Where to Stay in Napa Valley: Best Areas & Hotels
About a 90-minute drive from San Francisco, the Napa Valley is the perfect place for a relaxing break. Craving a bucolic weekend escape, a romantic getaway, or family vacation? Napa Valley hotels offer something for every type of traveler.
The best area to stay in the Napa Valley depends on what you want to do during your visit. If you're looking for a five-star resort, you'll be spoiled for choice. The best Napa Valley luxury resorts range from high-end eco-resorts to country clubs and chic hideaways. If you're planning a couples weekend, you'll find historic bed-and-breakfasts and even adults-only resorts set amid inspiring vistas in the sun-soaked countryside.
Is fine dining your main goal? Foodies interested in sampling Napa's excellent restaurants might want to stay in the scenic riverfront district of downtown Napa or one of the Napa Valley's cute country towns. Yountville is one of the most charming. Here, you'll find The French Laundry, a famous Michelin-starred farmhouse restaurant, and the French bistro Bouchon.
Calistoga is home to healing hot springs. Tiny Oakville and Rutherford ooze rustic charm, and pretty St. Helena also offers wonderful restaurants and boutique shops.
Before you book, you should know that accommodation in the Napa Valley is relatively pricey - mid-range properties here are the price of luxury properties elsewhere, but if you're looking for a place to stay on a budget, you'll find several options near the main Napa Valley towns.
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Where to Stay in Napa Valley for Luxury
Solage, an Auberge Resort checks all the boxes for a dream Napa Valley getaway. Clad in cottage-style facades, the sleek studios and suites sit surrounded by golden hills. Feeling stressed? Unwind at the 20,000-foot award-winning spa, or soak your cares away in the resort's three mineral pools. Is food your main focus? Michelin-starred Solbar showcases Napa produce in its global cuisine. And if you're wondering what to do in the Napa Valley, you can hop on a free cruiser bike and work off all those wonderful meals, or sign up for a unique destination experience.
In the heart of downtown Yountville, Bardessono is an oasis of peace, steps from restaurants, shops, and other attractions. The attentive staff welcome guests like old friends, and the resort's green initiatives add to the feel-good vibe. Relax at the rooftop pool, dine at the farm-to-fork restaurant, book an aromatherapy treatment at the spa, or explore downtown on the loaner bikes.
Bardessono's sustainable design extends to the guest suites. Constructed of non-toxic, non-allergenic natural materials, the contemporary suites feature comfy beds with organic cotton sheets, light-filled spaces, large soaking tubs, and handmade bath products. Gas fireplaces and private balconies or patios are other typical features, and some rooms come with steam showers and outdoor showers.
Also in Yountville, on the edge of town, the 4-star Napa Valley Lodge is a short stroll from shops and restaurants but feels blissfully serene and secluded. You'll feel like you're in Tuscany at this sprawling resort. Golden stone accents and red-tile roofs adorn the buildings, fountains splash amid the flower-flecked gardens, and bocce ball is a favorite pastime.
Serene, secluded, and stylishly elegant, Meadowood Napa Valley offers everything you want from a luxury Napa Valley getaway. This Relais & Châteaux resort and country club nestles amid pine forests on a 250-acre private estate. It's just a short bike ride from the charming town of St. Helena and the Silverado Trail. Escape from the world here on a personalized wellness journey at the Napa Valley's only five-star spa, immerse yourself in nature on the resort's four miles of scenic hiking trails, or mingle at an evening social reception. Note that this grand dame of Napa Valley resorts is closed until at least summer 2021 for restoration after damage from the 2020 Glass Fire.
Where to Stay in Napa Valley: Mid-Range
Hip and happening, the Andaz Napa offers slick city style in downtown Napa. This is a great place to stay if you want to be in the heart of the action, near shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Farm-fresh breakfasts are served at a communal table, and you can enjoy light fare at two other dining venues, including a large second-floor terrace with a fire pit. Guests can keep fit with free access at an adjacent gym and lap pool.
Sleek and stylish, the rooms at Andaz Napa come with hardwood floors; large windows; and well-appointed bathrooms with soaking tubs, double vanities, and rain showers. Loft accommodations add fireplaces. Each week, local musicians entertain guests in the lobby.
Surrounded by vine-draped fields in Rutherford, the historic, boutique Rancho Caymus Inn sports a rustic Spanish-hacienda style. Repurposed materials from a 19th-century Ohio barn were used in its recent two-year renovation, including exposed barn-wood beams, custom-crafted doors, and wrought-iron accents. Amenities include a central pool, and a concierge is available 24/7. The Spanish styling carries though to the rooms, which feature barn-wood ceilings, custom furnishings, fireplaces, spacious bathrooms, and private patios. Continental breakfast is included in the rates.
