With the opening of its breathtaking new villas, LEED Platinum-certified Bardessono Hotel & Spa cements itself as Northern California’s most luxuriously green getaway.
A fleet of Lexuses are at guests’ disposal for test drives and local exploration.
When it comes to experiencing the epicurean delights of Napa Valley, it’s no secret that Yountville is the place to be. Home to not one but three Thomas Keller concepts (the three-Michelin-starred French Laundry plus its more casual sibs Bouchon Bakery and Bouchon Bistro); countless world-class tasting rooms; and the regal hillside estate of Domaine Chandon, the area’s grande dame of sparkling wine production, this charming little burg offers a veritable feast for the senses. It’s also the perfect base for exploring the area’s pleasures—and as I recently discovered on a springtime visit, there’s one hospitality destination that personifies the ultimate in sybaritic Napa Valley luxury: Bardessono Hotel & Spa.
The rooftop pool beckons.
Open since 2009, Bardessono—named for the Italian family that made the lush 20-acre property their homestead in the 1920s and who still retain partial ownership of the land—is a revered name in sustainable luxury. California’s first LEED Platinum hotel and still just one of 28 in the U.S., the property’s green bona fides are many: Doors and exterior and interior walls were built with 100,000 square feet of salvaged wood; solar panels cover the roofs; and water conservation practices include drought-resistant landscaping, low water-flow fixtures, and gray and black water treatment programs. “The thoughtful approach of building Bardessono to be gentle with the land and for future generations to benefit from this effort allows our team to benefit by smart, sustainable efforts that are premised on intuitive service,” notes property general manager Alain Negueloua, who adds that the property’s next initiative is centered on becoming a plastic-free property, set to be underway by 2022.
Alfresco dining at Lucy, the must-try on-site restaurant.
Green policies are grand, but it’s Bardessono’s reputation for five-star pampering that makes it an A-list destination. The setting? Exquisite. Gorgeously landscaped paths dotted with water features meander through the NorCal-chic property, creating an unmatched sense of intimacy and quiet, even though you’re steps from joining the queue for morning croissants and coffee at Bouchon Bakery on the town’s nearby Washington Street (which we did on the daily). An exclusive rooft op pool beckons with private cabanas and a buzzing social scene; on-site restaurant Lucy charms with Yountville-worthy field-to-fork dining with many ingredients plucked from its certified organic on-site garden; a fleet of Lexuses await for free test drives and jaunts around Yountville; in-room spa treatments are de rigueur; and each smartly decorated room boasts a spa bathroom, gas fireplace, and courtyard or balcony.
Complete with fireplace, full dining area and stunning views, the new Maple Grove Villas are sumptuously suited for entertaining.
Now, elevating the property even further is a trio of new Maple Grove Villas, which offer the ultimate Bardessono luxury experience. Ranging from an expansive 1,120 square feet to a downright palatial 1,410 square feet, the three one-bedroom villas beckon with seriously over-the-top amenities, from fully stocked wine fridges and eight-person dining tables to an apartment-size outdoor courtyard with hot tub and large-screen TV. Adding to the opulence, the three villas can be rented as a connecting series of accommodations, making for a truly incredible place for groups to commune.
The property’s inviting spa bathrooms let the outside in.
You may be tempted not to set foot off property—but this is Napa Valley, and the pull of the region’s more than 400 wineries is deliciously difficult to resist. So do what we did, and get out and explore: Grab sensational gourmet sandwiches at Oakville Grocery; taste bubbly under the trees at the historic, family-owned Schramsberg Vineyards, whose sparkling wine has been served to every sitting U.S. president since Nixon; drive the impossibly scenic Silverado Trail; slurp oysters at Bouchon Bistro; then return to the cozy confines of Bardessono. Aft er days of wine country adventuring, there’s no more appealing oasis of green luxury.Maple Grove Villas $3,300-$4,150 per night
Photography by: PHOTOS COURTESY OF BARDESSONO HOTEL & SPA
