MEDIA COVERAGE

944 Magazine,January 2011

The Spa at Kenwood
Nestled in the Valley of the Moon, anyone would be hard-pressed to remember that Kenwood Inn and Spa is only an hour outside the hustle and bustle of San Francisco. Inspired by the local wineries, the Spa at Kenwood uses a variety of wine-themed treatments in addition to LA-based skincare line ACRONA to enhance the spa experience.

Tuscan Lifestyle,January 2011

Napahhh!
Kenwood Inn and Spa
Secluded Mediterranean-style inn, 29 guest rooms and suites with fireplaces, Italian bed and bath linens, two outdoor swimming pools, steam room and hot tub, dining room, wine bar, complimentary breakfast. Named one of the Top 3 Resort Spas in the U.S. by Conde Nast Traveler.
Spa - Acrona products and treatments; vinotherapy, including red wine extracts, Chardonnay and Riesling oils.

Caras Magazine Mexico, January 2011

Caras Magazine Mexico wrote a beautiful feature on Kenwood Inn and Spa.

Marin Independent Journal, January 2, 2011

‘Born to Shop’ Event at Kenwood Inn and Spa
Kenwood Inn and Spa in Sonoma is offering a “Born to Shop” weekend from Jan. 14 to 15, featuring shopping author Suzy Gershman. Gershman is well known for writing “Born to Shop” guides for Frommer’s family of guidebooks and, with co-author Sarah Lahey, released “Born to Shop Wine Country” in 2010.

Press Democrat, November 2, 2010

Conde Nast readers love Kenwood Inn and Solage
It's not a tip sheet for great travel deals. What Conde Nast Traveler does is cream out the best; price be damned. So if you're in the mood for a little world class indulgence close to home, follow their discriminating readers. Save the airfare and book a glamorous getaway in your own backyard. Two Wine Country spas were singled out in the glossy magazine's annual Readers' Choice Awards. The Kenwood Inn and Spa emerged as a favorite Top Small Resort on the U.S. mainland. Its score of 94.7 ranked it 48th in the world's Top 100. It was the cuisine at the Spa Solage in Calistoga that helped it edge out also-rans like The Peninsula Spa at The Peninsula New York and The Spa at the Rancho Encantado Eco Resort in New Mexico, for Top Hotel Spa in the Americas. And this isn't just populist opinion. Chef Brandon Sharp's Solbar won a star from the picky-picky palates at The Michelin Guide.

Smart Meetings Magazine, October 1, 2010

Take That, France: Napa and Sonoma offer the sophistication of Europe with a California twist Mediterranean style dominates at the Kenwood Inn and Spa (kenwoodinn.com), an intimate hotel that was recently named top small resort by Conde Nast Traveler. It has 29 guest rooms and suites, and exudes European flare in its 700-square-foot Tuscany room.

Sacramento Magazine, October 2010

Gorgeous Getaways for Food and Wine
On the Road Wine Tasting: Stay at the gorgeous Kenwood Inn and Spa, have dinner at Kenwood Restaurant (the mushroom ravioli - oh, my!) and stop in at Kunde Family Estate or Kenwood Vineyards before you continue on your ride to Healdsburg.

Linen and Lavender, July 10, 2010

Hotel Feature: Kenwood Inn and Spa
The Kenwood Inn and Spa is located in the heart of Sonoma County's wine country, about an hour's drive north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Located in the Valley of the Moon amidst vineyards, oak groves, walnut orchards and fruit trees; it is a 15-minute drive from the historic town of Sonoma and just minutes away from many of the region's finest restaurants, wineries and state parks.

