8 minute read
NAPA VALLEY
The Napa Experience in the Lap of Luxury
Bardessono Hotel & Spa
BY MONIQUE REIDY
IT IS SAID THAT THOSE WHO LIVE IN BARDESSONO FASHION HAVE A GREAT LOVE FOR DETAIL, ARE HIGHLY CONSCIENTIOUS AND DEPENDABLE. IT’S NO SURPRISE THAT BARDESSONO HOTEL & SPA BEARS ITS NAME AS THOSE ARE SOME OF THE HALLMARKS OF THIS LUXURIOUS NAPA VALLEY RESORT EXPERIENCE
Articulating refined elegance, Bardessono Hotel & Spa is a stylish resort with a consistent and contemporary edge. The property is filled with eclectic gardens, ponds and waterfalls, and visitors who walk across the grounds may feel as though they’re touring an art museum. Sculptures by local Bay Area artists pepper the outdoor spaces, and under the direction of the famed Andrea Schwartz gallery, are updated periodically.
Bardessono has 62 all-suite, dog-friendly guestrooms and three villas. Each guestroom offers plush 100% organic Egyptian cotton bed linens, a relaxing seating area, Nespresso coffee makers, a media hub and a motion-controlled exterior shuttering system. Bathrooms are oversized and feature soaking tubs, high-end organic bath amenities, and steam showers that have a door leading to an outdoor shower in the guestroom’s private patio. While showering outdoors may sound a bit intimidating, it’s actually a refreshing experience in an extremely secluded setting.
The patios and large bathrooms in the guestrooms can also serve as areas to enjoy personal spa services. Choose from an array of facial and body therapies such as The Ageless — an intensive age-correcting facial, and the Garden Wrap — an invigorating skin brushing therapy that stimulates the lymphatic system and flushes toxins from the body. The lineup of massage treatments and bathing therapies can be arranged in the privacy of one’s guest room or within the serene surroundings of B Spa, located below the pool deck.
Bardessono’s pool deck, one of the only rooftop pools in the Napa region, features a hot tub and stunning views of the surrounding hillsides and wineries. Cabana rentals are available for an additional fee, and food and beverage service is offered poolside on Saturdays and Sundays.
A wellness program offers yoga sessions and guided meditations to help guests maintain their emotional and physical conditioning.
Bardessono Hotel & Spa sits at the heart of Yountville within reach of more than 400 wineries in the 30-mile-long Napa Valley. Although the hotel’s Lexus partnership offers a car service to guests, Bardessono is in walking distance to boutiques, art galleries, wine shops and tasting rooms. Besides sampling some of the most recognizable names in wines, there are also hidden gems that deserve a visit. >>
Hestan Tasting Salon offers tastings of Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, all grown at Hestan Estate Vineyards in Napa Valley’s remote Eastern slopes. Hestan and Meyer labels are the product of renowned winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown, whose philosophy is that quality wine begins in the vineyard.
The salon also features HestanChef, a line of freestanding ranges designed for personal and commercial use, as well Thomas Kinkaid-approved Hestan Cookware, which is utilized in the kitchens of French Laundry, Bouchon, Per Se and The Surf Club restaurants.
A few blocks away, Handwritten Wines, owned by four couples who met in medical school and shared a passion for good wines, offer tastings by appointment. A selection of reservations are available: The Classic Experience features 5 pre-poured wines with a focus on the District Cabernet Sauvignons sourced from 2-acre blocks. Wines are accompanied with truffle potato chips and fluffa crackers. The Short Story Experience features three wines from the Handwritten Portfolio accompanied by truffle chips and fluffa crackers.
Handwritten’s Bread and Butter Experience features five wines in a side-by-side comparative format. Wines are accompanied with white truffle potato chips, Bouchon Bakery baguette, three artisan domestic butters, Stagberry Salame, and 12 month aged reserve Gouda cheese. The Pinot Noir Experience presents four vintages of Pinot Noirs from the same vineyard in Sta. Rita Hills in Santa Barbara County. This flight of Pinot Noirs is paired with a vertical tasting of Gouda cheeses from Oakdale Cheese Company. This experience also includes a taste of Relié Cuvée Champagne.
