The Napa Valley may be famous for its sublime wine experiences, but its best hotels offer something for everyone. Some deliver epic spa experiences or excel at art and design; others focus on the healing powers of local spring water. Several have food and beverage programs that have garnered national attention.
In recent years, the area’s hotels have battled the effects of climate change. One—Calistoga Ranch—perished in a massive wildfire in 2020. That same year, Meadowood also sustained serious damage, but reopened in 2021, though its three-Michelin-starred restaurant remains shuttered.
But as California’s most famous wine region prepares for the summer season of 2023, accommodations are coming back stronger than ever. Drink up the details on 14 of Napa’s best stays for every type of traveler.
For spa indulgence
Stanly Ranch sits on more than 700 acres of vineyards.
Courtesy of Stanly Ranch, Auberge Resorts Collection
Stanly Ranch, Auberge Resorts Collection
- Location: Carneros
- Book now
In April 2022 Stanly Ranch debuted on 712 acres in Carneros. The resort, part of the Auberge Resorts Collection, comprises 133 cottages and suites. Most accommodations have sliding glass doors that lead to a private patio with daybeds for whiling away the afternoon. Wellness fanatics swear by the resort’s Halehouse Spa.
Specialists are on hand to customize experiences with emphases on hydration, nourishment, sleep, and movement. In most cases, plans incorporate a massage with herbs grown and sourced locally. A circuit program (featuring a cold plunge, tepidarium, and saunas) integrates contrast techniques to optimize physical performance and improve health. A movement studio offers HIIT classes, outdoor experiences, physical therapy, and more. Never to be outdone, the spa pool delivers memorable views of San Pablo Bay.
The newly restored Meadowood is a luxurious choice for Napa travelers.
Rachel Weill, AFAR Media
Meadowood
- Location: St. Helena
- Book now
In St. Helena, Meadowood continues its road to recovery from the 2020 Glass Fire, which destroyed the restaurant and most of the north end of the 250-acre property. Currently there are 36 rooms and suites; designed by noted Napa architect Howard Backen, accommodations combine rustic simplicity with sumptuous elegance. Most have vaulted ceilings and wood-burning fireplaces.
The spa, largely untouched by the fire, was renovated in 2015 and remains the only all-suite facility in the Napa Valley. Since then, it has become one of the Napa Valley’s go-to spots for wellness. Signature treatments incorporate different elements from the area: soil, flowers and herbs, and grape leaves.
In addition to treatment suites, the Tree House Retreat specialty room offers another private space in the spa. Partly open to the elements, the room includes a fireplace and a hand-hammered copper tub for a custom bath that features such regional elements as milk, mustard, and sea salt. Meadowood offers a variety of signature massage treatments and nine different facial treatments—including two for men.
Read more reviews of Meadowood.
For a culinary adventure
Four Seasons Resort Napa Valley
- Location: Calistoga
- Book now
The Four Seasons Resort Napa Valley opened in Calistoga in 2019 with 85 spacious guest room and suites that feature built-in dressers, gas fireplaces, and giant soaking tubs. Most of the accommodations are spread out over two stories.
The resort’s chef, Rogelio Garcia, is a Mexico City native who has starred on Top Chef, trained with such icons as Douglas Keane and Thomas Keller, and has amassed a cult following in Northern California. Now he’s the talk of the culinary community with Auro, the property’s fine-dining experience that complements the more casual and seasonal Truss restaurant and Campo, an upscale Mexican cantina in the pool area.
The tasting menu at Auro changes every week based on the seasons; winter dishes might include sunchoke velouté, sweet Maine lobster with fennel, and 100-day dry-aged Flannery Beef New York with bok choy ravioli, while spring dishes could incorporate heirloom tomatoes and king salmon. Enjoy with wines from some of the region’s best winemakers.
Lounge by the pool on your next retreat to Solage.
Rachel Weill, AFAR Media
Solage, Auberge Resorts Collection
- Location: Calistoga
- Book now
Across the street at Solage, also part of Auberge Resorts Collection, 100 modern-feeling suites and studios were designed with concrete floors, showers with rock floors that massage your feet, private patios, and bicycles for use around town. Solbar became Calistoga’s first restaurant to receive a Michelin star back in 2010.
Though the restaurant lost its star in 2021, chef Gustavo Rios continues to deliver an unforgettable culinary experience. He builds dishes around what’s ripe and ready to eat—as a result, his menu is famous for having some of the most vegetarian- and vegan-friendly dishes in Napa Valley.
