My husband and I will be visiting CA in October. We're ending our trip with 3 nights in the wine country. I can't figure out lodging!! I thought I had it narrowed down to three but then just read a bunch of stuff here that read - go to Healdsburg! I don't want to spend more than $300/night with tax. I was thinking one of the following might be nice, but I can't decide:

Candlelight Inn - Napa
Adagio Inn - St. Helena
Chateau de Vie - Calistogo

I love the idea of the big breakfast as our major daytime meal at Candlelight Inn. Adagio has a room with a spa on the patio and Chateau has great views of a vineyard. I just can't decide.

And if Healdsburg really is better, I need to know. Also, is it in reasonable driving distance in case we want to visit Napa and Calistoga?

I think just about anywhere in the Sonoma Valley beats Napa. The traffic is awful in Napa. However, it's an easy drive over to Calistoga and Napa....just be prepared for lots of stoplights once you hit Napa Valley. Long delays. It took us 45 min off-season to get from Healdsburg to Yountville to barely make tour of Opus One. The distances may not be that much, but when you get behind tourists and 18-wheelers it is SLOW. Try the Camellia Inn or the Grape Leaf Inn in Healdsburg. The breakfast was incredible at Grape Leaf, vey good at Camellia.

Try the Belle de Jour Inn in Healdsburg, which is within your budget. www.belledejourinn.com. If you click on my user name, I've written about this place before.

That being said, I agree with linda that it is a bit of haul to get to St. Helena and the rest of Napa. We ventured to St. Helena one night for dinner at Tra Vigne and it just wasn't worth the distances. The upside: there's more than enough things to do in and around Healdsburg. Look at it this way: try whatever place you don't get to on your next trip. There always is that next trip to plan!

I would certainly agree that Sonoma county is much more relaxing than Napa with its awful traffic.
Check the current Wine Spectator for Napa references - I like Terra and Bistro Jeanty.
My brother-in-law, the Minneapolis Magazine's long time (25 yrs?)restaurant/wine "critic" and my sister had one of their all time worst experiences at The French Laundry (and left NO tips).
Napa is more expensive than well chosen hotels and restaurants in SFO!
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Wine coutnry.....Healdsburg and the Dry Creek area for wines. Napa is a big city and if you are looking for charm don't stay in Napa. Sonoma has nice restaurants and lodging as does Calistoga. Healdsburg is quite a drive from Calistoga but you go thru some beautiful country. You are better off deciding which "county" you want to concentrate on and staying there.