Allison Inn & Spa

The Allison Inn & Spa is a destination spa hotel that attracts business travelers, wedding groups, wine country tourists, and Portlanders looking for a quick and luxurious getaway. Exteriors are a mix of rust-colored slab bricks, gray stones, light wood, and dark steel, that give it a modern Pacific Northwest ambience. The lobby is snug and looks a tad more corporate than the average spa, with light-wood reception and concierge desks, stone-tile floors, a flat fountain feature, and large windows that -- when it's not overcast -- add light to the otherwise darkish space. A large spiral staircase surrounded by huge glass windows leads to the four floors of rooms; there's also an elevator. 

The Allison's large grounds feature manicured lawns, winding paths for jogging, benches, and a large outdoor sculpture garden with a variety of pieces by local artists. There's plenty of artwork by Oregon artists throughout the interiors and rooms too, and each room has a 107-page catalog with details of the hotels 500-piece collection.

The Allison Inn & Spa is located in the tiny city of Newberg, in the heart of Oregon's Willamette Valley wine country, surrounded by fields and vineyards. There are plenty of vineyards and wineries in the vicinity, and the town of Dundee -- with tasting rooms and quaint shops -- is a 10-minute drive away. It's a half-hour drive to the town of McMinnville, which has a quaint main street with shops, bars, and pubs, and a smattering of restaurants serving everything from Thai cuisine to upscale Cajun food. It's a 90-minute drive to Lincoln City, a popular tourist destination on the Oregon coast. Downtown Portland is a 45-minute drive away, and it's almost an hour to the Portland International Airport. There's free valet parking at the hotel.

The Allison Inn has 77 rooms and eight suites, all with similar decor. Rooms are carpeted and modern -- but not sterile-looking -- with homey touches such as upholstered chairs and gas fireplaces flanked by chests of drawers. Beige, brown, and cream color schemes contribute to the elegant but outdoorsy vibe that's seen throughout the property. Suites have hardwood floors and a bit more color, with blue rugs, bright paintings, and occasional throw pillows. All units have big bay windows with plush seats and views of the countryside. Terraces, wet bars, mini-fridges, 42-inch flat-screen TVs, Bose sound systems, free Wi-Fi, and safes also come standard. 

Bathrooms have double vanities and come with terrycloth robes, magnifying mirrors, tiled walk-in rainfall showers, and soaking tubs, but they are a little plain for a hotel of this caliber. Units range from Deluxe King Rooms up to Deluxe One-Bedroom Suites, and there's a Grand Two-Bedroom Suite on the Penthouse Level with a large dining table and a butler's pantry. While the rooms are certainly geared more toward adult vacationers and business travelers, cots, cribs, and babysitting services can be arranged.

For a relatively small hotel, the Allison comes packed with top-notch amenities. As the name suggests, the on-site spa is a big draw for many guests, and features a variety of services for men and women -- from facials to massages to body scrubs -- in its 12 treatment rooms. Special packages for vacationing groups of friends, couples, and wedding parties are also available, and salon services, including mani-pedis, make-up application, waxing, and hairstyling are also available. The spa also features a beautiful, albeit small, indoor swimming pool with large skylights, huge picture windows, and a few plush lounge chairs. The pool area extends to an outdoor terrace with more loungers for summer sunbathing. There's also a small but modern fitness room with ellipticals, exercise bikes, and treadmills, plus a few pieces of resistance-training equipment and a rack of free weights.

The property's other big draw is its ample facilities for meetings and weddings. Indoor venues include a large ballroom that can seat up to 300 people reception or theater style, and can be divided for conferences. A few more meeting spaces seat anywhere from 18 to 150 guests. Gardens can also be rented for outdoor events, and the hotel offers extensive catering services and free Wi-Fi throughout. 

Some nights the hotel also has live jazz music. In the summer, overnight guests have free access to a yoga class on Sunday mornings in the garden.

The on-site bar and restaurant, Jory, offers a large range of fine-dining "garden-to-table" dishes (including a few vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options), that incorporate ingredients from the on-site garden. There's also an extensive wine list from the on-site Austin Knoll winery (including signature wines available only at Jory). Additionally, a Chef's Table can be reserved for up to 10 guests and it's separated from the kitchen by a large glass panel. Customized menus with sommelier-selected wine pairings come standard with this option. There are also a couple of larger private-dining rooms (for up to 18 guests). Room service is available 24 hours a day. Note that reservations fill quickly, so it's recommended to make them far in advance.