A good number of hotels in Northern California’s wine country made great use of their downtime during the pandemic shutdowns by moving ahead with hotel renovations and new builds!
Napa Valley just might be better than ever, & whether you are a new or repeat visitors – you’re sure to enjoy the changes. Here are a few of the great things that came out of this slow time:
New Properties
The George
Location: Downtown Napa, the historic inn is walking distance from Oxbow Public Market, the river, restaurants, shops and tasting rooms.
This Property has a Story: In March 2021 after 4 long years of renovations, The George, a 9-room luxury boutique hotel, opened at last! Built originally in 1891 for George Goodman Jr. (the son of a prominent Napa Valley businessman) this stunning Queen Ann Victorian home is at this time outlined as one of the historical properties on the National Register of Historic Places.
What they did: Its original & still preserved features include chandeliers, braided inlay hardwood floors, woodworking on the grand staircase . The property’s 9 accommodation rooms provide modern things like smart TVs, heated bathroom floors, with the original windows made of wavy lead glass & lofty ceilings featuring crown molding for that luxe touch.
Montage Healdsburg
Best at Swank: Luxury resorts have grown in tremendous popularity in the areas of Napa and Sonoma in recent years even though this area is best known for its delightful wine. Likely the “swankiest” hotel in Sonoma County, the Montage Healdsburg offers 130 bungalow-style rooms, a zero-edge pool with a stunning view of the resort’s vineyards, as well as a family pool & a lovely 11,500-square-foot spa!
First of this Brand in the area: This property at Healdsburg is the first restort by Montage Hotels & Resorts’ in Northern California. The Montage Healdsburg offers many on-site dining options, including the signature Hazel Hill restaurant which serves a seasonally driven and locally sourced menu, as many of the area’s fine dining options do as well.
NewTree Ranch
Eco Farming Wellness & Wine: NewTree Ranch is both a working farm and ranch. If you like eco-friendly, this resort is for you! NewTree Ranch offers you the opportunity to enjoy WimHof breathing experiences that culminate with ice baths or lakeside sound therapy utilizing Tibetan song bowls, in between visits to Healdsburg, a popular wine-tasting spot. It’s pretty unique!
Unique Accomodations & Unique Offerings: The NewTree Ranch Estate has 4 bedrooms and a bonus platform “glamping” experience. Their 2 -bedroom, 2 -bathroom, solar-powered Barn gives you a farm experience for a long term stay for a minimum of 30 nights. The 123-acre biodynamic getaway also offers classes about farming topics like composting, permaculture, plant-based cooking classes, tea-making and flower-arranging sessions.
Renovated Properties
Milliken Creek Inn
Changes: Milliken Creek Inn overhauled with a full redesign in spring 2021.
Views & Rooms: Milliken Creek Inn sits on 3 acres overlooking the Napa River, with views of the river, balconies or patios, and 4 of their rooms offer private fire pits too! No 2 of their 11 rooms are exactly the same. All offer king-size beds, Bluetooth Tivoli speakers, Apple TV, Nespresso machines and s’mores kits!
Breakfast: Likely the only thing that hasn’t changed? Milliken Inn’s delicious included / free breakfast, delivered to your doorstep.
Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs
Originally: In 1952, John “Doc” Wilkinson & his wife, Edy, founded the very iconic Calistoga resort.
Renovations: This lovely property just came out of a renovation that updated their 50 rooms, spa, outdoor spaces, and restaurants to the tune of muliple millions of dollars. They now have some great new outdoor space, new murals to enjoy while using their outdoor geothermal mineral pools!
Flamingo Resort
Originally & Now: Originally constructed in 1957, the Flamingo Resort in Santa Rosa is a mid-century styled property which has been carefully modernized, however that ‘50s charm was left intact!
More on the Updates: The property’s multimillion-dollar renovation added some great nostalgia to their 170 rooms & suites, like a new poolside restaurant, Lazeaway Club, and mint-green Trimline telephones! Expansively situation on 10 acres, The Flamingo Resort also features a spa, health club, 5 tennis courts, a cycling studio, and 2 pools!
The Lodge at Sonoma
Renovation Changes the status of the hotel: The Lodge at Sonoma joined Marriott International’s Autograph Collection after a huge $17 million remodel spanning across the whole property.
Renovation details: All suites, cottages, and rooms (182 in total) have been designed anew, some with outdoor spaces, fireplaces, and soaking tubs! I stayed here before, but now want to go back! There’s also a ton of local references in artwork around the hotel like the massive tapestry depicting nearby Sonoma Plaza to photos of Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo!
Notably of interest: Chef Michael Mina’s first wine country restaurant, Wit & Wisdom – is on site here at the Lodge at Sonoma.
The Stavrand
History & Location: THe Stavrand was originally the Applewood Inn, built in the 1920s! This 6-acre, 21 guest room property lives among the huge fruit orchards and redwoods in the Russian River Valley!
About the fruit: They have fruit orchards that produce apples, apricots, figs, and pears!
Activities: When you’re not enjoying wine country, you can enjoy their pool, river tubing, or kayaking in the Russian River!
Ready to plan your next vacation or getaway? Wine Country or otherwise?
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