Carneros Resort and Spa

The Town Square

The Carneros community’s first Post Office and local Market surround the Town Square, complete with Bocce ball courts and relaxing outdoor lounge. Whatever you’re in the mood for – be it yummy snacks, local deli items, specialty gift items, espresso bar – our Market will be sure to please! Stop in and shop … grab a bite and picnic in the town square … challenge your friends to a game of Bocce … or just relax and enjoy -- The Town Square at The Carneros Inn is the ideal venue for community gatherings focused on celebrating local culture.

Dining at Carneros

FARM at Carneros
Supported by the bounty of the Carneros and surrounding farmers and ranches, FARM at the Carneros Inn offers a relaxing, authentic, elegant, and exciting wine country experience. The menu reflects both our commitment to simple elegant food highlighting the wines of our region, and organic and sustainable local agriculture. An outdoor living room style alfresco lounge, Cathedral ceilings, two fireplaces, patio dining, and wines from our neighborhood and around the world welcome you.

Boon Fly Café
Named for a Carneros pioneer who planted orchards and vineyards in the mid-1800s, the lively Boon Fly Café offers an ideal gathering place for Inn guests and locals alike. Open in the morning for great coffee, fresh juices and house-baked breakfast items - including our signature Boon Fly donuts - the Café also offers tasty lunches on premises or packed to go. All of our menus feature modern rustic cuisine based on the agricultural heritage of the region. While you’re building up your appetite, you are invited to mingle with other visitors, or enthusiasts, at our wine bar while comparing Carneros selections with those of other regions. Otherwise you’re always welcome to just wile away a bit of the afternoon in comfortable surroundings.

Hilltop Dining Room
Your stay is not complete without a relaxed meal at the Hilltop Dining Room, which offers guests a stunning venue to enjoy the bounty of the Carneros region. Diners will be surrounded by panoramic views of the neighboring vineyards while experiencing the best in wine country-inspired cuisine. The Hilltop Bar, with its Brazilian cherry wood, polished concrete and contrasting amethyst mirrors, creates the perfect setting for a leisurely lunch or a signature cocktail, utilizing products grown in our orchards. Of course, our extensive wine list reflects the great, diverse selection of regional wines which the Valley is so deliciously famous for.

MARKET at Carneros
Market – located in our Town Square next to the Bocce courts – offers a wide array of regional goods, including local grocery and gift items. Stop in and grab a bite at the deli featuring delicious treats from homemade salads to fresh sandwiches, then picnic in our Town Square. From local olive oils, honeys, local cheeses such as Cowgirl Creamery and Pt. Reyes, North Bay Coffee from Sonoma at our Espresso Bar, local cook books and even dog cookies made in Sonoma, our Market prides itself on providing the best locally grown and sourced products.

Cottage Dining
Around the patio's teak dining table, or nestled in front of the wood-burning fireplace, you can enjoy a private culinary celebration in the comforts of your own cottage with cottage dining. Our staff can prepare what you need, from simple and delicious snacks to entire romantic meals.

Transportation

Airport Transfers
Airport transfers can be arranged through the Concierge for Bay Area airports including San Francisco International (SFO), Oakland International (OAK), or Sacramento Airport (SMF). Costs vary depending on party size, approximately $225 inclusive of tax and gratuity for 2 people in a town car.

Hourly Charters and Custom Designed Wine Tours
Hiring a driver as your personal winery guide is the perfect way to explore wine country with either a pre-arranged itinerary or a driver-guided tour. Our Concierge can arrange winery tour and tasting appointments, lunch recommendations, and more. Please contact the Concierge for details. Cost varies depending on party size, approximate cost for a town car is $65 per hour plus tax, grauity and fuel charges.

Specialty Charters
Does a 1947 Packard convertible sound like the perfect way to visit the wineries? Tour the wine country in a beautiful antique automobile.

Group Tours
Group winery tours are offered in a 12-passenger van. Hotel pick-up at 10:00 am and return at approximately 5:00 pm. Cost is approximately $99 per person includes 4-5 wineries and picnic lunch. Tasting fees are generally $5-$15 per winery. Please contact the Concierge to schedule.

