Hi there. I would like some advice to assist with my planning for a 10-year anniversary trip to the Napa/Sonoma Valley area. I am specifically looking for fine lodging/spa accomodations, hot-air ballooning and excellent restaurants. Please share some of your recent unforgetable trips. Many thanks in advance.

Hi there! Every trip I have taken to this area has been memorable. We have enjoyed The Yountville Inn, The Harvest Inn in St. Helena, and in Calistoga we really enjoyed the Indian Springs Resort. www.indianspringscalistoga.com

I can't pick a favorite restaurant. We really like Tra Vigne, Terra, Bistro Jeanty and Auberge du Soleil. Wappo's Bar & Grill in Calistoga is very nice for lunch under the wisteria vines.

In Sonoma, my favorite place is the Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa. I just felt like a princess there, it made a huge impression on me. I'm considering exploring Healdsburg on our next trip but I don't want to give up my stay at the SMI.

In Sonoma, we like The Girl & The Fig, The Swiss Hotel, and The General's Daughter. There are a few new places I want to try such as La Poste (although a poster on another board gave it a bad review ) and Cafe La Haye.

I also want to try the Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg. You will love this area. It is very romantic and we have enjoyed everywhere we have stayed and dined. No complaints at all.

For moderate lodging, in Calistoga we enjoyed the Comfort Inn and the Stevenson Manor Inn. Both very clean, neat properties. Also, along the same lines as these places is the BW Sonoma which was a nice property, just not as upscale as the SMI, of course.

Any specific questions, feel free to ask! We will be touring both Napa and Sonoma/Healdsburg in a couple of months! I hope to try some new places as well as my old favorites. ***kim***

The Auberge du Soleil is pricey, but the rooms are lovely and the food excellent. Another possibility in the area is Meadowood, which is a member of the Relais et ChÂteaux group of hotels, also known for its food. For restaurants not associated with hotels I can strongly recommend Bistro Jeanty in Yountville; the owner was formerly with Domaine Chandon (also good) when it was the first fine restaurant in the Napa Valley. The whole area is filled with good restaurants, but we keep returning to Bistro Jeanty and Mustard Grill, which has terrific California cuisine. Reserve wherever you want to go!

Thanks so far! We're leaning toward the Villagio Inn for our hotel. It's between that place and the Milliken Creek Inn. Preferences? Also, are there any preferred balloon companies that offer more than others? There are soooo many options here...all suggestions welcomed! Thanks again!

Kimamom:

Did you actually use the spa at Sonoma Mission Inn or did you just spend the night there?

Re: Places in Sonoma/Napa

I, being a San Francisco, tend to avoid Napa like the plague these days (traffic plus an asinine county restriction that prevents tasting rooms from offering food), except for Joseph Phelps and Chateau Montelena.

Suggestion: Try northwest Sonoma County i.e. Russian River & Dry Creek Valleys. Great wineries include Hartford Court, Martinelli, Gary Farrell, Unti, and Ridge. Stay at the Hotel Healdsburg...divine hotel, but pricey. Madrona Manor is nice too, but much quieter. Instead of blowing a wad for a good, but not great, meal at Dry Creek Kitchen, venture over to Ravenous, set in a Craftsman bungalow with great food.