Bacara Resort & Spa

SANTA BARBARA, CA – The Pacific Ocean or “peaceful sea” (from the Latin, Mare Pacificum) sets the tone for The Penthouse and Sea Haven suites, perched atop a beachside bluff at Bacara Resort & Spa. The calming Pacific not only commands every view, it inspired the design of the superb new two-bedroom suites.

Similarly chic, the fundamental difference between the suites is their angle to the ocean. Looking out from either suite, one has the sense of being afloat at sea as only ocean, sky and the nearby Channel Islands can be seen through floor-to-ceiling doors and windows.

Inside, an open floor plan, maximizing views from the living and bedroom areas, evokes an urban loft. Casually elegant décor seamlessly manages to be au courant and subtly retro. Excepting the striking modern artwork, color is a soothing palette of driftwood and sand shades with aquamarine accents. Flooring is solid white oak decorative inset with soft area rugs and stone, smooth as sea glass. Custom-designed furnishings in natural materials and textures reflect the oceanfront setting.

Wide double doors serve as the 2,000-sq.-ft. suite’s impressive main entrance. The polished foyer, balanced by a spacious powder room, opens to the expansive dining area, which is anchored by a wood and marble-topped rectangular table for eight. The adjoining living area features a central gathering space, desk, flat-screen and wood-burning hearth with cozy fireside chairs, and, of course, that unparalleled ocean view.

An elegant pantry, featuring exotic zebrawood cabinets, stone countertops, Viking glass-front refrigerator and ice-maker, microwave and espresso machine, lies just around the corner. If guests prefer, Bacara Executive Chef David Reardon will design customized menus for their entire stay, ensuring a gourmet dining experience.

For privacy, the bedrooms occupy their own respective wings, with Master Bedroom One also containing its own separate entrance. At the foot of its king-size bed, dressed in sumptuous Pratesi linens exclusive to the suite, lies a welcoming couch, ideal for curling up in front of the flat screen, and an inviting fireplace.

Both bedroom suites feature luxurious bathrooms finished with softly hued natural stone and wood accented by iridescent glass tile. Air-jet soaking tubs with effortlessly sliding wood-and-sea-green-tinted-glass doors open to the bedroom and, hence, that ocean view. From the bedroom and living areas, French summer doors lead to the sweeping wraparound terrace; its cool stone tile dressed with sleek woven furniture and potted regional succulents.

A personal butler attends to a guest’s every need and amenities are customized to individual and dietary requests. Chef’s gourmet hors d’oeuvres and martinis are served in the afternoon along with fresh ice tea and lemonade. Spectacular florals by Stylist Manager Lorrene Balzani and whole organic fresh fruits are placed throughout the suites, which also boast retail-size Fresh bathroom amenities and curbside check-in. Two 50-minute private fitness sessions, or, if guests prefer, a pampering spa treatment, are also included in the amenity package.

Quite simply, everything is state-of-the-art and no detail has been overlooked. E-mail can be checked wirelessly. I-pod clock radios ensure that guests may wake to their own custom playlist. Lighting flatters. Even the logs in the wood-burning fireplaces were handpicked for their beauty.

Reservations for The Penthouse, $10,000 per night, and The Sea Haven, $8,000 per night, can be made through VIP Director Merlyn Taggert, 805.571.3106. 805.571.3111 (fax), MTaggert@BacaraResort.com, www.BacaraResort.com.
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Bacara Resort & Spa is an independently owned and operated luxury retreat set on two miles of beach along the pristine Gaviota coastline just a five-minute drive from the Santa Barbara Airport. Bacara is the closest beachside luxury resort to the Santa Ynez, Santa Maria and Santa Rita Hills Wine Regions. The resort features 311 lavish guestrooms and 49 specialty suites, each with either a private balcony or patio with ocean, garden or mountain views.
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