sonoma, healdsburg, or napa=please help!
 

We have narrowed down choices for Oct. to the MacArthur Place, Grape Leaf Inn, Candlelight Inn or the Inn at Sonoma.
We have never been to wine country and want to stay someplace with a fireplace in room and walking distance to restaurants/town area. How our these choices? Which is best location? Best overall? Best breakfast? etc.

We are also thinking about Hotel Healdsburg.

The square in Sonoma is cute, but there's not much immediately around it and it closes down pretty early. I'm a fan of Healdsburg even if it has become really yuppie (I grew up in the area and it was different way back when). For a small town Healdsburg offers lots to do, and there are great wineries in the area (some have tasting rooms on/near the square). Since I'm a Sonoma County resident I tend to promote this area vs. Napa county. I've heard great things about MacArthur Place, and I've stayed at Healdsburg Hotel. They're very different so it will really depend on your personal taste. Either way you can't go wrong.

I'd say the Grape Leaf Inn. You will be a comfortable walking distance from the Plaza and more in touch with the "wine country experience" than Hotel Healdsburg (IMO). Hotel Healdsburg while right on the Plaza has a very "LA" feel and I think has alienated many of the small inn keepers in town (by their own report). Folks seem to love Grape Leaf. We have always stayed at Camellia Inn. But, somehone who also liked Camellia Inn recently reported here they "loved" Grape Leaf Inn.

Thanks, any more?

Another Sonoma county resident here
and I'd go with Pam's idea for the Grape Leaf in Healdsburg-much more
"wine country" and nice restaurants
and shopping.(Are you sure about that fireplace? It is downright hot here in Oct.)Now for a new idea: Petaluma has
a very vibrant "sort of midwest feeling" downtown that doesn't roll up the sidewalks at night.We've got 10 blocks of restored Victorian era buildings housing great restaurants, antique stores,wine bars,coffee houses, galleries, bookstores,clubs-a great jazz club, and another one opening soon. We also have a brand-new-but-looks-victorian block long complex along the river which opens in July
with more of the same. We aren't
all yuppie either-you will see dairy ranchers,families with strollers, 20-70 somethings,couples, singles
enjoying this very walkable town. (No, I don't work for the C of C LOL!)
Lookout Healdsburg and Sonoma!
R5

Petaluma sounds neat. Where would the best place to stay be? Also, I was under the impression in late Oct. it was cooler there.

Other locals may chime in-however we never have a fire at night much before Halloween, and THEN the rains kick up and a fireplace is nifty. During the day it'll be aboute 70-75 nights around 50. A couple of places come to mind
The Palms -www.palmsinn.com-and The
Cavanagh 707-765-4657 or [email protected] (be sure to get
a whirlpool room if you stay here, they have a firplace in the library/LR)
Those are B&B's and easy walking distance to downtown. If you want modern
there is a 2 year old Sheraton at the Marina that is very nice. It's also located adjacent to a wetlands park that has 2.2 mile path along the river.You'll need a car to get over to the downtown area, yet it's an easy trip. Sonoma town is about 15-20 mins away, Healdsburg about 30 mins. All kinds of wineries in either direction.
Hope this helps-let us know what you decide!
R5

Lomillerin: I'd stick with the fireplace. Although I know October is usually Indian Summer time, when I visited the Sonoma area early last October, the weather was unusually cool--so you just never know. 50 degrees sounds like nice fireplace weather to me. Nothing adds more of a romantic glow to a Fall evening than sipping a glass of wine in front of a cozy fire with someone you like, regardless of the temperature, so enjoy!

We stayed at the Hotel Healdsburg a few weeks ago and loved it. The rooms don't have fireplaces, but the lobby is just beautiful with a gorgeous fireplace. The place is VERY contemporary, unlike the Mac Arthur Place, so it depends on what your taste is.

The Hotel Healdsburg is very centrally located and there is also a spa on the property. Get a room with a soaking tub, they are wonderful. The pool was also heated to the perfect temperature and there is a jacuzzi also.

We dined at The Dry Creek Kitchen which was wonderful for dinner. The tasting dinner for two was included in our room. Have fun!