As we pulled up to the Kenwood Inn for the first time, I was a bit dubious. The property was beautiful, but located quite close to the Sonoma Highway, a main route through the valley. However, upon stepping into the lobby with the view of the courtyard beyond, my doubts were immediately quelled. The buildings and grounds were as enchanting as depicted on their website and I felt enveloped �n a tranquil, welcoming world. I was completely happy with our suite's location, too. Tucked away at the back of the property adjacent to the wooded hillside, it had a rustic yet luxurious elegance about it: stone floors, fireplace and fluffy down comforter. (Check, check and check!) The bed linens were white and pristine and housekeeping paid attention to every detail throughout our stay. The duvet cover was pressed fresh each morning and each night the bed looked just as plump and inviting as it did the first day we arrived. The property isn't large, but the lay-out and landscaping succeed in providing a sense of privacy. Meandering paths lead to tucked-away places to escape with a book or to share a bottle of wine. The spa is intimate with just a few rooms near the main pool so be sure to book in advance if at all possible. The facials and massages I had that trip and subsequent trips did not disappoint and I still use some of the grape-based "vino-therapy" products used in those first treatments I experienced there.

All in all, Kenwood Inn is a wonderful place. My only word of advice is to think of it as more of a romantic destination in and of itself. That first trip we had excursions planned throughout Napa and Sonoma that kept us busy and away from the inn. Each night we looked longingly as we passed the candle-lit courtyard with its fountain and fireplace creating a magical atmosphere... wishing we were about to partake in whatever was sending the enticing aromas wafting by. We realized then that instead of driving out to reservations elsewhere, we'd much prefer staying right where we were - enjoying the wine bar and lingering over dinner with just a short walk to our beautiful room. --with maybe a dip in the pool before bed?

Our City: San Diego, July 1, 2010

The Golden State's 5 most romantic getaways
Napa and Sonoma Valley
The soft green foothills of Napa and Sonoma Valley, interlaced with quiet vineyards, comprise a profoundly romantic and relaxing vacation spot for couples. The Napa Wine Train hosts an intimate, onboard dining experience for couples wanting to try fine food and wines while gently rocking through the vineyards. Low-lit, closely situated dining quarters encourage quiet conversation and hand holding, while the leisurely pace of the meal allows for savoring each bite of locally sourced, organic food.

Each month, the Napa Valley Wine Train hosts popular full-moon dinners where diners can enjoy views of glowing vineyards bathed in moonlight. In Sonoma Valley, visitors have their choice of several romantic places to stay. Santé, the signature restaurant of the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa, recently earned its first Michelin star. The Mediterranean-style Kenwood Inn & Spa offers lush garden courtyards, terraces for sunning, featherbeds, Italian linens and thick cotton robes for lounging. At the Bodega Bay Lodge & Spa, guests can fall asleep listening to sea breezes and distant foghorns of the nearby Pacific Ocean, Doran Beach Regional Park and Bodega Head bluffs.

Zinc Magazine, July 2010

Kenwood Inn and Spa: The Ultimate Spa Experience
An award-winning spa forms a partnership with a luxury skin care line and guests are promised to receive the most exclusive array of treatments. Kenwood Inn lies amongst the vineyards and lush countryside of Sonoma County in California. As guests walk through the entrance of the inn they are taken directly to the Italian countryside as all evidence of being in the United States fades away. It is here you are promised to be pampered like never before. Over the past few years, Kenwood Inn has been rated California's #1 Spa Escape and Top 3 Spa Resorts in the USA, so it is no wonder that it has combined forces with the famed Los Angles-based skincare line, Arcona. Unlike other lines, Arcona's products are cold-processed, not heated, allowing the enzymes, vitamins, minerals and nutrients to be active and effective. The line uses over 80 percent organic ingredients, infusing the skin with antioxidants that do not contain chemicals. At the Kenwood Inn you can receive a variety of treatments that are employed by Arcona, including an Organic Enzyme Facial. The facial uses Arcona's custom-blended and hand-mixed components that brighten dull looking, dead skin and plumps up fine lines. You do not have to worry about your face being deprived of vitamins, as the ingredients come from some of nature's most vitamin rich plants such as kiwi, cranberry, pumpkin and chamomile. We cannot forget that the Kenwood experience is based on the vineyards of Italy, so guests will find grapes and wine to be the centerpiece of their Sonoma County experience. The healthful powers of wine have been medically documented and doctors all around the world recognize the penetrating, protective qualities of treatments based on oils extracted from grape seeds. The spa at Kenwood has created their own signature treatments, like the Wine County Facial and the Kenwood Wine Bath to allow their guests to fully emerge themselves in all the health benefits of wine. To book your luxurious spa escape visit KenwoodInn.com - Ashley Caputo

