Wine country is obviously an essential Northern California destination, and living in San Francisco means we are usually lucky to make a day trip to enjoy some wine every so often. But there are some amazing hotels up in Napa and Sonoma counties, and I have a long wish list of places I'd love to stay. The Carneros Resort and Spa has been on the top of that list since we moved out here, and we finally made it happen to celebrate my first Mothers Day!
We booked a Premier Garden Cottage, arrived on Friday after work and basically never left our cozy room again. With a king sized bed, outdoor deck, lounge chairs, large soaking bath tub, an outdoor shower and a fireplace, we had everything we needed and the ingredients for a perfect weekend.
We traveled with our young son, so the stunning pool that I drooled over on instagram was off-limits to us (but yes I did sneak in for a photo). However, for us hanging out in our cottage was all we needed for a perfect weekend. We ordered room service from their fabulous restaurant Boon Fly Cafe for all of our meals -- didn't have to wait for a table or worry about our baby crying in the restaurant, plus we got to eat every meal alfresco on our deck (except for breakfast in bed!) Win-win-win in my book. And yes, the Boon Fly Donuts are worth it. Definitely dip them in the chocolate sauce.
The property is large and very family friendly. It would be a great destination for any trip (romantic getaway, a girls trip, etc), but I really loved it for traveling with a baby. There is a family friendly pool that we spent a few hours relaxing at, and there were lots of other young couples with babies cruising around.
This can obviously be a great home base for wine tasting in the region -- it is very centrally located on Sonoma County's Highway 12, and is a short drive to my favorite vineyard Scribe Winery.
If You Go
Pack... bathing suits, easy sandals, wine tasting-chic dress, and a wide brimmed hat to keep the sun out.
Good for... traveling with small babies, wine country weekend, girls trip
Plan ahead... wine tasting reservations usually need to be made in advance. The hotel staff can assist with that and any reservations for meals. The staff was very friendly, helpful & accommodating throughout our stay.
Price... It's expensive, and the price has deterred me from staying a few times before. But if you are in need of a relaxing getaway in a beautiful setting, it's worth saving your pennies for a splurge (we put some old AmEx points to good use).