Resorts is set to unveil their latest resort, Encantado. The resort is set against the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in northern New Mexico. The resort offers 65 casitas, a luxury spa, and a fine dining restaurant led by Executive Chef Charles Dale, who was named Best New Chef in America by Food + Wine Magazine in 1995 and twice nominated for Best American Chef in the Southwest by the James Beard Foundation.

The resort offers a variety of packages. The luxurious Too Much Of A Good Thing package includes three nights accommodation in a Casita or suite, a welcome spa gift, a couples Mountain Spirit Purification spa treatment, Moisture Drench facials for two, Encantado Classic Massage for two, private instruction in yoga, pilates or Tai Chi for two, a daily spa breakfast and a special turn down amenity. Rates start at $3380 for the package.

Travelers to Santa Fe desiring an authentic and luxurious New Mexico experience can now look to Casa de Estrellas. This new boutique hotel located in the heart of the city is designer Jay Payne's vision of high end, low key pampering.

With an emphasis on privacy and service, the Casa de Estrellas, or House of the Stars, offers guests private villas instead of rooms, complete with gourmet kitchens and the availability of a personal chef, butler and host. Originally built in the 1930's, the one and two bedroom villas feature mediterranean inspired, adobe style architecture, filled with ancient antiquities from around the world. The property also boasts a full service salon and spa as well as a wedding garden inspired by the work of Kadee Strickland, star of the TV series Wedding Bells. The one bedroom villas start at $195 per night. For larger parties, the 1,200 square foot Aria Townhouse will soon be available starting at $500 per night.

Want to marry a millionaire? Or, if you are already one, find some other millionaires to hang out with? Move to Los Alamos, New Mexico, where one in five households claims millionaire status, making the town the area with the highest concentration of millionaires in the country, according to a study in Kiplinger's Personal Finance. Many residents in Los Alamos work at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where, as one would expect, salaries for nuclear researchers aren't too shabby. Coming in behind Los Alamos is Naples/Marco Island, Florida, as well as the Bridgeport/Stamford/Norwalk, Connecticut region.

[Photo image via Sidecanyon.com]

More news on the growing space industry in New Mexico. Aero-News Network reports that New Mexico governor Bill Richardson has announced that the Rocket Racing League, the NASCAR of the sky, will have its world headquarters in New Mexico. The Rocket Racing League will be based in Las Cruces and will also have facilities at the Southwest Regional Spaceport. Races will be held around the country with the semi-finals at the Reno Air Show in Nevada and the finals in New Mexico in conjunction with the X PRIZE CUP competition. The X-Racer rockets race a three-dimensional track that is one-mile high, two miles long, and a half-mile across and will race three to four laps around the course between pit stops. Cameras will follow the race from balloons, chase planes and the cockpits of vehicles.

Want to combine your ski vacation with a little wine tasting? The 20th Annual Taos Winter Wine Festival starts January 18 and runs through January 29. The festival is host to over 40 wineries and offers a wide variety wine and food events throughout Taos Ski Valley and the Town of Taos. Local restaurants host wine dinners and many winemakers and vineyard owners come to the festival to pour (and soak up the gorgeous scenery).The seminars are small and allow plenty of interaction. There are two Grand Tasting events held on the Friday of each week (January 20 and 27) and a silent auction of great wines benefits the Nature Conservancy of New Mexico and the Taos Community Foundation.

[via Outdoor Newswire]