Fans of Oregon’s renowned pinot noirs finally have a luxury resort, with a full service spa, in the heart of the Willamette Valley wine country.

The 85-room Allison Inn & Spa officially opened on Sept. 26 in the foothills of Newberg, the gateway to the wine country, for visitors arriving from Portland – as most do.

Locals celebrated the resort’s much anticipated arrival with a soiree that included a peek at guest rooms, tours of the 15,000-square-foot spa, tastes of chef Nathan Lockwood’s “locavore” cuisine, sips of valley pinots – and a salute to local artists, whose work dresses the hotel in serene Northwest style.

The four-story hotel is a mélange of wood, glass, stone, copper and water features. It’s backed by a five-acre vineyard and forest. The scent of cedar permeates the resort’s 35-acre grounds.

The hotel’s smallest rooms measure 490 square feet and are loaded with amenities such as gas fireplaces, luxury linens, Bose sounds systems, deep bathtubs that open to fireplace views, private terraces or balconies. Rates start at $295.

The Spa

The resort’s spa is a haven of sensory tranquility: Flooring cushions footsteps; woven wall-coverings swallow sound. Dark woods and colored glass give the spa’s 12 treatment rooms a distinct northwest feel – as do three outdoor terraces, fireplaces and trickling water features. On cold and rainy northwest days, floor-to-ceiling glass doors can be closed, keeping out the damp chill – but still allowing the sense of outdoors inside.

Spa patrons will know they’re in the Northwest wine country – indulging in crushed-grape-seed scrubs, honey-and-wine wraps and even an “Oregon Rain Shower,” a light massage under a waterfall.

Jory

The hotel’s 84-seat restaurant, Jory, is named for the reddish soil predominant in the wine country. Executive chef Nathan Lockwood left Fork in Marin to launch the restaurant. (He also cooked at One Market, Acquerello and Fleur de Lys in San Francisco.)
San Diego: Works by local artists, including Ramona Youngquist, give the resort a distinct Northwest feel.

Works by local artists, including Ramona Youngquist, give the resort a distinct Northwest feel.

One of Lockwood’s first moves was planting a ¾-acre vegetable garden at the resort. Next he established relationships with local shepherds, who provide him with vineyard-grazed lamb; he gets eggs from nearby ranchers, fruit from local orchards. The 33-year-old chef will offer house-cured meats; his dishes will incorporate local products including black truffles and mushrooms, locally ranched duck, quail, rabbits and pork , Oregon-made cheeses — and of course local wines.

Jory’s wine list includes a 700-bottle selection and 50 wines by the glass – focusing, of course, on the 200 wineries in the Willamette Valley.

IF YOU GO

Getting there: The Allison Inn & Spa is 25 miles from downtown Portland, at 2525 Allison Lane in Newberg.

Staying there: Rooms for two start at $295.

The Spa: The Allison Spa is open to the public. Treatment prices start at $45 for a 45-minute pedicure. For $170, get a 90-minute Grape Seed Cure that includes a crushed-grape-seed scrub, a honey-and-wine wrap and a shea butter massage. Get an Oregon Rain Shower massage for $85 (a 45-minute light massage experienced under a waterfall).

Dining there: Jory is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner – as well as Sunday brunch. A three-course Sunday Family Supper runs $29 per person. A four-course fixed-price dinner runs $53. Free wine tastings and talks featuring local vintners are planned from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays

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