76 South Bay Accent LEFT: JOHN COX; RIGHT & OPPOSITE: KODIAK GREENWOOD For a sense of how romantic this place truly is, consider one guest who planned a surprise vow renewal ceremony for his wife of 30 years. The hotel sales staff jumped in to assist, not only with the recommitment ceremony but also with two new dresses, a pair of shoes and a full weekend itinerary. RELAX Located in downtown Yountville, Bardessono is within walking distance of everything you need. At Ma(i)sonry, a winery collective and contemporary art gallery, you can sip while you shop for art. The same is true for nearby Jessup Cellars and gallery. Pick up some bubbly at Domaine Chandon and go boutique shopping at V Marketplace. RECREATE Hike at Bothe Napa State Park, but watch out for poison oak! Get in your best golf swing at the Silverado Resort and Spa. REFRESH Sample handmade cocktails at Farmhouse Restaurant, St. Helena or Bottega Restaurant, Yountville. Listen to a concert at the historic Napa Playhouse. Even closer is the Lincoln Theater, a newly renovated space that presents concerts and theatrical shows. Watch an independent film at the historic Cameo Cinema in St. Helena. REKINDLE If you didn’t book months in advance for Thomas Keller’s extravagant, three-Michelin-star restaurant, The French Laundry, there are many other excellent options for fine dining. Splurge on an intimate dinner at highly rated Redd or Etoile Restaurant. Steal a kiss while zipping to the top of Sterling Vineyards via gondola. Sip sparkling wine on a private balcony at Domaine Carneros or soar through the sky in a balloon from Napa Valley Aloft. Morro Bay oysters with apple granita and garden herbs from the Post Ranch Inn. DESTINATION: PACIFIC COAST POST RANCH INN I47900 HIGHWAY 1, BIG SUR; 800/527-2200. WWW.POSTRANCHINN.COM f ever there was a spot destined to stir the heart, it would be the epic and awe-inspiring Post Ranch Inn. High on a ridge off of rugged Highway 1, this Big Sur resort is the ultimate private paradise, marked only by a small sign at the base of a cliff. Spread across 100 acres, the inn is sheltered by trees and is perched on the cliff so each room faces the vast Pacific or the Santa Lucia Mountains. Views of nature at its most staggering are unobstructed. At a distance, the inn looks as if it organically rises from the terraced hillside, as it towers more than 1,200 feet above the ocean. With 39 eco-friendly bungalows (plus two houses you can rent), the property is an architect’s dream, a modern sensibility of reclaimed wood, steel, glass and stone. Some structures are shaped like cylinders with metal exteriors, others are Hobbit-esque with sod rooftops. Named after the original owners of the land, the inn operates exclusively for adults 18 and older. The purpose of the Post Ranch Inn is clear: It is a “destination in which to relax and reconnect with yourself, your partner and the environment.” When you arrive at the guest gate, you continue Cantilevered over the rock face, the Post Ranch Inn’s Cliff House features a large soaking tub overlooking the Pacific Ocean. for a short drive up the hill. Once at the reception building, the staff valets your car and drives you and your belongings in a hybrid Lexus to your romantic hideout. Accommodations are exquisitely and simply serene, decorated with only a few art pieces; it’s the ocean that is the true design element. Without a television or alarm clock, personal connection is highly encouraged. Who can argue with that? The rooms present distinctive personalities to help you choose a favorite. The Pacific Suites feature two-story rotundas with wood exteriors. Each upstairs and downstairs unit encompasses a generous 960 square feet. Imagine stepping inside a curved interior with glass doors that open to the sea. At night, light a real log in the fireplace, wrap up in a fluffy robe and feel the warmed cement flooring beneath your feet. Immerse yourself in the indoor soaking tub for two—or better yet, sink into your own outdoor hot tub on a private deck under the full moon. If you want to forge a memory for a lifetime, reserve one of the Post Ranch Inn’s tree houses. Built on wood stilts, nine feet off the ground, the tree house compound is made up of triangular
South Bay Accent - Feb/Mar 2015
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