If you’re like me and wonder what happens on a vineyard once the sun goes down, then take advantage of Willamette Valley Vineyards’ new focus on hospitality, which includes luxurious guest suites. I was privileged to stay with a guest for an overnight visit in one of the LEED-certified winery suites. Available throughout the year, the stay includes spacious accommodations, stunning views and wine for all occasions.
(Photo credit: Willamette Valley Vineyards)
Indulge in Luxury Accommodations
To check in to the winery suites, we stepped into the tasting room and headed straight for the bar. An informative taste or two later, we were escorted to the winery suites, which are connected to the tasting room via the patio, as well as the parking lot, yet it maintains an atmosphere of privacy. Our personal concierge took the time to show us around our stunningly spacious suite, explaining everything from the satellite cable to the temperature control and pointing out additional conveniences like extra towels and supplies kept in the bathroom cabinet and an emergency preparedness kit in the hallway closet. I was pleasantly surprised by the details that had gone into the LEED-certified design of the suite and its many additional touches.
The winery suite is airy and open, much larger than the average one-bedroom apartment, and features a complete living room with an oversized couch, chairs, supersized ottoman and flat-screen TV over the working fireplace in addition to a balcony for outside sipping and gazing.
The bedroom has all the basics, including a closet loaded with suitcase stands and hangers, perfect for forgetful travelers looking to remain wrinkle-free. The supersized bathroom across the hall includes a full tub and rain shower, with plenty of counter space for laying out your products and tools, if you happen to be a beauty fiend like me that can’t go anywhere without both day and night creams.
In the kitchen, you’ll find a sink and cupboards stocked with dishes and supplies. Guests get two bottles of wine, one white and one red, along with a continental breakfast package for the next morning. It’s that extra touch of planning ahead that makes staying in the suites feel like you’re staying with your grandmother that is always trying to feed you, rather than in a standard hotel.
Experience the Wine Life
With views from every angle, we opted to have our delicious dinner delivered to the winery suite to enjoy the sun setting over the vineyard in the luxury of our own suite. Having the tasting room’s kitchen mere steps away also makes ordering very convenient. As night fell, we moved from outside on the private patio to inside the window-lined kitchen. We perused through selections on the daily pairings menu, finally settling on steelhead for me (which had been highly recommended on a previous vineyard visit) and penne for my usually-pasta-deprived guest.
The winery is located close to South Salem’s restaurants, bars and breweries, but we chose to spend the night in, enjoying the sunset and catching up on our Netflix queue via the suite’s entertainment system. After a good night’s sleep on a comfortable bed outfitted with soft linens, we were ready to enjoy the morning repast set in the fridge before meeting our winery ambassador for a tour of the estate.
Additional Perks
The next day, a winery ambassador provided a cheese plate on the tasting room’s outdoor deck before we began our tour of the winery, which includes periodic tastings as we walked through the property’s processing areas and grape-growing hillsides. In addition, we also received a tasting room credit so that we could bring home a taste of our stay to make the experience last a bit longer.
The seclusion of the vineyard at off-times makes it a perfect spot to celebrate an anniversary or special occasion, although we enjoyed it as a much needed, not-too-far-from-home staycation experience. Willamette Valley Vineyards hosts special events throughout the year — such as weekend concerts, food festivals and an annual grape stomp — that would make a prime time to spend the night in a winery suite. The friendly, helpful and knowledgeable staff ensures a night to remember.
Whether you are new to Oregon wine country or live nearby, a stay at the Willamette Valley Vineyards Winery Suites is a welcome way to enjoy wine in pampered surroundings.
