Bardessono Hotel and Spa

"Why book? A secluded, eco-minded hideaway that feels like your very own grown-up modern residence. It's the ultimate place to slip completely under the radar while being surrounded by world-renowned art and nature. Set the scene It's quiet luxury here. Guests range from high-fashion socialites and international art and design aficionados to mother-daughter duos and wine enthusiasts. What sets the hotel apart is not only the modern architecture and design with a calming, earth-toned palette, but the eco factor. It's only one of seven LEED Platinum-certified hotels in the country (the highest rating by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program) with zen-like gardens dotted with small wooden footpaths and water features; large-scale sculptures; an on-site restaurant; a spa with four treatment rooms; an outdoor rooftop pool; a fitness center; and a culinary garden. Walking through the serene setting, you might feel as though you've landed in a public art garden. The hotel serves as a backdrop for an expansive art collection with partner gallery, San Francisco–based Andrea Schwartz Gallery, with upcycled highlights including a digital photograph, Green Earth, New Sky, by Cara Barer; a life-size dog sculpture, Stella, made from remnant metal scraps by Brian Mock; and an abstract stainless steel sculpture, Ace, by Albert Dicruttalo. The backstory The property, dating to 1926, is the former homestead of Italian immigrants John and Lucy Bardessono, who along with John's brother-in-law, Martin Zucco, originally acquired the 20-acre land as a private estate and vineyard. (Lucy and John's portraits, along with black-and-white photos of their seven children, hang in the lobby.) Five acres now remain as the site of the hotel. Lucy carefully maintained a garden, aptly named Lucy's Garden, which still exists on the grounds—and serves as a culinary garden for Lucy Restaurant & Bar—with fresh veggies and herbs spanning pineapple quince, yuzu, tomato, garlic chive, strawberry, chocolate mint, and eggplant. In 2009, the hotel, restaurant, and spa opened as the greenest luxury hotel. A year later, it was awarded LEED Platinum Certification by the US Green Building Council. The rooms The hotel is divvied up into five groves as a nod to a plant or tree growing in each section. Accommodations are categorized based on three types: Spa Suite (available with one king bed or one king and queen bed, suited for families or groups of friends) with mini-fridges stocked with complimentary water in aluminum cans, soaking tubs, and enclosed patios or balconies with lounge chairs and umbrellas; Steam-Spa Suites (also available with one king or one king and a queen) with 1,000 square feet and a dual shower-steam room and an outdoor shower; and seven 750-square-foot Tufa suites with see-through fireplaces separating the living and sleeping areas, steam-showers, outdoor showers, and expanded outdoor courtyards. Three Maple Grove villas, ideal for VIPs and large families, offer even more privacy. The stylish villas (which can be reserved individually or as one entire unit) are appointed with approximately 1,000 square feet of space in different layout options featuring high ceilings; gas fireplaces; four-poster king beds; oil-and-mixed media on canvas works by artists such as John Belingheri; and private plunge pools and outdoor terraces. Food and drink For breakfast, guests can enjoy a grab-and-go option replete with a selection of coffee and tea and complimentary house-made chocolate croissants, apple turnovers, and gluten-free bread. There's also fresh fruit cups and organic yogurt available. At Lucy Restaurant and Bar, Executive Chef Rick Edge (of RH Yountville Restaurant and Indian Springs Calistoga), prepares lunch options with herbs culled from the garden such as four cheese arancini with black truffle aioli and California halibut paired with sweet yellow corn, baby fennel, fingerling potatoes, and Cippolini onions. Dinner entrees include lemon and rosemary roasted chicken accompanied with foraged mushrooms, sunburst squash, arugula, pancetta, and fingerling potatoes, and roasted organic cauliflower with house-made red curry, spinach, lime, and toasted peanuts. The spa B Spa is equipped with a private, one-to-two-person sauna accessed via the locker room, and an extensive spa menu with a salt stone massage using warm Himalayan salt stones, and four types of age-defying oxygen facials utilizing an exclusive line of skincare products by London-based Linda Meredith. (It's the only spa in the state that carries it.) Just in case you don't feel like leaving the room, let the spa come to you. There's a massage table in each room closet for added convenience, and a spa butler can be arranged to draw a customized bath in the soaking tub. The neighborhood/area Located just a street away from the idyllic, tree-lined main drag in Yountville, it's the ideal drop zone for setting out on foot sans the car. Take a stroll to specialty shops and emporiums like Montecristi Panama Hats and V Marketplace, eateries (try Bouchon Bistro or Bistro Jeanty), and seven tasting rooms including Hope & Grace and Priest Ranch. The serviceThe service is impeccable here from the bellmen to the front desk staff. The on-site concierge, Matt Brush, can arrange for everything from dinner recommendations and reservations to transportation via the house Lexus car (within 2.2 miles to the north and 1.4 miles to the south) to nearby wineries such as Mira Winery, Elyse Winery, Chandon, and Hailstone Vineyards. The hotel also has a partnership with Quintessa and Alpha Omega Winery for complimentary tastings. If you prefer to go at your own pace, check out one of the resort's bikes available for use during your stay. Eco effortAs a LEED Platinum–certified property, there's not much about the hotel that isn't thought out from an eco-friendly lens, from bathrooms with low-water flow toilets and earth-conscious Terra Pure green tea bath products to the salvaged Monterey Cypress, walnut, and California Bay trees used for exterior cladding on select buildings. AccessibilityAll suite types are available with ADA-compliant features such as ground-level rooms with roll-in showers outfitted with grab bars, benches, and hand-held shower heads; wheelchair-accessible doors and pathways; and portable hearing assistance devices. The Flint villa is also equipped with grab bars in the shower and a lift for the outdoor spa pool. Anything left to mention? The hotel is pet-friendly and supplies an in-room pup amenity for purchase with a box of gourmet dog treats; a Bardessono bandana; drinking water in aluminum cans by Open Water; water and food bowls; and a plush dog bed for use while on-property. For the ultimate pup pampering, be sure to order off the Barkessono menu for made-to-order creations like Hobb's applewood bacon and spinach and Mary's chicken and rice. The hotel's rooftop pool and fitness center is temporarily closed for updates through the end of January 2024. In 2024, all guest rooms will undergo a refresh with new furnishings and accessories. On Saturday mornings in the summer, join in on a complimentary yoga class." - Jennie Nunn