Frommer's San Francisco 2012 - Matthew Poole [244]
Very Expensive
Gaige House Inn ★★ Set on a 3-acre oasis with perfectly manicured lawns and gardens, the Wine Country’s finest B&B combines intimate surroundings with luxury appointments within its 1890 Queen Anne–Italianate building and Garden Annex. Spacious rooms offer everything you could want—firm mattresses, silky-soft Sferra linens, and stylish plantation-style decor with Asian and Indonesian influences. For aquatic enjoyment, four rooms have Jacuzzi tubs, one has a Japanese soaking tub, and the 13 spa garden suites have, among other delights, granite soaking tubs. There’s also an outdoor 40-foot heated pool for all to use. For chilly country nights, fireplaces (in 17 rooms) definitely come in handy. Bathrooms are equally luxe, range in size, and are stocked with Aveda products and slippers.
Evenings are best spent in the reading parlor, sipping premium wines. Appetizers at the wine hour might include freshly shucked oysters or a sautéed scallop served ready-to-slurp on a Chinese soupspoon. Breakfast is a momentous event, accented with herbs from the inn’s garden. On sunny days, the meal can be served at individual tables on the large terrace.
13540 Arnold Dr., Glen Ellen, CA 95442. www.thompsonhotels.com. 800/935-0237 or 707/935-0237. Fax 707/935-6411. 23 units. Summer $365–$375 double, $395–$695 suite; winter $200–$325 double, $300–$595 suite. Rates include breakfast and evening wines. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Large heated pool. In room: A/C, TV/DVD, fridge, hair dryer, free Wi-Fi.
Inexpensive
Beltane Ranch ★★ The word ranch conjures up a big ol’ two-story house in the middle of hundreds of rolling acres, the kind of place where you laze away the day in a hammock watching the grass grow or in the garden pitching horseshoes. You can have all that and more at the well-located Beltane Ranch, a century-old buttercup-yellow manor that’s been everything from a bunkhouse to a brothel to a turkey farm. You simply can’t help but feel your tensions ease away as you prop your feet up on the shady wraparound porch overlooking the quiet vineyards, sipping a cool, fruity chardonnay. Each room is uniquely decorated with American and European antiques; all have sitting areas and separate entrances. A big country breakfast is served in the garden or on the porch overlooking the vineyards. For exercise, you can play tennis on the private court or hike the trails meandering through the 105-acre estate. The staff here is knowledgeable and helpful. Tip: Request one of the upstairs rooms for the best views.
11775 Sonoma Hwy./Hwy. 12, PO Box 395, Glen Ellen, CA 95442. www.beltaneranch.com. 707/996-6501. 5 units, 1 cottage. $150–$240 double. Rates include full breakfast. DISC, MC, V. Amenities: Outdoor, unlit tennis court. In room: No phone, free Wi-Fi.
Beltane Ranch.
KENWOOD
The northernmost town is also the least developed, with stretches of vineyards, a handful of wineries and restaurants, and the renowned luxury retreat listed below; it’s also the gateway to Northern Sonoma, a Wine Country destination in itself.
Best For: Anyone who wants to truly “get away from it all” or venture up to Northern Sonoma while staying in the valley.
Drawbacks: You’ll have to do more driving to get to the rest of the area’s attractions.
Very Expensive
Kenwood Inn & Spa ★★ Inspired by the villas of Tuscany, the Kenwood Inn’s honey-colored Italian-style buildings, flower-filled flagstone courtyard, and pastoral views of vineyard-covered hills provide one of the region’s most romantic backdrops. Add spacious rooms lavishly and exquisitely decorated with imported tapestries, velvets, and antiques, plus a fireplace, balcony (except on the ground floor), private bathroom (many with spa tubs), feather bed, CD player, and down comforter, and you’ve got amore in the making. With no TVs, relaxation is inevitable—especially if you book treatments at their Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa. A minor caveat is road noise, which you’re unlikely to hear from your room but can be slightly audible over