Off the Cliffe

….Stay in a luxury yurt.  Have you never put Washington wine country, harvest season and round dwellings begun by nomadic Mongolian tribes together in one sentence, yet alone one experience?  That’s what we thought…and that’s one of the reasons we’ve added our 25 Chiwana Village luxury yurts to SageCliffe resort.  With September beginning tomorrow, so to0 does the harvest season at SageCliffe.  For a destination winery resort, this means the most exciting, dynamic, and true-to-nature season of the year…and this year you can experience the food, wine, amenities and festivities of SageCliffe in an entirely new way…with a yurt stay.  There is simply something divine (no pun intended) about staying in a beautiful, comfortable and conversation-worthy yurt while you enjoy a weekend of harvest activities (our Harvest Festival runs October 15-17 this year), or a mid-week mini-trip to enjoy a grape-inspired spa treatment or signature Chef Joe Ritchie meal at Tendrils.  There’s something great about leaving your yurt and walking the short distance through beautiful vineyards heavily laden with ripening grapes to experience a wine tasting in the Cave B Estate Winery roundhouse, or glimpse the winemaker and his team at work loading the crusher with newly-picked grapes. There’s something “best” about the fact you can gaze at the sunset over the gorge from your yurt patio, and sip your coffee from the same as you watch the sun rise the next morning.  Surrounded by vineyards at their prime, a working winery, delicious, seasonally-inspired meals, the utmost in spa relaxation, ruggedly beautiful and dramatic gorge hiking trails and viewpoints, with your personal, beautiful yurt and the great Chiwana Village Hosts at your disposal, this may very well be the absolute best, most creative and inspiring way to enjoy Washington Wine Country this fall.

Planning on attending an upcoming show at The Gorge?  Have you camped just one too many times, or groaned as you realized that after your wait to get out of parking post-concert, you’ll still have a drive ahead of you to your hotel?

We understand.  And we think just maybe we’ve kept SageCliffe a little bit too much of a good secret.  Because  did you know?  It’s right next door to The Gorge Amphitheater.  And it has not one, not two, but three different kinds of lodging options.

Just this summer, we added 25 luxury yurts to SageCliffe’s lodging options, which already included beautiful Cave B Inn, with its Cavern rooms (built right into the cliff), three suites in-lodge, and 15 ultra-cool stand-alone Cliffehouses.  The yurts are part of Chiwana Village at SageCliffe, and are just a stone’s throw from Cave B Inn & Spa and Cave B Estate Winery, nestled among vineyards and with a beauty all their own.

But what of the cost, you say?  You won’t be paying camping costs.  But…you won’t be camping.  And we have all sorts of special packages happening all the time, to help provide both great value and that signature SageCliffe “something special.”  Right now Chiwana Village has three special package offerings.  You can see them here.  And Cave B Inn  has a whole bevy of options for you as well.

Just think:  After the Gorge concert is over, you only need to take a short walk or a shorter drive a few minutes away, and voila–you’re at your accommodations.  No tiredness behind the wheel; no hassles.  And then in the morning, there’s Tendrils Restaurant, the pool, the sun, the gorge, the trails–all the amenities–just waiting for you.  Now, we call that the ultimate Gorge concert weekend.  Why settle for the same Gorge experience each time?  Try us out….SageCliffe is owned by the same people who built and started The Gorge Amphitheater (anyone remember when it was called Champs de Brionne Summer Music Theater?) so you get to take part in a little bit of The Gorge history simply by staying at SageCliffe, too!  And to help you visualize your ultimate Gorge Concert Getaway, here’s the concert line up:

Aug. 14:  Vans Warped Tour
Aug. 28: John Mayer & Keith Urban
Sept. 3-5: Dave Matthews Band
Sept. 11:  Brad Paisley
Oct. 2:  Jack Johnson

We know:  It’s hard to choose.  But we feel we can say with some certainty that no matter which Gorge concert you choose to attend, you’ll make it just that much more fun, and that much more enjoyable, if you try a stay at SageCliffe.  Your friends will think that you’re the rock star.

Yurt at Chiwana Village at SageCliffe
Cave B Inn

   Now that almost all 25 luxury yurts at Chiwana Village at SageCliffe are up and running, it’s time for a quick Q & A.  Ready?  Here we go:

 Q.  So I know what a yurt is, but what the heck is a luxury yurt?

A.  A luxury yurt is not just a yurt with high-quality, ultra-comfy & good looking interior design and features; a luxury yurt is really the entire lodging experience:  it means you’ll be enjoying the close-to-nature aspect inherent with a yurt (they are canvas walls, after all, and you will hear the wind, the birds…) while at the same time enjoying the comfort and ease of a premium resort; its amenities, service and tremendous setting.

