Napa or Sonoma?
 

If I were to spend 1 night in the California Wine Country, and spend around a day exploring the region, where should go: Napa or Sonoma. I'm looking to spend my hotel night in a romantic property, and spend no more than approximately $270/night (howveer the cheaper the better). I welsome all advice.
Thanks!!

4 years ago my husband, teenage daughter and I went to San Francisco and spent 1 night in the wine country. We stayed in a place in Yountville called the Napa Valley Railway Inn. This was a set of boxcars and cabooses that was parked permanently on some train track. You got into your boxcar or caboose via a loading platform. Our boxcar was huge and had a little sitting area with a sleeper sofa and 2 queen size beds. It was so cool at night we opened the windows. It was 75$ at that time. After a dinner at Bistro Don Giovanni ( which was lovely ) we went a got a bottle of wine and just enjoyed our boxcar, while our teenager was busy reading or something. This hotel also had a wonderful Mexican Restaurant right next to it that we had enjoyed for lunch, with a beautiful piazza. Maybe this isn't what you had in mind, but I would stay there again.

I've seen the famous Kal's photos of that hotel, and the rooms looked HUGE. Same price. He raved about it, and I will try to stay there the next time I go to Napa!

I'll post again with the name of the hotel I stayed at in Napa, I can't remember at the moment but it was great.

MelissaHI, who is famous Kal? And yes, the rooms in the railway inn are huge. As I said ours was a whole boxcar. The caboose rooms are a little smaller. Of course, they aren't like boxcars found on the Orient Express, but just really quaint.

If you do a search on this board for kalkahuna or just Kal, you will find a guy who is/was a longtime poster with a ton of travel information. He hasn't posted for a while since he's been on vacation, + there was a big exodus here........

Book yourself into the Vintage Inn in Yountville. It has a feel of the French countryside about it, the rooms are beautifully decorated and large, the gardens are lovely, and the buffet breakfast is enough to last you until dinner. Good restaurants for dinner are within easy walking distance.

Or if you want to save a little $$, the EL Bonita Hotel in St. Helena is a great kitchey place located with in walking distance of St. Helena shops and restaraunts. Try Cindy's Back Porch for dinner or the Green Door-italian(a locals place), Taylor's Refresher for lunch. Skip the free breakfast at El BOnita and walk into town for a couple of really good places.

Of course the Vintage Inn is really really nice and within walking distance of the good eats in Yountville like the French Laundry (very overrated IMHO)and many others.

margymg,
The price has gone up a bit on the Napa Valley Railway Inn, but it's still not bad -- rooms start at $110.

Napa Valley Railway Inn
6503 Washington Street
Yountville, CA 94599
+1 707 944 2000

http://www.napavalleyrailwayinn.com/

Rates: $110.00 - $210.00

Sandy

Thanks for your replies, and please keep them coming! Has anyone heard of the hotel, La Residence in Napa? I'd like to know your opinions on that one in case you've stayed there.
Thanks,
Chrissem

I'd say Sonoma - but I've never been to Napa. We loved it. So much to see, so beautiful. We stayed in a cabin under the redwoods on the RUssian River in/near Guryneville. www.springhillcabin.com Beautiful property.

Healdsburg. The Healdsburg Inn.

Sonoma is okay, but Napa is lousy. Too big!

if you are going on a weekend, i'd go to sonoma county, healdsburg area.

we stayed at the lavender inn in yountville (which i highly recommend) from a wed to sat last spring. on wed and thu, we were virtually alone in most tasting rooms. by fri afternoon, the bars were 4-5 deep. we headed to the healdsburg area on saturday and wished we had more time to spend there.

Try the Camellia Inn in Healdsburg. Lovely town, walking distance to great restaurants and several tasting rooms- you don't even have to drive to wineries for a great selection!

OK I got it:
Best Western Elm House. It was $150/night and they gave us coupons for winery tastings. And it was a very charming hotel with made-to-order waffles!