When your business is pleasure, what can you do but celebrate? “We celebrate everything,” says Percy Brandon, general manager of the newly renamed Vintners Resort in Santa Rosa, formally known as Vintners Inn. “It really is beautiful here.” Located at Highway 101 and River Road, the resort is surrounded by nearly 100 acres of its own land, which is further surrounded by another 100 acres of neighboring vineyards. “The result is that as you enter the property, you have a sense of almost being lost, somewhere else,” Brandon says.
That sense of nature sets the tone of the place, which is perfect for groups looking to get away from city life and find relaxation while doing business. “The nice thing about our resort is that every single space is filled with light and access to the outdoors. There’s a patio connected to every meeting space,” Brandon says. He thinks people are hungry for that outdoor feeling. “Our bodies require that. And coming to this resort allows us to have that.”
People who come here for meetings can often be seen strolling through the walkways or in the gardens, doing business, obviously glad to spend time in such a place. It’s a joyous property, so it’s no wonder Vintners Resort likes to celebrate everything.
“That’s our trademark,” he says. “It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, we celebrate with you. That has been for years our motto: celebrate everything!”
Convenience is something business people are always happy to celebrate. “You don’t have to fight for parking,” Brandon says. “You just drive in and walk into this amazing event center, and you enjoy the friendly welcome of our staff right away.” Next comes outstanding food. “The event center is right next to our vegetable gardens and our fruit orchards. All of that gives you that sense of a ‘wow!’ and tranquility,” he says. Meals prepared by chef Tom Schmit are a draw by themselves. “He has been with us for 15 years now and keeps up with truly farm to table cuisine—from our own farm.” Opportunities for rest and exercise are available at the gym, pool and trails around the vineyard.
Environmental consciousness is ever-present. Goats roam to help manage vegetation, their diets enhanced by green waste from the kitchen. “They’re probably the best-fed goats in Sonoma County,” Brandon laughs. Everything is recycled. They have their own water treatment plant on sight, and recycled water is used for irrigating the vineyards.
A dedicated staff is needed to maintain such a facility, and Brandon says the crew here is like family. He’s been here for 20 years and he’s seen many employees work their way into positions of higher responsibility. “There’s always an opportunity to grow,” he says.
Brandon says the name change reflects the property’s own maturation. “We’ve grown into a resort. We have all types of services, so you come in and you can lose yourself along the way.” And just that alone is worth celebrating for untold numbers of businesspeople in the North Bay who return to Vintners Resort year after year.
