JazzyChick

Any first-hand knowledge of hotels, B&Bs, cottages, etc., in these areas? Looking to travel there in Oct/Nov. Hoping to surprise hubby with a romantic anniversary getaway, but at $250/night or less.....

landlcochran

We enjoy The Vintage Inn in Yountville. Each room is like a villa with separate entrances, beautiful rooms with fireplaces. There's a pretty garden area, pool and hot tub. Being in Yountiville, it is easy to get to great restaurants; and it's right across the street from Domaine Chandon.
Buffet breakfast is included, including make you own mimosas!

Underhill

We also love the Vintage Inn. However, it's really not right across the street from the Domaine Chandon winery--you have to go down the main road, across the highway, and then up the road that leads to the winery.

LLindaC

Just for the heck of it I pulled up Vintage Inns website and checked availability. None on Th-Sun in Oct and November. Other days of the week (mon-Wed) there were some rooms, but they started at 370. Ouch. Are you dead set on Napa Valley?

JazzyChick

Thanks for recommending the Vintage Inn! Sounds fabulous. Yes, $370 is rather high, but I'll consider mid-week. My husband and I have special memories of and fondness for the Napa Valley. I'm sure we'd like Sonoma as we've heard wonderful things about it. I understand it doesn't rely on its name quite as much as Napa wineries do, and I hear it is not as pricey.

elnap29

Prices should drop in Novemberm(Oct is still high season). There are $250 options. but you'll have to search. There are some nice B&Bs in Yountville. Rancho Caymus in Rutherford is very nice and does have a couple of lower priced rooms. Try www.napavalley.com/lodging.

Dick

Have you considered the Yountville Inn?
We love it there.

http://yountvilleinn.com/

No_name

We stayed here and loved it! Very personable service, wonderful breakfasts each morning, beautiful room with lots of room.

http://www.zinfandelinn.com/

JazzyChick

Thank you so much to everyone so far for their suggestions!

Loved the links from Dick and No_Name. Both Yountville Inn and Zinfandel Inn look fabulous. Still a little more than I wanted to pay, but I like the suggestion of waiting 'til perhaps November. I toyed with the idea of going in December for a VERY late anniversary trip (our anniv is early Oct). I'll see what weather is like that time of year 'cause I hate cold and snow. Of course, I may just have to suck it up and loosen the pursestrings to avoid that. I just wanted to keep more $$ for us so we could buy more wine, which is the whole point of going to Napa Valley anyway.

Also loved elnap29's link - what a GREAT resource! Ideal for a quick amenities and price search. I hope to make my reservations soon and will let you know what I/we decide (I'm hoping not to have to share this surprise with hubby ahead of time). After our trip I'll let you know if we'd recommend it.

Incidentally, we LOVED the Calistoga Wayside Inn (B&B) last year. Less than $200/night, phenomenal breakfasts, the best host, cute rooms. Alas, it is too far north of the Napa Valley wineries we'd be focusing on (I'm all about convenience and safety, you know?). We drove constantly to get anywhere, although we hadn't plotted our course very well to begin with. But we would love to go back there when we move our "tour" further north.

LLindaC

We've stayed in Napa two times and Sonoma four times. That's with some bopping back and forth between valleys and also traveling to other wine areas (Anderson Valley, Lodi) as well. I still like Sonoma way better than Napa, especially in the "romance" department. All those beautiful drives, spectacular scenery. Yes, Napa has some, too, but it's not quite the same. We were there once in mid November and it was gorgeous- vineyards were in colors, trees changing, but all flowers still in bloom. Prettiest scenery I've ever seen in that part.

lolfn

both the lavender inn and maison fleurie in yountville are part of the four sisters inns. we've stayed at lavender and all rooms have king beds and fireplaces. our room was not in the main house, was very quiet and had a gigantic bathroom. delicious full breakfast and afternoon wine and eats included in price. and either inn should be in your price range. i highly recommend them.

www.foursisters.com

lindall

I agree, for a more romantic and laid-back experience, Sonoma County is preferable, IMO. If you're into wine, I've found more of the Sonoma wineries seem to provide a one-on-one tasting experience, and a willingness to give you a "special pour". Ferrari-Carano, K Jackson, J Vineyards and Rodney Strong come to mind as tours and pours we especially enjoyed, along with the scenery driving from one winery to another.

Vintners Inn, south of Healdsburg, is a great place to stay, and the John Ash restaurant situated in the same complex would make a very memorable meal.

http://www.sonomawine.com/

Enjoy, whatever you decide!

JazzyChick

I'm amazed at the recommendations I'm getting! Fantastic suggestions. We're planning a trip to Sonoma County next April or so with friends of ours during a longer trip, so we're going to stay in Napa Valley this time around. I'm going to save this thread so we can start looking at places like the Vintners Inn for next year. LLinda C has definitely got me intrigued by the November scenery in Napa... Hmmm. Perhaps I'll push for a pre-Thxgvg trip there. I've looked at the fours sisters inns - and I do have a couple of them on my list (which happily keeps getting longer!). Two others on my list are: Bordeaux House or the Burgundy House Inn - both in Yountville. Has anyone stayed there? I'm curious if there are yays or nays on either of these....

Kal

Aloha!
Perfect timing.
We are fans of Bordeaux. http://bordeauxhouse.com/

It's been our T'giving/Anniv Weekend stay for the past 4-5 yrs.

Price includes b'fast (like we ever got up that early) and a night cap of vino, port or brandy.
Plus, fireplaces with gas starters.
It meets Mrs Kal's Romantic Anniv standards.

For just goofing around in Y'ville especially if we take our bicycles, we love the Railway Inn, too.
http://napavalleyrailwayinn.com/index.html
I believe they just remodeled them, too.

Both are well within walking distance to all the good restuarants in Y'ville and seem to fit your price range.

Good luck!

JazzyChick

Hi, Kal! How ironic - my hubby and I decided to go to Napa Valley the weekend before Thxgvg (I just had to spill the beans of my surprise because of the planning nightmare with work schedules and all). Anyhoo, he liked what he read about the Bordeaux House, and I'm so glad that you have been there and can rave about it. Thanks for the feedback! Hmmm, I wonder if we'll be there around the same time? I'll let you know.

LLindaC

I hope you have a wonderful time and the weather gods are smiling on you! Cheers!!

Kal

Cool!
If you do go, try and get the Chablis room. 2nd floor end unit. Sit on the front porch and look down Washington St. and watch the lights come up when the sun goes down.

If there is one complaint I have heard about the place is don't get the small room in the "water tower".

brewlew

We loved Maison Fleurie in Yountville and thought it was very reasonable and quite lovely. Very nice breakfast, afternoon h'ors doeuvres and great bikes, free, which we used to peddle up the Silverado Trail, to Silver Oak Winery. I can recommend it unconditionally.

Kal

I forgot about Petite Logis, too.
We ***peeked in*** one trip down and figured if we couldn't get Bordeaux or Railway Inn that would be plan B.

http://www.petitlogis.com/index.html

JazzyChick

I've not heard of Petite Logis. We're now checking that, plus the Maison Fleurie and the Napa Valley Railway Inn (and the Bordeaux House). So far, I like what I see! Thanks so much. Kal, are you going back this year?