Every B&B owner in the world needs to make a pilgrimage to Beltane Ranch to see How. It's. Done…read more There is a Gawd...and he created Beltane Ranch for all you non-believin' Marriott Masses to get yo-selves edu-muh-cated about what true hospitality looks like. Don't need to perform no good deeds or un-covet thy neighbor's latest-model oxen to get into heaven. It's right here at Beltane. No virtue required, just your credit card. The decor is Farmhouse Done Right. While most B&Bs look (and smell) like it came straight out of Funeral Parlor Digest, featuring all the furniture that your Depression-era Grandma couldn't even offload at the thrift store, Beltane Ranch delivers Vintage Classy perfectly suited for modern sensibilities. Charming, tasteful, and unassumingly elegant, Beltane captures the elusive vibe of Home Nostalgia that sends you back to a cozy time before the internet (but after penicillin). And did I mention the wrap-around porch is the stuff of Louisiana-level Luxury Lazy? Now I'm all for the happy pursuit of property rights as much as the next corn-fed American, but--with all due respect and with the highest of praise--Beltane makes me want to be a squatter. In fact, I'll just let 'em know that I ain't leaving, and let the Sonoma County sheriff physically drag me off premise--Gaza 2005 style. Thank you, Beltane Ranch. For once in my Chinese life, I'm glad someone took my money.

Choosing Beltane Ranch as our wedding venue was honestly the best decision we made in our entire…read moreplanning process. We looked at a lot of venues all over California and when we visited Beltane we knew it had to be there. We were looking for a venue that had nearby guest accommodations (200+ person wedding) but would allow for us to stay on site with our families and really slow down and enjoy that time with them. Beltane has a magic about it that can't be quantified and it's from the care that Lauren & the entire team put into every detail. We stayed with both of our families Thursday - Monday and hosted our rehearsal dinner there on Thursday night. The food was incredible thanks to Chef Neil, every detail was so thoughtful, and the whole thing just flowed. Our families felt completely at home. The rooms are beautiful, the grounds are stunning, and we couldn't have been more relaxed. Lauren, Alexandria, Elise, Angie, Brian and the entire team are the best at what they do. They were flexible, responsive, and genuinely cared about making our weekend special. In an industry full of venues that feel impersonal and transactional, Beltane is the epitome of warmth and personality. We can't recommend Beltane enough.

Just paid another visit to the Olea Hotel for my husband's birthday. Still love this place but it's…read morestarting to lose some of the charm it once had. But first, the good: their accommodations remain fabulous. We stayed in the Upper Poolside Cottage (Room 10) and it's just wonderful. The Comphy sheets are just heaven. Their bath towels are also plush and luxurious. Two thumbs up for in-room linens! Heated floors in the bathroom and 2-sided fireplace provide nice warmth and comfort. Complimentary snacks and fizzy water in the mini fridge are a nice bonus, too. The poolside cottages are the cat's meow, and just a short hop to the pool and hot tub. But there are several things that I noted during our last visit that made me feel like maybe this may have been our last visit to the Olea. First, there was a goodly amount of trash strewn about the property. At the hot tub, there was a wine bottle cap on the bench (I know, wine country, to be expected, right?), but what truly grossed me out was the wad of used athletic wrap right next to the hot tub. Blech! As I grabbed both of these items and took them to the trash (all of five or six steps from where they had been scattered), I noticed even more bits of trash in the corner area near the planters. Like more trash than would be expected by just one party being messy. (Also, the planter area was weedy and just seemed neglected.) I dismissed it as just not getting some needed attention, until I returned to our cottage and noticed several more pieces of trash right by our front door that I had missed earlier. And apparently so did housekeeping and management. Plus broken tree limbs atop the roof of the main building. And a huge rip in one of the pool lounge chair pads. And a very large hole (~3") in a pool towel. Just signs of general neglect and subpar for this place, especially at their price point. Second and perhaps even more disappointing is how much the included breakfast service has changed. It's gone from a 2-course, made-in-house gourmet affair to a continental style DYI breakfast, apparently now even on the weekends. The only thing made to order is the avocado toast (for obvious reasons). For those guests who hadn't enjoyed the previous offerings, perhaps it doesn't seem too bad. Nice spread. But I sorely miss the delectable morning meals and the awesome homemade chai along with the service for breakfast. I'd give this an updated 3.5 stars but will round up to 4 because I still really want to love this place. Also, Star provided friendly and welcoming service at the front desk, which was appreciated.

