Napa’s Meritage Resort & Spa to renovate 2 largest meeting spaces
The Meritage Resort and Spa, which recently underwent a $25 million ownership restructuring, will soon begin a $1.2 million renovation of its two largest meeting spaces, according to owners the Busch family and Pacific Hospitality Group.
First up will be the Meritage Ballroom, the property’s largest conference space at 10,490 square feet and with room for 1,000 guests. It can be divided into 10 separate spaces for smaller meetings and breakout sessions, according to the Aug. 10 announcement. Work on the venue will begin in mid-November with a target completion date of mid-December.
Renovations of the 7,358-square-foot Carneros Ballroom will begin in mid-December, with a finish date slated for mid-January. Like the Meritage Ballroom, the area can be divided into 10 smaller spaces. It can accommodate 800 people.
The ballroom renovations are being spearheaded by HBA San Francisco.
“We created two distinct ballroom experiences so that each ballroom has its own atmosphere and vibe,” Sarah Hullinger, senior project manager at HBA San Francisco, said in the announcement.
According to the Meritage’s website, the resort property currently has six meetings and conferences spaces totaling 18,520 square feet, and 15,000 square feet of exhibit space. Total event space can accommodate 2,652 people.
The two main venue upgrades will be followed next year by full guestroom renovations, according to the press release and previous reporting by the Business Journal. A pop-up French bistro opened this summer.
The decision to restructure and invest in the Meritage’s future was made in November 2021 after the owners had listed the property for sale that summer, CEO Garrett Busch, told the Business Journal in May.
“The Meritage asset in particular we view as irreplaceable real estate in one of the best hospitality markets in the country, and one with extremely high barriers to entry,” Busch said in May. “This is particularly true when you understand the size and amenities that the resort has, it is unlikely that anyone would be able to create anything like it in Napa Valley again.”
In addition, Pacific Hospitality Group in December was granted a project-approval extension to July 17, 2024, by Napa’s City Council to develop a 5.39-acre on the Meritage property site for a mixed-use project. As stated in the approval extension, the project is to be comprised of “a four-story 253-room dual-branded hotel consisting of a 100-room Marriott Residence Inn and a 153-room AC Hotel, a winery, and a two-story office building and parking.”
“We are excited to have the best years of the property ahead of us and are investing in that future for the long term with our sizeable capital infusion,” Busch previously said.
The restructuring is expected to allow the Meritage, owners said, to reach a record $90 million in revenue this year. The resort opened in 2006.
