Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [220]
486 Coombs St. (at Oak St.), Napa, CA 94559. www.cedargablesinn.com. 800/309-7969 or 707/224-7969. Fax 707/224-4838. 9 units. $199–$359 double. Rates include full breakfast, evening wine and cheese, and port. AE, DISC, MC, V. From Hwy. 29 N., exit onto First St. and follow signs to downtown; turn right onto Jefferson St. and left on Oak St.; house is on the corner. In room: A/C, hair dryer, free Wi-Fi.
Napa River Inn ★★ If you want chic-boutique hotel charm, reasonable prices, and the very best downtown Napa location, you can’t get much better than this three-building hotel located in the renovated 1884 historic Napa Mill and Hatt Market. Each of the well-appointed rooms in the main building romances with burgundy-colored walls, original brick, wood furnishings, plush fabrics, a gas fireplace, and claw-foot bathroom tubs. The more modern themed addition overlooking the river and ground floor marketplace’s dining patio boasts urban loft appeal. Yet another riverfront building houses the more masculine (and in my opinion less pretty) nautically themed mustard-and-brown rooms, which also have less daylight. Perks include instant access to the best downtown dining (Angèle, one of my faves, is right out the front door), complimentary vouchers to breakfast at adorable Sweetie Pie’s bakery, and wine at the nearby swank wine bar, the Bounty Hunter.
500 Main St., Napa, CA 94559. www.napariverinn.com. 877/251-8500 or 707/251-8500. Fax 707/251-8504. 66 units. $199–$399 double; $299–$499 suite. Rates include vouchers to a full breakfast and wine tasting at the nearby Bounty Hunter. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Pets $25 per night. Amenities: 2 restaurants; concierge. In room: A/C, TV, CD clock radio/MP3 docking station, fridge, hair dryer, free Wi-Fi.
Inexpensive
Best Western Elm House Inn ★★ Unlike most Napa Valley hotels, this sweet family-owned and -run downtown Napa option provides true value at surprisingly reasonable prices. While rooms may be just a step up from motel flair, their sizes are generous and are accompanied by lots of perks and thoughtful human touches—including friendly personal service, an above-par breakfast with made-to-order waffles, and freshly baked afternoon cookies. With a well-appointed lobby with a large fireplace and garden with meticulous landscaping, this special find has all the personality and charm of a B&B with all the privacy of a hotel. It’s also within walking distance of Napa’s downtown center and close to Hwy. 29, the region’s thoroughfare.
800 California Blvd., Napa, CA 94559. www.bestwestern.com. 888/849-1997 or 707/255-1831. Fax 707/255-8609. 22 units. $119–279 double. Rates include full breakfast and evening cookies. AE, DISC, MC, V. From Hwy. 29 north, take the First St. exit, take a right onto California Blvd., and the hotel is on the corner of Second St. and California Blvd. In room: A/C, hair dryer, free Wi-Fi.
Chablis Inn ★ There’s no way around it: If you want to sleep cheaply in a town where the average room rate tops $200 per night in high season, you’re destined for a motel. Look on the bright side: Because your room is likely to be little more than a crash pad after a day of eating and drinking, a clean bed and a remote control are all you’ll really need anyway. And Chablis offers much more than that. All of the motel-style rooms are super clean, and some even boast kitchenettes or whirlpool tubs. Guests have access to a heated outdoor pool and hot tub.
3360 Solano Ave., Napa, CA 94558. www.chablisinn.com. 800/443-3490 or 707/257-1944. Fax