Jul 8, 2015, 1:22 pm
Last edit by: platbrownguy
Hotel website: The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa
Resort fee includes (hat tip to sg59) includes: internet, daily hike, yoga, 2hr free bicycle rental, winetasting and minibus to Sonoma square. resort fee also covers daily Sangria (if you like that), two bottles of water daily, a single use $10 discount voucher that you can use at The Bean and bottle or The Spa. There is daily yoga and a local hike, as platinum we could rent a bike free for two hours. Reception have free coffee, mini muffins and croissants about 8.30 am, and fruit and cookies in the afternoon about 4pm, before wine tasting.
Breakfast: option of 1,000 points or breakfast. Breakfast allowance is $30 pp (max 2). (Update 5/11/2019: YMMV on breakfast; there is a meager "continental buffet" and depending on the wait staff you may be permitted to order eggs and sides for free as well.)
Resort fee includes (hat tip to sg59) includes: internet, daily hike, yoga, 2hr free bicycle rental, winetasting and minibus to Sonoma square. resort fee also covers daily Sangria (if you like that), two bottles of water daily, a single use $10 discount voucher that you can use at The Bean and bottle or The Spa. There is daily yoga and a local hike, as platinum we could rent a bike free for two hours. Reception have free coffee, mini muffins and croissants about 8.30 am, and fruit and cookies in the afternoon about 4pm, before wine tasting.
Breakfast: option of 1,000 points or breakfast. Breakfast allowance is $30 pp (max 2). (Update 5/11/2019: YMMV on breakfast; there is a meager "continental buffet" and depending on the wait staff you may be permitted to order eggs and sides for free as well.)
The Lodge at Sonoma Resort, Autograph Collection [Master Thread]
Mar 22, 2022, 7:47 pm
#91
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Palm Springs
Programs: Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 24
Just returned from a nice stay, but with a caveat.
Stayed two nights over a weekend, and a suite night upgrade got us a second floor junior suite in one of the cottages. Given two drink vouchers at check-in, each good for two drinks from a limited menu. Breakfast benefit is still a $30 credit ($15 per person?) per day. Resort fee is $45 per night, and unless you like bicycling or cheap wine tasting, doesn’t get you anything. If you plan on eating dinner on-site, get reservations in advance. Luckily we did that for one night — Wit & Wisdom is excellent with an extensive wine menu — but expected to dine more casual for our second night, only to find the lobby-adjacent restaurant closed (as was its bar) and W&W all booked up. Apparently on any given night, only one of the two restaurants is open.
After the nights posted, no points showed up for the incidental charges. Had to open a case to get them added.
So overall a mixed bag. When in wine country we usually stay at the Westin Verasa in Napa, and will probably stick with that next time. Platinum benefits aren’t very different/better there but the dining options are more reliable and there are other walkable options.
UPDATE: hotel replied to me and said they hope to have more staff hired after May so the smaller restaurant can stay open more nights. So if you’re staying this summer or later, the food and drink options may be more convenient.
Stayed two nights over a weekend, and a suite night upgrade got us a second floor junior suite in one of the cottages. Given two drink vouchers at check-in, each good for two drinks from a limited menu. Breakfast benefit is still a $30 credit ($15 per person?) per day. Resort fee is $45 per night, and unless you like bicycling or cheap wine tasting, doesn’t get you anything. If you plan on eating dinner on-site, get reservations in advance. Luckily we did that for one night — Wit & Wisdom is excellent with an extensive wine menu — but expected to dine more casual for our second night, only to find the lobby-adjacent restaurant closed (as was its bar) and W&W all booked up. Apparently on any given night, only one of the two restaurants is open.
After the nights posted, no points showed up for the incidental charges. Had to open a case to get them added.
So overall a mixed bag. When in wine country we usually stay at the Westin Verasa in Napa, and will probably stick with that next time. Platinum benefits aren’t very different/better there but the dining options are more reliable and there are other walkable options.
UPDATE: hotel replied to me and said they hope to have more staff hired after May so the smaller restaurant can stay open more nights. So if you’re staying this summer or later, the food and drink options may be more convenient.
Last edited by Jase415; Mar 22, 2022 at 8:56 pm
Jul 26, 2022, 9:18 pm
#92
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 55
Just competed a good stay here (as plat).
SNA applied which upgraded a standard room to a cottage room. $60 breakfast credit was given (I assume $30 per person - menu below) along with a voucher for 2 free drinks, each up to $14 (mainly 5oz wines and some cocktails).
$45 resort fee theoretically covered fitness classes, but only on Fri-Sun; travel to Sonoma Plaza; a minor wine tasting session (only two wines on offer, <1 oz pours) and bike rental. Not a great return from the fee but hard to begrudge when the standard offering was better than expected.
SNA applied which upgraded a standard room to a cottage room. $60 breakfast credit was given (I assume $30 per person - menu below) along with a voucher for 2 free drinks, each up to $14 (mainly 5oz wines and some cocktails).
$45 resort fee theoretically covered fitness classes, but only on Fri-Sun; travel to Sonoma Plaza; a minor wine tasting session (only two wines on offer, <1 oz pours) and bike rental. Not a great return from the fee but hard to begrudge when the standard offering was better than expected.
Nov 4, 2022, 10:38 am
#93
Join Date: Jul 2021
Posts: 36
Stayed here this past week for 2 nights. Booked a Lodge King and was upgraded to the Cottage Junior Suite King as Plat a few days before check-in without asking. Day of arrival, Front Office guy didn't seem to care and was not offered a drink voucher as others have been. Maybe their policy changed. $30 per room/night was given as breakfast credit to be used at Benicia's. I noticed prices have increased and some items added since RichH6109 stayed there in July at the restaurant.
The pool is definitely too small for this size property but was empty since it was quite chilly. The heater in the room was quite good but very loud. Overall, I'd definitely come back.
The pool is definitely too small for this size property but was empty since it was quite chilly. The heater in the room was quite good but very loud. Overall, I'd definitely come back.
Last edited by Phreal; Nov 4, 2022 at 11:01 am
Nov 4, 2022, 7:19 pm
#94
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Redondo Beach, CA USA
Programs: UA 1KMM, Bonvoy LTE+A, HH D, Nat'l EE, Hertz Plat, Avis PC
Posts: 3,713
I've found that you don't really need to turn on the heater if you use the fireplace. It runs the risk of seriously overheating the room, though, at least for my comfort zone!