Q.  To be honest, I’m not sure what a “premium resort” really means, either.

A.  A Premium Resort is a place where the guest is #1:  Where service is everything, and every detail is designed to give you an unique, relaxing, engaging and high quality guest experience.  Although there are many rating systems used for resorts (think stars, think numbers…) a premium resort is really about how each individual guest feels.  A Premium Resort has done its job if it not only meets your expectations, but exceeds them.

Q.  Okay.  So if I stay in a yurt at Chiwana Village, how is that different than staying in a yurt at a state or national park?

A.  You’ll have a king-size bed with plush mattress and dreamy-soft bedding and pillows.  A sink-your-feet-into it carpet in front of the bed.  A full-size brown or red leather couch in front of beautifully-draped windows (that look out on the SageCliffe views–speaks for itself).  The bathroom is an airy, sizeable room and has those great, soft, pure-white “hotel towels” that we all wish we could steal when we stay at a resort (but please don’t…) A bamboo-framed mirror, blond-wood accessories and accents.  You’ll enjoy your own private shower and the happiness of knowing all you need to do is walk out the bathroom door and you’re right back into your beautiful yurt living/bedroom. Throughout the entire yurt you’ll walk on the coolest colored concrete floors, and you’ll have a huge, clear sky-dome above the bed that you can open and close at whim.  (Star-gazing while lying in bed, with a cool breeze flowing over you…sound good?)  And, when you can get yourself to leave your luxury yurt, you’ll have a chance to sit on your own personal patio and gaze northwest at the vineyards, the cliffs in the distance, the grounds of SageCliffe and, if you’re in a River View Yurt, the stunning Columbia River and gorge.  Then you can jump on a courtesy cruiser bike, feel the wind in your hair as you bike down a vineyard row or path to Cave B Inn and have simply one of the most creative, deeply satisfying meals you’ve ever had at Tendrils Restaurant.  Then you can walk or bike to Cave B Estate Winery nearby and wine-taste through some spectacular (8 medals were awarded this year at Seattle Wine Awards!) wines by Winemaker Freddy Arredondo.  And don’t forget the Spa…The Spa at SageCliffe is between the Inn and winery, and the treatments there are simply divine (no pun intended…well; maybe a little.)  From grape-inspired treatments to your basic-yet-wonderful aromatic facials and the rest, the spa is just waiting to send you back out into the world (or back into your yurt) ultra-refreshed, ultra-relaxed, and feeling like you’ve had a long, delicious, restful, luxurious vacation.  What else?  Marked hiking trails down into the gorge (you can go all the way to the river…ahhhh) The Chef’s Garden, and our seasonal events (Harvest Festival weekend is mid-October this year).

We think this all makes it pretty different than a camping yurt at a state or national park.  Don’t get us wrong; we love those, too.  They’re just not what you’ll find here.

Q.  I’m feeling relaxed just reading about it.  But I’m really a nature-lover, and I care a lot about the environment.  Won’t all those yurts change the peace and beauty of SageCliffe? I love how the Inn, Winery & Spa don’t stick out from their natural surroundings.

A.  Chiwana Village is still in its infancy, so that means it doesn’t have the “camouflage” characteristic of all the SageCliffe buildings quite down yet.  But it will–and soon.  And more than that:  The reason we chose to go the luxury yurt route was principally because of the environmentally-friendly nature of yurts.  We chose yurt manufacturer Rainier Industries because they’ve received premier certification for environmental sustainability.  We are not going to surround the yurts with Western-Washington-like sweeping lawns, because this is a high-steppe region, and acres of green grass do not grow naturally here!  Already located within Cave B Vineyards, we’re planting more vineyards which will run right through Chiwana Village.  The plants are small this first year…but they’ll grow.  And they’ll be true, producing vines with grapes that will go towards making those fantastic Cave B wines.  And we’re putting in a water feature in the Village.  But don’t fear…it will have water in it only when the vines are being irrigated; this means that no extra water is being used solely to beautify; it means reduced water waste and sticking to what the natural environment dictates. 

Q.  So does this mean this first season, Chiwana Village will have little to no landscaping?

A.  It means for all seasons, Chiwana Village will hve little to no landscaping…instead there will be the vineyards, and beautiful basalt rock from the property, and the stunning (see pic) natural wildflowers, sage and tumbleweed, which we will let grow back in and around the yurts.  We know that letting the SageCliffe be its own, natural self is the very best way to beautify Chiwana Village…nature always does it best.

Q.  25 luxury yurts is a lot of yurts….will I hear my neighbors talking?

A.  Maybe. They are canvas walls, but they’re not wall-to-wall like a hotel.  And they’re not in a busy campground.  So far, guests have told us they’ve predominantly noticed the birdsong in the morning.  We also have a sound ordinance, and a two people per yurt policy, to protect the peace and serenity.

Q. Will the yurts be open year-round?

A.  No; these are best used when the weather’s nice, so they are open July-October of 2010.  But starting next year, they’ll have a longer season:  May-October.

