Award Winning Bernardus Lodge, Carmel Valley, California
While it can be foggy along the Carmel coast, the sun shines 320 days a year about 15 minutes inland in Carmel Valley. This makes the lucky people who are staying at Bernardus Lodge happy.
The sunshine also makes many, many acres of grapes very happy. Northern California insiders know that Carmel Valley produces wonderful wine and some of the best comes from Bernardus Winery.
Dutch owner Bernardus Pon is a race car driver and Olympic skeet shooter, but his real passion is food and wine. Since he opened Bernardus Lodge 14 years ago, he’s earned a reputation for offering creative cuisine of the highest standard and a wide variety of fine wines. His cellar contains 28,000 bottles, and his wine list won a prestigious Grand Award from the Wine Spectator.
The Spa at Bernardus Lodge nurtures mind, body, and spirit.
Chef Cal Stamenov is originally from Europe and found his way to Bernardus Lodge via Napa and San Francisco. His focus is on California Natural cuisine created with organic produce, 60% of which is grown on the property. His excellent relationship with local purveyors means that he gets first pick of everything fresh – and the menu changes very frequently. The chef’s delicious Portobello mushroom soup is one of the few constants on the menu.Guests who dine at Bernardus Lodge in either Wickets Bistro or Marinus can enjoy Ingrid’s Pinot Noir and Ingrid’s Chardonnay, named for the host’s wife and only available here.
The resort has an intimate feel – like staying in the home of wealthy friends. Everyone is greeted at check-in with a glass of wine before being shown to their spacious room. Each comes with either a patio or balcony and a fireplace, a large bathroom, fresh flowers, and complimentary splits of wine and a selection of cheeses.
The 57-room property sprawls over 25 acres and offers deluxe resort amenities including a beautiful spa, a lap pool (heated to 82 degrees year round), a fitness center, two tennis courts, and bocce and croquet lawns.
Not surprising, given the surroundings, the signature treatment in The Spa at Bernardus is the couple’s “Vineyard Romance.” This treat starts with a cabernet grape seed body exfoliation before adjourning to the privacy of an al fresco lavender grape seed bath. Next, a full-body grape seed oil massage is followed by cups of grape seed herbal tea served in the Warming Room.
The spa also offers many other massages and body treatments, including a two- or four-hand lomi lomi massage, Chardonnay facials, and an exfoliating body scrub using Bernardus-grown lavender. The pool in the spa is heated to 100 degrees year round, and guests can also enjoy the meditation garden.
The resort, the spa, and Marinus have received numerous awards, including four stars from Forbes (Mobil) Travel Guide and lots of smiles from happy, relaxed guests who enjoy the sunshine here – and much more.
Category: Hotels, Northern California
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