Very cute little hotel, has everything you need, very clean, friendly staff, just a very basic…read moresmall hotel. Parking was a bit more difficult for us, only because we had a larger vehicle. The morning breakfast is very good, few basic items but all the necessities. Love how they have wine and champagne when you arrive.

Wow! What an incredible experience. This place was booked for my birthday for two days and I wished…read morewe could have stayed for 3 days. This place is definitely romantic!! From check in to check out the staff and grounds were impeccable! Lim the manager is so kind and she makes sure you have a great experience. All the staff works hard, and goes over and beyond to exceed with thought. Our room was beautiful and the scenery was the prettiest ever! The heated pool was so much fun! And we were able to meet new people and make friends. The fresh cookies baked were a plus, we loved the espresso machine and water taps all over the property. Between 5-6pm There is a wine hour! With a free tasting and snacks. You really do not need to go anywhere, there are restaurants in 2-10 minutes with an uber drive. I absolutely love this place so much. I want to come back soon.

The Kenwood Inn and Spa has had a strong reputation for years, and has been part of the Four…read moreSisters Inns collection since 2017. After a few days here, I can say we especially enjoyed taking advantage of the Sonoma sunshine with pool time, lounging, and relaxing. A few things that stood out: * A pretty good midweek (& last minute) room price * An included breakfast bar * Plenty of pool towels * A large jacuzzi with waterfall open around the clock * Port wine and homemade cookies in the evenings * Local Wine tasting onsite from 5 to 6 pm * Multiple public fireplaces * Coffee bars and water & sparkling water There are many little touches that make it easy to settle in. Full disclosure, I am in their target demographic, wanting a comfortable, low key getaway with thoughtful amenities. Particularly good for a midweek stay and can get pricey otherwise. Sometimes an unexpected change of plans turns out surprisingly well.

This is one of those lovely bed and breakfasts you know you will return to time after time…read more The landlords, Chris and Brent, were great. Chris told some hysterical stories and Brent played straight man and was an incredible chef. Our room was very comfortable and wine and cheese on the porch in the late afternoon made the whole stay just the relaxing time we needed. We still feel impressed and mildly embarrassed by Chris picking up our huge suitcase and toting it up the stairs thanking "his mother's thighs". It's a destination and a reason to go to Calistoga.

My partner and I just spent the weekend at Embrace Calistoga, and it was easily one of the best bed…read moreand breakfast experiences we've ever had. From the moment we arrived, Brent and Chris made us feel like old friends coming home. The evening wine and cheese hour was such a treat. Local wines, great cheeses, and friendly conversation with other guests created this wonderful sense of community. And breakfast? Out of this world. Perfectly fluffy beignets, a croque madame baked in a delicate crepe, and berries tossed in a spiced wine syrup with cinnamon and star anise. It honestly rivaled any restaurant brunch I've ever had. The big wraparound porch was our favorite spot to relax, whether sipping morning coffee or enjoying a glass of wine at sunset. The location is ideal too, right in downtown Calistoga but still incredibly quiet and peaceful at night. Every detail here feels thoughtful, and every interaction genuine. You arrive as guests, but you really do leave as friends.

Such a great, relaxing getaway. Everything went well during our stay and that's because of the…read moreamazing host, Kurt. When we first arrived, we drove through a bridge and then we were surrounded by planted gardens and fruit trees with a few chairs and tables spaced apart. We called Kurt and he came right away to help us, directed us to a good parking spot, and then showed us around. We arrived around 10:00AM and it was still quiet with only one other couple by the pool. Kurt showed us where the switches for the hot tub jets were, the switch for the sauna, towels, bathroom, water, etc. The rest of the day was extremely relaxing. People slowly trickled in and seemed to hit peak occupancy around 1:00PM. There were beautiful views of the hillside and trees. Everything clean and neat. Plentiful umbrellas for shade. A quiet atmosphere with friendly conversations. There were always lounge chairs to choose from. I loved the layout of the place. The pool, hot tub, and sauna were all spacious and never felt crowded. Around 6:00PM the pool area starts emptying out, and weather quickly gets cooler. I'd recommend bringing a cooler with drinks and snacks to maximize your relaxation time. An amazing place to be and we'll definitely be back whenever we need to let go of any stress.

