Green Getaway

The Allison Inn & Spa may be the swankiest spot in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, but the LEED Gold-certified resort is doing its part to be green, too

March 5, 2012

Christine DeOrio,

The Look

Eco-sleek, with an emphasis on the practical and timeless. On the inn’s exterior, mossy rock mixes with copper, glass and low-maintenance engineered wood. Inside, custom-crafted furnishings and fabrics in glowy hues of lichen, bark, berry and pear reflect the colors of neighboring vineyards and farmland.

Eco-Attributes

Some eco-friendly features you’ll notice, like the rooftop solar panels and the west-wing roof that’s planted with sedum to slow storm-water runoff, but most are invisible. Spa-inspired bathrooms are fitted with low-flow showerheads and faucets, plus high-efficiency toilets to reduce water use. To minimize energy consumption in unoccupied rooms, computerized controls deactivate the electricity and power-down heating or cooling when you check out.

Neighborhood

The inn’s 35 acres of lush gardens—featuring drought-tolerant native species and plenty of paths for wandering—are located right in the middle of Oregon wine country. It’s an easy jaunt to 200 wineries, plus restaurants, shops and outdoor adventures, from mountain biking to hot-air ballooning. Downtown Portland is 45 minutes away.

Room to Request

All of the 85 rooms and suites have a gas fireplace, terrace or balcony with hillside or vineyard view, cozy window seat and artwork by local artisans. In each spa-style bathroom, a wall of frosted glass slides open to allow TV viewing from the large soaking tub. Book a deluxe one-bedroom suite on the penthouse level for the best valley or vineyard views.

Top Tastes

At JORY Restaurant, chef Sunny Jin combines techniques honed at the French Laundry and El Bulli with produce from local growers—and the inn’s half-acre chef’s garden—to create menus that celebrate seasonality and flavors native to the Willamette Valley. After guests enjoy sips from the 800-label wine list (including seven pages of Oregon Pinot Noirs alone, plus many organic and biodynamic options), bottles are recycled into beautiful handmade glassware by local company Rebootle.

Don't Miss

No amount of Willamette Valley wine can put you at ease like the stylish spa’s Grape Seed Cure, a crushed-grape-seed scrub followed by an organic-honey-and-wine wrap and shea butter massage. The Oregon Rain Shower treatment will make you a believer in rain therapy.

Price Point

The smallest of the inn’s spacious guest rooms (490 square feet) start at $305 a night; the 1,575-square-foot Grand Suite, with two bedrooms, butler’s pantry and a dining room for six, starts at $1,100.