I’ve been to California wine country before. Napa. Check. Solvang. Check. Los Olivos – it’s been done before and, yes, I did the Sideways wine tour. But I had never been to Paso Robles – a sprawling area located in the heart of San Luis Obispo, just halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Paso Robles, of course, is known for its lush wineries, aromatic olive oil and decadent almond orchards, but when my husband and I arrived for an overnight stay at the Allegretto Vineyard Resort, we were pleasantly surprised to find something often lacking in wine country — luxury.
When we arrived at the Tuscan-style Allegretto Vineyard Resort, part of Ayres Hotels, we were thrilled to find that every detail seemed to have been thought of – from the Italian cypress trees which lined the property, to a welcoming grand staircase and warm interior accents in the foyer, along with art and sculptures that were hand-picked from across the globe. It was love at first site and it only got better.
Friendly staff were there to greet us at check-in and they immediately invited us to a wine tasting for guests (something we couldn’t pass up on after a three hours drive from Los Angeles). When we finally made it to our spacious guest suite, we immediately felt right at home (except our home doesn’t come with views of a palatial Italian courtyard). And the luxury amenities and cozy robes were just icing on the cake.
For dinner we experienced one of the finest hotel restaurants I have enjoyed in a long time – Cello Ristorante and Bar, whose Mediterranean-inspired menu was carefully curated by its Executive Chef Eric Olson. We started with the most beautiful charcuterie plate I’ve ever seen paired with hand-crafted cocktails from the bar’s winter menu –a Golden Hot Toddy and a Spiced Rum Old Fashioned. For dinner, we both enjoyed delicious meals the savory Dungeness Crab Spaghetti for me and Prime 10oz. Sirloin cooked to perfection for my husband.
Among the other amenities that the Allegretto Vineyard Resort offers are a gigantic pool, bocce ball, pet-friendly options, its own Abbey (!), and a luxury spa with spa services including Vine-Inspired Aromassages, Garden Fresh and In-Season Body Scrubs, and Caudalie Facials.
We left after having only spent one night at the Allegretto Vineyard Resort but were sad to go. So for now we’ve put our travel plans to Italy on hold — for now it’s all at Allegretto. Prego!