CARMEL VALLEY, Calif.
April 2015 will mark the debut of a revamped Bernardus Lodge & Spa, in Carmel Valley, Calif., following a four-month, multimillion-dollar transformation.
Set on 28 acres of lavender and vineyards, this Forbes Four Star-rated 57-guest room property will showcase a dramatic shift in architecture and design, including the following highlights:
Key design elements include the opening of public spaces to provide invigorating vineyard views, redesign of the hotel lobby, retool of all luxury guest accommodations, a re-envisioned pool and spa experience with a wellness slant, new and expanded event venues and an entirely new dining concept.
The Lodge will showcase rich Italian stonework, mosaic tiles, grass cloth, French oak floors and dramatic chandeliers set in neutral tones of olive leaf, mascarpone, charcoal and oyster. Oxidized copper and seagrass accents will be showcased throughout matched with punches of aqua and green lichen.
Under the helm of Chef Cal Stamenov, a dramatic new restaurant concept is anticipated for award-winning Marinus. Christened Lucia Restaurant & Bar, playing off the lauded Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, the anchor restaurant will be redesigned to include an additional 2,300-square-foot alfresco terrace and striking new interior. Debuting a ‘California country’ cuisine concept, the spring menu will reflect Cal's enviable larder of farmers, foragers and fisherman spiked with sophisticated undertones.
Expanded private venues and the 25,000-bottle wine cellar round out the dining options. Seating will be expanded to serve 120 with a separate bar rolling out a new craft cocktail program.
Hosting groups of 10 to 150 with 4,300 square feet of flexible meeting/banquet space and 5,000 square feet of alfresco venues, the Bernardus Lodge's retool includes upgrades to all meeting spaces with modernized technology and expansion of the Meritage Ballroom. The Harvest Room, created for culinary events, will showcase an upgraded exhibition kitchen with pecan floors.
"This transformation has been a long-held vision of the new ownership," says Josh Keller, COO of Woodside Hotels, the new management company for the property. "It's a dramatic shift with a focused, contemporary spin on both architecture and design."