You may want to check out the Chateau Souverain winery and have lunch at The Alexander Valley Grille. Very nice! ***kim***

Hi! Just returned from Lodi, Mendocino , Healdsburg and Sonoma. 10 days, 4 hotels, LOL! Skip Napa. I know that ticks some off, and there are some great wineries there, but the charm's been killed with the traffic. We LOVED Grape Leaf Inn. Ask for one of the rooms with fireplaces on the new wing. We stayed in the Sangiovese room w/fireplace and huge jacuzzi for 2! We ate at Dry Creek last time, but this time it was nearly empty on a Th night. Have they been a bit snobby? Read reports at tripadvisor.com We ate at Willy's Seafood- tapas style and fabulous. Really hopping, too, get there early. Manzanitas was great, too. We stayed at Sonoma Hotel 2 nights. I won't recommend it- too old and not soundproof. However, the town was lively. The new Ledford hotel has tapas style dining, a great piano player and singer on weekends. Very nice bar.Mac Arthur isn't very far fron the town. I'd go for something close to town if you choose Sonoma.Still working on trip report- bear with me.

Do you mean the Ledson Hotel? It looked really nice when we walked by. I would love to try a dinner there next time. Did you have a chance to try Cafe La Haye in Sonoma? We really enjoyed our dinner there.

Too bad about Dry Creek Kitchen, we were there on a Thurs. night and the place was full. Our server was very attentive and informative when we asked him questions. ***kim***

Yes, the Ledson is what I meant. I shouldn't sip Cabernet while writing, LOL! It's great food, nice folks, wish I'd booked my room there. I should say that our Dry Creek experience was excellent 2 years ago. We were off season (April) but Willy's seemed to be doing all the business that night. Didn't do La Haye- actually, we met winemaker Jerry Padilla from Ledson and he gave us a private 2 1/2 hr tasting in the castle, second floor . Wow! They had cheeses, fruit and we even got to taste special reserves and futures freshly tapped and brought upstairs!By the time we finished, we were toast. We ate at Ledson again , cause you can get as much or little as you like. Great concept.

Wow, LindaC, 2 1/2 hour winemaker private tasting at the Ledson Castle 2nd floor--you've got me interested!! Sounds great--how did you arrange that? I had the same impression of the Ledson Hotel last fall when I was there--great food, wine, people. But we didn't have time to visit the castle--next trip. What did you mean about having as much to eat as you want at Ledson--could you explain their concept, I'm not familiar with it?

Yeah, Linda, how did you set up that tasting? We just had the regular tasting and it was very nice. But yours sounds wonderful!! Lucky you!! ***kim***

Kim et al, LOL! Well, I'm a musician, so I sat in w/the piano player. Then, my hubby and I started singing with this lady at the bar. Anyway, Jerry says "you all seem like fun people...why don't you come visit me tomorrow?" And so it goes! So, essentially, we sang for our taste. BTW, if you get to the castle, ask for Jerry Padilla. He's assistant to the winemaker and one of the greatest guys you'll ever meet! He's a good-looking bachelor, too!

Oops- forgot the restaurant question. They call it "small plate" dining; appetizer-sized items( perfect for 2) you can order any number and pass them around the table. They just keep bringing them out in no particular order.There are 22 items from 6-14 dollars. The scallops were fabulous, as was the gnocchi with wild mushroom sauce. This dining is gaining popularity in CA, evidently. Here's an interesting article about the hotel and restaurant. http://www.tastecaliforniatravel.com...new-ledson.htm

Linda, I knew there had to be a catch! At first I thought you meant you ate again at the winery, thinking maybe there was also a buffet or some unique concept with the wine tasting and food, but now I'm guessing that you ate again at the hotel and the "as little or as much as you want" refers to the small plate concept and the 2oz. or 5 oz. wine pours. Nice place--sounds like you made out alright!

Ha, your post came out just as I was typing mine, so I didn't see it before I posted. I love small plate dining, really prefer it to traditional meals, gives you a chance to try so many good things. Your meal sounded great--I just had apps there, but fell hard for their lobster and corn bisque with mini herb biscuits. Will return for more next time. Thanks for the info.

I just read about the Ledford Hotel and have been looking for somewhere to stay, but no one has suggested it. I looked it up online and there is not much info. Is it really nice? It sounds perfect being right in town, serves full breakfast, wine and cheese on the first night and a balcony that overlooks the plaza. Sounds too good, does anybody know?