Postcards are available during the tasting experiences as the winery believes that handwritten notes become valuable keepsakes.
Besides wine tasting and shopping, Yountville, considered the “Culinary Capital” of Napa, features world-renowned eateries such as Bottega, Bistro Jeanty, R+D Kitchen, and Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery and Ad Hoc.
Fantastic dining experience can be found right on the Bardessono Hotel & Spa property at Lucy Restaurant & Bar. Executive Chef Jim Leiken’s garden-inspired cuisine offers a farm-to-table menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. He believes in a conscious cooking ideology and uses simple, locally sourced ingredients when possible.
Lucy’s unique menu features options such as the Pig and Peaches, Watermelon and Cucumber Salad, Bouef de Jour, Pan-seared Duck Breast and Steamed Mussels.
Refreshing artisanal cocktails and an extensive wine list are also available.
Bardessono offers guests complimentary fresh baked pastries at Lucy’s daily from 6:30 a.m. - 9 a.m.
Badessono Hotel and Spa is an exquisite resort designed for those who wish to experience Napa in the lap of luxury. g
A Napa Experience in a Redwood Forest
Harvest Inn
BY PAUL KALIL
TUCKED WITHIN A LUSH VINEYARD AND SURROUNDED BY THE MAJESTIC MAYACAMAS MOUNTAINS, HARVEST INN, LOCATED IN THE HEART OF ST. HELENA, HAS ALL THE ELEMENTS TO A FABULOUS WINE COUNTRY EXPERIENCE.
Recognized by Condè Nast Traveler as one of Napa Valley’s top hotels, Harvest Inn offers an immersive vineyard experience coupled with an old-world charm. The surroundings are calm and overflow with gardens, fountains, 320 towering redwoods and more than two million bricks. There are two pools on the property and an entrancing koi pond.
Several of the 81 rooms overlook the neighboring Whitehall and Taplin Vineyards, with the majesty of the pine-covered hillside that surrounds the valley. Rooms are large with unique brick fireplaces and upscale amenities, and some include a hot tub in the balcony to help guests relax and unwind. An oversized brick fireplace is the centerpiece of the guestroom and includes the engraved names of the five bricklayers who built the iconic bridge that leads to the Vineyard View Terrace.
Harvest Inn guests can enjoy wine tastings each Friday evening at the lobby bar, complimentary wine tastings at neighboring wineries, and they receive access to Napa's Silverado Resort and Spa.
A courtesy house car is available, which is handy when visiting local wineries and restaurants. The fitness center is open 24 hours daily — ideal for night owls and early risers alike.
Harvest Inn hosts an array of corporate events and more than 50 weddings a year, which are held in the Vineyard View Terrace located at the foot of the gorgeous vineyard. Behind the area is a two-story meeting space, also with vineyard and mountain views.
The property is enjoyed by human and small pet travelers alike. The popular Happy Tails Package offers a warm welcome to visiting pups and includes toys, treats, a doggy bowl and a pet mattress. Canine guests are welcomed in the outdoor seating area of Harvest Table restaurant, located off the hotel lobby.
Harvest Table features a menu that uses locally sourced ingredients and the resort’s on-site vegetables and herbs. Open for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a signature brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
Among the dinner specialties, the menu features Barbeque Oysters, Three-meat Meatball appetizer,
Crab Avocado Salad in watermelon juice base, Pork Belly Steak, and a must-have Croughnut and Peanut Butter Fudge Cake dessert.
The menu is skillfully designed by Chef Jeff Libunao, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena and began his career at the prestigious Beverly Hills Hotel. He was also executive director of food and beverage at The Lodge at Sonoma Resort & Spa, then spent time at the JW Marriott in San Francisco.
Apart from his unique take on traditional dishes, he also created the option of family-style dining for special events, which allows guests to experience their celebrations as though it were in their home with family and friends. And, of course, patio dining in a setting overlooking redwoods and mountains is like fine dining in a spectacular forest.
A visit to Harvest Inn is an overall exceptional experience with unique details that features a wonderful spin on great traditions for both visitors and locals. g
HARVEST INN
1 Main Street St. Helena, CA 94574 (707) 963-9463
