NORTH BAY BUSINESS JOURNAL EVENT

Best Places to Work 2008 Awards Reception

September 25, 2008, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Doubletree Hotel, Rohnert Park

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Hotelier transforms second Victorian

WHITE HOUSE INN & SPA OFFERS UPDATED AMENITIES, INCLUDES IPOD DOCKING RADIOS

NAPA – When former real estate agent Darcy Tunt purchased her first hotel in 2001, she had a plan to move into what she saw as an unfulfilled niche in the growing downtown hospitality market.

And now, with her second purchase near completion of a successful mass renovation, she just might be onto to something.

Her interest in the hotel market “all started after many years of traveling to Napa as a young adult and falling in love with the area, as most people who visit do,” she said. “But what I found was that there was nothing between these traditional, Victorian bed and breakfasts and the huge luxurious resorts.”

She said that though many enjoy the traditional Victorians, a lot of them do not offer the amenities and services that contemporary travelers look for in their stay.

“We wanted to offer that intimate experience without sacrificing luxury and contemporary, chic design,” she said.

It was with this philosophy in mind that Ms. Tunt purchased her newest property, the former Blue Mansion bed and breakfast on Brown Street, which opened for business late last month as the White House Inn and Spa. After more than 10 months of interior and some exterior renovations, little beyond the structure of the building remains the same.

Like her first purchase, the 1801 First inn about 12 blocks away, the old Victorian was basically gutted and refinished with contemporary styling.

“My goal was to take away some of the ‘stuff’ that took away from the beauty of the architecture and dress the inside with everything the modern traveler could want,” she said.

The 17-room inn also has a large garden, spa and pool and is one of the only facilities downtown permitted to host weddings.

The 13,000-square foot, three-story building was constructed in 1886 and was purchased from the previous owners for about $5.25 million. It has modern amenities including an on-site chef, flat-screen televisions, Wi-Fi and radios with iPod docking stations.

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