We returned to Meadowlark for our third vacation this past weekend. This time we brought a dozen…read morefriends with us and rented the pool house in addition to each couple's private room. Each room is beautifully appointed with jacuzzi tubs and plus robes. It was hot outside and the air conditioning was nice and cold for comfortable sleeping. The beds were so comfortable, everyone commented on their great sleep! The grounds are luscious and there was beautiful landscaping, flowers and peach trees bursting with fruit. There are three lovely horses that we enjoyed visiting and treating to carrots. The pool house was the perfect place for an intimate birthday celebration for our whole group. It's has plenty of lounge space, a private deck with umbrellas and a full kitchen for easy food prep. Two single guests stayed here in the two sleeping areas. The owner Kurt is always a lovely and attentive host and the property is even more special because of his wonderful presence. We plan to return with our friends next year.

This was a beautiful little cottage location run by a sweet woman and her well behaved dog. We…read moreenjoyed our stay, slept well. Was a great option for lodging for a visit to Harbin, or anything else in the area like wine country. The rooms are old but well kept, nice large bathroom, working fridge, soundproof rooms. The breakfast is pure sugar, but if you like fruit it's fresh.

Clean, Cute, quaint and quiet space central Middletown...Miss Greta & Ollie were welcoming and…read moreaccomodating. We had a pleasant peaceful stay w/ comfy beds, Wifi, Cable Netflix YouTube Tv refrigerator microwave coffee pot tea as we spent a relaxing weekend in Harbin & Napa Valley Hope to stay again soon

Ready to stay 1 more night in Napa. Already 3 nights into a 1 night stay and no vacancy anywhere…read more Since we were in the Yountville area we opted for the Alila, a Hyatt brand, in St. Helena makes it 4 nights. This place is super expensive. Good thing I had a bunch of World of Hyatt points to use instead cash. Driving in there are only a few parking spaces so have to use valet parking which I'm never a fan of. But, first perk, it's free. After check in a bell hop walked us to our room. Upon opening the door we are greeted with a awesome view of the Beringer Winery grounds and after stepping on the deck a creek below us. Lots of electronics here including light switches, a tablet with hotel information and be warned as you approach the bathroom the computer toilet lid opens on its own. You've been warned. The light switches by the bed has a romantic setting. Not sure what it did cause the lighting looked the same. All the light control were on touch pads. The deck overlooking the creek and Beringer had a nice couch and 2 big cushioned rocking chairs around a round gas fire pit. It a controlled by a timer on the wall so if you fell asleep out there it would go off on its own. At night the deck is very private but come morning it might be a good idea to wear clothes since people are walking around on the grounds across the way. Unless you just don't care. For dinner we went Salvia on the grounds and perk 2...free corkage for the first bottle when you stay at the hotel. The air stayed on all night which keeps it nice and cool. In the past at other places I've rigged up balloons and other stuff to trick the sensors to keep the air on. So back to Mr. Toilet. Not only does the lid open it is a full bidet with seat warmer, sprays and air dryer. If you want one for your home they are on Amazon. The grounds look great with pool and gym etc. Didn't take in any of the other amenities this time.