Car Rentals
The following car rental companies have offices in Napa and are able to drop off and pick up your rental car directly to the Inn (extra fees may apply).
Hertz
Enterprise
Budget

Wineries

Our Concierge team is happy to set up a custom designed winery itinerary for your stay. 

There are a few ways to experience the valley:

Wine Tasting - No Appointment
There are a lot of wineries that are open to the public from about 10 am – 5 pm. You can just pop in, walk up to the tasting bar, order a flight of tastings and interact with your “winetender”. Usually wineries have a visitors center with either a history of the winery, their special take on production, etc.

Wine Tasting Appointment
There are also wineries that provide sit-down tastings. Usually these are more of a private experience with between 5 and 10 other visitors. Many of these tastings pair their wine with cheese or other nibbles. This is your chance to really get in depth about their techniques and beliefs in how to make fabulous wine.

Winery Tour
Tours are a great way to see the “back of house” of a winery. You can see the barrel rooms, the vineyards, the fermentation tanks, the crusher and de-stemmer, etc. If you want to learn about how wine is made, this is for you.

Private Winery Appointments
Private, off the beaten path wineries. If you want something very exclusive and private there are also wineries that specialize in providing a more in depth tour and tasting. If you know the basics and want to really interact with the winery, this is a great option.

WINERY SUGGESTIONS

PlumpJack Winery
Located 30 minutes north of the Inn in Oakville, PlumpJack Winery is most famous for Estate and Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon. No appointment necessary. Open daily for tasting 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.

CADE Winery
Perched high upon Howell Mountain, CADE Winery is a state-of-the-art winery focused on Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain (made from the 19 acres of Cabernet vines at the winery), Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain (from grapes purchased from small artisan growers in the Howell Mountain Appellation), Napa Cuvee Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley (a Bordeaux style Cabernet Sauvignon) and a small production of Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley. Located 60 minutes north of the Inn. Tours and tastings by appointment only, Monday – Sunday 10:00am to 4:00pm.

Vintner's Collective
A multi-winery tasting room in downtown Napa features small production wines from some of the valley’s most well-known winemakers. Open daily 11:00 am – 6:00 pm. Private sit-down tasting available by appointment.

Wineries near The Carneros Inn

• Acacia Vineyard is nestled in the Carneros wine region with stellar views of the vineyards and the bay. They are known for their Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Open Monday – Saturday by appointment 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, and Sunday 12:00 pm – 4:00pm.
• Artesa Winery - The “jewel of Carneros” features amazing architecture, indoor and outdoor lounges and beautiful views of Carneros. Open to the public daily 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.
• Bouchaine Winery is set among the rolling hills of Carneros and is a great place to picnic nearby. Open to the public daily 10:30 am – 4:00 pm.
• Ceja Vineyards is an amazing family owned and operated winery in Carneros. Their passion for wine is contagious, and you are sure to have a memorable visit with the family. Open daily by appointment 10:00 am – 4:00 pm.
• Cuvaison Estate has been crafting estate wines in Carneros and Mount Veeder for decades. Open by appointment Thursday – Monday 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.
• Domaine Carneros is a classic 18th century château-style building which was architecturally inspired by the historic Taittinger-owned Château de la Marquetterie in Champagne. Open daily 10:00 am – 6:00 pm. Daily public tours at 11:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm.
• Etude specializes in Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon, and have been doing so for twenty-five years. Open daily by appointment for tours at 10:00 am, 1:00 pm, and 3:00pm.
• Folio Winemakers’ Studio is a tasting experience of several different wine companies including the Folio brand wines by the Michael Mondavi Family.
• Madonna Estate - With eighty years of history in winemaking, the Bartolucci family continues to produce 100% organically grown grapes, which are dry farmed on the estate vineyard.
• Nicholson Ranch is set amid the southern foothills of the Sonoma Valley. Open daily 10:00 am – 6:00 pm. Daily tours offered by appointment.
• Saintsbury Vineyard - Founded in 1981, the winery was named in honor of George Saintsbury, an Englishman of letters, best known for his Notes on a Cellar-Book (1920). Open by appointment Monday – Friday.

