AlaskaGirl

AGH! There are so many neat places to stay at in this area! The decisions are hard to make.

We are looking at flying into Oakland on a Friday, staying at a regular hotel around airport the first night(maybe up to 30-45 mins away towards Sonoma), then head to Healdsburg for 4 nights (maybe at Grape Leaf Inn), and then 3 more nights back towards Oakland (Sonoma area, maybe Marriott's The Renaissance Lodge at Sonoma or one of the Four Sisters Inns in Sonoma/Napa area), then fly out the Saturday after. These are our tentative plans.

Any thoughts to help us on lodging in these areas? I think we are set on the Grape Leaf Inn, but help in the Sonoma/Santa Rosa/Napa area for 3 nights would help, and/or a hotel around the Oakland airport.

Thanks much! Looks like a wonderful area! (This is for our honeymoon in mid-November.)

Marci_77

hi.
I don't know if you've done a search yet on these boards, but there is some wonderful info there. That might help you narrow down some choices. Also check out sonoma.com and sononmacounty.com for ideas.
We are staying at the Vintners Inn in the Santa Rosa area next week. I'll do a little report on how things were.

jja

If you have status at Marriott, the Renaissance is great. I am platinum and the upgraded me to a suite overlooking the pool just above the checkin area. They also gave me a full bottle of wine (La Crema I think). Great Chard. Service was great the restaraunt was fair. However, the Girl and the Fig down the road was incredable. There was also an Italian place that was great as well and very reasonable (name escapes me started with an S).

Do the Ravenswood tour if you like full Reds. They actually do barrel tasting

Suzie

Stayed at the Lodge at Sonoma in one of the few one story cottage rooms. Right off the pool. It was great. Nice room. Spacious with fireplace. Great robes and speedy room service in the am.

I second Ravenswood. It's very close to town so it could be your first stop of the day.

Sonoma is a little over an hour from the Oakland airport. I've tried to stay near the airport in the past and found the accomodations are marginal. Stayed at the Hilton and Park Plaza (which I would never stay in again!).

applejaxs

I guess it depends on what time you are flying in, but staying near the Oakland airport would not appeal to me. If you want to stay in Oakland, areas near Jack London Square would be much nicer. It's not that far away. I would just continue the journey into your destination if it is not a midnight arrival..it's not that far!

BayArea

I wouldn't stay near the Oakland aiport.

As you go closer toward Sonoma you pass through Oakland, Emeryville, Berkeley Richmond and San Rafael in that order.

You might want to see what priceline has for you in Emeryville. There has been a recent construction flurry there including about 4 hotels. Emeryville used to be the sketchiest part of town, however, now that Pixar and Chiron are located there it's really cleaning up.

It's super convenient to the freeway. Anyhow, just a thought.

karincummings

Hi, we stayed at the Grape Leaf in in January, 2002, and it was lovely. Great breakfasts! The owners are extremely knowledgeable about wine and will help you. How late are you arriving on Friday? We always go up on a Friday and it is so much nicer to just get to your B&B, no matter how late it is, and wake up the next morning where you want to be. It is not that far from Oakland - maybe an hour and a half-two hours, tops.

You will have a blast. We make this trip yearly to buy wine.

AlaskaGirl

Thanks for all your suggestions!

We may just go straight up to Sonoma area (probably Healdsburg) the night we fly in (we get in around 5 PM).

We are now looking at The Brickhouse Bungalows for our 3 nights on the end of our trip for the Sonoma area. Anyone know anything about these? (http://www.brickhousebungalows.com/acc.html)

Thanks again and we look forward to our trip! (Now if was just not so long to wait! haha)