11 Best Hotels in Sonoma, Napa and Sonoma

Groups or those who simply prefer lodgings that feel more like home should consider these two-bedroom suites just off Sonoma Plaza. All have fully stocked kitchens (cookware, dishes, utensils)—although with several of Sonoma's best restaurants nearby, you may not do much cooking. Each suite comes with air-conditioning, a gas fireplace, a patio or balcony, Wi-Fi access, and washer/dryer, and all the bedrooms have California-king beds.

The sturdy metal gate of this vacation-rental complex near Sonoma Plaza opens into a leafy courtyard fronting three buildings containing smartly furnished studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom accommodations with kitchens or kitchenettes. The two-bedroom suites occupy the two-story 1907 stone structure that anchors the property. Renovated in 2022, they're good choices for families or couples traveling together, but the studios and one-bedroom options are also commodious and comfortable.

Delivering romance, relaxation, and Zenlike tranquillity is the raison d'être of this courtyard complex 1½ blocks north of Sonoma Plaza. Near restaurants, shops, and tasting rooms but quiet and seemingly off the beaten path, the Cottage Inn pleases sensitive travelers with serene style and graceful touches. Mexican-tile floors, leather furniture, and, in some rooms, brown wooden doors recall Sonoma’s 19th-century origins, but with the white walls and mostly pastel shades a mildly New Age sensibility prevails. Room types range from a spacious suite with a full kitchen to a small but not cramped courtyard room that's a bargain in high season.

Guest rooms in this remodeled 1843 building skew contemporary with their Restoration Hardware furnishings, but the Mexican-tile floors hint at Sonoma's mission-era past. Each room has a small balcony or patio either street-side or facing a courtyard where guests lounge around the pool or sip cocktails. Although many patrons consider the Sonoma Plaza location above a bustling restaurant and bar a boon, earplugs are advised for all but the heaviest sleepers.

A giant pepper tree and a few palms tower over the garden courtyard of this updated 1959 motel whose landscaping, festive pool area, and thoughtful service make a stay here worth considering. Rooms, which come in three classes—Adobe, Sonoma, and California—are furnished with refrigerators, coffee/tea makers, safes, and flat-screen TVs. Adobe rooms, the least expensive, aren't quite as spiffy, but they face the interior garden courtyard, making them among the quietest. Sonoma rooms include down comforters, recliners, and patios or balconies. Some Sonoma and California rooms have a fireplace; some California rooms have a patio.

The draw at this mission-style resort is the extensive spa with its array of massages and treatments, some designed for couples. The focus on fitness and rejuvenation extends to an adjacent 7,100-yard golf course winding through trees and vineyards, a changing schedule of fitness classes, and guided hiking excursions on Fridays and weekends. Fairmont and Deluxe guest rooms aren't large (some of the former are as small as 260 square feet) but are supremely comfortable; some have patios or balconies. Vineyard (500 square feet) and Mission (550 square feet) suites feel roomier and have fireplaces and Jacuzzi tubs. Vineyard Suites have fireplaces and separate sitting areas; most have a patio or balcony. The chefs at the resort's Santé restaurant prepare modern American cuisine.

Little luxuries delight at this well-run inn ¼ mile south of Sonoma Plaza whose guest rooms, softly lit and done in pastels, have comfortable beds topped with feather comforters and plenty of pillows. The rooms aren’t huge, but you'd be hard-pressed to find this much charm for the price elsewhere in town. Part of the Four Sisters Inns chain of small hotels in popular vacation destinations, this property has an exceptionally gracious staff. The inn isn’t the Sonoma Plaza area’s most intimate lodging, but it feels cozy, and a full breakfast is laid out every morning.

With just six rooms the Ledson feels intimate, and the furnishings and amenities—down beds, mood lighting, gas fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, and balconies for enjoying breakfast or a glass of wine—stack up well against Wine Country rooms costing more, especially in high season. Toss in a caring staff and the ground-floor tasting lounge, and this really is one of downtown Sonoma’s best lodging options.

Guests at this 7-acre boutique property five blocks south of Sonoma Plaza bask in ritzy seclusion in plush accommodations set amid landscaped gardens. On land once part of a ranch established in the 19th century, the hotel takes its architectural cues from a circa-1850s Victorian home that now holds 10 guest rooms. Newer buildings contain 54 more accommodations, among them two cottages and several garden suites. The rooms, many with gas fireplaces, have the same beige, light brown, soft white, and black color scheme that predominates in the public areas. Layla, for Mediterranean cuisine, is the main restaurant.

The exterior of this property between Sonoma and Glen Ellen says "motel," but the design sensibility and customer service are more quaint country inn, with the rates splitting the difference. Many patrons return year after year, so book well ahead in summer and early fall, especially on weekends. A few blocks west of Highway 12 in a residential neighborhood, the inn is popular with pro bicyclists and serious amateurs. The small but cheerful rooms, a handful pet-friendly and most with patios and balconies, are individually decorated with painted wooden armoires and brightly colored contemporary artwork. All rooms have air-conditioning, Keurig coffeemakers, small refrigerators, and 32-inch flat-screen TVs with cable. Free rollaway beds are available for kids.

A handsome base for Sonoma Valley wine tasting, this 10-acre, two-story, Mission Revival–style hotel received a makeover completed in 2022 that elevated the property to higher status among the Marriott family's luxury brands. The upgrades are most evident in the public areas, where a mural behind the front desk and the lobby's salon-style assemblage of paintings, drawings, photos, and ceramic plates highlight Sonoma's history. Celebrity chef Michael Mina's Wit & Wisdom Tavern is the fine-dining option, and there's a smaller café for breakfast and lunch. The fitness center's off to one side; the full spa at the back of the landscaped property contains a large outdoor relaxation area. Most rooms measure just under 400 square feet, with several junior suites slightly larger. Done in muted tones, all the accommodations have pillow-top mattresses, flat-screen TVs, coffeemakers, and small refrigerators. Most have private outdoor seating areas, some with tubs.