12 Best Hotel Pools in Napa and Sonoma
Midsummer Wine Country temperatures often hit 90-plus, making a dip in the pool nearly essential. The top resorts boast the fanciest pools and have cocktail service down pat, but this list starts with four affordable spots, two with old-school 1950s pools.
Note: Two pool areas not ready for review may be open by the time you read this. Expansive views and private cabanas complete with fireplaces will add to the pleasure of a dip in the shallow rooftop pool at Archer Hotel Napa. Separate adults-only, lap, and children's pools at Meadowood Napa Valley (hot tubs near the first and third) will ensure a suitable atmosphere for all guests.
Wine Country Inn & Cottages
Why it made the list
Backed by a neighbor's barn and set away from the lodgings, this St. Helena inn's tranquil pool area tempts guests to abandon wine tasting to spend the day chilling out, swimming, and soaking in the hot tub.
Honor Mansion
Why it made the list
The bucolic setting of this Healdsburg inn's solar-heated pool encourages languid lounging punctuated by occasional dips and perhaps a round of croquet on the nearby court. The pool's long enough for swimming laps, and there's a table for picnicking. The lack of a hot tub is a drawback, though some guest rooms have one.
El Pueblo Inn
Why it made the list
The pluses at this family-owned 1950s motel a few blocks west of Sonoma Plaza include its lush garden courtyard and large swimming pool with adjacent hot tub and landscaped lawn. The swimming area is near a busy intersection, so traffic noise can break the mood, but the well-maintained pool and hot tub are open 24/7.
Flamingo Conference Resort & Spa
Why it made the list
A lobby photo shows actress and celebrity Jayne Mansfield posing poolside at the Flamingo, which opened in 1957 to great fanfare. The L-shape pool is a fabulous relic.
Kenwood Inn and Spa
Why it made the list
The inn's primary pool sits amid a landscaped fieldstone-decked courtyard with plenty of lounge chairs, conversation areas, and a few cabanas. You can rent the cabanas by the day; they're pricey, but the perks, including wine, are mighty fine.
Calistoga Ranch
Why it made the list
On a summer day at this resort's main pool, a layered tableau unfolds: potted plants in the foreground, a lawn and then a small Cabernet vineyard to the south, a culinary garden to the west, and canyons and hills off to the east. Sun glinting off the bar's trademark blackberry margaritas adds sparkle to the scene.
Hotel Yountville Resort & Spa
Why it made the list
A blazing rectangular fire pit separates the resortlike hotel's heated pool and hot tub area from the shaded lounging spaces between the spa and restaurant. In season, the pool bartenders fuel the party vibe with vodka-based Summertime cocktails, whose secrets include ginger syrup and a pinch of thyme.
Las Alcobas Napa Valley
Why it made the list
The resort's pool area strikes a classy, minimalistic pose, but Cabernet vines so close you can almost touch them steal the show, as intended, with the Mayacamas Mountains completing the pastoral portrait. A margarita with sea-salt foam or a zesty Acacia Cocktail will help you contemplate the beauty before you.
Auberge du Soleil
Why it made the list
Auberge's expansive "La Plage" (French for "The Beach") lives up to its name with a long rectangular pool and beach-resort vibe. Fulfill your jet-set urges in one of the lively cabanas, enjoying Napa Valley views with a perky cocktail in hand or, better yet, glass of Champagne.
Indian Springs Calistoga
Why it made the list
Shortly before Speedos were invented and long before bikinis, bathers partook of this resort's mineral waters in its century-old Olympic-size mineral-water pool. They're still doing it. When Indian Springs is full up, the scene can be boisterous, but there's a newer and quieter pool just for adults.
Bardessono
Why it made the list
Rugged views east to the Vaca Range and west to the Mayacamas evoke the Wild West, but the vibe is 21st-century chic at Bardessono's 75-foot-long rooftop pool, one of the Napa Valley's best aquatic spots to unwind and get away from it all.
Carneros Resort and Spa
Why it made the list
With lofty perspectives of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vineyards and beyond them the Vaca Range and the southern Napa Valley, the resort's adults-only hilltop infinity pool takes the prize for rustic glamour and romance. Tall palms shade the more active lap pool, located near the fitness center, that caters to families.
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