Horizon Air Magazine, May 2010

Liquid Refreshments: Savoring Sonoma Wine-Country Getaways
Wine Country Splendor: The Kenwood Inn and Spa, located in Kenwood, southeast of Santa Rosa, is a .find. in and of itself. The unassuming but posh resort is tucked behind an ivy-covered wall alongside the Sonoma Highway, the main thoroughfare from our neck of the woods to the rest of Sonoma and Napa wine country. Inside the rock wall lies a Europeanlike oasis. Six Mediterranean-style buildings surround three quiet courtyards and two tranquil swimming pools. Each of the 29 guestrooms has a gas fireplace, antique furniture and a cavernous bathroom. Numerous rooms have jetted tubs, and one has a steam shower. There.s also a private 10-table Italian restaurant and a full-service spa with five treatment rooms. Nikki and I have come to Kenwood for a mini escape. Since welcoming our first child in May of 2009, time alone with each other has been rare. We started to unwind the minute we entered Kenwood.s grounds the night before, and we had a wonderful conversation over a quiet .three-tastes seasonal wine-and-food flight. that was included in our package. The fare changes with the seasons and includes ingredients from local purveyors such as creameries, olive-oil producers, ranches and wineries. In May, for instance, one of the three .tastes. is braised pork belly from a California ranch, over creamy Parmigiano Reggiano polenta with a late-harvest-Zinfandel agrodolce reduction. It.s pared with a 2008 HKG Russian River Valley Estate Pinot Noir that won gold medal in this year.s San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition. The bright, classic style Pinot, from Healdsburg.s Hop Kiln Winery, is lush and rich, with strawberry, cola and even violet floral flavors. The full article can be found here.

North Bay Biz, May 2010

Kenwood Inn and Spa was named the 2010 Best Spa/Resort for the North Bay Biz 2010 Reader's Poll. The full article can be found here.

Press Democrat, May 27, 2010

Sonoma County hoteliers bet on summer visitors
The tourist season kicks off today as travelers begin arriving for the Memorial Day weekend.
So far, signs are good this year's season will rebound off the abysmal 2009 performance that left many hotel owners short of guests and short on cash. Innkeepers report fewer empty rooms and say people are booking vacations further in advance and staying longer. "We are up substantially from last year," said Karl Bruno, general manager of Kenwood Inn and Spa, which is fully booked this weekend. "Every month this year we have had higher occupancy than last year. And that is phenomenal." For Sonoma County, where tourism is a $1.3 billion industry, it is perhaps an early sign of economic recovery. No one is declaring the 2010 season a triumph or predicting the immediate return of freewheeling tourists who, during the boom years, plunked down big money on luxury resorts, costly dinners and high-priced wine. Rather, after a dreary 2009 when occupancy rates fell more than 10 percent, many in the tourism industry simply hope for a small improvement signifying the worst is over. And they say, in cautious tones, it appears their wish is coming true. "All indicators show it is better than 2009," said Mark Belhumeur, owner of Village Inn in Monte Rio. "Which is great, because we've had enough of this lousy economy." Like other innkeepers and hotel managers, Belhumeur said people were booking rooms at his place further in advance and for more nights.

