The steam lifted from my morning coffee to join the dense resting fog that sat amongst the mossed trees surrounding The Allison Inn & Spa. Standing swaddled in a fleece throw blanket on my suite’s balcony—one that trumped most city apartment’s terraces—I had a panoramic view out to the inn’s estate vineyard and tree-lined property that, even in the middle of winter, retained a plush appearance.
Back in the warm refuge of my guest suite, I snuggled into the window day bed to finish my cup, scanning emails on the WiFi and smirking at Al Roker’s bad jokes on the TODAY show. Disappointed with the reality that I couldn’t live at the Allison, I wanted to take in all of its lavishness—from the personal patio and the spa-like bathrooms with soaking tubs and sliding panels into the rooms to the down comforter-laden man-swallowing beds and the 24-hour in-room dining from the acclaimed, on-site JORY Restaurant & Bar. Also, the previously mentioned morning coffee was brewed for me in the lobby, on the house and piping hot. Can’t I please stay?
Straddling the line between the comforts of home and the opulence of a luxury resort, the Allison Inn & Spa caters to an array of guests, fully equipped for the business traveler to continue operating in grandeur alongside a bridal party’s celebrations and the getaway weekenders.
Within the generous confines of the guest suites (ranging in size from 490-square-feet to 1,575-square-feet), each has a bay window, gas fireplace, personal terrace or balcony with vineyard or countryside views and majority are stacked with king beds. Full-length mirrors, make-up mirrors, plush robes, slippers and sundries can be found near, if not, in the restroom and handcrafted wooden desks with two chairs are available to take business breaks during relaxation.
But why ever leave the room? The list of reasons starts with the complimentary use of the “vanishing edge” swimming pool, whirlpool, fitness studio, sauna and steam rooms. The Allison Spa spans 15,000-square-feet and is focused on health and wellness (and pampering), with 12 treatment rooms, relaxation lounges, full-service hair and nail salon via an in-depth (but stress-free) services menu. During summer or sunnier days, the pool terrace opens with sliding glass doors to the countryside view and sculpture garden, a large-scale art gallery comprise of installations by local artists that “punctuate the 35-acre hillside and pay tribute to [the] tranquil landscape.”
Continue with a self-guided tour along the immaculately landscaped footpaths—the property itself is worth a gander, if not for the views of the ponds, grassy knolls, vineyard and gardens but for the scenery of the Willamette Valley and downtown Newberg, Oregon. Green in color and green in its footprint, the Allison was awarded the prestigious LEED Gold Certification in 2009 and can be seen in through the solar hot water, photo voltaic cells (generating 7 percent electricity), no use of plastic bottles and the sedum “green eco-roofing” on the inn’s west wing.
Keeping local within their stewarding efforts, the Allison also purchases foods from local growers whenever possible and also produces and prepares fresh vegetables from their own 1 ½-acre Chef’s Garden & Greenhouse. These products are placed upfront and center at JORY, the wine-focused (jory is the main soil type of the Willamette Valley) and hyperlocal dining establishment of the Allison. The bounty of the valley is put on display through artistic and thoughtful platings from chef Sunny Jin and his team of brazen culinary creatives, using both traditional and “avant-garde” techniques to take simple ingredients to an elevated level.
Begin at the top and work your way down, commencing with the vibrant beet salad. Sliced into rounds and placed on a bed of winter citrus, petite greens, chevarino, the root veggies are topped with candied marconas and a preserved Meyer lemon vinaigrette. Move to the Wagyu tartare, a delicate mound of meat topped with a crispy hen egg (somewhere between hard and soft boiled), shaved Oregon truffles, fried capers and a house crostini. Don’t choose between surf or turf for your entree—indulge in both. The pan-seared scallops are a walk on the briney-side, browned beautifully and stopped with smoked maitake mushrooms, slivers of Pacific oysters, wilted baby greens and a buttermilk dressing. The red meat comes back with in a fury of flavors with the wood fire-grilled Wagyu striploin, idyllically medium-rare with a sunchoke-Brussels sprouts hash, pickled shallots, an emulsion of black trumpet and bloody, natural jus. Save room for a seasonal dessert or order from the selection of stickies and digestifs.
Cap off the experience with a sommelier-driven pairing of backyard producers, including Austin Knoll, a Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris from the Allison’s estate vineyard project. Or venture out on your own and sample from the 700-800-bottle wine menu hand-selected by restaurant manager and sommelier Ken Bolick—with Oregon Pinot Noir taking up 125 bottles from that listing. (Insider tip: Bolick nerds out and gets his hands on some prestigious overseas producers that cost a pretty penny but should be ogled at.) There are specialty cocktails galore—try the Rosemary Ransom with Ransom gin, maple syrup, lime juice, grapefruit juice, fresh rosemary and spiced cherry bitters or the Ward Eight with Crater Lake rye, lemon juice, orange juice and grenadine. Plus, Bolick sports local love with 22 of the 40 wines by the glass coming from the Northwest (if not solely Oregon).
Wherever your visit takes you on the grounds of the Allison, make sure to take a glass back to the suite, sink into the mattress and lay in the lap of luxury.
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In February, the weekend’s theme encourages guests to extend the romance of Valentine’s Day. February’s featured guests include chef Justin Woodward (Castagna, Portland), owner Tom Mortimer (Le Cadeau) and proprietor Ben Jacobsen (Jacobsen Salt Co.). In celebration of Women’s History Month, the spotlight in March is on women who shine in their respective food and drink fields. Special guests include chef/author Tamara Murphy (Terra Plata, Seattle), chef Kristen Murray (MAURICE), brewmaster Veronica Vega (Deschutes Brewery), winemaker Rollin Soles (Roco Winery) and owner Clare Carver (Big Table Farm). Celebrity mixologist Angel Teta (Atuala) and author Liz Crain (Food Lover’s Guide to Portland) will participate in both weekends.
