Carneros Resort: Candid Luxury Meets Countryside Charm
The Carneros region, situated next to the San Pablo Bay and just 30 minutes north of the Golden Gate Bridge, is the only AVA shared by both Napa and Sonoma counties. It’s the North Bay’s southernmost wine region; heavily influenced by morning fog and cooler daytime temperatures than any other Napa Valley AVA, Carneros is a haven for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines. It’s also home to long-standing family farms and cattle ranches. The serene rustic charm of Carneros is an almost too perfect, completely apropos greeting when you’re venturing into the Napa Valley from San Francisco.
As you make the winding two lane drive through the beautiful countryside, passing hillsides covered in vineyards, and wineries standing as beacons to thirsty travelers, you’ll eventually come upon unassuming fencing with a sign reading “Boon Fly Café.” While it stands to reason that a really fun restaurant is behind those gates – and you’d be right, Boon Fly, which serves up almost-classic American fare like Green Eggs and Ham, is wonderful – it’s also home to the luxurious Carneros Resort.
A resort hotel built to reflect its surroundings, Carneros Resort feels like walking into a modern American farmhouse landscape. With bocce ball courts, fire pits, relaxing outdoor seating, and lush landscaping leading you to the upscale, open-to-the-public restaurant FARM, you’ll quickly realize that you don’t have to leave the property to immerse yourself in Napa Valley style. And when you need dinner and cocktails, you cannot miss by reserving a table at FARM.
Spending a night or two or five at Carneros resort means getting your own little cottage complete with outdoor spaces that make you feel like you’ve purchased your personal Napa Valley vacation home. Cottages include an ultra comfortable bedroom with oversized bathroom. Both have private outdoor access where you might find an open-air shower, garden bathtub, and sun chairs underneath space heaters. Couple that with rocking chairs on your patio and you’re in for a fully relaxing experience.
Should you opt to venture away from your room – and you should, the property is gorgeous and expansive – you need to make your way to the adults only pool (don’t worry, there’s a family pool, too, should you be traveling with younger companions). Lounges, couches, cabanas, and sun chairs on three sides make this the place to be seen, but also a spot to blend into the countryside landscape where the pool seems to have always been a part of this space. Grab a coveted spot in the hot tub and the foot of the pool and watch the sunset with a glass of Domaine Carneros bubbles to really savor all of the romance this chic scene has to offer.
During the offseason (December through March) you’ll see average nightly prices around $400-500, with prices during peak season rising to meet the demand to stay at this entrance-to-Napa-Valley hideaway. With lots of exceptional wineries just minutes away, some within walking or bike riding distance, you’ll appreciate Carneros Resort for more than just its incredible lodging, restaurants, and impeccable grounds. If you want and expect resort luxury in an assuming and understated way, you should make it a point to book a weekend (or week) at this incredible Napa property.