That said, the petrale sole fish tacos are famous for a reason, and locals swear by the Reuben with house-made corned beef. On warm days, the expansive patio is a welcoming spot to linger over lunch (or cocktails) with friends. Every Sunday, Solbar offers a three-course “Sunday Supper” that spotlights fresh local produce. The April 2023 menu featured cucumber served three ways and roasted rockfish with gochujang glaze.
Read more reviews of Solage.
For vineyard views
The Setting Inn in Napa sits off Highway 29 near Yountville.
Courtesy of the Setting Inn
The Setting Inn
- Location: Between Napa and Yountville
- Book now
Grapevines grow practically right outside the windows at The Setting Inn, a five-room bed-and-breakfast with an adjacent private cottage between Napa and Yountville. Rooms feature wooden floors and large beds with antique headboards, while bathrooms are filled with natural light. The remodeled 1901 farmhouse and cottage both sit between two separate cabernet sauvignon vineyards owned by a private producer who sells to many big labels.
Linger in your room over a breakfast of warm chocolate croissants and flaky kouign-amann from Bouchon Bakery in town, then take one of the inn’s electric bikes and ride west on Hillview Lane past acres upon acres of vineyards. Later, sample Napa Valley wines at a private tasting of award-winning elixirs from The Setting Wines in the Barn, which doubles as a communal lounge for guests.
Senza Hotel
- Location: Between Napa and Yountville
- Book now
Also tucked away amid the vineyards across Highway 29, the Senza Hotel’s 43 accommodations feature fireplaces, cozy sitting areas, and private patios or balconies that face vineyards in just about every direction.
Start your morning with a stroll alongside the vines, then book a postlunch tasting at Ashes & Diamonds, a hip winery only a short walk away. After some time in sun by the guests-only pool, head out for another walk beside the vineyard rows to Bistro Don Giovanni for some of the best northern Italian food in town (try the beet salad and branzino).
If you time it right, you can be back on your balcony in time to watch the sunset against the backdrop of vineyard rows that extend for miles.
For art and design
R Inn
- Location: Downtown Napa
- Book now
Art can be found everywhere at the R Inn, a boutique hotel in downtown Napa with five loft suites, 10 rooms off an open-air courtyard, and one freestanding bungalow. Formerly an office building, the midcentury-modern structure was renovated and decorated with ornate contemporary chandeliers and quirky accent pieces.
Many of the paintings and larger-than-life sculptures were created by a local artist named Rags, whose signature look appears throughout the property. Photography by various artists from around the Valley hang on the walls of guest rooms and common spaces. All guests have access to communal features such as a small kitchen, outdoor gathering spaces, and living rooms. There’s also a “Zoom room” for remote workers who’d rather not mix business and the pleasure of their hotel rooms.
Bardessono is located in the center of Yountville.
Courtesy of Bardessono
Bardessono
- Location: Yountville
- Book now
Design takes center stage at Bardessono, one of Napa’s greenest hotels. The design-forward resort is one of seven hotels in the United States to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’s (LEED) Platinum certification, the highest standard for environmental design.
The 65 guest rooms were designed with concrete floors, steam showers, and private patios or balconies that feel like mini sanctuaries. The rooftop pool, which sits above the swanky-but-approachable Lucy restaurant and bar, offers some of the best views of Yountville. An underground geothermal system heats and cools the guest rooms, spa, and domestic hot water supply.
Hidden on the flat rooftops of guest buildings are 940 solar panels that provide a significant portion of the hotel’s electrical demand. Finally, occupancy sensors in rooms automatically decrease energy consumption when guests are not in their rooms.
For getting off the grid
The outdoor pool at Auberge du Soleil is lined with cabanas.
Courtesy of Auberge du Soleil
Auberge du Soleil
- Location: Rutherford
- Book now
The 50-room Auberge du Soleil sits on 33 hilly acres above Rutherford, surrounded by nothing but vineyards and wildland—truly an escape from everything down below. Postcard views of the Valley abound from any of the pergola-topped patios and terraces attached to the suites and private maison.
Guest room amenities include outdoor tubs or showers; elsewhere on property, Auberge offers plenty to do for an entire weekend, whether you’re hitting balls at the tennis courts, walking through the sculpture garden, getting some sun by the on-site pool, or dining at the recently renovated restaurant. From the lobby, guests have easy access to an entire network of hiking trails that wind through majestic redwoods.
