1309 Main St, St. Helena, California, United States | (888) 710-7049
Excellent location on Main Street in the heart of St. Helena
Lovely historic building with lots of charm
Cozy, individually decorated rooms with period antiques
Free continental breakfast that includes cereal and pastries
Quaint, secluded garden area with seating
Vintage-style bar that serves local wines
Free on-site parking and Wi-Fi
Babysitting and other concierge-style services on request
Rates can be pricey for what’s offered
Complaints about housekeeping and maintenance
Rooms lack individual climate controls and coffeemakers
Some rooms share bathrooms
No elevators to rooms on the second floor
Parking is limited and not guaranteed
The two-pearl Hotel St. Helena’s best attribute is a prime location on Main Street in the heart of lovely St. Helena. It’s surrounded by restaurants, wine tasting rooms, and boutiques, and it’s even within walking distance of some notable vineyards. It’s also housed in a beautiful historic building, but its dark decor and lack of amenities dampen its appeal. The 18 guest rooms are individually decorated with period antiques, but they’re small, tired, and the subject of numerous housekeeping and maintenance complaints. Some rooms must share bathrooms, and there’s no elevator service to second-floor rooms. Rates are competitive but can spike quite high on weekends. With a better breakfast and free wine receptions, the nearby Inn St. Helena might be worth its typically higher rates.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
A small hotel in a historic building that’s packed with antiques and curios
"Shabby chic" could be a generous way to describe this small hotel that’s housed in a building dating back to 1881. Interiors are packed with traditional furniture, antiques, art, and an interesting collection of curios such as old dolls and a vintage rocking horse. These spaces certainly have personality, but crimson ceilings, walls, and carpeting make it rather dark and gloomy. Outdoor spaces fare better, and there’s a cozy and intimate patio with bistro tables amidst leafy landscaping. Couples touring the Wine Country are the most common guests here, drawn by the property's rates, location, and personality. Everyone mostly sticks to themselves here, and the atmosphere is generally quiet, apart from a few adjacent restaurants and bars that can create noise in the evening.
Location
On Main Street in the heart of St. Helena
This hotel occupies a prime spot on Main Street in St. Helena, an attractive small town that’s known for its 19th-century architecture and its dining scene as the West Coast headquarters of the Culinary Institute of America. It’s surrounded by restaurants, boutiques, and wine tasting rooms, and some of the vineyards like Beringer and Merryvale are even within walking distance. The Robert Louis Stevenson Museum is six minutes away on foot. Downtown Napa is a 30-minute drive with little traffic. Drive times to San Francisco International Airport or Sacramento International Airport are approximately two hours.
Rooms
Individually decorated with period antiques, but small and worn; some with shared bathrooms
A mishmash of period antiques, vintage art, and old-fashioned upholstery furnish the Hotel St. Helena's guest rooms. Each room is individually decorated, but dark crimson carpet, white bedspreads, and beige walls are typical. While rooms certainly have personality, and some of the antique furniture is charming, other pieces are worn or just plain old. Many past guests have complained about the overall maintenance of the rooms, citing smudges on walls, cobwebs, musty smells, and a lack of hot water. Another gripe is that rooms can become hot and stuffy, something that can't be adjusted by guests as rooms lack individual climate control.At only 130 square feet, Queen Rooms, which share bathrooms, are quite small. Even Deluxe Rooms are a compact 210 square feet. Bathrooms vary in size, from cramped to comfortable, and private ones typically have small acrylic shower inserts, although some have clawfoot tubs under showers. Standard amenities across all categories include flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, toiletries, and hairdryers. Pleasant views of the street and surrounding area can be seen from some rooms, while others are partially obstructed by trees or simply overlook alleys and other buildings. Note that the busy street outside can create significant noise at times.
Features
Bar serving local wines, plus several freebies such as continental breakfast, parking, and Wi-Fi
Amenities are fairly limited at this 18-room hotel, but it does offer a few freebies, such as a light continental breakfast with cereal and breads. On-site parking also is free, but it’s limited and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. And Wi-Fi is free, too. Apart from those freebies, one nice atmospheric touch is the property's vintage-style bar that sells local wines. Staff can arrange for babysitting and other concierge-style services.
