auberge du soleil

Auberge du Soleil Celebrates its Anniversary with Getaway Package

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels

Auberge du Soleil, the iconic Michelin-starred restaurant (and winner of the Luxist Readers' Choice Award for Most Romantic Restaurant) and premier luxury resort is celebrating its 25th anniversary as a resort (30 years for the restaurant). Auberge du Soleil, which is Napa Valley's first fine-dining venue, helped transform the area into the must-see destination it is today for food, wine, and the beauty of wine country. In honor of this milestone, Auberge du Soleil will celebrate with a year of culinary offerings and experiences in addition to a fresh new look unveiled this month.

The first culinary offering features a "30-Year Journey Through Wine" list featuring 30 consecutive vintages from around the world as well as from the Napa Valley that was compiled by Wine Director Kris Margerum. This special list will be available through 2011 in addition to the more than 1,300 selections that are featured on Auberge du Soleil's standard comprehensive wine list.

Gallery: Auberge du Soleil

Tags: auberge du soleil, awards-main, luxist-awards, luxist-main, michelin, michelin guide, michelin stars, Napa Valley, Relais Chateau, RelaisChateaux

Continue reading “Auberge du Soleil Celebrates its Anniversary with Getaway Package”

Bathe in Milk Chocolate for Valentine's Day at Auberge du Soleil

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spas

Auberge du Soleil in Napa Valley offers milk chocolate bath for Valentine's Day

Auberge du Soleil, California wine country's most luxurious country inn, has created the ultimate indulgence for its guests who also happen to be chocolate lovers.

During the month of February, its 7,000 square foot spa, which was built for the exclusive use of the inn's guests, is offering a milk chocolate bath for two in a private outdoor garden---of course while eating sumptuous desserts and sipping on a specially paired wine.

This antioxidant rich body treatment is supposed to stimulate the senses, soothe the mind, and rejuvenate the soul, according to Auberge du Soleil. The treatment begins with a delectable cacao and grape seed exfoliation. Guests then slip into a milk chocolate bath for two in a private outdoor garden while indulging in dessert and specially paired wine. Finally, the couple is given a full body massage using a decadent massage oil of chocolate and spice.

The cost of the treatment varies depending on the length of the massage. The treatment with a 90 minute massage costs $570 per couple, while a 90 minute long massage costs $760 per couple. The treatment is available throughout the entire month of February.

Gallery: Auberge du Soleil Offers Valentine's Day Package

A Spa Treatment Room at Auberge du Soleil

The Courtyard at Auberge du Soleil's Spa

Tags: Auberge du Soleil, awards-main, chocolate, luxist-awards, Napa Valley, spa, Valentines Day, wine

Continue reading “Bathe in Milk Chocolate for Valentine's Day at Auberge du Soleil”

Auberge du Soleil and Swanson Vineyards to Celebrate Their 25th Anniversary

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wine

Auberge du Soleil and Swanson Vineyards celebrate their 25th anniversaries with a joint event.

Two of Napa Valley's best, Auberge du Soleil and Swanson Vineyards, will celebrate their 25th anniversaries with an intimate, elegant and enormously memorable celebration they will host together in late October.

In honor of their shared anniversary, Swanson Vineyards' founders and proprietors, W. Clarke Swanson Jr. and Elizabeth Pipes Swanson, along with Auberge du Soleil's Executive Chef Robert Curry, will welcome wine-and-food aficionados for an exclusive opportunity to join them at a luxurious reception and five-course feast at Auberge du Soleil on October 30 beginning at 6:30 pm.

Gallery: Auberge du Soleil

Tags: Auberge du Soleil, awards-main, events, luxist-awards, Swanson Vineyards, wine

Continue reading “Auberge du Soleil and Swanson Vineyards to Celebrate Their 25th Anniversary”

Luxist Awards' Winners for the Best in Fine Dining

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Auberge du Soleil is nominated for a Luxist Award for Most Romantic Restaurant.

Luxist readers nominated and voted for the restaurants that they believe are the best of breed. Below, are their favorite places to wine and dine within such categories as Best Steakhouse, Best Seafood, Best Romantic, Best Domestic and Best International restaurant.

