the carneros inn, napa, california

the carneros inn is set up like a pseudo-planned, stepford-type community. think the subdivision on showtime’s meadowlands, combined with a little bit of wisteria lane. it felt a bit strange.

don’t let that stop you from staying here, though.

situated in the midst of expansive farmland in the carneros district, charming wood-sided one bedroom cottages dot the landscape, built in tight clusters, named after prominent families in the area. the grounds are quite lovely, with an apple orchard and mature swaths of abundant lavender and rosemary plants. there’s a “town hall” for meetings, gourmet grocery store, spa, fitness center and three restaurants, all contained within the property.

we walked into the lofty, rustic-chic registration building, surrounded by beautiful landscaping, and were impressed with tons of natural light, high ceilings,and a light white color scheme. off the room where you check in is a living room of sorts, with comfy leather seating, books, dvds and a great view of the vast acreage beyond the property.

we checked in and were told we had the larsen 4 room. apparently, it was the “model” room when the inn first opened 4 years ago. i was immediately put on red alert, and prepared myself for disappointment. if i’m paying out the nose for what is supposed to be a “five star” experience, don’t think you are going to thrill me by dangling a “jacuzzi tub” in front of my face.

fortunately, it didn’t turn out that way.

larsen 4 sits at the far end of it’s cluster, so it only had one neighbor, and then the farmlands on the other side. to get to it (and all the other cottages) you walk along a crushed limestone path landscaped with rustic metal fountains, lantana, crocosmia, hydrangeas and other gorgeous blooming plants and flowers.

our room was very stylish and comfortable: dark hardwood floors contrasted with a light yellow and white color palette. big king bed with triple sheeting and down comforter and pillows. substantial trim and moldings around the windows and doors. wi-fi access and ethernet card at the writing desk.

more luxuries: wall mounted flat panel tv, wet bar and a filled ice bucket. ceiling fan, fireplace and a gorgeous wall of double doors that open to a completely private wooden deck, outfitted with two lounge chairs and table for four with umbrella.

not too shabby.

the bathroom had a double marble vanity, fantastic natural light, a humongous mirror, with a separate toilet room, ceramic tile everywhere, a deep kohler tub and separate glass-walled double shower with two wall mounted heads, body spray bar and handheld. at the back of the shower area was another door to the deck, where an outdoor shower was waiting.

decadent.

we came with friends who brought their two year old, and we did see several other families with kids, but despite this the place was really quiet. they have recently built a children’s pool that features a 18 inch deep wading area. very cute.

we encountered issues with parking on the weekend, with spaces in our cluster being filled with the cars of the people who were not overnight guests. there are no sidewalks to use so we had to walk on the streets, and negotiate around landscapers, construction trucks, staff on golf carts and other guests who were leaving the property by car, while all the new timeshare cottages are being built.

hopefully once the building ends, it will be an experience worthy of the top ratings is so strives to achieve. in the meantime, enjoy an indulgent, special escape from the mundane workday grind. we certainly did.

for more information and to reserve a room at the carneros inn, click here.

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sea ranch lodge - get your solitude on

sea ranch, california is a small town with rich historical roots. it was inhabited by the pomo indians until the late 19th century, when german and russian settlers arrived. it was an actual working sheep ranch in the 1940’s.

a few buildings from the turn of the century are still standing along the rugged coastline today.

the wooden-sided contemporary lodge is perched on a bluff overlooking the deep dark pacific ocean, on the west side of highway one. we had stayed at ventana in big sur several years ago, and that is on the east side of the road. it makes a difference. the lodge is surrounded by tress and lovely gardens, with adirondack chairs dotting the property. the main building houses the restaurant, gift shop, reading room with telescope and fireplace, and bar. all the rooms in the building have magnificent views of the ocean.

i had booked room no. 10 for us. it was on the top floor, very spacious, with a king bed, soft pile wall-to-wall carpeting, lofted ceilings, warm knotty pine walls and a built-in, el-shaped daybed in the corner of the room, that looked out on unobstructed western and northern views. the windows opened easily so we could enjoy the fresh air and breezes throughout our room — no need for a/c or a white noise machine to get to sleep.

there are 8 miles of walking trails along the cliff, with beach access at certain points. we didn’t get a chance to tour them, but we did go out to the edge of the property to peer over the edge. the cliff has been formed in such a way that it narrows at a point, and there are 2 smaller inlets with caves and rocks in what appears to be shallower water. we stopped to look down and saw a white thing moving on one of the rocks.

it was a seal taking a nap.

when we looked around the area a bit more we realized that there was an entire seal colony, all bobbing their heads above the water’s surface until a wave would come, and then ducking under in unison. there were at least 200 of them. i knew this was whale-watching territory, but their season ends in may, so it was a wonderful surprise.

since everywhere you looked was ocean, and everything you heard was ocean, the setting provides a place for quiet reflection and relaxation.

n.b. a couple things: 1) it was a cool 60 degrees there in the middle of June, so be sure to check the weather before you go — you may need polar fleece; and 2) your food options are limited because of the relatively remote locale, but the restaurant on the property is very good and offers magnificent breakfasts!

i can’t wait to return. for rates and reservations, click here.

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