3 Best Hotels in Sonoma, Napa and Sonoma

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 59 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.

Guest rooms in this remodeled 1843 building skew contemporary with their furnishings, but the expressive wallpaper hints at days 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. All rooms are equipped with refrigerators, safes, 42-inch flat-screen TVs, espresso makers, electric kettles, and handheld clothes steamers. 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—or book one of the four ground-floor patio rooms in back.

Handsome public areas and a destination restaurant by celebrity chef Michael Mina are among the selling points of this 10-acre, two-story, Mission Revival–style resort. A mural behind the front desk and the lobby's salon-style assemblage of paintings, drawings, photos, and ceramic plates highlight Sonoma's history. 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.