Stimulation and serenity come together at CordeValle
Cypress Point in the morning, Pebble Beach in the afternoon. It was one of those dream golf days at the end of a memorable family vacation to Northern California. But the best part of the trip occurred on our drive back from Monterey Peninsula to the San Francisco Airport, when we spent our final evening at CordeValle, a cloistered retreat nestled among the arresting California mountain valleys just minutes off Highway 101 and 20 miles south of San Jose. An idea that had originally started as an afterthought became the blue-ribbon highlight of the week.
Its name derived appropriately from the Spanish phrase, “El Corazon Del Valle” or “Heart of the Valley,” CordeValle’s hideaway seclusion comes from the rolling hills, deep canyons and sprawling meadows that surround it. But this is not your typical luxury resort. Rather, it’s an exclusive golf club that quietly makes itself available to non-members.
CordeValle accommodates CEOs, business executives and guests from Silicon Valley and around the world. It can be a family oriented country club, a golf resort or a private social club. You can arrange meetings, golf getaways, spa retreats or a romantic escape.
For business types, that means use of the extraordinary 38,000-square-foot Lodge at CordeValle, which incorporates more than 4,100 square feet of state-of-the-art meeting rooms with high-speed Internet access and multiple data ports. For members and guests, CordeValle offers three accommodation options, all equally luxurious. There are five villas nestled against the hillside, each with a private whirlpool spa; 28 spacious bungalows overlooking the golf course; and three 3,100-square-foot fairway homes, each with a quartet of private-garden bedrooms grouped around an expansive living room. In addition, the Clos La Chance winery and vineyard located at CordeValle, allows guests to experience California’s famed wine country.
Golfers have got it made. CordeValle’s Robert Trent Jones Jr.-designed golf course is cradled by mountains, and feels verdant and intimate. Jones took innovative advantage of the natural topography with an organic blend of natural and man-made obstacles. “CordeValle is one of those pure, core golf experiences,” says the architect. “It is perhaps my finest golf course creation.”
For those just there to relax and revive, there’s The Lodge at CordeValle’s stunning 5,000-square-foot Spa — Sense, A Rosewood Spa — which includes a Turkish steam room and Vichey shower; a Cybex-equipped fitness room; well–appointed locker rooms with whirlpool and steam; outdoor heated pool; tennis courts; outdoor yoga deck; hiking trails; and co–ed relaxation area and spa boutique.
We enjoyed as much as we could during our short stay, along with plenty of five-star cuisine. Now, when our thoughts return to that glorious West Coast trip, they return to CordeValle.
