February 3, 2018

Hotel Feature: The best of Sonoma, AZ

By Annie Chambers

March is known to be a unpredictable in terms of weather in the Valley of the Moon, aka Sonoma Valley. I arrived into the tiny airport of Santa Rosa after a quick, but extremely bumpy ride on a prop plane from John Wayne (Orange County) Airport. California is just heavenly right now. Put aside all the bitching about months of rain and you’ve got a drought-less, luscious wine country. Everything is in bloom and bright green.

Sonoma is Napa’s more rustic, down-to-earth cousin. You’ll find endless stretches of road with no development, covered bridges, and lots of working farms. Almost every person you meet will know something about the local produce, wines, or artisan crafts. The wineries are intimate and mostly family-owned. The hotels are boutique and quaint and oftentimes have a history behind them.

$$$$$ Farmhouse Inn (Forestville, CA): If you want to escape it all and be practically in the middle of nowhere (well, Forestville, CA), this is your place! Rated number 1 hotel in California by Travel + Leisure, Farmhouse brings rustic chic to a new level. With a Michelin Star restaurant and gorgeous guest rooms/ bungalows, we understand how it quickly rose in the ranks! The restaurant is the real deal- the sommeliers and servers have a wealth of knowledge about local produce & meats. The food is sourced from the owners’ farm and local artisan farmers. The 4-course tasting menu is a delight to the senses. We even learned about a new vegetable: celtuce!
Upon arrival, you pick your favorite handmade bath salt & handmade soap and are handed a glass of vino. Instant relaxation. The owners are a brother-sister duo and come from five generations of Forestville farmers. This shows at daily breakfast when enjoying eggs from their farm. They also partner with 10 Russian River and Dry Creek wineries that offer free tastings to guests. You have redwood trails almost at your doorstep for gorgeous hikes.

We recommend this for couples and girlfriend getaways.

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$$$$$ Single Thread Farm Restaurant & Inn (Healdsburg, CA): Located right off the main square in Healdsburg, this zen-like boutique property only had 5 well-appointed rooms. Each feels extremely clean and comes with the newest gadgets, not to mention treats from the infamous pastry chef downstairs. The farm itself is located on five acres between the Russian River and Healdsburg. This newest addition to the town boasts an 11-course tasting menu completely customized to guests’ preferences.

$$$$ Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa (Boyes Hot Springs, CA): This property is a historic masterpiece with modern touches. Located in Boyes Hot Springs, the town next to Sonoma, you’re somewhat confined to the grounds and a 10-minute drive to downtown. Although there are a few places in the town, not much is of note. Inside you’ll find a grand lobby with Spanish tiles and a roaring fireplace. The spa was just renovated last year and boasts healing mineral baths, among other exquisite treatments. They have partnerships with wineries and the Sonoma Golf Club, an 18-hole championship course. They also have local wineries stop by for tastings nightly! With three different dining options, you’ll find something to suit your mood. Sante is the top-rated for the Bay area and received a AAA Four Diamond Award and Michelin designations. The Water tower bar is next to the pool and very casual, serving local craft beers and bites. 38º North is the hip hotel lounge that serves 50 wines and has an excellent pairing menu.

Spa Services
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Spring Activities Guide

$$: Inn At Sonoma (Sonoma, CA) This simple property is right on the edge of town in Sonoma and is a cost-effective option. The rooms are actually quite large and a decent breakfast is included with homemade quiche. We like this for our groups or budget to mid-range travelers. Very clean and friendly staff. No pool or spa.

$$$ El Dorado Hotel & Kitchen (Sonoma, CA): Right off the square, one of the town’s most reputable dining spots has a hotel above it. After seeing some of the rooms, I wasn’t overly impressed but since the property has only been open a year and they are redoing most of the balconies I would definitely give this place a shot. Rooms are a nice size and some of large balconies face the town square. You won’t find all the top amenities here, but there is a pool.

$$$ Healdsburg Modern Cottages: This tiny little cluster of cottages just so happens to be right behind my all-time favorite place to eat in Healdsburg, the Shed. I stayed here last year with my sister and friend for a long weekend. We absolutely loved our cottage with local art on the walls, a tiny kitchenette and a large bathroom. There were two separate areas in ours, although no door. The living/dining/fireplace and smaller bed were in one area and the bathroom and large King bed were in the other. Best of all we had a front porch and back porch! There is a small, but nice pool here should weather permit. Walking distance to everything in town.