I've been over analyzing this decision way too long. I'm considering La Residence, Yountville Inn and Napa Valley Lodge for a three night stay in October. All have rooms available. I'd like a lovely location with amenities to match and would like to keep the price between $350 - 400 per night.
Has anyone stayed at these places recently? Pluses - minuses?
Another question - most of these hotels have a seven night cancelation policy - what happens if someone is ill and you need to cancel a few days before? I've never taken insurance out - should I?

BTW Vintage Inn is booked.

I'm also looking for a place for one night (prior to Napa) after driving from SF with stops in Muir Woods and Pt Reyes. I'm considering Bodega Bay or Inn at Occidental or even one night in Healdsberg. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

All three are getting on in years and when you say "amenities to match" I am not sure you are going to be getting what you think. Wine Country places are on the old-feeling side in terms of their decor and lack of state of the art perks.

Have you thought of Inn at Southbridge or Solage? If you're from New York, that seems like those will be more to your expectations.

These others are basically lodgings, not resorts.

La Residence
Plus- Isolated from town. Set in vineyard.

Minus - Alongside stretch of highway that gets noise because cars speed by (as opposed to slowing down). Will need to drive to dinner anywhere but Don Giovanni next door.

Yountville Inn

Plus- Quiet pool. Walk to dinner in Yountville.

Minus- Rooms are dark with heavy "wine country" decor. Small town hotel management. (Teen summer jobs)

Napa Valley Lodge

Plus - Nicest pool. Sit and look at vines, Walk to dinner in Yountville.

Minus - Charmless property. Also "wine country decor."

If you are set on Yountville, have you tried Villagio?

just stayed at the napa marriot (trip report to come...) and enjoyed it. we got a rate of $194 a night, and it was a great location.

Thanks LS - website photos don't show the 'tired' look that you talk about. If I stayed at the Inn at Southbridge, is it a big deal to drive to Yountville for dinner and back? How long a drive do you think it would be?

It's about 20 mins. on Hwy 29
between St. Helena & Yountville.
If you plan on a bottle with dinner
make a rezzie to and from with
Taxi Cabernet 707.963.2620

R5

Two years ago we had a lovely stay at La Residence. We used the outdoor pool (July) but it was actually too hot to use the hottub. Breakfast was delicious, however, it was individually "plated" and there was not a choice of food. One day a waffle with fresh fruit, another scrambled eggs, etc. For convience you may want to request a first floor room.

Vintage Inn and Villagio are parts of the same hotel. However, if you are looking at the website for Vintage Inn, it doesn't show availability for Villagio. You have to check it separately. If you are interested in staying there, give them a call instead to check on your dates.

For the coast, you might check out Nick's Cove which is near Pt. Reyes. It opened recently to rave reviews.

http://www.nickscove.com/

You don't mention Healdsburg, but you might want to check out the Healdsburg Hotel. We stayed there last October and loved it. It is a pretty funky, cool hotel and the location is perfect for walking to wonderful restaurants. There are great wineries nearby (Jordan was our favorite), but you do have to drive a bit to get to the Napa wineries. We didn't mind that, because we preferred being able to walk to dinner. Cyrus, one of the best restaurants in the area, is just around the corner. Also, the hotel is located right on a quant town square with shopping, coffee shops, a little grocery, etc. . . It might be worth looking into if you don't mind staying a bit outside of Napa.

Healdsburg is almost 60 miles from Napa, quite bit more than "a bit"
1

I should clarify - Healdsburg is 60 miles from the City of Napa. Parts of Napa County are much closer than that to Healdsburg.

The one night stay near the coast or near Healdsburg is becoming a challenge. It's for a Saturday and most places have a two night minimum including Nick's Cove and Bodega Bay Inn. The Inn at the Tides does not - any thoughts? Tripadvisor's reviews are all over the place - from fabulous to rundown.

October is peak season here for both the coast and wine country. And Saturdays are the hardest night of the week to find something.

But, you could probably find something very nice in San Francisco and maybe at less than rack rate. It's always best to stay in the city on the weekends and go to the country during the week.

I just read in the Chronicle about Cavallo Point, the new inn at Fort Baker that's opening in June.

This would be a great place to stay in October and it's near Muir Woods and Sausalito.

It's part of the Marin Headlands and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It's a sister inn to the Post Ranch Inn and Hotel Hana - Maui.

