-By Jean Nayar, Photography by Sammy Todd Dyess

In 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 Napa Valley that promises to give new meaning to the concept of a boutique luxury hotel and spa.

"I've been going to Napa Valley as a visitor for 30 years and have always loved the area," says Phil Sherburne, president and CEO of Yountville Investors, which developed the new hotel. "I grew up on a farm, and the agrarian quality of the Valley—in addition to the wine—is incredibly appealing." So 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 Sherburne with the proposition of turning their six-acre property into a small inn, the developer was intrigued. Of course, good restaurants—including Thomas Keller's French Laundry—and good wines are plentiful in Napa Valley. "But there wasn't a really good spa hotel in this area," says Sherburne. "So it made sense to develop a property here that was focused on service to guests."

Since Sherburne had developed two other successful West Coast boutique luxury spa hotels—Willows Lodge in Seattle and the Inn of the Spanish Garden in Santa Barbara—he knew how to create a property that would appeal to a high-end market. But as a lover of the landscape, he also wanted the hotel to be in tune with its environment. "The goal was to make this hotel a model of environmental design," says Sherburne. "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, the developer 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 low-key yet cutting-edge design characteristics of the 62-room inn. From an aesthetic perspective, the 60,000-sq.-ft. hotel exudes an earthy modernism and is composed of a series of low-slung residential-like forms—none more than two-stories high—with most guest spaces organized in a series of four clusters. 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 what is known as the living room, so it's almost like going to someone's home," says Frieson.

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 water-conserving fixtures, landscaping techniques, and organic cleaning products—reinforces Sherburne's commitment to creating a wholesome connection between the inn and its surroundings. An allergy sufferer with an aversion to dust and mites, the developer also was keen on creating spaces that would be high on hygiene and low on toxicity. He opted to forgo carpets and other soft furnishings typically associated with luxury environments and instead defined guestroom interiors minimally, with lots of tile, stone, and wood surfaces that are easier to keep clean. As a result, the rooms exude a spare, monastic quality rather than a sense of plush luxury. Yet all are generous in size with separate sleeping and living zones as well as an ample dressing, bath, and private treatment area complete with a massage bed stored in custom cabinetry and a large whirlpool/soaking tub.

Although environmental friendliness and sustainability were priorities for the developer from the onset, LEED certification wasn't something he originally intended to pursue. "We were taking an environmentally conscious approach based on my belief that that's what we should all be doing," says Sherburne. "We weren't driven by the LEED process, but when we were about two-thirds of the way through, the architects suggested that we get a LEED consultant to find out what status we might qualify for. We learned that we were already close to Platinum status, so we decided to follow through with its documentation process." Fully expecting to be awarded with Platinum certification later this year, the hotel would be the second hotel in the country to achieve the USGBC's highest rating. (The Proximity Hotel in Greensboro, North Carolina, is the first hotel to achieve top LEED certification.)

After opening in a tough economic environment this past February, Bardessono's business steadily continues to grow. In fact, according to Sherburne, it's getting the highest marks of all of the properties run by its manager, MTM Luxury Lodging. Sherburne notes that the inn also is generating a lot of its own energy and using less than half the energy that a standard hotel of its size would typically consume. Who wouldn't raise a glass of Napa Valley wine to that?



who
Project: Bardessono. Client: Phil Sherburne. Architect: WATG. Interior designer: JoAnne Powell, In-Design &Marta Salas-Porras, Definitive Partners. Structural engineer: I.L. Gross Structural Engineers. Mechanical engineer: Ecotope. Electrical engineer: Travis Fitz-Maurice.
General contractor: Cello- Maudru Construction. Construction manager: Tom Weidinger.
Lighting designer: Luminae Souter. Photographer: Sam Dyess.

what
Paint: Benjamin Moore. Dry wall:  US Gypsum Board. Masonry: Basalite, tufa stone. Flooring: Evan Shively Arborica, Sonoma Cast Stone; Oceanside Glass Tile. Carpet: Masland. Carpet tile: Bentley Prince Street. Carpet backing: Leggett & Platt. Ceiling: Armstrong. Doors: Northstar Woodworks, Stiles. Glass: Viracon. Window frames: Kawneer (Progress Glass). Window treatments:  Solar Shading Systems. Railings/screens/grill work: Custom. Guest room casegoods: Impex. Guestroom beds: Simmons, Decore Fabrics, Down Etc. Organic linens: Coyuchi. Lambs wool pad: Southrn Cross Sheepsk. Guestroom tables: Arborica, Meyers/Wells. Guestroom lighting: Artemide. Guestroom seating: daedon. Lounge furniture: Paco Prieto/ Picassa Studios bar, back bar, and communal bar table, couches custom, tables McGuire. Dining/convention/conference seating, bar stools: Silver Associates. Dining/convention/conference tables: Indecasa (base), Arborica (recycled walnut top). Banquette: Southern Aluminum, Maywood. Communal table: Greg Hay. Occasional furniture for public spaces: Picassa Studios, Dennis Douglas. Architectural woodworking: supplier Arborica, Cello Maudru. Cabinetmaking: Jim Martin (lounge, concierge, spa). Planters, accessories: Copper Iron Design. Signage: Architectural Signs and Associates. Elevators: Kone. Building management system: InnCom. Public plumbing fixtures: Toto, Kohler, Cifial. Guestroom plumbing fixtures: Toto, Cifial, Hansgrohe.

where
Location: Yountville, CA. Total floor area: 59,719 sq. ft. No. of floors: effectively 1.165.
Average floor size: Ground Floor 49,819 S.F.; 1st Floor 9,900 S.F. No. of beds: 62 rooms.
Total staff size: 70.