Best Romantic Restaurant: Auberge du Soleil (Rutherford, Ca.)
Enjoying a glass of wine at sunset in California's Napa Valley is one of the best ways to start an intimate evening, and the restaurant at Auberge du Soleil offers a chance to do just that.

Founded in 1981 by San Francisco restaurateur Claude Rouas, the eatery helped spawn the wave of popularity currently enjoyed by the entire Napa area. In 1985, Rouas and business partner Robert Harmon opened the inn---in French, auberge---to host visitors to the California wine country. He envisioned both the restaurant and the inn as a tribute to his beloved Provence, and, true to form, both continue to be exactly that.

Guided by executive chef Robert Curry, the restaurant remains one of America's most delicious---and most romantic. The best way for lovebirds to enjoy the seasonally-changing menu is at La Pagode, the restaurant's private dining area for two. Here, the evening begins with a bottle of champagne, followed by a dozen oysters and a four course dinner, with wine pairings included. This type of romance comes with a $1,495 per couple price tag, plus an optional $550 for two hours of solo guitar accompaniment.

Tags: auberge du soleil, awards-main, best in fine dining, best restaurants, Guy Savoy, Le Bernardin, luxist-awards, Restaurant Guy Savoy, Strip House, The French Laundry

Continue reading “Luxist Awards' Winners for the Best in Fine Dining”

Auberge du Soleil Wins the Luxist Award for Best Romantic Restaurant

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Enjoying a glass of wine at sunset in California's Napa Valley is one of the best ways to start an intimate evening, and the restaurant at Auberge du Soleil offers a chance to do just that. Auberge du Soleil is the Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice Award winner in the best romantic restaurant category.

Founded in 1981 by San Francisco restaurateur Claude Rouas, the eatery helped spawn the wave of popularity currently enjoyed by the entire Napa area. In 1985, Rouas and business partner Robert Harmon opened the inn---in French, auberge---to host visitors to the California wine country. He envisioned both the restaurant and the inn as a tribute to his beloved Provence, and, true to form, both continue to be exactly that.

Gallery: Auberge du Soleil

Tags: auberge du soleil, awards-main, luxist-awards, Most Romantic Restaurant, napa valley, Robert Currey, winners-fine-dining

Continue reading “Auberge du Soleil Wins the Luxist Award for Best Romantic Restaurant”

The Nominees for the Best in Fine Dining

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Luxist readers nominated and voted for the restaurants that they believe are the best-of-breed around the world. Below, are their favorite places to wine and dine within such categories as Best Steakhouse, Best Seafood, Most Romantic, Best Domestic and Best International restaurant.

Best Steakhouse
The first nominee is a classic steakhouse with a contemporary twist while the second nominee is a bonafied New York institution, having been in the business since 1887. The third nominee is the quintessential steakhouse that dry ages its beef on the premises while the fourth nominee is both seductive and sophisticated. The final nominee was designed to evoke the elegant supper clubs of 1940's Manhattan.

Cut
Peter Luger Steak House
Smith & Wollensky
Strip House
The Prime Rib

Best Seafood
The first nominee is a landmark for Boston's best seafood while the second nominee is one of the most celebrated seafood restaurants in the world. The third nominee has been a famous destination for its stone crabs for nearly 100 years while the fourth regularly offers fresh seafood that is flown in from around the world. The last nominee is known for its innovative cuisine with a Japanese twist.

Atlantic Fish
Le Bernardin
Joe's Stone Crab
L20
Nobu Miami Beach

Best Romantic
The first nominee offers seasonal American fare that is locally grown while the second features classic creole in one of the country's most romantic cities. The third nominee is so romantic that marriage proposals are commonplace there. The fourth nominee offers award-winning dining with small town charm while the final nominee is a culinary destination in the heart of the California wine country.

Blue Hill New York
Emeril's Delmonico
One if by Land, Two if by Sea
The Inn at Little Washington
The Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil

Best Domestic
The first nominee offers innovative cuisine in the Windy City while the second is a New York icon as famous for its cuisine as it is for its stunning decor. The third nominee is consistently ranked among the world's best restaurants while the fourth is an award-winning restaurant named after its owner who is a world-renowned chef. The final nominee is the American outpost of a Parisian star that is known for its innovative nouvelle cuisine.

