Rebecca

Can someone please let me know which hotel I should keep - my boyfriend and i are going to the somoma area for Memorial day weekend -Friday night we are staying in San Fran - I have a reservation Sat and Sun nights at the
Hotel Healdsburg and at the The Lodge at Somoma - Renaissance Resort and Spa. The Healsburg only has a double room with a shower only. The Lodge has a cottage room available which has a private entrance, fire place etc.. they are about the same price. Has anyone stayed at both? I hear the Healsburg is nice so I dont know which reservation to keep. Then Sunday night we are staying at the MacArthur Place. Any suggestions for dinner reservations?

Suzie

I stayed at eh Lodge and thought is was very nice. The only drawback was that our cottage room did not have a door on the shower vanity area of the bathroom it's just shielded from the room by logistics and an early riser would ake up the other sleeper with a shower. Our cottage room was very nice. Building 5. Try to get a room that does not face the parking lots as those are very near the cars and the door slamming and the engine noise could be annoying. The parking is right outside the buildings as the lot wraps around the facility and cottages border the lots.

Have not stayed in Healdsburg but that location would be closer to the wineries that we wanted to visit.

linda

In healdsburg, the Dry Creek Kitchen is very upscale/gourmet. Excellent meal- just make reservations as SOON as you can. We also loved Manzanitas.

Rebecca

Suzie - thanks for the reply - was your room on the first floor - they told me they had other rooms on the second floors? Would you say the grounds ammenities are nice - did you go to the spa at all?

Suzie

Actually we had the one cottage that has no second floor. It was right outside the pool area. I don't know if the hotel is crowded if this would be a loud spot or not but when we went in Feb we thought it was great!!!!

The grounds are brand new and there are lots of baby trees and plants. I thought the hotel was very different from other places I've stayed. It had a kind of hacienda feel. The hotel is a very unusual color as well. I would try to get a cottage room in the center row of buildings so that your room is not overlooking the parking lot. Our room was very nice with a side door that led out to a small patio with a bistro style table and chair set. The probelm with that on the first floor is that the vegetation is so low that it was like you were sitting on the pathway as all the people walked by. A second floor room would give you a little balcony for your chair set.

I would recommend this place.

I did not use the spa but a friend will this coming weekend. I'll get the scoop and post back here next monday. I know it involves a grape seed facial at a minimum!

kam

The Girl and the Fig in Sonoma or Cafe Haye

Suzie

The Lodge is very near McArthur Place so you may want to stay in Healdsburg. It'd be silly to stay a block or so away when you'll be in Sonoma on Sunday night. Sorry I didn't notice that sooner. For dinner in addition to those choices above there is also The General's Daughter and Della Santoni's.

In Healdsburg we had lunch at the Bear Republic, a micro brewery that was loads of fun. It is just off the square in Healdsburg. We ate and drank at the bar and the bartender was so nice when I ordered a budweiser before I noticed all the tanks behind the glass!!! Laughed until we fell off the stools! It was a great break from all the wine we had tasted!!!

irenie

Bistro Ralph for dinner in Healdsburg, but make res. now.

Ms. Ghost

or Bistro Ralph for lunch.....the chicken paillard with frites is incredible!

rebecca

Thank you all for your help - i still need a few more suggestions so if you dont mind please help me fill in the blanks and let me know if i am cramming in too much

friday night - stay in san fran w/ friends

saturday
drive up to healdsburg -
sunday night - hotel healdsburg saturday dinner - bistro ralph
saturday winneries?_____

sunday
sunday night - hotel healdsburg
sunday dinner - dry creek
sunday winneries?_________
sunday spa - at the hotel

monday
monday night - macarthur place
monday dinner - ?_______
monday winneries?________ should I do napa that day?

tuesday
tuesday lunch - Culinary institute
napa winneries - Hess Collection/Newton vineyard