DDi - October 2009 - (Page 32)

32 Channel Focus Hospitality Natural wonder Napa Valley’s Bardessono inn merges contemporary refinement with earthiness By Jean Nayar I | n tense times, nothing beats a glass of good wine and a deep-relaxation massage to recharge the body and soothe the soul. And a good place to satisfy both needs is at Bardessono, an understated inn nestled in the heart of California’s Napa Valley that promises to give new meaning to the concept of a luxury boutique hotel and spa. When the Bardessono family, long-time residents and owners of a small vineyard in the town of Yountville, near the gateway to Napa Valley, contacted Yountville Investors with the proposition of turning their 6-acre property into a small inn, President and CEO Phil Sherburne was intrigued. Of course, good restaurants and good wines are plentiful in Napa Valley. “But there wasn’t a really good spa hotel in this area,” Sherburne says. “So it made sense to develop a property here that was focused on service to guests.” As a lover of the Napa landscape, Sherburne not only wanted to create a property that would appeal to the high-end market, but also wanted the hotel to be in tune with its environment. “The goal was to make this hotel a model of environmental design,” Sherburne says. “I wanted a contemporary building, but also one that could become a Napa Valley classic—a place with modern forms, yet constructed with materials grounded to the Valley and the land.” To help him fulfill his vision, Sherburne enlisted Seattle-based WATG, an architecture firm recognized for its world-class hotel and resort designs, as well as its sensitivity to the environment and local cultures. “Our client wanted to provide a subtle luxury, not a faux-French or Tuscan environment that you often find in this area,” says Susan Frieson, WATG associate and lead architect on the project. “He also wanted to push the envelope on sustainability, with indigenous materials and sustainable systems.” These ideas and objectives—as well as pressure from the town council and local community to preserve the quaint residential spirit of the town—were instrumental in shaping the lowkey-yet-cutting-edge design characteristics of the 62-room inn. From an aesthetic perspective, the 60,000-sq.-ft. hotel exudes an earthy modernism—each room looks onto its own private enclosed garden or terrace. As such, the hotel, which was designed and constructed at a cost of $1,100 per sq. ft., reflects the spirit of the local indoor/outdoor lifestyle of its residential neighbors. From a service perspective, this residential quality was also integrated into the public spaces, where the lobby contains no front desk, and instead guests are greeted in a foyer by the hotel’s staff. “While the staff goes to get the room keys, guests are invited to sit in a lovely lounge area in what is known as the ‘living room,’ so it’s almost like going to someone’s home,” Frieson says. From an environmental perspective, almost everything about the design—from energy-efficient solar and geothermal energy systems to sustainable and recycled building materials (including Tufo lava rock from the Bardessono family’s former wine cellar and redwood from their wine barrels) to waterconserving fixtures, landscaping techniques and organic cleaning products—reinforces Sherburne’s commitment to creating a wholesome connection between the inn and its surroundings. The developer also was keen on creating spaces October 2009 Photos: Sammy Todd Dyess

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DDi - October 2009

DDi - October 2009
Table of Contents
From the Editor
Newsworthy
Consumer Insights
Quick Tips
Greentailing
Editor’s Choice
Design Snapshot
Green Super Section
Eco Shoppe
Hannaford Bros.
Channel Focus: Hospitality
Green Depot
Right Light
How to Pass the LEED AP Exam
Green Products
In-Store Technology
Product Spotlight: Color & Materials
Calendar
Advertisers
Classifieds
Think Tank

DDi - October 2009