The description of the GG is best described by Suzi Schnell, BizBash’s own regional vice president of sales, who recently visited the city and wrote this reflection on her stay in a local resort, The GG Walla Walla.
Where can a fabulous, high-energy, always-creating-the-wow-moments event veteran go to get away for the weekend and return to work inspired? I found the answer on a recent visit to Walla Walla, Wash., where I had the chance to be surprised and delighted at every turn. Walla Walla is home to Washington’s award-winning wine country, recently named “Standout Wine-and-Dine Region” by Sunset Travel—and, with 130-plus wineries and tasting rooms, multiple James Beard-nominated chefs, five golf courses, a safe and walkable downtown, fabulous hotels and meeting packages, and more than 300 days of sunshine per year, if you haven’t visited yet, dare I ask: Wine not?
When approaching The GG Inn, a luxury boutique resort in eastern Washington, I was initially taken aback by this historic home surrounded by 70-foot weeping cherry blossom willows. The GG is located across the street from university dorms in a neighborhood so quiet, I saw more squirrels than humans during my midweek stay! It has wraparound porches and outdoor gathering spaces that are swoon-worthy—but nothing prepared me for what I would see when I walked inside.
Call it eclectic, unique, whimsical, or fantastical, but this place is really special. The home itself is a beautifully restored masterpiece, with five guest suites in the main house, each with a unique theme and photo-worthy furniture and accents. Then there is “The Cabana,” a girls’ getaway dream come true with jaw-dropping decor. It’s no surprise that the founders of The GG, fabulous twin sisters Karrie and Connie, have some magic among them. Coming from a family of collectors and entrepreneurs, these sisters have coupled their talents for restoration, decorating, and collecting and created a once-in-a-lifetime upscale bed-and-breakfast experience.
I could brag about the extensive collection of 19 Louis Vuitton trunks (the oldest dating back to 1870, or the newest being one of only 11 ever made!), or the art, or the Versace china, but I think those are stories best told by Karrie herself, who greets you with a glass of bubbles (and a bubbling personality) when you check in. My goal? To encourage event professionals to go and experience this special place for themselves—and enjoy their own wow moments when they aren’t being asked to create them for everyone else!
—Suzi Schnell
