Best in wine country, no rivals in Napa/Sonoma
AUBERGE DU SOLEIL
180 RUTHERFORD HILL ROAD Rutherford, CA US 94573
Auberge du Soleil -- Best in wine country, no rivals in Napa/Sonoma (0 Photo)
AUBERGE DU SOLEIL
See below. Were this form not so idiotic and anti-intuitive, it might be easier to access.
Check In
Smooth, brief and then off to the suite. Bellcap excellent and personable.
Room
We availed ourselves of a special offer of four nights for the price of three. A veritable bargain at this ultra Napa resort. But not unusual at hthis time of year.
We were in a deluxe garden suite, newly renovated/refurbished. 1200 sq ft of tasteful luxuriousness including garden patio with outdoor slipper tub. Contemporary design and decor but not too (which is to say: not Aman). Especially comfortable. Neutral beiges, whites, sand, browns, gold splashes. Set up as would be a home. Well done indeed.
The living room features a gas fireplace that is more than decor as it blasts out heat. The east wall is glass and iron out to the lovely patio looking out to the sunset over the top of a silvery olive tree. Patio features a second slipper deep bath tub.
The king bed is just about perfect with an overflow of sumptuous pillows of variable down densities plus crisp linens and puffy duvet. Excellent bedside tables with electrical outlets at tabletop height making it easy to connect our CPAP machines. A thousand thank-yous for that! Reading lights attached to bed board (bonus points!)
The master bathroom is fabulous with plenty of room and cascades of fluffy towels and bath mats. The shower is simple to operate, not always the case, plus a sky light! Two sinks areas plus a sit-down vanity. The slipper tub is rimmed with emoluments: bath salts, sponge, lotions, herbs, candles, plus.
In the living room there are two half-size refrigerators: one racked for wine and the other for the usual. Also an Nespresso, waters, etc. and all that media stuff of which we avail ourselves never, mostly because we don't know how. Again, the east-facing wall is all glass and iron. Lovely and making all spacious.
The guest bath (powder room) sports a heated marble floor. Simply BEGS for your bare tootsies. Do it!
The soft product here borders on perfection. wevwere comfortable and coddled.
Service
Service here is obviously a focus ... with excellent results. I have some quibbles but none of them have to do with the kind, professional service. Kudos to the staff who were kind and sweet with us. I underscore this because service is where so many establishments stumble. Auberge du Soleil delivers, kudos to their dedicated staff.
Dining
This is a Michelin-star restaurant. Our one restaurant meal (Xmas dinner) was excellent. Our room-service meals were problematic. In particular, our four breakfasts arrived less than tepid, even the pot of coffee.
This was the only downside we encountered in our four-night stay.
Location
The Auberge is cantalivered hillside down and overlooks a generous swath of Napa Valley. The view is gorgeous and then some. And, it's Napa. Beautiful any time of year, we prefer winter. Yes, there's all that wine stuff, been there, done that.
Overall
If Napa/Sonoma is on your horizon, this is your best hq. if wineries/vineyards are not paramount, this is such a fine, sweet, gentle respite, worthy on it's own. Napa Valley is gorgeous, period.
I must say this quoted comment concerns me--as any luxury property that can't deliver hot meals on a consistent basis is flirting with being demoted from a luxury property in my book. Especially in Napa!
While Napa has many amazing restaurants, including Auberge's as you mention, this property isn't convenient to many of those, encouraging easy nights in with room service and certainly many breakfasts with room service--especially for those who have been often to Napa.
What service recovery did Auberge offer when appraised of this shortcoming, if I can ask?
Our biggest issue here has always been that they don't allow dogs. Otherwise, this is generally regarded as the class of Napa. But poor room service isn't becoming of the class of Napa!
I must say this quoted comment concerns me--as any luxury property that can't deliver hot meals on a consistent basis is flirting with being demoted from a luxury property in my book. Especially in Napa!
While Napa has many amazing restaurants, including Auberge's as you mention, this property isn't convenient to many of those, encouraging easy nights in with room service and certainly many breakfasts with room service--especially for those who have been often to Napa.
What service recovery did Auberge offer when appraised of this shortcoming, if I can ask?
Our biggest issue here has always been that they don't allow dogs. Otherwise, this is generally regarded as the class of Napa. But poor room service isn't becoming of the class of Napa!