For wine lovers, Napa Valley needs no introduction. But what many people don’t realize? There’s way more to this vine-centric vacation destination than just buttery Chardonnay and bold Cabernet. Napa Valley has a ton of charming towns with independent bookstores and clothing boutiques, art galleries, lovely coffee cafes and award-winning restaurants. You can visit many state parks, admire towering redwoods or even drive to the coast with ease. The plethora of accommodations, from sprawling luxury resorts to quaint inns, means it’s really just a matter of determining what type of overnight you want. Need a little lodging inspo? Scroll on for the best places to stay in Napa Valley.
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The Best Places to Stay in Napa Valley—From Luxury Resorts to Family-Friendly Rentals
Published May 27, 2022
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Auberge Resorts Collection
1. Auberge Du Soleil (RUTHERFORD, CALIFORNIA)
Best for luxury
Discerning travelers know Auberge du Soleil. It’s something of a legend and has long set the standard for what luxury means in California wine country and beyond. The service is truly top-notch with every detail meticulously executed. All 50 sophisticated accommodations exude casual elegance and a deep sense of place with nods to Provence but done in a way that feels deeply Napa Valley. The restaurant serves three-course dinners and wine pairings overlooking rolling vine-covered hills. There’s a gorgeous infinity pool, a posh spa with healing rituals inspired by nature and a peaceful sculpture garden that’s perfect for curated vino-forward picnics.
Carneros Resort & Spa
2. Carneros Resort & Spa (NAPA, CALIFORNIA)
Best for grown-up fun
People often refer to Carneros Resort & Spa as a summer camp for adults. We’d inject the word upscale into that phrasing. Either way, they’re not wrong. This sprawling Napa property has all the grown-up wine country fun you could ever dream of and more. There’s an endless string of amenities. You can play bocce by the adult-only infinity pool or bike through the vineyard and into town. There’s an award-winning restaurant that serves sublime tasting menus and wine pairings as well as a popular brunch spot. Heck, you might have a hard time leaving the loveliness of your stand-alone cottage that’s dripping in farmhouse charm and equipped with a fireplace, soaking tub and private terrace.
Michael Hospelt
3. Poetry Inn (NAPA, CALIFORNIA)
Best for peace and quiet
While the town of Napa itself isn’t necessarily the first place you’d go for peace and quiet in wine country—especially when there are so many low-key hamlets just a short drive in either direction—the Poetry Inn stands as the exception to that line of thinking. Perched on a hillside in the Stags Leap District, this halcyon hideaway offers plenty of privacy, a serene atmosphere and some of the most magnificent views in all of Napa Valley. Rooms feel like sanctuaries with comfy beds, cozy fireplaces and rainfall showers in the marble bathrooms. The balconies are just these peaceful little spaces to drink wine and stare out at the beauty that’s all around.
Plum Guide
4. The Art Of Wine (ANGWIN, CALIFORNIA)
Best for a group getaway
It’s not hard to sell everyone on a group getaway to wine country. Finding an accommodation to, well, accommodate every moment of your entourage can be a bit trickier. The perfect spot for a few pals to snack up, The Art of Wine is a bright and airy rental tucked away in low-key Angwin. It’s got three bedrooms, vaulted ceilings, a gourmet kitchen (maybe go ahead and hire a private chef for a couple of nights?), an eight-seat dining table, a wine cellar and a dreamy backyard setup. Plus, it’s just 15 minutes from all the wonderful wineries and restaurants in St Helena.
Meadowood
5. Meadowood (ST HELENA, CALIFORNIA)
Best for amenities
If you’ve never had the pleasure to visit Meadowood, the best way to sum it up—and do justice to this storied Napa Valley estate—is to describe it as follows: Imagine a luxurious country club that’s also a resort in wine country with 36 cottages and suites and a slew of incredible amenities. Guests have access to five tennis courts as well as clinics and pros, wine tastings and viticulture classes, multiple dining options, three pools (one for laps, another for families and a 21+ infinity pool surrounded by cabanas) hiking trails, a fitness center and gratis bikes to pedal around St. Helena and Yountville.
Bardessono Hotel & Spa
6. Bardessono Hotel & Spa (yountville, CALIFORNIA)
Best for spa lovers
Napa Valley is built around pleasure and leisure. World-class wine may be the main reason people flock to this NorCal Narnia but it’s also the ideal destination to bliss out and indulge in some spa time. Located in Yountville, Bardessono Hotel & Spa is truly a haven of pampering. Inspired by nature and seasonality that harkens back to the original family farm stand, rituals—which range from gemstone facials and sage baths to garden harvest body treatments and salt stone massages—are designed to help guests relax and center the mind, body and spirit and, dare we say, definitely help to detoxify after perhaps a few too many glasses of Chardonnay.
The Nomadic People
7. North Block Hotel (YOUNTVILLE, CALIFORNIA)
Best for foodies
To call Napa Valley a culinary hotspot doesn’t really paint an accurate picture of its gourmet chops. Downtown Yountville alone has multiple acclaimed small-batch tasting rooms and Michelin-starred eateries, many of which are within walking distance of the North Block Hotel. The concierge will be more than happy to secure a highly sought after reservation at The French Laundry or the on-site restaurant, North Block. Foodies, of course, can’t get enough of his boutique gem in the epicurean epicenter. Though, truthfully, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who proclaims the combination of deletable food, warm hospitality and cloistered accommodations to be anything less than entirely palatable.