Bann Napa
- Location: Oak Knoll
- Book now
In the heart of the Oak Knoll district, Bann Napa channels the artistry and minimalism of Thailand and is known for growing some of the best cabernet on Earth. The three-room inn is the brainchild of chef Lalita Souksamlane, the entrepreneur behind Osha Thai restaurants in San Francisco.
Each of the rooms is decorated in dark woods and tile and textiles from different regions of Thailand. All have loft ceilings and bell-shaped light fixtures that evoke the Far East. Guests receive a five-course Thai breakfast every morning featuring items like Thai rice soup with egg and shrimp.
There’s also a small saltwater pool and hot tub that looks out onto nearby vineyards. With advance reservations, Bann guests can order a nine-course chef’s table dinner experience that captures some of chef Lalita’s most elaborate flavors, including tangy curry and sweet lemongrass.
Read more: Napa’s in Bloom: How to Plan the Perfect Spring Weekend
For an urban experience
The Archer
- Location: Downtown Napa
- Book now
In bustling downtown Napa, most of the 183 rooms at the Archer are on the small side but feel bigger because of their floor-to-ceiling window nooks. The moodily lit lobby is designed to look and feel like a wine barrel, with large couches that inspire intimate conversations and a topographical map of the Napa Valley draws in passersby.
Just off the lobby, there’s a Charlie Palmer steakhouse, while the roof is home to Sky & Vine, Napa’s first rooftop bar, that attracts a mix of travelers and locals. It’s also the perfect spot for curling up next to a firepit and winding down after a day of winetasting. End the evening at the “Reverse Happy Hour” for drink specials after 9 p.m.
The Wydown Hotel is located near some of Napa’s best tasting rooms.
Courtesy of the Wydown Hotel
The Wydown Hotel
- Location: St. Helena
- Book now
About 30 minutes up the Valley in St. Helena, the 12-room Wydown Hotel sits right on the main drag, putting guests within one block of homegrown establishments including Woodhouse Chocolate, Model Bakery (try the English muffins), and Cameo Cinema. (Founded in 1913, it shows arthouse films and is California’s oldest continuously operated single-screen movie theater.) Rooms are spacious and bright; many have reading nooks, skylights, or both. The continental breakfast includes baked goods from Model, and chocolate-and-wine tastings every afternoon in the lobby.
One of the biggest perks of staying at the Wydown is that every guest room has their own parking spot out back—a hot commodity, especially during summer and harvest seasons when St. Helena can get crowded.
For healing mineral waters
Indian Springs Resort & Spa is known for its healing mineral waters on site.
Rachel Weill, AFAR Media
Indian Springs Resort & Spa
- Location: Calistoga
- Book now
For many years, the northern Napa Valley town of Calistoga has been regarded as a place for people to experience the area’s healing mineral spring waters—they’re what brought 19th-century author Robert Louis Stevenson to the area. For modern-day wellness seekers, one of the best places to stay is the family-owned Indian Springs Resort & Spa, which has two large spring-fed pools and a spa that offers mud baths. While private tubs are available at the spa, the best way to enjoy Indian Springs’ pools is to grab two pool noodles and float in the warm water.
The main pool, built in 1913, is open until 10 p.m. and is family friendly, while a separate adults-only pool has a swankier feel. The 116 accommodations vary from spacious adults-only rooms in the Lodge buildings to modernized circa-1930 cottages ideal for families. The resort is a five-minute walk to downtown Calistoga and has a popular on-site restaurant in Sam’s Social Club that serves a seasonal menu.
Read more reviews of Indian Spring’s Resort & Spa.
Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs draws from Calistoga’s healing mineral waters.
Courtesy of Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs
Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs
- Location: Calistoga
- Book now
About a quarter mile down the road the midcentury-modern Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs serves up similarly chilled out vibes. There’s a pool fed by mineral spring water and a spa that specializes in mud treatments with that signature water. As the name suggests, there’s also a recently renovated courtyard area, complete with bistro tables, lawn games, and a makeshift cocktail bar that operates out of a repurposed shipping container.
When you’re out by the pool, be sure to look for the custom and colorful murals, which local artists painted on the side of the hotel. Because the property was built in 1952, most of the 50 rooms here are on the small side; thanks to a renovation in 2019 and 2020, they now offer such modern conveniences as Galanz mini-fridges and electric kettles for heating water.
Accommodations range from traditional hotel rooms to a five-bedroom, 1924 Victorian house, which, with its stylish bunkbeds, sleeps 15. Vintage clawfoot tubs, framed photos of the resort’s early years, and walls bearing the original brick are a throwback to another era.
