For more information call 1-888-648-9463 Read about our plans for the Lodge below

CARMEL VALLEY, CA, OCTOBER, 1998 -- Picturesque Carmel Valley, one of the finest wine growing regions in California, is the idyllic setting for a new concept in luxury boutique resorts, the Bernardus Lodge. Ben Pon, owner of the acclaimed Bernardus Vineyards and Winery, has again demonstrated his remarkable vision and unflagging pursuit of quality and excellence. Bernardus Lodge is a captivating resort where discriminating travelers can experience the finest accommodations, cuisine, viticulture, spa services and recreational venues in a singular environment. Construction at the resort, which will feature 57 sumptuous suites, a luxurious spa, ballroom, swimming pool and outdoor reflection pool, two tennis courts, a croquet lawn, wedding pavilion and vineyard, began in May 1998 and is scheduled for completion in the spring of 1999.

"The Lodge is a natural extension of the Bernardus wine experience and Mr. Pon's dream of a resort that combines the simple elegance of fine country living with the high quality of service and luxury amenities found in only the choicest European hotels," said James Cecil, General Manager of Bernardus Lodge. "The standards of excellence set and practiced for years at the winery will be evident throughout Bernardus Lodge."

Carmel Valley's beauty and mild climate are ideal for this boutique resort. Nestled on verdant grounds with stands of stately pines, surrounded by a vineyard and the Santa Lucia mountains rising majestically in the background, Bernardus Lodge was designed with a unique identity and timeless quality as it relates to the Carmel Valley. The Monterey-based architectural firm Paul Davis Partnership, and interior designer Andrea Bartholick-Pace were selected to create exterior and interior milieus that convey Carmel's signature welcoming charm. Monterey Territorial-style architecture, and the solid simple elegance of limestone, logs, rich wood and ceramic tiles are used to achieve the rustic look, ageless quality, and residential feel of Bernardus Lodge.

The resort incorporates and complements the pristine beauty of the natural landscape rather than competes with it. The suites will be located in nine, single and two-story adobe village-style buildings ranging in size from 580 to 1360 square feet nestled along a terraced hillside. The richly landscaped gardens and courtyards between buildings -- accented with outdoor fireplaces, fountains and stone benches -- will create intimate spaces.

The residential feel is continued in the interior spaces where the designer has struck upon a scheme that is resplendent in color and rich in texture and detail. The resulting understated elegance that is a wonderful reflection of Pon's European heritage and philosophy of simplicity and refinement.

The color palette chosen for the main lodge is warm and earthy -- terra cotta, bitter sweet chocolate, ochre and celadon. Hand-plastered walls glazed in a rich ochre, rustic heavy-beams, antique wrought-iron and copper chandeliers, and limestone fireplaces are informal and inviting, Guests will be greeted with a glass of wine and pampered with engaging warmth in a double "parlor" furnished with comfortable spring and down-filled sofas and chairs. In place of a traditional counter and check-in routine, a concierge will review schedules and itineraries while escorting guests on a tour of the property.

The luxurious accommodations, which provide a romantic and relaxing environment, are designed to entice all of the senses. Stone fireplaces serve as the focal point of the sumptuous deluxe king and jr. king suites which incorporate grand living spaces with vaulted beamed ceilings and built-in wine grottos where a different tasting of wine and cheese is offered each night with turndown service; arched windows and French doors that open onto enormous private decks with spectacular mountain vistas. Special design touches and amenities will include antique English armoires with aviary wire doors for clothing; king beds with high wood headboards; down comforters with matelassé coverlets and decorator linens; comfortable furnishings in aesthetically pleasing rich wood finishes; and spacious bathrooms with large, two-person tubs, separate showers, and double vanities. The overall effect will provide an ambiance in which guests can relax in both luxury and comfort.

"Our objective is to differentiate Bernardus Lodge from other resort properties by providing guests with an unrivaled sense of comfort, luxury and intimacy centered around Carmel's rising prominence as one of the finest new wine appellations in America." continues Cecil. "We will offer extensive viticulture education, including cellar management and sommelier techniques; culinary arts with cooking classes and food and wine pairings; and a pampering spa experience centered around wellness and beauty celebrating the human spirit."

Bernardus Lodge will offer guests the opportunity to experience a variety of culinary delights in dining venues ranging from casual poolside and Spa dining featuring creative spa cuisine, and patio dining with stunning views of the croquet lawns, to a spacious Restaurant featuring a dramatic 12-foot wide European fireplace with raised hearth, garden and mountain views, and old-world wine country charm. In the same spirit as Bernardus Winery, Bernardus Lodge will offer cuisine that is exemplary in both taste and presentation, featuring menus of delectable items that flatter the palate and stimulate the imagination. Culinary education will begin at the chef's table in the spacious kitchen with cooking seminars, demonstrations, and of course the opportunity to savor incredible food and wine pairings with the chef.

The Bernardus Spa will allow guests to relax, rejuvenate and reinvigorate with an array of wellness therapies and pampering treatments and services. The Spa is designed as a tranquil retreat where guests can spend an entire day enjoying a head to toe beautification process and leave feeling pretty and pampered; or work out and/or benefit from sports therapies. The Spa is also a place where couples can spend time reconnecting in an intimate romantic setting. A spacious lounge area with a double-sided river stone fireplace will offer comfortable seating to unwind in between treatments on one side, and a cozy dipping pool on the other. Individual rooms will be dedicated to specific treatments, including two facial massage rooms, a beauty salon, a hydrotherapy room, a vichy shower room, and four wrap/massage rooms. Other spa amenities will include a fitness room, juice bar, an exterior therapy court with waterfall reflecting pool, a therapy courtyard, and men's and women's locker rooms with steam and sauna rooms.

In addition to swimming, tennis, lawn croquet and bocci ball, guests at Bernardus Lodge can horseback ride or hike on nearly 4,400 acres of mountain trails adjacent to the resort, and golf at ten championship courses in the area, including the fabled course at Pebble Beach. Guests venturing outside the resort can immerse themselves in the incredible beauty and mesmerizing charm of Carmel-by-the-Sea, just 15 minutes away from Bernardus Lodge.

At Bernardus Lodge, guests' expectations will, as a matter of course, be anticipated and exceeded. Unobtrusive pampering by a friendly staff that is both thorough and discreet, will define the ultimate standard in refinement and hospitality.

MEDIA CONTACT: Allyson Rener
Murphy/O'Brien Communications
310-858-5750 FAX: 310-858-5757
EMail: allyson@murphyobrien.com