 Q.  I’ve only paid about $35 for a yurt stay at a park.  These are much more expensive.  Why should I stay in a Chiwana Village yurt instead, and pay those higher prices?

A.  If you think you’d enjoy the luxury yurt experience as described above, then this is the place for you….and the price is amazing, as you are receiving the accommodation, amenity and experience level of a premium resort.

Q.  I want my kids to have a luxury yurt experience, too.  But you have a two person per yurt policy.  Are kids okay to bring?

A.  We’ve created a special Friends & Family Package designed specifically for those who’d like to bring their entire family, or friends.  This allows you to book a second and third yurt for 50% off the regular rate, when you book a regular-rate yurt.  How much fun would that be….all your important peeps in a yurt cluster…it would be like creating your own little village-within-a-village!

Q.  But what if we’d like to have a romantic couples experience?

A.  We recommend one of the three River View Yurts…they’re on the far western end of the village, have stunning river views and great peace & privacy.  We also have a  package great for those love-birds out there:  Serenity Now.  (You can see all the packages and Chiwana Village info on our webpage.)

Q. Were the yurts principally added to SageCliffe to accommodate the concert-goers at The Gorge?

A.  Although we absolutely welcome concert attendees (and love that we can now offer more Gorge Amphitheater lodging to concert-goers), the primary reason we added Chiwana Village was to simply provide more rooms, while striving to make those “rooms” unique, environmentally-friendly, and, ultimately, beautiful.

Q. Why did you call the luxury yurt village “Chiwana Village at SageCliffe,” instead of just “The Yurts at SageCliffe?” Isn’t that creating another brand?

A.  SageCliffe is the entire resort…the entire property. We keep “SageCliffe” as part of every entity…Cave B Inn at SageCliffe, The Spa at SageCliffe, and Chiwana Village at SageCliffe.  The winery is different (everything about wine is different!)  It is Cave B Estate Winery.  But one of the two labels the winery produces are its “SageCliffe” wines.

Q.  What if I still have more questions about luxury yurts, or Chiwana Village at SageCliffe?

A.  We have truly wonderful hosts at Chiwana Village (they are just so nice…) Their names are Bob & Mary Jammerman, and they’ll take very good care of you.  You can call them at 509-785-3291 (Bob prefers talking to people on the phone…he’s a self-described People Person!)  or email them at chiwana@sagecliffe.com

 Q.  Are we done?

A.  For now.  We hope to see you soon!

Writer Jackie Smith stopped by our Chiwana Village open house last Wednesday, and the result is a mention in the Seattle Times’ Weekend special travel section.  We enjoyed meeting Jackie and taking her through the yurts and on a tour of the entire SageCliffe property.  Thank you to Jackie & the Seattle Times.

 One blog editor’s note:  Heat & AC were mentioned in the article…the yurts do not have (or need) heat, and AC, although planned, will not be in place this first season….with fans and the open-able skydome, the yurts are comfy!

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2012356892_nwwglamping15.html

 Yes…so far 15 yurts are up and looking good!  We’ve had a terrific response since we opened for reservations…thank you!  Many of you have wanted to know exactly where the yurts are l ocated on the SageCliffe property; we now have a map showing you their placement.  Just visit the Chiwana Village at SageCliffe web page: http://www.sagecliffe.com/chiwana_village.htm.  We now begin to move in the furniture and do all those very-important finishing touches.  You can check out each of the yurts at our Open House on July 14…undoubtedly you’ll have a “favorite,” and we think that’s great! Definitely let Chiwana Village hosts Bob & Mary know; they’ll take note of it, and you can think of “your” yurt as, well…yours!

Click here to go directly to the online reservations page, or visit the Chiwana Village webpage for more information about the yurt features & amenities.  And don’t forget….if you’d like to see what all the fuss is about, come visit the yurts during our Chiwana Village at SageCliffe Open House:  July 14, from 11-4.  There will be food, fun and (nearly guaranteed) sun!  RSVP to: 509-785-3291.  See  you there!

Curious about our yurts? Want a day that feels like a mini-vacation?  Come join us on Wednesday, July 14 from 11-4 at Chiwana Village at SageCliffe.  Chiwana Hosts Bob & Mary will be on hand to answer any questions you may have, Tendrils Vineyard Restaurant provides the refreshments, Cave B Inn staff will be giving guided tours of all the SageCliffe amenities Chiwana Village guests may enjoy:  The Cave B Inn pool, Tendrils, The Spa at SageCliffe & Cave B Estate Winery.  But most of all, just enjoy walking throug and lingering in these amazing yurts!  Gaze up through the yurts’ sky domes, lounge in their comfy seating areas, enjoy the beautifiul view from the yurt patios and check out all the interior features, like the yurt private bathrooms, king-size beds and elegant earth-toned decor.  You’ll go away with that signature SageCliffe after-glow (ahhhh….), and with a real sense of what a stay in a Chiwana Village yurt would be like.  We’d love to see you!  RSVP to let Bob and Mary know you’re coming:  509-785-3291.

