Vintners Inn has been voted Best Meeting/Conference Site in the 2011 NorthBay biz readers poll.
Wishing for an events center that has high ceilings, walls of windows, opens to the outdoors and is surrounded by vineyards? Welcome to Vintners Inn. And since its tagline for 2011 is “Celebrate Everything!,” let’s start by raising a glass to the place that’s been voted Best Conference/Meeting site by NorthBay biz readers for the past three years.
One of the best things about Vintners Inn is the staff’s attention to detail, which makes every event, no matter the size, unique and memorable. (A prime example is when NorthBay biz held its annual BEST Of awards festivities there in 2007, it was welcomed with an entirely unexpected surprise: an ice sculpture of its logo in the event center’s foyer.)
The center encompasses 14,000 square feet, about 7,000 of which can be configured as meeting space. There are several separate rooms, including a 3,150-square-foot ballroom and an executive boardroom that can transform into a dining space.
“We do it all here,” says Percy Brandon, general manager. And he isn’t kidding. Aside from the event center, the Tuscan-style inn features 44 luxury rooms, each with a private balcony or patio and many with fireplaces and Jacuzzis; a full-service, award-winning restaurant and lounge (John Ash & Co., which has popular happy hour specials daily and is reopening for lunch Wed.-Fri. beginning in July); a separate breakfast café (which is complimentary to guests and open to the public); and absolutely beautiful gardens among other amenities. All of it’s surrounded by 400 acres of open space, 200 of which are planted to vineyard, 92 of which are owned by Vintners Inn’s proprietors, Don and Rhonda Carano of Ferrari-Carano Vineyards and Winery. The atmosphere is that of a Tuscan village, with secluded nooks and crannies and a whole variety of things to do.
“We’re thankful Don and Rhonda had the vision to offer us this place,” says Brandon. “Their commitment is to excellence and to exceed expectations.”
The event center can accommodate small groups as well as those up to 600 people. “The majority of large events are for local businesses, chambers of commerce [Santa Rosa’s hold its “Good Morning Santa Rosa” meetings there for six months out of the year], wineries, associations and nonprofits,” says Jessica Adams, director of sales. “Small groups often include retreats, board meetings or companies that want to take care of top clients.” There are also cooking classes, winemaker dinners, grape stomps and bocce ball tournaments.
“You can come here in a business environment and feel like you’ve escaped,” says Adams. “There’s a true mix of business and pleasure.” For example, visitors can use the 1.5-mile jogging path through the gardens and vineyards and/or enjoy multiple outdoor patios between meetings.
It’s also a popular space for fund-raisers. “We’re becoming one of the top destinations for fund-raising,” says Adams, adding that the company gives back to the community as often as possible. For example, its top clients as well as others on its mailing list each received a gift certificate for John Ash this year. A perfect example of how Vintners Inn knows it’s the little things that mean a lot.
“Thank you for supporting us,” says Brandon, while Adams adds, “We wouldn’t be here without our loyal business community.”