Auberge Resorts Collection
8. Stanly Ranch, Auberge Resorts Collection (NAPA, CALIFORNIA)
Best for activities
The newly opened Stanly Ranch, Auberge Resorts Collection is unlike nothing else in Napa Valley. A true activity lovers paradise, this expansive property stretches across 712 acres of grapevines and ranch land and proffers an almost incomprehensible array of memorable things for guests to do. Learn about plant cycles and soil health on a complimentary walk around the on-site farm. Dive into full-on zen mode with yoga under Gordon Huether's Infinity sculpture or go for a bike ride along the riverbanks. Down for some adventure and vino? Consider booking a helicopter tour of The Donum Estate or trek to Tomales Bay for a live open-fire culinary demo.
Alila Nappy Valley
9. Alila Napa Valley (ST HELENA, CALIFORNIA)
Best for honeymooners
What most couples seek out in a honeymoon hotel is different from a regular romantic getaway. For the first trip after exchanging vows, many newlyweds want luxury and to splash out somewhere extra fabulous and totally memorable and not lift a finger. That’s Alila Napa Valley in a nutshell. Situated in St Helena, this intimate, adults-only resort feels tailor-made for honeymooners. The beautiful setting is enhanced by the grown-up vibe, cuisine artfully prepared by Top Chef Masters winner Chris Cosentino and a splendid spa. Oh, and suites feature oversized tubs and outdoor fire pits. To soak or snuggle, that is the question. OK, you’re obviously going to both.
Auberge Resorts Collection
10. Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection (CALISTOGA, CALIFORNIA)
Best for relaxation
We wouldn’t say you need to actively search for R&R in Napa Valley. However, some places obviously put more of an emphasis on leisure pursuits and pampering than others. Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection is quiet, luxurious and wellness-oriented without skimping on indulgences. After a signature mud body treatment at the 20,000-square-foot spa, you might feel inclined to take a midday in-suite nap—we fully support that. A private starlight dip in the geothermal pools also sounds supremely relaxing. The acclaimed restaurant married delicious food and laid-back ambiance. Of course, if you’re not in the mood to change out of your robe for dinner, room service is also available.
Indian Springs Resort
11. Indian Springs Resort (CALISTOGA, CALIFORNIA)
Best for wellness
Nestled in Napa Valley’s unofficial wellness mecca, Calistoga, a low-key town known for bubbling natural hot springs, historic Indian Springs Resort caters to leisure travelers seeking calm and well-being. While the mineral pools and mud baths may be the thing guests gravitate toward first, there are all sorts of healing spa rituals—from facials to stress-melting massage—as well as infrared saunas, a Himalayan salt room and a geyser-fed meditation pond for post-treatment tranquility. You can also go on meditative strolls amongst the olive trees. Plus, the secluded bungalows provide a quiet place to curl up with a good book and catch up on sleep.
Archer Hotel Napa
12. Archer Hotel Napa (NAPA, CALIFORNIA)
Best rooftop bar
A rooftop bar might not be reason enough to plan an entire stay but, then again, anyone who thinks like that probably hasn’t spent the evening sipping tipples and taking in the stunning panoramas at the top-rated Archer Hotel Napa. The lobby is beautiful as are the rooms featuring comfortable beds, fireplaces and balconies. There’s also a pool, spa, fitness studio and Charlie Palmer steakhouse. Basically, it just doesn’t get any better if you like being in the heart of the downtown action and having a fun venue to sip cocktails and vino after the sun goes down.
Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley
13. Four Seasons Resort And Residences Napa Valley (CALISTOGA, CALIFORNIA)
Best grape-to-glass experience
Napa Valley certainly isn’t lacking in wineries, but sometimes you just don’t feel like dealing with the hassle of designating a driver or booking a car service. That’s (part of) the beauty of the Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley, an upscale, endlessly picturesque and admittedly pricey newcomer that’s distinguished by its one-of-a-kind setting on a working organic vineyard. Vino-curious guests can participate in a slew of grape-to-glass experiences, from touring Elusa Winery and chatting with viticulture experts to sipping terroir-driven Cabernet Sauvignon. Well-appointed rooms and suites boast beautiful views of grape vines. Holistic spa rituals and the culinary offerings also highlight what’s grown locally.
Senza Hotel
14. Senza Hotel (NAPA, CALIFORNIA)
Best for romance
Rekindling, or just kindling, a spark is pretty easy to do in Napa Valley with all the date-night-worthy restaurants and adults-only wineries. Sure, you could toss a corkscrew (please don’t do that) and hit a romantic retreat but SENZA Hotel just feels even more irresistible than the rest with its intimate, boutique atmosphere and vineyard views. It’s an endearing place to hang out together, sip vino, eat artisanal cheese and stare at the vineyards without distraction or interruption. The various accommodations are designed to encourage rest and renewal. Though, we’d argue that romance is the feeling that the rooms and suites most immediately inspire.
Silverado Resort and Spa
15. Silverado Resort And Spa (NAPA, CALIFORNIA)
Best For families
Vino tasting and multi-course gourmet dinners may be how some, OK many, people do wine country but that’s certainly not the only way to spend a few days in Napa Valley—especially if you’re bringing the kiddos. Silverado Resort and Spa makes a family vacation not only doable but totally delightful. The large 1,235-square-foot Oak Creek Suites have three bedrooms, a full kitchen, dining area, living room, private patio and ample space for everyone to spread out. Amenities include a championship golf course, junior golf academy, a pro shop, ten tennis courts, pools, bike rentals, bocce ball and a kids camp.
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