lizzoob

My Oakland-based daughter and I are planning a short jaunt to the Napa or Sonoma Valley in July. We are looking for relatively inexpensive ($150 or less) accommodations in any pleasant spot in that area. For financial reasons I know we will have to compromise on charm! But a few years back my husband and I went to the the Erueka/Arcata area, and not being familiar with the differences between them, stayed in Eureka--and realized Arcata would have been far more appealing place to have chosen.

All these California towns --Santa Rosa, Calistoga, etc.--have lovely sounding names, but I am hoping someone can steer me to some that are more appealing, even if we have to stay in a Days Inn kind of place once there. I don't want to be on a highway or in a strip mall.

Any suggestions of towns and/or inns/motels/ b & b's?

Thanks.

Liz

lizzoob

P.S. I have looked at posts about Napa/Sonoma lodging in this forum--I guess what information I am looking for is the differences in the towns rather than specific lodging recommendations. Once I narrow the town options I can go from there myself.

JayZee

Most of the "charming little towns" in the wine country such as Calistoga, St. Helena, Yountville, Healdsburg & Sonoma offer nice restaurants, lodging, small boutique shops looking for the tourist's dollars. The hotels will have a price tag above the $150 during the high season and will want a 2 night minimum.

volcanogirl

We stayed at a B&B in St. Helena - the town was really charming and exactly what we were looking for. If you can afford it, look into doing a hot air balloon ride; it was the highlight of our trip and would be a great memory if that sort of thing interests you.

janisj

Unfortunately, B&Bs and hot air ballooning in the area will be above your budget.

I'd try Sonoma or Healdsburg (more charm than Napa). Sonoma has some moderately priced places like the Sonoma Creek inn - though I don't think it has any 2-bed rooms.

The Dry Creek Inn in Healdsburg is inexpensive and while it is a motel - it is a decent one. I think it's a Best Western.

Santa Rosa will have more in the way of budget accomodations - but it is too far away to be a good base.

TrvlMaven

If you drive up Hwy 12 and stop to wine taste (all wineries on the right side of the road), picnic at Chateau St. Jean or St. Francis, then you would wind up in Santa Rosa. Either the Courtyard by Marriott or Hotel LaRose are on Railroad Square--walking to see shops, nice restaurants. Next morning, head back down Hwy 12, this time stopping at the wineries on the west side of the road--heading over to Benziger Family Winery in Glen Ellen, then back to Oakland. If you add a day, on the second day, head up to the wineries north of Santa Rosa toward Healdsburg, then bact to Santa Rosa for the night.

jtrandolph

Rates are high in the wine country in the summer and fall, and rooms fill up fast, so I would suggest you make a reservation as soon as you can. It may be difficult to get in with your budget.

I agree that Sonoma has more charm than Napa. Try the El Pueblo Inn and see what they are asking. We stay there often. It is about a mile from the Plaza and is a motel, but with gardens between the two buildings, a pool, and do-it-yourself breakfast waffles. The have a website, I think it is elpuebloinn.com, but if not just google it.

Another possibility is a small bed and breakfast about two blocks from the Plaza called Magliulo's Rose Garden. This is a Victorian with only 4 rooms and the innkeeper does not live on site. I don't know if they have a website but they are listed in AAA, the telephone number is 707/996-1031.

If you decide to follow TrvlMaven's itinerary, which looks good, then the Hotel La Rose in Santa Rosa would be my choice. It is in Railroad Square and is a charming historic hotel and the AAA listing shows that lower end rates are in your range.

Good luck.

kleroux

You can easily stay in Healdsburg for under $150 a night. Just check out the last page on the web site www.sonomacountyvacations.com. These are private vacation rentals, with little kitchens, some have hot tubs, all are very private and a wonderful and different experience. But you'll need to book early where ever you stay.

elnap29

The towns of Calistoga, St. Helena, and Yountville each have their own special charm. Call Napa Valley Reservations and tell them what you are looking for. Napa has some charm, too, but the others are smaller and more quaint. Check www.napavalley.com for some ideas.
Calistoga Inn is a good restaurant with inexpensive rooms upstairs, bathroom down the hall - under $100. Some of the hot springs hotels have old European-style rooms and are often a bargain (in Calistoga). I like Washington Street Lodging - VERY charming and inexpensive.
In Napa there is the Budget Inn (right off the freeway) which is clean and fine, across the street from a terific grocery store (Vallerga's) with a good deli, also Starbucks and a couple good inexpensive restaurants. All of these towns are only about 10 minutes apart on Hwy. 29, so it's a quick jaunt upvalley.
Good luck with your search and have fun.

Supercilious

There is a place in Napa that's not too bad. The Wine Valley Inn. It's $100 per night during the week. I met some folks the other day who found it just right for their needs. It's not the most charming looking place but the rooms were fine according to them. It's also not right on the freeway like the Budget Inn, John Muir, or Chateau and Marriot are. Look it up in Tripadvisor.

If your daughter lives in Oakland, you can do Napa and Sonoma as a day trip. Why not venture further for a long weekend. Perhaps Booneville or Hopland in Mendocino County or Murphys up in the Motherlode. Both are beautiful wine areas without the crowds and they also offer many other attractions. And, they are more reasonable than Napa or Sonoma in July.