  Please contact the Concierge desk for more information about exploring wine country!

Culinary Experiences

COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS

Ramekins offers fun hands-on cooking demonstrations. Jump right in and participate in cooking with premiere chefs of the Napa Valley like John Ash, Cat Cora, and Thomas Keller! Then enjoy a glass of wine and an appetizer that you made, while they set up the table for a "one of a kind" dining experience.

The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone offers cooking demonstrations performed by the schools renowned chef-instructors. They feature recipes that reflect the seasonal flavors of the Napa Valley wine country and products at their peak in the market.

PRIVATE CHEFS & CLASSES

With advance notice our Concierge would be happy to arrange for a Private Chef to come for a cooking class or demonstration as well as to prepare a personalized wine pairing meal for your party. We recommend conducting these classes and meals in one of our Homes at The Carneros Inn, where you and your guests will have a beautiful indoor / outdoor private venue to wine, dine and enjoy the experience.

CULINARY TOURS

Long Meadow Ranch is a beautiful, 650-acre historic ranch nestled high atop the Mayacamas Mountains above the Napa Valley. Here they produce award-winning wines and handcrafted extra virgin olive oils - as well as grass-fed beef, eggs, and heirloom fruits and vegetables. Long Meadow Ranch's extraordinary food products have been featured by America's top chefs. They offer tours by prior appointment.

Chalk Hill, located in Healdsburg, boasts a multifaceted culinary program that includes their organic produce garden and a full-time Estate Executive Chef, who prepares and pairs culinary creations that showcase the Chalk Hill Estate Wines. The culinary tour, arranged by prior appointment, takes you though the winery, their incredible organic gardens, their beautiful 2,000 acre estate with a state of the art dressage arena and club house. Then they sit you down and pair their wines with a 3 course "small meal", which doubles as a light lunch. Appointment required.

OLIVE OIL TOURS & TASTING

Round Pond is a gold medal award winner in international competition. It's a family producer of four luscious olive oils: Premium Italian, Spanish, Meyer Lemon, and Blood Orange. Here you'll have a formal tasting with all the essentials of how to evaluate olive oils, and we'll discuss compatible foods as well as taste small plates of foods with the different oils. They also make two specialty vinegars from their own grapes and in a traditional French manner. And you'll try these with the oils, as you like, together with small plates of food. You will also see a demonstration of an Italian frantoio (olive press).

St. Helena Olive Oil Co. provides a casual atmosphere to enjoy home-made olive oils produced in the valley. The tasting bar is open to walk-into daily.

The Olive Press, located in Sonoma, is committed to making only the finest Award Winning California Extra Virgin Olive Oil. The Tasting Room and unique gift store is dedicated to "everything olive".

BR Cohn makes world-class California olive oils and vinegars. The Estate Olive Oil is crafted from 140-year-old French Picholine olive trees imported from France in the mid 1800s, which surround the estate. Stop in to taste their oils at various dipping stations.

Art Galleries

ART GALLERIES & EXPERIENCES

The di Rosa Preserve: Art and Nature was a gift to the public from passionate art collector, Rene di Rosa. The Preserve houses nearly 2,200 works of art in all media by more than 900 artists from Northern California, possibly the largest collection of its kind. Located less than one mile from the Inn.

Cornerstone Festival of Gardens is an ever-changing series of walk-through gardens, showcasing new and innovative designs from the world's finest landscape architects and designers. The first such gallery-style gardens in the United States, the nine-acre Cornerstone Festival of Gardens has been envisioned as an inspiration and resource for people interested in gardens, garden design and art. Located 15 minutes from the Inn in Sonoma.

Sonoma Valley Museum of Art Exhibits from local and international artists.

