I got back Monday evening, and want to offer a bit of feedback on lodging.

La Rose Hotel, in Santa Rosa, offered a $109 week day rate. It was a wonderful place to stay--friendly, cozy, well located, with a wonderful breakfast spread. My daughter and I really enjoyed tooling around Santa Rosa. The area around Railroad Square was not as chi-chi as, say, Sonoma, yet it had charm, and there were some great thrift shops (my daughter bought three used cookbooks and some great cookware, plus we could have bought lots of copperware at amazing prices). There was also a coffee roaster/coffee house, and a feeling that one was out of upscale tourist-land without being some place down on its luck.

We also stayed one night at Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and Spa, for $130 (it was a Friday). Now, *this* is an odd place! It is located in a newly developed (read, strip mall) part of the otherwise fabulously lovely Route 29, in a town called American Canyon (a sprawling spot just north of Vallejo). Fortunately the backdrop remains gorgeous.

While our room was spacious, immaculate, and well equipped, the overall feel of the place was sterile, impersonal, and motel-ish. Rooms on the ground floor, with little patios overlooking a man-made pond, are nicer than those on the second, where we were. The inn puts itself forward as "green," but breakfast was offered on paper plates and bowls, with all plastic utensils--now, how un-green is that? Still, if one wants to be in striking distance from Napa, and doesn't care so much charm, it's an okay place.

We happened upon the Friday farmers' market in Napa, and that was wonderful! Part of what made it so was the feeling that this was a true community event, not just something geared to passers-through like us!

Liz

Thanks for the great feedback. It sounds like you had a very good time.

It's the "Chef's Market" in Napa on Friday nights. There's no produce available as in a "Farmers' Market". The chefs are not representative of fine Napa Valley cuisine, but the street party can be a lot of fun. And, yes, it's not geared for tourists.

Those contemplating staying at Gaia should also consider staying in Vallejo which is just 5 to 10 minutes south of American Canyon. There the rooms are half the price and there is a greater choice in restaurants (although they are chains like Red Lobster or Black Angus types).