Not sure of their Saturday night policy or what their rates will be though.

http://www.cavallopoint.com/

Cavallo Point looks lovely - no on-line reservations yet. This is what I'm thinking about places to stay:

Day 1 Arrive late - stay near SFO
Day 2 Healdsburg Inn
Day 3-5 Napa - not sure of hotel
Day 6-9 Either Campton Place or JW Marriott
Day 10 Take redeye back to NY

I've been reading reviews on Tripadvisor and people are saying Villagio has become run down, Yountville Inn is like a motel, etc. etc. Same for La Residence and even Solage and Inn at Southfield. Or there's noise from the road or noise through the walls. And then there are the reviews that say the opposite - all is fabulous - no wonder I can't make a decision!
I need help!

One thing about the hotels in Yountville is that they are all located less than a block from the highway and Hwy 29 gets a lot of traffic. Then there's the noise of the wine train too. But, then they are right across the street from the great restaurants so you don't have to drive.

I'm sure you would be happy with Villagio (or Vintage Inn) or the others too. They are all high quality inns although a tad expensive maybe for what you get. This might be what is pulling down their TA ratings. If I spent $500 on a room, I'd expect perfection and something far superior to what I'd find for say $300 elsewhere.

Another suggestion would be a smaller hotel up in Rutherford. The Rancho Caymus Inn. It's off the main highway and has lovely, individually decorated rooms and at a little lower price point than Yountville.

http://www.ranchocaymus.com/

Unfortunately, it's first class restaurant, La Toque is moving to Napa prior to your visit. But, there is the Rutherford Grill next door.

Rutherford is a ten minute drive north of Yountville. This is also where Auberge du Soleil is located. Auberge is probably the highest rated hotel in Napa.

Hi

I am sorry I was not following this when you asked your question.

If you stay at Inn atSouthbridge (which is a hotel with a health spa next door) you will eat at Tra Vigne which is next door, or you can walk up the block to Martini House, so drink all you'd like.

You can do your lunch in Yountville.

As for trip advisor, a lot of people were miffed at Solage because to be honest the website misleads. In real life Solage is brand new and more like super upscale cabins set in a flt parking lot. It is not lush there, so people who saw one thing, got another.

It does have great food and a spacious dining area, state of the art fitness/ yoge and you're a short bike ride from Calistoga, which has plenty to entertain you for a day or two.

Skip Bodega Bay. It just is not worth it. It's boring. There's one restauarant and one crab shack and unless you are a humongous Alred Hitchcock fan no reason at all to overnight there.

FWIW when my New Yorker friends see the wine country they flip out- even the parts we think are crappy make them go gaga- so don;t dweat the small stuff because you're going to think it's paradise.

If you want an "escape" then definitely just do La Residence. You'll feel special and precious and it is in the vines.

If you are a serious food and wine person and are just going for the food and wine, then pick Inn at Southvridge or anything in Yountville- both are equally ok.

If you are a spare no expense type, look into the Auberge du Soleil.

If you are an eco-chic organic type, then Solage is for you.

There. Done.
Have fun.

Southbridge. Typos. Sorry.

I don't know how you feel about B and B's but Maison Fleure is a gorgeous small property located right behind the Yountville restaurants. It looks out over the vineyards and although it isn't totally quiet, the noise didn't bother us at all.

Thank you all for the great insights. We will probably be eating dinner in Yountville and we don't mind driving. We were in Tuscany in Oct and I was a little concerned before going about the roads at night, etc. It was no problem to drive from 10 - 25 minutes for a great dinner. It seems like most posters eat near where they stay.

So, I'm going to call La Residence later to inquire about requesting a less noisy room. Hopefully, they'll be accommodating. We'll see.

Three nights in Napa - where would you eat? I'm considering Bistro Jeanty, Redd, possibly French Laundry, Ubuntu (got rave reviews here in NY) and Domaine Chandon. (going to try to get into Cyrus the one night we're in Healdsburg)

Thanks again for your wonderful help - really appreciate it. And you're right, I will go gaga - I'm certain of it.

I stayed at the Yountville in last October. Found the room absolutely charming, large, and very comfortable. Service was great. But the best thing was the location. As other have mentioned, it is within walking distance of many wonderful restaurants. One of our favorites is Etoile at Domaine Chandon. It is walkable for lunch, but perhaps too dark a walk for dinner.