World Tourism Blog, January 20, 2010

Top 5 Hotels in the U.S.
No. 4: Kenwood Inn & Spa, Sonoma, Calif.
"You immediately feel at ease walking past the rosemary and lavender bushes" at this ivy-cloaked Mediterranean villa. Fireplaces, featherbeds, and the absence of TV await guests in "very secluded" rooms with private entrances. The guests-only restaurant serves dishes like wood-fired Petaluna chicken: "I couldn't clean the plate quick enough." Perfect-scoring staff "instantly remembered me the second time I was there." (29 rooms, pool, spa).
Overall score: 94.9
Rooms: 98.3
Service: 100
Food: 93.2
Location: 95.0
Design: 94.9
Activities: 87.9

Smart Meetings, October 2009

Drive along Highway 12 passing winery after winery, until you arrive at the Kenwood Inn and Spa, built to resemble a Mediterranean villa. The boutique hotel property offer 29 guest rooms and a 700-square-foot meeting room.

Oasis Magazine, August 2009

Located in the historic Valley of the Moon in California, the Kenwood Inn and Spa is located within the most beautiful and intimate of surroundings. Far from the maddening crowd, this spa is right smack in the middle of Sonoma’s wine country, which provides a decadent backdrop of serenity for its guests while being pampered. Their treatments include the Wine Wrap, which is an application of clays, red wine extract, rosemary hydrosol and essential oils. The wrap detoxifies the body and stimulates circulation, and concludes with a hydrating application of their signature grade seed lotion consisting of Chardonnay oil, Riesling oil, and red wine extract.

Sonoma Bride, Summer 2009

Recently ranked the top resort in the country by Condé Nast reader, The Kenwood Inn and Spa has to be seen to be believed. If the exiled Umberto II of Italy were still alive, he’d probably be hanging out here, for this Italy is more Italy than Italy. Rife with stunning terraces, cerulean pools, steam baths, luscious dining and a vinotherapy-themed spa, Dionysus himself might accept an invitation to your wedding. Exchange your “I-do’s” poolside or on the elegant staircase.

Affluent Magazine, May 2009

There’s no better way to experience the beauty of Sonoma than with a wine bath at the Kenwood Inn and Spa. Indulge in relaxation with a view of the lush rolling vineyards, followed by grapeseed oil massage. The Kenwood Inn & Spa, named “Best Resort in the USA” by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler, is a Mediterranean jewel with garden courtyards that make you feel as if you’ve walked into an Italian fairytale.

San Joaquin Magazine, January 2009

Located in California's Valley of the Moon, set amidst hundreds of acres of vineyards and woodlands, it's no wonder that the award-winning Kenwood Inn has been touted as the ultimate getaway for wine lovers. In fact, wine and grapes are the centerpiece of visitors' experience here, with the majority of treatments at the Spa at Kenwood focusing on vinotherapy.

Northern Trust Magazine, October 2008

The hottest anti-aging chemical du jour is reservatrol, found in red wine. The Kenwood Inn and Spa deploys the fruit of the wine in healthier ways at its vinotherapie center. A sugar scrub, wine wrap, grapeseed oil massage and wine facial are sure to help you relax.

In Cahoots Magazine, November 2008

The secluded Kenwood Inn and Spa is the perfect destination for couples looking to get away from it all and immerse themselves in the simple pleasures that this lush, intimate, and romantic resort has to offer. With its pampering spas, beautiful suites, and wine tasting tours, Kenwood is an experience not to be missed.

The San Francisco Chronicle, October 23, 2008

Kenwood Inn & Spa, just named Condé Nast Traveler’s Best Resort in the Mainland U.S.A, gives its’ guests the most luxurious vacation stay imaginable. You will be charmed by the intimate feel of the place, like a small European hotel, and enjoy dropping by the wine bar before dinner for a convivial chat with wine director Lionel Guy and the other guests. Wander the flagstone paths, lined with fragrant rosemary hedges, and dipping under canopied archways to find espaliered apples, roses, olive and lemon trees and coral-blossomed trumpet vines.

Today Show, October 16, 2008

Kenwood Inn and Spa, a newcomer to Conde Nast Traveler’s Top 100 Readers’ Choice Awards, wins the number one rank in the Best Resorts category. Kate Maxwell of Conde Nast Traveler appeared on the Today Show to highlight this year’s awards. Click here to view the clip.

