How to Find Luxury Hotels in Napa Valley, California

The Napa Valley, spread out over Napa and Sonoma counties in Northern California, boast a variety of wines that may be unequalled anywhere else in the world, even in France or Italy. The Napa Valley has also developed a number of resorts and spas that strive to match the same high level of quality that exist in the splendid wineries.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Know Your Destination

1. Map out your itinerary carefully, focusing on the specific vineyards you want to visit. The Napa Valley is spread out, even though many of the vineyards are clustered in the more productive regions of the Valley.

2. Bring a light jacket for the foggy, cool mornings and brisk evenings, even in the summer. This type of climate is essential for producing the best fruit.

3. Space your wine tasting evenly and lightly throughout the day, especially if you're driving from winery to winery. It's easy to get a bit tipsy if you concentrate your efforts at one location.

Get Around Napa Valley

4. Fly in to one of the many airports in the Bay Area, such as Oakland or San Jose, or Sacramento, which is about a 1-hour drive to the east.

5. Travel in luxury from vineyard to vineyard in a rented limousine.

6. Use the Napa Downtown Trolley to get around the city of Napa.

7. Put your trust in one of Napa Valley's winery tours and receive door-to-door service to and from your luxury accommodations.

Find Luxury Accommodations in Napa Valley

8. Book accommodations at The Meadowood by calling [phone] or visiting its Web site (see Resources below).

9. Call the Napa Valley Conference & Visitors Bureau at [phone] for recommendations on luxury accommodation vacancies in Napa Valley.

10. Choose one of the hotels in the center of some of the larger towns, such as Napa, if you want to be closer to the seasonal festivals and shopping areas.

11. Rent a private cottage with plenty of luxury amenities for a romantic retreat.

12. Pamper yourself at one of the famous spa resorts, some of which are built around natural hot springs.

13. Stay at one of the many charming bed-and-breakfast inns in the area, most of which are located close to the wineries.

Explore Napa Valley

14. Book a hot-air balloon flight for a unique perspective on the many vineyards in the valley.

15. Rent a bicycle for your tour through the vineyards, an increasingly popular way to see Napa Valley.

16. Dine at some of the most innovative and exciting restaurants in California; the wine cellars will be magnificent as well.

Tips & Warnings

• When calling internationally from outside the United States, check which international dialing prefix to use.