Auberge Resorts Collection has refreshed its Santa Ynez Valley retreat in California with a new spa and wellness sanctuary
Designed by AvroKO to bring the outdoors in, the recently-launched Lavender Barn spa blends rustic charm with modern luxury
The vision for the five-treatment-room facility was conceptualised by Auberge's global VP of wellbeing Vivianne Garcia-Tunon alongside spa manager Meagan Johnson
Spa partners include Biologique Recherche, Monastery, Oak Essentials, Lavande and Coastal Grown Apothecary
Auberge Resorts Collection has officially opened Lavender Barn, its latest spa and wellness concept, at The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern in California's picturesque Santa Ynez Valley.
Inspired by the surrounding Los Olivos area’s aromatic lavender fields, fertile soil and twilight skies, Lavender Barn has been conceived to merge age-old healing practices with a philosophy of slow wellness.
“Lavender Barn was conceptualised for guests seeking an escape from exhaustion, offering a space surrounded by the soothing embrace of aromatic lavender. Here, slow and gentle wellbeing provides the perfect environment to savour life,” explained Vivianne Garcia-Tunon, Auberge’s global VP of wellbeing.
“This unhurried, pleasurable approach invites deep relaxation, helping guests indulge in leisurely moments of rest by utilising wellbeing techniques such as the Trager Approach, auricular therapy and traditional balneotherapy.”
A sense of placeThe spa’s design, led by interiors firm AvroKO, blends rustic charm with modern luxury to honour the region’s natural beauty and heritage.
Featuring five nature-inspired treatment rooms and a couples suite, the airy space evokes a sense of tranquillity, with vaulted ceilings, rustic beams and expansive windows that connect guests to the outdoors.
Signature elements including burnt wood finishes and barn-style thermal areas create an atmosphere of refined relaxation, complemented by locally sourced materials, including walnut, cork and metals crafted by artisans from the Santa Ynez Valley.
Guest journeyUpon arrival, guests are welcomed into the reception area with the calming scent of lavender and invited to explore the retail area stocked with locally sourced wellbeing products and luxury skincare from Biologique Recherche, Monastery and Oak Essentials.
After settling into private locker rooms stocked with organic amenities, every guest begins their spa experience with the self-guided thermal ritual, designed to cleanse and rejuvenate the body, mind and spirit. The journey includes a cycle of contrast bathing in an oak wood sauna, a eucalyptus steamroom, a cold plunge and a vitality pool.
Following this, guests can retreat to a relaxation room featuring an elegant fireplace and a selection of natural snacks and aromatic beverages. For an al fresco experience, The Porch offers an outdoor retreat, complete with soaking tubs surrounded by bunches of lavender.
Treatments and wellness experiencesThe spa’s menu includes a range of facials, massages and body rituals, in addition to a thoughtful selection of signature treatments powered by nature-based products from local suppliers – including Lavande and Coastal Grown Apothecary.
Lavender Barn will also offer a curated schedule of wellness workshops and sessions led by regional practitioners. These include yoga, meditation, breathwork, Reiki, sound healing and intention-setting, as well as insights from local healers and wellness specialists from the Santa Ynez Valley and Ojai.
More about The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts CollectionLocated a two-hour drive from LA, Mattei’s Tavern originally served as a popular stagecoach stop considered the social centre of the Santa Ynez Valley through the 1930s.
The property was relaunched in 2023 as a 67-key Auberge-branded retreat following a sensitive restoration by AvroKO.
Beyond wellness, Mattei’s Tavern features five distinctive F&B venues, an outdoor pool with a poolside bar, cabanas and firepits and modern indoor-outdoor event spaces.
