Auberge du Soleil
Interested in history? Take a look at our list of 2010 Romantic Hotels in Napa and Sonoma!
1. Auberge du Soleil, Rutherford
If you’re looking for a place to propose to your sweetie, why not present that sparkling ring while you lounge by the pool, sipping sparkling wine – the pool itself sparkles with a pebble-sheen floor inlaid with Italian mosaic tiles and glistening mother-of-pearl. Intimacy is the signature of this breathtaking resort, with just 50 guestrooms tucked in adobe structures amid the hilly landscape of woods, vineyards and olive trees. Cozy up in front of your fireplace, enjoy your complimentary wine and snacks offered on check-in, and be sure to make a reservation at the award-winning, on-site Auberge du Soleil restaurant.
Details: 180 Rutherford Hill Road, Rutherford, 707-963-1211, aubergedusoleil.com.
2. Kenwood Inn & Spa, Kenwood
This is truly one of Sonoma County’s best-kept secrets. It’s tucked in an unlikely place – most of us have only seen it as a tiny Mediterranean-style property on the edge of Highway 12 and have little idea what it is. Yet it’s a lavish 29-room resort, with a luxurious spa, multiple pools and hot tubs, and even a private, 35-seat restaurant that is open only to Inn guests. Each room is different, yet all are posh palace retreats, from the fireplace sitting area, to the castle-like ambience of polished concrete floors and plaster walls set with iron framed windows, to the baths that are nearly large enough to live in. Breakfast is included (as one might hope, since a Tuscany-style suite can go for $800 per night). And it is a remarkable meal, from a private chef who crafts fanciful chilaquiles; Cajun-spiced jambalaya with sausage and bacon topped with chive-mascarpone scrambled eggs; or creamy soft polenta topped with poached eggs, applewood smoked bacon and red pepper coulis.
Details: 10400 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, 707-833-1293, kenwoodinn.com.
Carneros Inn
3. Carneros Inn, Napa
It looks a bit like some sort of industrial mall as your zoom past the property tucked up against Hwy. 121 and lined with tall metal and wood buildings. But inside awaits a quiet, gorgeous oasis of cottages, restaurants, swimming pools, gardens, meadows, meandering pathways and a spectacular spa. Your couple’s escape could start with side-by-side massages on a terrace overlooking the vineyards, then go on to cocktails on the patio lounge, with a candlelit dinner at Farm restaurant. Then, nestle back in the room, with a bottle of wine you picked up from the on-site, upscale general store, Market. Accommodations are pure romance, outfitted with fireplaces, indoor and outdoor showers, private porches and patios, and some cottages also include outdoor fire pits and soaking tubs for two.
Details: 4048 Sonoma Hwy., Napa, 707-299-4900, carnerosresort.com.
Meadowood
4. Meadowood, St. Helena
You’ll have to remember to make time for cuddling at this posh palace on a forested hillside, since there are so many wonderful distractions to explore. Choose from tennis, croquet, hiking, swimming, a fitness center, a spa, wine tasting, creative cocktails, hiking and a Michelin three-star restaurant. It can hard to leave the rooms, however, ranging from cozy cottages, elegant suites and spacious family lodges, and outfitted with luxuries like fireplaces, spa-style baths, hillside patios, and stunning views. All the details are at the ready, like sumptuous down bedding, Molton Brown bath amenities, plush robes and slippers, and something everyone loves: twice daily housekeeping service.
Details: 900 Meadowood Lane, St. Helena, 877-963-3646, meadowood.com.
5. Lodge at Sonoma, Sonoma
What a wonderful concept: the friendly cost savings of a Marriott property, but all the bells and whistles of a true resort, down to the swimming pool, spa, excellent Carneros Bistro, and an upscale lounge/coffee house/charcutierie café and wine salon called Bean & Bottle. Even the most basic rooms brim with luxury, like private patios or balconies, marble baths with oversize tubs, and comfy robes.
Details: 1325 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-935-6600, marriott.com.
