Hotels I Love: Oregon's The Allison Inn & Spa

Nestled in the heart of Oregon's famed Pinot-producing Willamette Valley, The Allison Inn & Spa is a luxurious resort that feels like your very own cozy retreat. I'm not sure what I loved more: the beautiful landscaped grounds, the way the resort is designed to connect guests with nature, its amazing spa, guest rooms straight out of a story book, the truly inspiring cuisine and Pinot or the fact that the place was dripping with local art. 

 Check out those beautiful grounds. See if you can spot the horse statue in the background.

We'll start with the landscaping. There's a screen saver on my phone that I put up right before I left for Portland because I thought that's what Oregon would look like. What I got was much more beautiful than what I imagined. Describing wilderness is tough, but I'll do my best. The Alison's well-landscaped grounds are surrounded by rolling hills dotted with lush trees that are occasionally obscured by clouds. On clear days, you can even see Mt. Hood. 

 The view from my room. Swoon.

And nature is everywhere in this resort. A stream that runs in front of the entrance to the spa. Each room has a balcony. And the spa is a huge part of that. Some treatment rooms come with sliding glass doors that open up to the outside. I basked in the sun on a luxurious lounger in the waiting room. I'm going to write about the spa in a separate post, but let me assure you that it's magical. 
  
When guests retreat for the night, they're going to a room they'll dream about. The deluxe king room comes with a bathroom complete with two vanities, a separate shower, and the crown jewel: a deep soaking tub that you can watch TV from. This is America. I also appreciated the plush sheets that you sink into every night and the glass jars filled with filtered water waiting on the side tables. 

And then there's the food. The on-site Jory restaurant is spellbinding. Chef Sunny Jin is quite the character. And his food is incredible. If you only order one item, make it the Pinot burger. Flavored with Oregon's signature wine, this juicy burger is not-to-be-missed. Be sure to finish you meal with decadent Pinot cake.

 The Pinot burger is a must-try.

Pinot cake is another great, gotta-have-it item on the menu. 

I'll end with the art. I'm an art lover, and The Alison is chock full of local art. Each room is decked out with a piece from a local artist. The gardens are dotted with handmade sculptures. But my favorite work was the statue resting outside of the spa's entrance. Each of these creations is made out of the mold of a real woman. Forget that perfect stuff. If you're interested, the spa will create your very own mold for you. 

 The entrance to the spa. Doesn't it look cool? 

I just had to close this with this gorgeous spiral staircase.