Auberge Resorts, award-winning owner and operator of boutique luxury hotels, resorts, residences and private clubs, today announced that it will manage a new resort and destination spa that will be developed on the site of the former Stanly Ranch in the Carneros district of Napa Valley. The project will be developed by Stanly Ranch Resort Napa, LLC. The 110-room resort, VieVage Napa Valley, will be the first developed under a new lifestyle hospitality brand and infused with the Auberge ethos. Created by the team behind some of North America’s most highly regarded resorts, the new VieVage concept will bring contemporary themes of design, community, locally sourced food, sustainability, fitness and wellness together in a fresh, active and social environment.
Just as Auberge Resorts redefined Napa Valley as a destination for leisure travelers with the launch of Auberge du Soleil, the region’s first five-star hotel, reinterpreted the beach and spa resort with Esperanza in Los Cabos, Mexico, reinvented the cabin-in-the-woods concept with Calistoga Ranch, introduced sustainability and Michelin-starred casual dining to Napa Valley with Solage Calistoga, and breathed new life into Aspen’s historic Hotel Jerome, the company will redefine the concept of the 21stcentury resort and the “New Napa” with the VieVage brand.
Photo credit Auberge Resorts
“Travelers today are seeking an experience that is creatively designed yet simple; relaxing yet social; regional yet timeless,” said Craig Reid, Chief Executive Officer, Auberge Resorts. “With VieVage, we will build on the successes of Auberge Resorts’ other unique hotels, resorts and residences to offer a product that is fresh and appealing for a broad variety of guests and a hospitality model that works in a variety of settings. It will be adaptable to resort and urban locations and residences, and it will complement our current hotels in select markets. We’re delighted to introduce both a new brand and a new chapter for Auberge Resorts.”
VieVage Napa Valley will be developed on 95 acres of the 712-acre Stanly Ranch, a historic and beloved piece of the Californiawine country. Bordered by vineyards, rolling hills and views of the Mayacamas Mountains, the resort will be characterized by contemporary cottage-style accommodations and an activated central “commons” featuring a casual restaurant and bar, a bakery, winery and outdoor gathering spaces that bring guests together around fire pits, barbeques, bocce and outdoor concerts. Clustered guest rooms will accommodate families and groups with private communal space, vineyards, gardens and bicycle and walking paths.
Shaped by its Napa Valley setting, the resort will have an overarching agricultural theme expressed through gardens and orchards, contemporary architecture inspired by the valley’s early farmstead buildings, environmentally minded infrastructure and engaging programs that invite guest participation in the cultivation and celebration of food and wine. An on-site winery will make the most of the Carneros district’s moderate climate and cool breezes that contribute to the regions acclaimed Pinot Noir and Chardonnay varietals.
“I am excited by this new concept and what it will bring not only to Napa Valley, but also to the hotel industry,” said Mark Harmon, Founder and Managing Partner, Auberge Resorts. “VieVage will bring together the best of what we do with a beautiful simplicity and understated luxury. This concept will be social, fun, approachable, and it will celebrate the romance of connecting with family and friends. We have brought together an amazing team of partners to help us realize our vision. We look forward to introducing Auberge hospitality to a new generation of guests.”
The project is expected to break ground in early 2015 open in 2017.