CARMEL VALLEY, Calif.— The repositioned Bernardus Lodge & Spa has made its debut. Following a four-month, multimillion dollar transformation, the 57-guestroom property set on 28 acres of lavender, orchards, and vineyards showcases a dramatic shift in style and interior design. Highlights include the new Lucia Restaurant & Bar under Chef Cal Stamenov, redesign of all luxury guestrooms, reconfigured public spaces with an indoor/outdoor aesthetic, expanded wedding and event spaces, and re-envisioned Spa at Bernardus.
Los Angeles-based architecture and design firm ARYA Group, Inc., is credited with bringing the vision to reality with a rustic-chic ranch estate concept. Clean lines and warm tones reflect the property’s new aesthetic with rich Italian stonework, mosaic tiles, grass cloth, French oak floors, and chandeliers gracing public spaces. Walls have been replaced with vineyard views, new outdoor fireplaces have been created, and an alfresco dining terrace is now featured. Guestrooms reveal a residential feel with custom furnishings and baths for two.
Interiors are set in neutral tones of olive leaf, charcoal, and oyster. Oxidized copper and seagrass accents are matched with punches of aqua and green lichen. Pattern and texture play large roles in the guestrooms, with hand-knotted rugs, oversized Strathmore chairs, mercury glass chandeliers, and antique hand-hewn reclaimed wood accents. Silver headboards and contemporary art combined with wrought-iron mirrors, limestone fireplaces and dining room tables deliver a ranch-style feel. Private garden patios, feather beds, Frette linens, complimentary Bernardus wine bar and pantry, and twice-daily housekeeping service round out the amenities.
Named after the Santa Lucia Range, which provides the backdrop to the outdoor dining terrace, Lucia Restaurant & Bar debuts with Stamenov and team driving the stoves. The restaurant showcases a casual setting fitted to Stamenov’s style of cuisine. The spring menu showcases “California country” cuisine, reflecting the chef’s cache of farmers, foragers, and fisherman. Key starters include a Fava-Pecorino-Artichoke Salad with black truffle vinaigrette and local Dungeness Crab offset with sweet pea tendril, and Cara Cara orange. Entrees include brick-oven pizzas, Diver Scallop Wellington with a black truffle emulsion, Chicken Fried Quail with pickled vegetables and saffron-horseradish crème fraiche, and a seasonal Smoked Sonoma Duck Stew paired with green olives, purple artichokes, and goat cheese polenta.
In addition, Lucia Bar & Patio offers casual fare and a craft cocktail program focused on seasonal, artisanal drinks with 29 signature collections culled from small batch producers. A variety of coveted private dining venues, from the expanded 12-seat Wine Cellar to the exclusive Chef’s Table inside the kitchen and Magnum Room, offer extensive tasting menus backed by an 25,000-bottle wine cellar.
Design highlights include a new 2,300 sq. ft. alfresco heated terrace and reconfigured footprint with expansive new gardens, mountain views, and chandeliers. A large fireplace designed from Bagattini Oregon stone marks the focal point of the main dining room withvineyard views and a mixed-use table layout in rich marble and reclaimed wood. Italian leather chairs, silver wall sconces, and oxidized copper accents create an earthy design.
The Spa at Bernardus, flanked by two pools and a new hot tub, now features a curated wellness component with a garden-to-treatment philosophy. From couples to corporate retreats, the new road to wellness includes yoga, hypnotherapy, guided meditation, sunrise stretch classes, reinvigorated tennis program, escorted hikes at nearby Garland Ranch Regional Park, and programming centered on longevity. Summer plans include workshops in culinary cultivation, boot camps, moonlight yoga, and classes centered on the property’s annual lavender harvest.
The full-service spa, salon, and 24-hour fitness facility’s new design mirrors the Lodge’s, with an earthen color palette and fresh spin on wellness and fitness. The spa features dual eucalyptus steam and dry sauna rooms, a Vichy shower, private couple’s soaking tub, and warming pool. A reimagined pool experience features a new entry, private luxury cabanas, custom pool furnishings, and a food and beverage program.
Hosting groups of 10 to 150 with 4,300 sq. ft. of flexible meeting/banquet space and 5,000 sq. ft. of alfresco venues, the retool included upgrades to all meeting spaces with state-of-the-art technology of the Meritage Ballroom. The Harvest Room, key for culinary events, features an upgraded exhibition kitchen with Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances and French oak floors.
