These Boutique Sonoma Hotels Showcase The Best Of Wine Country Hospitality

Even though it’s earned a global reputation, California wine country is still underrated. And beyond the hype of Napa, other areas of Sonoma like Healdsburg, Kenwood, and Guerneville are just starting to get their due. Though Sonoma is sometimes seen as the younger sister of Napa, this parallel valley has increasingly become a hotbed for boutique hotels. And as the popularity of wine tourism increases every year, so do the number of properties that have opened in this verdant valley. Keep in mind, Sonoma is a county and an AVA—aka winegrowing region—but it’s also a town, and the surrounding county features a number of other small towns, each with a hospitality style all their own.

Slightly more affordable than the high-end feel of Napa, Sonoma’s 60,000 acres of vineyards are also 99% sustainable, meaning the wines on offer are better for the planet. It also makes it a great place to book a retreat that won’t break the bank. Visiting this area during fall is the perfect time to come, as the crush of harvest reaches a fever pitch, the leaves are spectacular shades of red, orange, and yellow, and cozying up with a nice glass of red is practically a requirement. To help you get the lay of the land, here’s our recs for places to stay throughout the county, especially when the crisp autumn days are starting to get longer. 

The Lodge at Sonoma

 

Located in Sonoma

Located in the heart of Sonoma, the city, The Lodge at Sonoma is a 182-room property that’s part of the Autograph Collection, so Marriot earners can get their points and stay in a boutique hotel instead of a chain. With rooms located either in the Lodge itself or standalone cottages, many of which come with private copper soaking tubs and outdoor fireplaces, this central hotel is an easy favorite for first-time visitors. With 32,000 square feet of space, most of which is outdoors, other perks include the recently renovated spa, where Sonoma botanicals are incorporated into treatments, and an on-site restaurant from Michelin-starred chef Michael Mina, Wit & Wisdom. Bikes are available to borrow for the quick 5-10 minute ride to the central town square, where the French bistro The Girl & The Fig is a local favorite.

 

 

Kenwood Inn & Spa

 

Located in Kenwood

About 10 miles north of the town of Sonoma, Kenwood is technically an unincorporated community in the upper part of Sonoma Valley, making the ivy-covered Kenwood Inn & Spa a great property for those who want to feel like they’re away from it all. After undergoing an extensive renovation that ended this past summer, Kenwood Inn & Spa is in the running for one of the most picturesque hotels in the area. With just 29 rooms, this Tuscan-inspired property is part of the Four Sisters Inns Collection, offering complimentary gourmet breakfast for two, daily “wine hour” with tastings and savory snacks, and multiple pools plus the spa. Kenwood’s spa is open for customized massages for day pass holders as well as hotel guests, and an on-site concierge is also available to help visitors book any wine country itineraries. 

 

 

Boon Hotel + Spa

 

Located in Guerneville

Located about a half an hour past Santa Rosa in the up-and-coming Russian River Valley, Boon Hotel + Spa is a contemporary adults-only refuge with a 24-hour bar and a year-round hot tub. Another very intimate property, there are only 14 rooms here, and plenty of old growth Redwoods around to add to the serenity. Add to that a solar-powered saltwater pool, and in-room turntables stocked with vintage vinyl, and this hotel becomes the zen paradise that plenty of wine country visitors are hoping to find. Most rooms have fireplaces or stoves, balconies or decks and all of them have plenty of natural light—go for the premium room to get a clawfoot tub on that back deck.

 

 

Hotel Healdsburg

 

Located in Healdsburg

If you haven’t heard about Healdsburg yet, now’s the time. Like Sonoma, this old world town boasts a central square for exploring, and Hotel Healdsburg is right on the edge of this bustling area. It’s close enough to walk over to the many tasting rooms located within, and just far enough away to get a bit of peace and quiet at the outdoor garden pool. Across 50 rooms and three suites, the hotel features custom bay laurel wood furniture and cloudscape paintings by local artist Wade Hoefer, plus walk-in showers and six-foot soaking tubs. A continental Harvest breakfast is included, but you can also do as the locals do: walk a couple blocks to neighborhood staple, Costeaux French Bakery, and try their infamous cinnamon walnut bread.

 

 

Farmhouse Inn

 

Located in Forestville 

Not quite as far out as Guernville, the Farmhouse Inn is also in the Russian River Valley, located in the community of Forestville, which is about 20 minutes from Santa Rosa. This property is cozy, with only 25 guest rooms, and even though it’s secluded it still has all you need—two onsite restaurants and towering Redwoods make sure of that. The Farmhouse restaurant offers full-service fine dining in the evening; the Farmstand is an all-day option with wood-fired dishes. As a family-owned property that’s been in the family for five generations, the care put into this hotel is palpable during your stay. Barn suites, cottages, and Farmhouse rooms are all decked out with plush linens, soaking tubs, and walk-in steam showers.