For a historic feel and a convenient downtown location in Napa's Riverfront district, consider the Napa River Inn at the Historic Napa Mill. You can walk to gourmet restaurants and boutique shops, jog along the scenic riverfront bike path, or enjoy a therapeutic massage at the spa. Spread across three different buildings, the rooms vary in character and configuration. Canopied beds, clawfoot tubs, and Victorian-era furnishings enhance the historic feel in some, while others have exposed brick walls and more modern furnishings. Fireplaces make them cozy on cold winter nights. A lovely touch is the delicious breakfast offered in bed every day.
Where to Stay in Napa Valley on a Budget
If you're looking for places to stay in the Napa Valley on a budget, you'll find plenty of great-value hotels near the main Napa Valley towns.
Near shops and restaurants in south Napa, the Best Western Plus Inn at the Vines is an affordable option. Rooms surround a sunny courtyard with a small heated pool and hot tub, and typical features include free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee makers, and mini-fridges. Two-story loft suites have separate living areas. A fitness room and laundry facilities are also available for guests, and if you're a rewards member, the hotel offers a free breakfast at the adjacent Denny's.
Looking for unique places to stay in Napa Valley on a budget? Nestled amid trees along the Napa River, the RiverPointe Napa Valley Resort makes a great base. These mobile tiny homes are cute, colorful, and full of character. The studios and one-bedroom cottages come with living areas, shady decks, and kitchenettes, and barbecues are available for alfresco cooking. You can also swim in the pool, soak in the Jacuzzi, or work out in the fitness center. Movie nights and other weekly activities and events add to the convivial ambience here.
Where to Stay in Napa Valley for Families
If you're traveling with kids and looking for a family hotel, you'll have plenty of space to spread out at the Carneros Resort and Spa. Set on 48 acres in Napa, with quintessential Napa Valley views of fields and rolling hills, the resort offers so many things to do, you may never want to leave. Amenities include two pools and hot tubs, including a family pool and an adults-only version; three restaurants; a fitness center with a full schedule of free classes; loaner bikes; and complimentary use of a luxury Cadillac. Parents can de-stress at the spa.
Perfect for families of any size, the accommodation at Carneros Resort & Spa ranges from cute cottages to one- or two-bedroom suites and two- and three-bedroom homes. The latter come with an impressive 2,400 square feet of indoor space and sprawling outdoor entertaining areas. Select suites come with fireside butlers. Even your pooch will be happy here with a full range of dog amenities, including closed-in porches and patios, dog bowls, and beds.
Traveling with the family on a budget? Hilton Garden Inn Napa is an affordable kid-friendly option in downtown Napa. The best family rooms come with two queen beds, and all rooms have microwaves, mini-fridges, and Keurig coffee machines. In your spare time, you can soak in the hot tub, swim in the heated pool, play pool or scrabble with the kids, or explore Napa on a loaner bike.
Where to Stay in Napa Valley for Romance
A taste of Provence near the town of Rutherford, the adults-only Auberge du Soleil is the ultimate Napa Valley romantic hideaway. Whether it's a honeymoon, anniversary, or just a much-needed stress detox, this is a favorite escape for couples. Spectacular valley views of sun-splashed hillsides dotted with olive trees and oaks greet couples from every direction. Enjoy Mediterranean cuisine at the Michelin-starred restaurant, sign up for a signature spa experience, take a yoga or pilates class, or sunbathe by the sparkling "La Plage" pool.
Relaxed luxury sets the tone in Auberge du Soleil's 50 contemporary guest rooms, suites, and private "maisons," named after towns in the South of France. Standalone tubs for two grace private terraces in some rooms, and gas fireplaces add a cozy feel on cold nights. Don't miss the complimentary breakfast on the dining terrace, where the stunning valley views stretch for miles. No wonder this is one of the best Napa Valley hotels.
A blend between a B&B and a boutique hotel, in downtown Napa, Inn on Randolph is a great-value couples' escape. Gracing a 19th-century estate in a Napa historic district, this elegant hotel sits amid lush English gardens. Historic rooms or contemporary-style cottages come with features like plush beds with a choice of pillows, cuddly robes, fireplaces, two-person spa tubs and dual shower heads, and heated bathroom floors. Gluten-free gourmet breakfasts are included in the rates, and private romantic dinners (as well as in-room couples massages) can be arranged on request.
