Following a two-year, $17-million expansion, the Vintners Inn in Santa Rosa, Calif., unveiled 34 new Vineyard View rooms and suites in addition to a new, 5,000-square-foot Vi La Vita Spa.
These updates complete the master renovation for the inn, which also included the breakfast-and-lunch spot River Vine Café (which opened in summer 2017).
CEO and co-owner Rhonda Carano began plans for the expansion project in the spring of 2016 alongside her late husband and business partner, Don Carano. She worked with MBA Architecture + Interior Design to create the aesthetic inspired by old-world Italian charm and a “Green Philosophy.”
Designed to reflect the beauty of the grounds and vineyards outside the property, all of the guestrooms at Vintners Inn feature French doors, California king-size beds and high-end bath amenities. The hotel combines modern comforts with eco-friendly amenities, including electric fireplaces, energy-efficient lighting and electric vehicle charging stations.
Reminiscent of a Mediterranean village, the California Green Lodging-certified resort is sprawled across 98 acres of vineyards and landscaped grounds with courtyards and fountains. Previously composed of three separate guestroom villas around a central courtyard, the inn now has five villas, each positioned for privacy. The new two-story terraced villas were designed in a V-court style, allowing every room to enjoy vineyard views, with new landscaping surrounding each building.
The new Vineyard View rooms and suites include four room styles: Vineyard View Fireplace King, Vineyard View Junior Suite, Vineyard View Suite and the Vineyard Terrace Deluxe Suite. All of the rooms and suites have views of the estate vineyards from either private patio or balcony spaces.
The Vineyard View Deluxe Terrace Suite is the jewel of the new collection, offering 940-square-feet of space, including an outside private patio with outdoor furnishings, lounge chairs and a private dining area with a wet bar.
The property now also has the 5,000-square-foot Vi La Vita Spa, a spa and fitness room accessible to hotel guests and locals. In the heart of the spa, visitors will find a space surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows that invites the natural light to emanate throughout, vaulted ceilings and a natural design inspired by the 200-year-old heritage oak tree that sits just outside the spa doors.
Other spa amenities include: a wellness relaxation lounge and fire feature, an indoor caldarium with a warm pool and lounges, and an outdoor pool and deck. The spa has five treatment rooms with access to a secluded garden patio area with seating. There is a couple’s treatment room with private outdoor patio, a rain shower and lounging area.
A brand-new fitness center lies adjacent to the spa, spilling into an outdoor patio with stationary bikes that overlook the grounds and the herbal labyrinth garden.
In 2015, Vintners Inn underwent a $1 million interior renovation that included refurbished guestrooms and a brand-new lobby.
Percy Brandon is the GM of Vintners Inn.