Bal Harbour

P H OTO S BY E M M A K C R E AT I V E / E M M A K R U C H ; P R O D U C T S C O U R T E S Y O F T H E B R A N D S BOTTEGA VENETA Campana bag BRUNELLO CUCINELLI Logo-patch jeans LORO PIANA Nantucket Walk sneakers BOTTEGA VENETA Rosa Ballerina flats SAINT LAURENT SL 902 HOWL sunglasses ZIMMERMANN Indra embroidered mini-dress PRADA Re-Nylon backpack A SENSE f there were a road map to understanding what makes the Northern Sonoma town of Healdsburg so singular, it would likely begin with the land itself. Healdsburg sits at the convergence of three major wine-producing valleys: Alexander, Russian River, and Dry Creek. Here, varied soil and shifting micro- climates (Northern California may as well have invented the art of layer- dressing) shape not only the grapes, but the wider agricultural bounty that has long defined the region. It is this deep sense of place that inspired celebrated Chef Charlie Palmer and longtime hospitality executive Christopher Hunsberger to create Appellation Hotels, and its flagship, Appellation Healdsburg. Here, hospitality begins before you even check in. Ahead of your stay, guests are invited to share a few details about themselves: dietary preferences, special interests, or the kinds of wineries they gravitate toward. Our answers included a preference for pinot, and my children's budding fascination in the kitchen (thank you, Ratatouille). Upon arrival, the kids were handed goodie bags stocked with coloring books, notebooks, and fruit-charm keychains—strawberry for Noa, avocado for Zev—before being swiftly ushered into the kitchen, where preparations for evening service at Folia Bar & Kitchen, the hotel's fine-dining restaurant, were already underway. Chef de Cuisine Reed Palmer (yes, that Palmer) greeted them warmly, offered shelled peas to snack on, then toured them around his kitchen with the enthusiasm of a camp counselor. It's clear that for this culinary- centric brand, the kitchen is the heartbeat. In fact, guests enter not through a vast lobby, but via the lounge area of Folia. A discreet reception nook akin to a convivial kitchen counter (a welcome dish— potato croquettes with crème fraîche one day, a berry crumble another—as well as a generous splash of good wine, are offered before any talk of credit cards is exchanged) immediately sets the tone for the kind of approachable luxury experience that Hunsberger and Palmer have designed. "We wanted to create a hotel collection powered by people, connected by food, and defined by place," says Hunsberger. "We're very focused on an elevated guest experience, but in a more relaxed, natural and less scripted way." He means it. On day two, after his second kitchen tour, my precocious son returned to the breakfast table saddened that there were no eclairs on the menu. Et voilà, that evening, a tray of picture-perfect chocolate eclairs were delivered by Chef, made just for Zev. Call it capital-H Hospitality—with a touch of magic. In the rooms, appointed in a classic Northern California fashion— earthy tones, natural materials, contemporary with lots of soul— thoughtful nods to the region help one become fluent in the local language. "Instead of Nespresso, we opted for a pour-over coffee experience and worked with a local roaster on a special blend for the hotel," says Hunsberger. "Pour-over takes a little more time, but it's the best way to make a cup of coffee." I CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Locally sourced dishes at Folia Bar & Kitchen, where you might opt for al fresco dining in the olive grove; the living area of the two-bedroom Appellation Suite; Chef de Cuisine Reed Palmer with his father, and hotel co-founder, Chef Charlie Palmer. What To Pack BALHAR B O U RSH O P S .CO M

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