Meadowood Napa Valley

Meadowood Napa Valley resort was founded as a private country club in 1964. Bought by two vintners in 1979, the property became a luxury resort spread out over 250 acres of hilly oak forest -- and a place where connoisseurs can celebrate Napa Valley wines. The relaxed but country club atmosphere -- it includes a nine-hole golf course, a championship croquet lawn complete with a pro player dressed in all white, and daily wine tastings -- is pure Napa Valley. The lobby has vaulted wood-beam ceilings in white and modern yet cozy cottage-style decor with plenty of plush couches and wingback armchairs. A huge bay window offers cushioned bench seating, while a coffee bar serves five different milk choices, Ghirardelli hot chocolate, and lump sugar in glass apothecary jars. The grounds include more than four miles of hiking trails, tennis courts, pools, a croquet lawn, a fitness center, a full-service spa, and a three-star Michelin restaurant. The hotel offers packages for wine lovers and fitness enthusiasts. This property is geared toward leisure travelers, including families, couples, and those celebrating special events. 

While technically in St. Helena, the resort is spread over 250 acres of hilly oak forest, and is about an eight-minute drive to the town center, with its shops, restaurants, wine tastings, a historic movie theater, and summer concerts. Calistoga is about 20 minutes to the north of Meadowood by car, and Yountville is 20 minutes to the south. Sacramento International Airport is an hour and a half away by car. Upon request, the hotel offers transportation around the estate (which is walkable but hilly), and car service to downtown St. Helena and Yountville at no extra fee. Daily parking at the property is free, and the hotel also offers two Tesla car-charging stations. 

The hotel’s cottages, suites, and lodges are scattered about the rolling hills of an expansive oak forest. There’s a wide range of room choices -- all include modern but cozy cottage decor in neutral colors that look chic rather than generic. Rooms may feature beam-and-plank vaulted ceilings in fresh white, stone wood-burning fireplaces, French doors, white bedding, classic wood furniture, and beige and brown couches and armchairs. Wooden cottages have private decks and terraces. Bathroom decor coordinates with the rooms, and may feature gray-tile floors, white walls, marble vanities, and roomy glass shower stalls or soaking tubs -- or both. Guests can rent multi-bedroom suites or entire lodges for family or group events. All rooms include sitting areas, fireplaces, outdoor porches or terraces, and California king or queen beds with down bedding, or hypo-allergenic alternatives. Rooms also come with free Wi-Fi, flat-screen HD TVs, iPod docking stations, and laptop-size safes. In-room coffee and tea-making service may include Illy espresso-makers. Rooms are stocked with liquor and and wine fridges (for a fee), and include free bottled water. Daily newspapers are also delivered to guest rooms. Bathrooms include Molton Brown toiletries, bathrobes and slippers, hairdryers, and irons and ironing boards. Housekeeping comes twice daily. The hotel can also provide custom welcome amenities, which range from shirts to chocolates to Napa Valley wine kits and personalized monogrammed items. 

The Michelin three-star The Restaurant at Meadowood is the main dining venue at Meadowood Napa Valley, but there's also the less-formal Grill, which serves a Sunday brunch; in-room dining, picnic lunches, and poolside bites are also available, plus daily wine tastings of at least two varietals. Breakfast is served daily, but it's not included in the room rate. The hotel offers special seasonal or themed packages for wine lovers and fitness enthusiasts, and the property will help guests organize events and celebrations, such as marriage proposals, weddings, and holidays, in its venues.The property opened an extensively renovated spa in late 2015, with gender-divided relaxation gardens, a steam room, a sauna, a mineral soaking pool, a spa dining menu, and sitting areas. The full-service spa offers a variety of massages, relaxation, and wellness treatments.The resort also has more than four miles of hiking trails, a nine-hole golf course, a croquet lawn, and tennis courts, and offers golf and tennis lessons from professional instructors. There's an adult lap pool and a separate family pool, each surrounded by lounge chairs and umbrellas, and each with its own dedicated whirlpool. The fitness center has a range of modern cardio and strength-training equipment. Daily classes such as cycling, aqua fitness, yoga, and Zumba are free for all guests, and the hotel does not charge a resort fee. Aside from the on-site facilities, the hotel offers all the services travelers would expect of a luxury property, including concierge service, 24-hour room service, and dry cleaning and laundry service. Wi-Fi is free throughout.