Napa County
The Calistoga Inn updated its guest rooms, restaurant and bar, bringing in a new chef, Sean Mindrum. The quaint 17-room inn serves beer brewed in-house and can accommodate groups of 100 in the beer garden or small groups in the private dining room.
Rutherford’s Aubuerge du Soleil renovated a block of four rooms in the new Maison Calais La Plage. The decor of the open-design guest rooms is inspired by the south of France, from the color scheme to mosaic tiles and bookshelves. The property is also home to Maison d’Arbre, a luxuriously unique “tree house” dining experience.
A new hotel project was recently announced at the Shops at Napa Town Center. The property will be operated by LodgeWorks, with 170 to 190 rooms inside the seven-story building. Business leaders hope the hotel will attract new businesses to the center and help downtown Napa’s continued growth.
The Meritage Resort and Spa opened a new vineyard deck event space, measuring just under 2,000 square feet. It can host events of up to 200 people. The 322-room resort offers 50,000 square feet of meeting space.
The first Bottlerock Napa music festival was held in May, featuring three stages and 50 musical acts including Kings of Leon, Black Keys and Zac Brown Band. Food and beverage vendors included 40 local wineries, and the inaugural festival attracted approximately 40,000 people per day over the five-day event. Pre-sale tickets for the 2014 event are currently available.
The newly opened spa at Napa River Inn offers organic, hand-milled spa products including a custom Napa Valley Organics line, and an assortment of custom treatments unique to the property. The downtown inn offers two meeting spaces, an eight-person boardroom and an 80-person hall.
Sonoma
The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn completed a multimillion-dollar renovation this summer. The historic property updated the lobby, guest rooms, meeting spaces and fine dining room and added a new wine lounge named 38 Degrees North. The 226-room property offers a 40,000-square-foot spa and an 18-hole golf course.