The Knot, Fall/Winter 2008

Exotic USA Honeymoons – If you like the idea of Tuscany, tour Sonoma County. Nestled among the vineyards, the Kenwood Inn and Spa is an intimate, Mediterranean-style villa that truly feels like a private sanctuary. On the grounds, stroll around the fruit trees, enjoy a glass of vino at the wine bar, or opt for a Sauvignon Massage at the spa.

Food and Wine Ireland, September 2008

After a visit to Napa Valley, hightail it west and off the beaten track to Sonoma’s Valley of the Moon, to the romantic hideaway of Kenwood Inn & Spa where a soak in the aromatic Kenwood Wine Bath will get you suitably relaxed for dinner in the guest-only restaurant where locally-grown produce is matched with local wines.

My Midwest Inflight Magazine, September/October 2008

Kenwood Inn and Spa is a true hideaway. For the ultimate in seclusion, the rooms don’t have TVs. Lush courtyards and a cute wine bar reflect the hotel’s Mediterranean villa inspiration, and the spa uses high-end ARCONA products.

Brides Boston, Fall/Winter 2008 & Brides Philadelphia, Fall/Winter 2008

Honeymoons & Destinations – The inn is designed like a Mediterranean villa and the Italian-born chef makes good use of local produce, cheeses, wines, and meets in a dining with a fireplace and courtyard. Rooms are plush, with fireplaces, featherbeds, and cozy bathrobes. Weddings take place at the pool area, on a stone terrace surrounded by gardens, where about 60 guests can be accommodated.

Sunset Magazine, August 2008

If someday you would like to retire to Tuscany and drink wine, for now, keep your day job and splurge on a stay at the Kenwood Inn and Spa near Sonoma. Kenwood is an intimate wine-inspired retreat with vineyard views, stone-lined walkways, Italian sheets, and Veneto-born chef Renzo Veronese.

Destination Weddings & Honeymoons, June 2008

For pre-wedding pampering, the spa at Kenwood Inn boasts the country’s first vinotherapy center, with a full menu of grapevine-designed treatments.

Wine Enthusiast, June 2008

This vine-clad, Mediterranean-style villa overlooks Sonoma’s Valley of the Moon. Here, wine lovers can celebrate the spirit of the grapevine from head to toe. After a massage on the breezy terrace overlooking the vineyards, couples can retire to their suites for a candlelit Ti Amo Togetherness treatment in front of the fire.

Travel To Wellness, June 2008

The Kenwood Inn & Spa is a Mediterranean wine country oasis tucked away in plain sight. There are gorgeous gardens, lovely rooms, pools, waterfalls, a large waterwheel, and large plant life, all making the Kenwood Inn a real find. The spa’s signature service may be their Ti Amo Togetherness massage. Open air, private yet under a big red tent, it exudes a faint wisp of Middle Eastern romance.

Bloomberg.com, February 2008

Kenwood Inn and Spa is the best place for wine connoisseurs to decompress after a long day of touring and tasting well-renowned Sonoma Valley wineries. The ivy-covered, Tuscan-inspired villa clustered around green courtyards and surrounded by vines may seem like an ‘operetta stage-set fantasy.’ And that only describes Kenwood’s exterior décor. Inside, guests have access to wood-burning fireside parlors, featherbeds, and Vinotherapy spa treatments.

Denver Post, January 2008

The Kenwood Inn and Spa serves clients ranging from affluent travelers interested in pampering themselves to VIPs seeking privacy to newlyweds seeking an intimate honeymoon location. Located close to the town of Sonoma, Kenwood Inn and Spa is home to nearby wineries, mountains, vineyards, and the Pacific Ocean. With outstanding customer service and chef-prepared gourmet food, the Kenwood Inn and Spa is a plush resort that should not be bypassed. In fact, “those fortunate to stop by will find themselves inside a tiny little piece of paradise.”