With summer, 2014 coming to a close, at Ponte Vineyard Inn we are taking a moment to reflect and hit the reset button. The kids are back in school, vacation travel is winding down and it’s time to begin gearing up for the busy holiday months ahead.

We met many guests this summer who discovered our boutique hotel for the first time. Some were new to Temecula Wine Country and arrived with a handful of questions. Luckily, our desk agents are on hand 24 hours a day for the express purpose of answering questions and helping guests plan their stay. We rarely say “no,” preferring to find a way to say “yes” to every guest. Well, almost every guest. Here are some inquiries that got our desk agents tap dancing around the inevitable:

  1. You’re a pet friendly hotel. Can my parrot stay in my room? We are a dog friendly hotel, and do welcome dogs, but no “winged” friends.
  2. What is the proper grape eating etiquette? I really like to eat your grapes off the vine, how many can I eat? We don’t mind if a guest tastes a few grapes off the vines during their visit as long as they leave some for the wine!

  1. Are you part of the Ponte family? I am not related to the Ponte’s but we do have a very family oriented work environment.
  2. Where is the closest Ponte chain hotel I can stay at in my area? Thank you for asking, but Ponte Vineyard Inn is our only hotel.
  3. Is the estate owned by Carlo Ponti (the director)? Yes, Claudio Ponte is the managing partner.
  4. Can I have a small civil marriage ceremony in my room? How about my patio/balcony? We do rent our ceremony sites at the winery and hotel garden but do not allow wedding ceremonies in guest rooms.
  5. I know you don’t have a pool, can we swim in the pond? We do offer relaxing seating in the garden area near the pond but the pond is not available for swimming.
  6. My mom’s friend’s cousin is a Wine Club member. Can I use their discount? Well… the Wine Club Membership applies to the room the Wine Club member is staying in and is non-transferable. I am not able to apply their discount for your room but I can find you the best rate available for non-Wine Club Members.
  7. I need to talk to the guy in charge of the hotel, what’s his name? Our hotel manager’s name is Sarah, would you like me to give you her contact information?
  8. Is this an original California Mission? This is not, but the design inspiration for the hotel comes from the Carmel Mission “San Carlos Borroméo del rîo Carmelo.”
  9. Where are the catacombs? Hmmm, that is not an amenity we offer.

When you call Ponte Vineyard Inn, you will almost always hear a friendly and professional voice, ready to help you book a room, answer questions, or point you in the right direction to a parrot-friendly hotel.