We got off to a bit of a rocky start to our stay here and that's possibly because we arrived early…read more We had a long drive and had planned to get some lunch and do some shopping on our way so I thought I had planned it out to arrive around 4:00 (check-in) however, because of the terrible heat lately we found we were not interested in lingering any longer than necessary and that caused us to arrive early. There is really no parking available here. There are a handful of spots that I assume are always taken and then the valet area. They charge $35 per night for the valet, which is not unreasonable, but if I had known then what I know now, I would have parked somewhere nearby and sat in my car in the AC for an hour. We had requested early check-in just in case, and as it was my first time at this property, I assumed I could check out the grounds If they still needed a few moments to prepare my accommodation. I travel a lot and I have been early to many check-ins and either the room is ready or I sit in the air-conditioned lobby while I wait. Honestly, having been to Alila Ventana Big Sur multiple times, I did not think there would be any issue. When we exited the car, the valet directed us to the check-in area. I am not being hyperbolic when I tell you that it was smaller than my walk-in closet. There were three employees inside and us walking in filled the entire room. We were told we could have a seat but I almost laughed. The room is so uncomfortably tiny. A second employee had to squeeze around us with a tablet to go outside and check in another couple while we were being helped. I asked if they had a lobby (hoping to head indoors and rest somewhere with AC) and I was told, with a laugh mind you, "This is it!". Even the staff knows it is ridiculous. Ultimately, they explained that they did not have a room ready and they would put us on a wait list and we could check out the grounds while we waited. The problem with this is that there are really no grounds to check out. There is a grassy area, a pool and a covered area by the bar. We were also advised we could walk over a bridge and down to the neighboring Beringer Vineyards for a discounted tasting. We walked over to look at the pool, which is incredibly small, not as comically small as that check-in area mind you, but still far too small. We were already dripping sweat at this time, but we tried to make the best of it by playing some cornhole. That lasted for 2 minutes and then we sat in the shade by the bar with some waters and waited in the horrible heat. A patron at the bar was complaining of the heat and asked that more fans be brought out so someone placed one on the counter for her. I also heard staff tell her that they have been asking their management for misters for this area because the heat is so unbearable. We meant to grab some bath salts on the way but forgot, so in an attempt to escape the heat, we eventually headed to the spa to purchase some. I spoke to two employees multiple times explaining that I wanted something for the room. I did not like the smell of their larger containers they showed me and opted for singular bath bombs. I liked the lemongrass and lavender. When I did finally make it to my room, I found complimentary bath salt near the tub. This is not a big deal, but it would have been nice if one of them had mentioned that the same items would have been provided for free in my room and saved me the time and money. After my purchase, I went back out into the heat to wait some more. I just want it noted that the rest of our stay was fine, but this introduction to the property was terrible and it is the part that made the mark on my memory of the service and quality here and how they treat their guests. Our room was lovely, easily 9/10. My only complaints are that the beverage cooler did not cool our non alcoholic drinks. It seems to be only for wine and ran at about 60 degrees instead of the 40 I was hoping for. My husband is allergic to alcohol and he likes his drinks cool as well. Unfortunately, there are also no ice dispensers, so you have to either walk to the bar with your bucket and ask for ice or call and request that someone bring it to you. We declined to do either in the heat. There was a tear in our automatic drapes which let some light through and the constant noise from the street was quite loud. However, the bed was very comfortable. I loved the toto bidet (I have them at home) and the small bottle of complimentary Pinot Noir was a nice gesture even if I did not care for it personally. The balcony was lovely and I made good use of the fire pit. We also did an activity while we were here and paid $300 for what was booked as a 90 minute education. It only lasted about 40. Although I enjoyed it, they may want to change the time allowance on the guest reservations as many people factor that into the cost before booking. Based on our experience, I don't know if we'd stay here again.

Rustridge Ranch is a peaceful and beautiful gem and I already miss being there. I stayed a week…read morewhile at a conference and found the sparkling salt pool overlooking exquisite vineyards and cantering thoroughbreds the perfect ending to very long days. The breakfast is amazing with local eggs and toast and much more served in their elegant southwestern style dining room and porches. I stayed in the Rustridge Room, with its semi-private entrance. I found it enchanting and spacious, with an unusual barn door...the top half opened right up to a small grassy knoll and ancient tree, extending a mighty bough, worthy of a Cheshire cat. There is a sense of timelessness here, a respect for time, for animals, and the land itself---many of the vines are mature, even 30-years old if I remember my private wine tasting correctly. Yes, that is the other element here: aromatic hand-crafted wines made in small batches by Susan and Jim. To sip fine vintages in their tasting room, with its windows overlooking sweeping vineyards, the grapes ripening before one's eyes, is an unparalleled experience. Thank you Jim and Susan for revealing to me and to all of us "the true Napa" and for the many laughs and conversations we all had. Kymberly T.

This is a great Napa winery that is off the beaten path. It is located about 15 minutes off the…read moreSilverado Trail, past a charming lake then up a windy road. Not a winery to hit near the end of the day unless you have a dedicated designated driver. If you appreciate rustic style tasting rooms where you can actually speak with the wine makers about their wines then you will enjoy this place. Wine consists of cabs, zins and a chard. I left with a couple reds. Loves the eccentric wine maker; aside from his growing duties he is also a horse jockey. So yes, the tasting room is located in a ranch filled with horses. The horse jockey wine maker signed our bottles and posed for my picture like nobody's business.