The process of raising a yurt is intensely interesting…the Chiwana Village yurts join in a long history of these round dwellings….yurts have been used in a wide variety of countries and cultures for centuries, and are still used regularly in places such as Mongolia.  We can’t wait for you to try them out…stay tuned for more photos (of interiors, too!)

     If there is one thing that is SageCliffe, it is The Land.  Those of you who have visited Cave B Estate Winery, or Cave B Inn & Spa know that it is this place which is SageCliffe….pick up any of the above and place them somewhere else and you would not have SageCliffe as we know it.  We are here on the edge of these gorgeous cliffs, seemingly in the middle of nowhere but actually in the middle of everywhere.  Natural beauty and interest abound.  So it is the land that informs everything we do at SageCliffe:  why we chose this location, how and when and in what way we build structures and pathways, parking lots and landscaping.  It is the land that orients our windows and it is the land that allows for the quality of the Cave B wines.  It is also the land that keeps us focused:  in the hospitality, culinary and wine industries it is easy to get carried away…to ever-expand, to go in many different directions, to forget what started it all.  But at SageCliffe we have a promise to ourselves that we won’t forget that it begins and ends with the land.  This keeps us on the right track.  And there have been times we have been tempted to stray!  But, always, the gorge, the vineyards, the river and the sage bring us gently back.

 And so.  As we do expand and grow, we do so with what we hope is a lighter and lighter tread…we’d love to see our footprints fading almost as quickly as we place them upon the ground.  This is why our newest addition to SageCliffe is Chiwana Village:  a cluster of yurts nestled among the Cave B vineyards, with new and beautifully startling views from their (sustainable Douglas Fir!) windows.  Rainier Industries, based in Seattle, is the manufacturer of the yurts, which will number 25 when all are complete.  Rainier has achieved the premier certification for environmental stewardship, and that’s extremely important to us.  We like their barely-there footprint, too.

So where are the yurts?  When erected, they will be on the gentle slopes south and slightly west of the winery roundhouse; just a short vineyard-walk away from the winery, Inn and Spa.  And yet, like the cliffehouses and Cavern Rooms, they nestle and hunch and wallow and hide among the hummocks and hills and vines…they are unobtrusive, these yurts.  Just like we’re trying to be. 

For now, we are in the midst of yurt-raising; and yes–it’s as community-building and exciting as a barn-raising!  Seeing these yurts go up is engrossing, different, exciting and satisfying…this last particularly due to the fact we are not displacing to place–the land stands.  We are feeling great about Chiwana Village, and simply can’t wait for you to give them a try.  The Chiwana Village season will run from May-October, with a July opening this first season.  We’ll have all the info you need up on our website soon, so keep checking back and stay tuned.  And we’re already out there online:  you can find Chiwana Village at SageCliffe on FB, and @chiwanavillage on Twitter.  See you there!

It is, amazingly, almost that time of year again:  our annual Harvest Festival (sixth annual, this year) runs October 2-4 at Cave B Estate Winery.  The big day full of all Harvest Festival activities is Saturday, October 3rd.  And the best thing?  All activities on the 3rd are free.  There is a price for the BBQ and wine tasting, but, if you live within Grant, Kittitas, Chelan or Douglas counties, kids 12 and under receive their lunch for free…not a bad deal at all!

And truly the best part of the Festival is the family-friendly nature of the event…this is the Cave B event to bring your boyfriend, your mom, your best friend and your kids.  Three guest experts are lined up:  Amy Mumma, CWU’s Wine Program Director, who will give several fantastic wine seminars, Greg Atkinson, Wine and Food author and columnist extraordinaire will do three interactive cooking demos, and a Cave B favorite, Wine Trails Northwest author Steve Roberts will be on hand to sign and sell his book.  Plus, Harvest Festival will also give us a chance to introduce our new Tendrils Chef to all of you–he will turn out a fantastic BBQ, and will also head up several cooking demos throughout the day. 

And what about for the kids? –Pumpking carving and cookie decorating, tractor-driven hayrides, apple juice-making with an old-fashioned apple press, and much more.  And, for kids and grown up kids-at-heart, there’s the ever-popular Great Grape Stomping Competition–an absolute not-to-miss!

There’s a great special on Cave B Inn rooms for the weekend, as well as a bevy of wine specials at the winery, so read about it all by visiting www.caveb.com, then plan to come on out!  The weather has been nothing short of spectacular, the grapes and apples are rich and dark with color, the leaves are changing to their fiery hues, and we’re ready to give you a weekend of good, pure fun.  We look forward to seeing you!