Also, about Eureka/Arcata, the problem in both towns is that most motels are right on the highway. There are some B&Bs that are in more quiet neighborhoods but for my money, the best place to stay is the Carter House in downtown Eureka. It's off the main road and just a few blocks from the Carson House and the newly revitalized downtown area. Arcata is nice too but unless you stay in the hotel right on the square or in a B&B, most of the motel choices are pretty dismal although they are relatively cheap.
Actually, Trinidad is a better option.

anneofingleside

Towns with charm are Healdsburg, Sonoma, Yountville, St. Helena. Healdsburg and Sonoma have town squares. All have antique stores, nice restaurants and picturesque country roads with wineries. Santa Rosa is more of a city, so I wouldn't stay there. In the Napa area, I would pick Yountville and St. Helena over Calistoga, unless you're going for the spas, because I think they are more strollable. Healdsburg has pretty winery-dotted hills with windy roads that remind me of European landscapes (go east of the freeway). I think Mendocino or the Gold Rush country, although charming, are too far for a short jaunt, and for first-time wine country visitors, I would go to Napa, Sonoma or Healdsburg first. (Just make sure they're done remodelling Healdsburg's town square--when we were there last fall, it was under construction. Otherwise the square is a nice place to stroll about--I think it has more shops than Sonoma.)

lizzoob

Thanks so much for all your suggestions--this is just what I was looking for!

Actually I have previously travelled up the coast through Healdsburg (adorable), Mendocino, Eureka (and I agree that Trinidad would have been a nicer place to stay than either Eureka or Arcata), all the way up through Oregon, so this will be a different trip.

I know I can stay at a Best Western in Santa Rosa for $110 or so, and there is a winery in St Helena called Milat that rents a cottage for $120. There's also a spa in Calistoga that got mixed reviews on Tripadvisor ("charming and funky" to "musty and gross"). I will check out the other towns and lodging recommendations.

Thanks again.

Liz

elnap29

Another inexpensive option with a fabulous view and gorgeous property is Christian Brothers Retreat and Conference Center up the mountain in Napa overlooking hills of vineyards. It is next door to Hess Winery.
www.christianbrosretreat.com
You do not have to be Catholic. They book out extra conference rooms. The only drawback is it is a distance from town, but if you are out for the day, have dinner and get beack to your room before dark, you can enjoy the drive and view.

LLindaC

Liz....look at Geyserville inn as well.

TrvlMaven

Is the Best Western in Santa Rosa the "Garden" one? If so, it's not in the best part of town and not an area you'd want to walk around at night. Try the Flamingo instead if you're on a budget.

lizzoob

Geyseville Inn, though lovely looking, is over $300/night!!

What I decided to do is spend one night in Santa Rosa at Hotel LaRose and one at Gaia Napa Valley Hotel in American Canyon (the latter is only an hour from Oakland, so it's a bit silly since that's where my daughter lives, but on the other hand she has two roommates, so this will be a nice change. Hotel
LaRose was booked for the second night or we'd have stayed there both nights.

Thanks again for all your advice.

Liz

Supercilious

"American Canyon (the latter is only an hour from Oakland"

It's more like 45 minutes.

Gaia just opened so it will be interesting to hear your trip report.

For others considering American Canyon as a base for wine country trips, keep in mind that just 5 minutes down Hwy 29 is Vallejo where rates are much cheaper than anywhere else in the North Bay.

For example, at the corner of Hwy 29 & 137 is a Motel 6 that is currently offering rooms for $45 per weekday night. There are a number of other low price options in the city. It's mainly a stopover for travelers on I-80 before they get to the Bay Area cities.

There are no gourmet restaurants nearby, but Napa is only 15 - 20 minutes and the money saved in lodging would go a long way towards a good meal.

buckminster

What do you all think of the town of Guerneville (near Armstrong State Park)? How far is that from Healdsburg? We have reservations for just one night at West Sonoma Inn, which looks nice and was affordable to get two rooms (family of five).

I did check out the link to the Sonoma County Vacations website that Kleroux recommended, but the private vacation rentals all have a 3 night minimum in summer.

buckminster

I just checked out the Dry Creek Inn in Healdsburg and see that it would work fine for our family since we could afford two rooms. I discounted it earlier because the reviews on Trip Advisor scared me off. People were complaining how noisy it was. More recent reviews that I read today made it sound better though.

Now I'm torn, because the West Sonoma Inn sounds nice too. Anyone ever stayed there? It's in Guerneville.

jtrandolph

Buckminster,

If you don't get many replies you might start your own thread. Your message is at the end of a very long thread begun by jizzoob on June 3 and the last reply aldsburg and Guerneville....not awas on June 10.

That said, Guerneville is a small town right on the Russian River and near to Armstrong Grove Redwoods State Park. The West Sonoma Inn is one I am not familiar with, but it is recommended by AAA. They advertise 30 standard one and two-bedroom units and 3 cottages.

I believe it is abut 20 miles between Guerneville and Healdsburg, but Highway 116 is winding in places.

If you want to be near good restaurants and a more interesting town for shopping, etc. I would stay in Healdsburg.