More hotels are paying more than lip service to going green. Take the eco-friendly Ponte Vineyard Inn in Temecula, opening late this spring. It is located at The Ponte Winery, whose vineyard and wine-making facilities are the only ones in the Temecula Valley wine country certified as sustainable by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. Like the winery, the inn is committed to reducing its environmental imprint.
Designed in the California Mission style, the boutique hotel has 60 rooms with views of vineyards and gardens. Landscaping features native plants that need little water, and rooms are oriented to minimize sun exposure. Recycled or natural materials, many sourced locally, are used throughout, along with green cleaning products. High efficiency lighting, low-flow faucets, and switches that turn off heaters during inactivity are just a few of the inn’s features.
Dining options include Bouquet, the rustic Cellar Lounge, and the outdoor Restaurant at Ponte for fresh farmers’ market salads and grape-wood fired pizzas.
The inn verifies that the fish it serves is safe and sustainable through the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch. (877/314-WINE, www.pontevineyardinn.com) ANDREA NAVERSEN
