Old Army post gets promoted to scenic lodge
— -- What's new:Cavallo Point — The Lodge at the Golden Gate, Sausalito, Calif.
Claim to fame:San Francisco Bay's first national park lodge
Vital statistics:68 historic and 74 contemporary rooms and suites
The scene:Nearly a decade in the making, Cavallo Point opened July 1 on the eucalyptus-lined grounds of Fort Baker, a former U.S. Army post that was turned over to the park service in 2002. It's run by Passport Resorts — the same outfit that operates Big Sur's Post Ranch Inn and Hawaii's Hana-Maui — and combines drop-dead views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Marin Headlands and San Francisco skyline with an upscale, summer-camp-for-grown-ups ambiance.
Bedding down:Fort Baker's former turn-of-the-20th-century officers' quarters flank the old parade grounds, with renovated rooms that feature pressed tin ceilings, gas fireplaces and hand-carved wooden railings. Newly built, more expensive contemporary units, most of which offer views of the bridge and bay through floor-to-ceiling windows, incorporate such "green" elements as solar panels, farmed bamboo ceilings and cabinetry and radiant-floor heat. Both options include free Wi-Fi and parking, toiletries from nearby Bonny Doon Farm and mini-fridges stocked with carafes of filtered water.
Who'll like it:Eco-conscious urban adventurers who prefer organic cotton sheets and iPod docking stations to sleeping bags and Coleman lanterns.
Who won't:Party animals — unless your definition of after-dark entertainment includes listening to the basso profundo moans of nearby fog horns.
Wining and dining:Headed by two-star Michelin chef Joseph Humphrey, Cavallo Point's Murray Circle restaurant spotlights sustainable, regional cuisine and a 90-page wine list. A 10-course, $75 tasting menu includes fig-roasted halibut with sassafras and fennel, and a salad of lobster and squab with savoy spinach Zinfandel marmalade. The adjacent Farley's Bar serves grass-fed beef hamburgers ($17) and wood-grilled peaches wrapped in prosciutto and basil ($7). On a sunny day, the best seat in the house is a table on the outdoor veranda overlooking the bay.
Indulgences:The lodge offers a full spa and smattering of free activities, including daily yoga and guided weekend hikes, along with "adventures and learning vacations" priced from $1,225 to $2,030 a person that range from "Olive Oil 101" to fitness training with ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes.
The deal:Rooms from $250, suites from $450 a night
Information:888-651-2003 or cavallopoint.com