Fairmont Sonoma
6. Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn, Sonoma
Blessed by natural mineral hot springs in Sonoma Valley, the heartbeat of this iconic resort is its Willow Stream Spa, spanning 40,000-square-feet with terraces, fireplace salons, baths, and a Watsu pool fed by ancient thermal waters. The recently renovated rooms speak of relaxation and comfort, too, all beautifully appointed with high end furniture and plush beds, and many with fireplaces. Unwind at the end of day with complimentary wine tastings in the lounge, followed by dinner at the Michelin award winning Santé.
Details: 100 Boyes Boulevard, Sonoma, 707-938-9000, fairmont.com.
7. Vintners Inn, Santa Rosa
The setting is Wine Country elegance, sprawled across a 92-acre site right in the heart of a vineyard. The four-diamond, 44-room retreat oozes luxury and romance, from sparkling courtyard fountains and landscaped gardens, to sunbathed terraces, a dramatic bell tower and the marvelous John Ash & Co. restaurant. The deluxe guest rooms embrace with amenities like a complimentary bottle of wine upon arrival, featherbeds and down comforters, private patio or balcony and fireplace. For the ultimate escape, plan an in-room massage.
Details: 4350 Barnes Road, Santa Rosa, 707-575-7350, http://vintnersinn.com.
Chauvet
8. Hotel Chauvet, Glen Ellen
It’s like having your own private casita, with these luxury wine country vacation rentals in the historic Hotel Chauvet in downtown Glen Ellen. Each unit is nearly a home, generously sized at almost 2,000 square feet, hung with original art, and complete with a full gourmet kitchen boasting granite counter tops, a wine cooler and commercial-style gas cooktop. But you’ll probably spend more time in the boudoir, enjoying baths outfitted with jetted tubs and separate showers with massage jets. Couples will enjoy the romance package called Re-Kindling the Spirt, too, including facials and 1.5 hour massage, private yoga session at The Chauvet, hike/power walk through our beautiful countryside, jewelry making class, organic and healthful breakfast each morning in your condo.
Details: 13756 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, 415-823-4570.
9. Les Mars Hotel, Healdsburg
Want to impress that special someone? It’s hard for jaws not to drop just upon entering the opulent, European lobby (it shares an entry with the upscale Chalkboard restaurant). And sophisticated money is the mood here – rooms can command more than $1,000 – with suites decorated in tasteful antiques from the 18th and 19th centuries, and anchored by fireplaces. There are sixteen rooms over two floors, each uniquely furnished, and the modern world amenities like TVs and radios are tastefully tucked away within Louis XV armoires or leather bound books. Staff is quiet and unobtrusive, but oh-so-attentive, and before you even think of it, your draped four-poster bed will have its luxurious Italian linens turned down, and that book you requested from the library downstairs will be waiting on your nightstand.
Details: 27 North Street, Healdsburg, 707-433-4211, lesmarshotel.com.
10. Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant, Forestville
If the typical farmer actually lived this well, we would all be farmers. This rural property is a ravishing mix of gorgeous guest rooms and a restaurant fed by farm-fresh food. Yet the owners, siblings Catherine and Joe Bartolomei, come from fifth generation farmers, so that counts. Recently, the property underwent an expansion and redesign of the circa-1870 hideaway, where, amid the towering redwoods of the Russian River Valley, crews added eight new guest rooms housed in an elegant new “barn,” refreshed the Inn’s original ten guest rooms, added a luxury spa, and brightened the Michelin-starred restaurant that fronts the property. Baths are gussied with large jetted tubs and saunas or steam showers, morning starts with full breakfast and fresh flowers in your room, and in the afternoon, you can take wine tasting classes with Sonoma County’s only Master Sommelier, then move on to homemade cookies and milk.
Details: 7871 River Road, Forestville, 707-887-3300, farmhouseinn.com.
Tip: Make it a romantic weekend to remember, and reserve a limo or town car for your perfect getaway. Pure Luxury Transportation can even outfit your car with flowers, wine, and chocolates.
