Historic Paso Robles Inn on California's Central Coast, known for its healing mineral waters, goes from water to wine with in-room winery partnership.
Visitors seeking a truly unique wine region have flocked to the Paso Robles area for years. With more than 270 wineries to choose from, there’s no shortage of wine experiences in California’s “Rhone Zone.” And now that experience starts the moment a guest enters their room.
The Paso Robles Inn, located on the town’s city square in Paso Robles on California’s Central Coast in San Luis Obispo County, has launched a unique wine partnership with local wineries. The concept involves infusing various winery characteristics into the decor, ambience and amenities of each of the deluxe mineral spa rooms – starting with the unique naming on the guest room door.
The Paso Robles Inn dedicated 18 deluxe mineral spa rooms to the winery-branded project, coinciding with the hotel’s major renovation. While the guest rooms have been completely renovated from floor to ceiling, including updated bathrooms, furnishings, amenities and their famous private mineral water soaking tubs, winery partners have provided representative touches in art, furniture and accessories to theme the room. Guests receive complimentary tasting vouchers at their room winery as well as s glass of the featured wine in the hotel’s Steakhouse Restaurant. The suites feature a variety of unique decorative items, from a real grape vine in the Ancient Peaks Winery room, to wine barrel chairs in the DAOU room, to beautiful murals over the spa tubs and glass lamps filled with corks. Other touches include wine barrel art, sculptures, coat racks and photography from the vineyards.
“There certainly is no lack of creativity demonstrated by our wine partners,” said Noreen Martin-Hulburd, CEO of Martin Resorts which owns and operates the Inn. “This is a really exciting and interactive way for us to help tell the story of Paso Robles, and to celebrate our region’s reputation for wine, travel and hospitality,” said Nina Leschinsky, Direct to Consumer Sales Manager for winery. “Each of the winery themed deluxe rooms have been transformed into a unique experience for guests. We put a lot of thought into decorating our Ancient Peaks Winery room, so that the room is tasteful, educational and entertaining. We are honored that the Paso Robles Inn selected us to participate in this remarkable concept.”
From small, family-owned wineries, to nationally known brands, the wineries chosen by Paso Robles Inn are unique and worth a visit. The concept is an opportunity to strengthen the partnerships already in place with the Inn, and to broaden exposure to each winery partner in a new way. In addition to the enhanced wine decor, each guest receives a complimentary glass of their namesake suites’ wine in the Inn’s Steakhouse Restaurant, as well as a complimentary wine tasting at the vineyard.
Robert Hall, owner of Robert Hall Winery, says “The Martin Family has always been such a strong supporter of local wineries. We are proud to be part of the Paso Robles Inn’s wine branded deluxe suites and decorating the room for guests with Robert Hall Winery images and furniture made from barrel staves was a very fun project.”
Who’s who in wineries represented in Paso Robles Inn’s deluxe mineral spa rooms
California wine lovers will surely recognize the labels; Ancient Peaks Winery, Broken Earth Winery, Castoro Cellars, DAOU Vineyards, Donati Family Estate Winery, Eberle Winery, Hope Family Wines, J. Lohr Winery & Vineyards, Le Vigne Winery, Peachy Canyon, Rio Seco Winery, Robert Hall Winery, Sextant Wines, Tables Creek Vineyards, Tobin James Cellars and Vina Robles are among the winery partners. (Paso Robles Inn’s dog-friendly rooms were chosen by Eberle Winery and Rio Seco Winery.) Because Paso Robles has a growing craft beer movement, the Inn also selected a brewing partner for the concept; Firestone Walker Brewing Company.
Superior wine grapes a tradition in Paso Robles
The Paso Robles wine region is the largest and most diverse in California, with distinct soils, many microclimates and unique topography contributing to the depth of wines in the region. It is the fastest growing American Viticultural Area (AVA) in California; 32,000 vineyard acres. In the past decade, the number of wineries has swelled from 50 to more than 270 bonded wineries, ranging from nationally distributed, to mid-size and boutique. The area’s Zinfandel grape historically gave the Paso Robles AVA its start as a wine grape producing region and is celebrated annually with its own festival in March. Today the region is well touted as California’s “Rhone Zone” for its production of world class Syrah as well as Viognier and Roussane, while Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordelaise varietals remain king, comprising 50% of the region’s total acreage.
Commercial winemaking can be traced to the 1870s when Indiana farmer transplant Andrew York planted vineyards on his homestead. In the 1920s and 30s several families immigrated to the area to establish family vineyards and wineries. The Paso Robles region and the establishment known today as the Paso Robles Inn, gained more notoriety when Ignace Paderewski, the famous Polish statesman and concert pianist, visited Paso Robles Hot Springs. He sought the healing mineral waters which brought relief to his ailing hands, fell in love with the area, purchased 2,000 acres, and planted Petite Syrah and Zinfandel on his Rancho San Ignacio vineyard.
The idea forms over years
The Paso Robles Inn wine room concept is the brainchild of Noreen Martin-Hulburd, owner of Martin Resorts. The Paso Robles Inn is one of five boutique hotels owned and operated by the San Luis Obispo-based company. As the volunteer president of the Visit San Luis Obispo County, President Martin-Hulburd is constantly considering ways to bring more visitors to not only her properties, but to local restaurants, shops, farms and farmers markets, outdoor adventure companies, and wineries.
“We are located in one of the most historic spots in California, on top of a never-ending supply of natural hot spring water that has been used for healing and relaxation for centuries,” said Martin-Hulburd. “We are also steps from several wine tasting rooms – but that’s not enough. We needed to bring pieces and expressions of these incredibly diverse wineries into our renovated guest rooms so our guests realize they are in the largest wine region in the state and it is waiting to be explored outside their door.”
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
