A World-Class destination…
At last! With the opening of The Allison Inn & Spa in the hills above Newberg, the Willamette Valley now has true world-class destination lodging. I can’t offer enough superlatives to do it justice – it is simply fantastic in every way. Design, luxury, quality, eco-consciousness, in every detail it is unsurpassed. I lived in the Napa Valley, and as wonderful as the Auberge du Soleil and Meadowood are – The Allison truly trumps them both.
World-class wineries vineyards and wines have been part of the landscape here for some time, but save for a handful of great B&B rooms, we’ve basically been limited to motels for the lodging part of the equation. The Allison is an absolute game-changer. I don’t know how many hundreds of millions of dollars were spent on this astounding project, but I am seems it is an instant hit – prior to their official opening they’ve already been packed. The upscale wine fan-tourist-luxury traveler now has a spectacular destination in Oregon wine country – and I am thrilled, to say the least.
On top of exquisite guest rooms and a 20,000 Sq. Ft. spa that blows away any I’ve ever seen, the food & wine program is outstanding. Chef Nathan Lockwood and restaurant manager Tom Bean are at the helm of the restaurant Jory – where my first two dining experiences have been nothing short of excellent. The wine list is thick and studded with not only a deep selection of the best of Oregon, but a plethora of great Burgundies and other Old & New World gems, and the mark-ups are among the lowest I’ve seen. Jory joins the excellent Farm to Fork in Dundee and Thistle in McMinnville as great new additions to the already vibrant Willamette Valley dining scene. Our blessings are multiplying!
In a short, a huge Welcome to The Allison – I look forward to wine-ing, dining, and spa-ing with you often!