Charlie Trotter's
Four Seasons
The French Laundry
Masa
Restaurant Guy Savoy

Best International
The first nominee offers an eclectic menu in a breathtaking 14th century former convent while the second nominee offers world-class dining in a stunningly beautiful location. The third nominee is the finest restaurant down under while the fourth is the Paris home of one of the world's most celebrated chefs. The final nominee is among the most famous of restaurants in the world and is a star in the city of lights.

Il Canto (Siena)
Gordon Ramsay at Claridge's (London)
Quay (Sydney)
Restaurant Guy Savoy (Paris)
Taillevent (Paris)

Tags: Auberge du Soleil, awards-main, Cut, luxist-awards, Peter Luger Steak House, Smith Wollensky, Strip House, The French Laundry, The Prime Rib, winners-fine-dining

Most Romantic Restaurants in the U.S.

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

One if by Land, Two if by Sea is nominated for a Luxist Award for Most Romantic Restaurant

Luxist readers nominated the restaurants that they believe to be the most romantic spots in the country. From Napa Valley and Orleans to New York and a quaint little town in Virginia called Washington, here are their top five favorite places to wine and dine their significant others (in alphabetical order):

Auberge du Soleil (Napa Valley, Ca.)
Enjoying a glass of wine at sunset in California's Napa Valley is one of the best ways to start an intimate evening, and the restaurant at Auberge du Soleil offers a chance to do just that.

Founded in 1981 by San Francisco restaurateur Claude Rouas, the eatery helped spawn the wave of popularity currently enjoyed by the entire Napa area. In 1985, Rouas and business partner Robert Harmon opened the inn---in French, auberge---to host visitors to the California wine country. He envisioned both the restaurant and the inn as a tribute to his beloved Provence, and, true to form, both continue to be exactly that.

Tags: auberge du soleil, awards-main, Best Restaurants, Best Romantic Restaurants, blue hill, blue hill at stone barns, blue hill restaurant, Delmonicos, emeril lagasse, Inn at Little Washington, luxist-awards, Most Romantic Restaurants, One if by Land, The Inn at Little Washington

Continue reading “Most Romantic Restaurants in the U.S.”

The Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil: A Culinary Destination in Napa Valley

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining

Enjoying a glass of wine at sunset in California's Napa Valley is one of the best ways to start an intimate evening, and the restaurant at Auberge du Soleil offers a chance to do just that. For this reason and others, it's a Luxist nominee in the best romantic restaurant category.

Founded in 1981 by San Francisco restaurateur Claude Rouas, the eatery helped spawn the wave of popularity currently enjoyed by the entire Napa area. In 1985, Rouas and business partner Robert Harmon opened the inn---in French, auberge---to host visitors to the California wine country. He envisioned both the restaurant and the inn as a tribute to his beloved Provence, and, true to form, both continue to be exactly that.

Gallery: Auberge du Soleil

Tags: auberge du soleil, awards-main, Best Romantic Restaurant, luxist-awards

Continue reading “The Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil: A Culinary Destination in Napa Valley”

A Cheaper Version of the Auberge du Soleil?

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

The people who created the Auberge du Soleil, The Inn at Palmetto Bluff and other luxury hotels have announced a new hotel concept. The Solage resorts will be a more contemporary and design-centric version of the Auberge luxury experience. It will also be per the press release "more accessible in price, style and experience." The first resort, Solage Calistoga will open in spring 2007 in Napa Valley. The 89-room cottage-style resort will offer a look described as "San Francisco loft meets Napa Valley barn." Details include a bar and a casual restaurant, fire pits, bocce courts and outdoor terraces. The sap will include a mud bar where guests rest on marble slabs while being painted with mud. The rates are $275 for a deluxe room to $850 for a one-bedroom suite, a bit lower than the Auberge du Soleil where rates start at $525.

Source

Tags: auberge du soleil, hotel, napa valley, resort, solage, travel