In a state as environmentally progressive as California, it’s hard to claim to be the first to set a sustainable benchmark. But that’s exactly what the design team at Honolulu-based WATG has accomplished with the design of the Bardessono hotel, a 62-room boutique luxury inn and spa in Yountville, California, which recently received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. WATG has a legacy of environmentally sensitive planning, architecture and design.
Located on a 4.9-acre site in the heart of Napa Valley, Bardessono is the first hotel on the West Coast of the United States to receive LEED Platinum. Most notably, it is one of only two hotels in the world to attain this rating—which is the highest level that can be achieved under the LEED Rating System.
“Bardessono was designed to meld into the quiet surroundings of Yountville yet stand out as a true destination resort,” says Susan Frieson, WATG associate and lead architect on the project. “Through a dedicated collaborative effort of designers, engineers and contractors—as well as a developer committed to the highest level of environmental sustainability and energy-efficient design—we were able to create a wonderfully successful project.”
Cello-Maudru was the general contractor while Ecotope provided mechanical engineering services.
Bardessono uses solar and geothermal energy, sophisticated energy management systems, sustainable building materials, and organic landscape management practices.
The inn includes a spa with four treatment rooms, a 75-foot-long rooftop infinity pool, a fine-dining restaurant, and meeting space. The design reflects a blending of the Valley’s agrarian character, the high refinement associated with its wines, and the indoor/outdoor personality of local living.
Some of the unique elements of the inn include: a lobby without a front desk (guests are greeted in the foyer by staff); a courtyard for every room, providing absolute guest privacy; and the availability of spa treatments in every guestroom.