WINERY ART GALLERIES
There is an Ansel Adams gallery at Mumm Napa Valley, unique contemporary art at Hess Collection Winery, and sculptures, fountains and glass creations by Gordon Huether, the resident artist at Artesa Winery.

Golf

Eagle Vines Golf Club is a challenging test of golf for all players, yet is playable for all skill levels with four sets of tee boxes to choose from. The golf course was designed by World Golf Hall of Fame member Johnny Miller. The course has taken advantage of the natural beauties of Napa Valley by featuring rolling hills, majestic oak trees, ambling creeks, and working vineyards.
(10 minutes from The Inn)

The Chardonnay Golf Club offers 27 holes of championship golf to challenge players of all skill levels. All three 9-hole courses (The Lakes, Meadows, and Vineyard Courses) meander through 150 acres of Chardonnay and Merlot vineyards and feature numerous lakes, creek crossings, and a wide variety of flora and fauna.
(10 minutes from The Inn)

Silverado Country Club boasts two, 18-hole Napa Valley Wine Country golf courses, each in the distinctive style of their architect, Robert Trent Jones, Jr. The courses cover 360 acres and feature lush vegetation, ponds, lakes, three sweetwater creeks, trees arching over the fairways and artfully placed traps and greens.
(20 minutes from The Inn)

Hiddenbrooke Golf Club is a world-class championship golf course designed by golf legend, Arnold Palmer. Hiddenbrooke features the dramatic elevation changes and excellent course conditions with at least five sets of tees on every hole, golfers of all skill levels will enjoy a round of golf at Hiddenbrooke.
(25 minutes from The Inn)

Activities

Hot Air Balloon Rides with Napa Valley Balloons
Hot air balloons soar like a red-tailed hawk, floating almost silently above the trees and fields, vineyards and orchards — you'll see the Napa Valley wine country in a way that ground-bound travelers never do. $225 per person includes pick-up at the Inn, Continental breakfast at Etoile at Domaine Chandon, 45-60 minute flight, in-flight photo, Champagne breakfast buffet after the flight and return to the Inn. 72 hour cancellation policy. Pick up time is between 5:30 am and 7:00 am, depending upon the time of year. (cost subject to change without notice)

Wine Country Horseback Trail Rides
Western trail rides are located twenty minutes from the Inn in nearby Sonoma Valley. 90 minute private rides are $100 per person (does not include gratuity). Rides are by appointment at 10:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. Ages 7 and up. (Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian). (cost subject to change without notice)

Bike Rides
The Inn offers complimentary bikes for your enjoyment, available on a first-come first-serve basis. Please contact the Concierge if you are interested in renting bikes.

We offer Bianchi Parco bicycles with racks and bags for your picnic lunch. The Market at the Carneros Inn offers a variety of packed lunches which can be ordered in advance.

Bike Tours
Getaway Adventure’s “Sip N’ Cycle” tours are a fun and unique way to experience the beautiful wine country. Each tour can be customized to include a hike into the hills, a stop or two at various wineries, and varying degrees of difficulty. The tour guide will provide intriguing information about the Valley, bring you up to speed on wine jargon, and give additional facts of the area's history. The price is typically about $150 per person for a full day tour including lunch. We suggest Getaway Adventures Calistoga Tour or Napa Valley Bike Tours located in Yountville.

Hiking Trails
Skyline Wilderness Park in Napa. (20 minutes from The Inn)
Mount St. Helena in Napa Valley. (45 minutes from The Inn)
In nearby Sonoma Valley, Jack London State Park (The Beauty Ranch) in Glen Ellen which is on Sonoma Mountain. (40 minutes from The Inn)
On the coast, we recommend Muir Woods in Marin County (60 minutes from The Inn)

Infineon Raceway
The Audi Sportscar Experience is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that puts you behind the wheel of some of the most powerful vehicles Audi has to offer, including the Audi RS4, R8, S5 and S8. With professional drivers as your personal instructors, you'll learn to drive these cars the way they were meant to be driven: on the track.

Vintage Aircraft Co. is a fun, unique way to view the vineyards and a great way to get an adrenaline boost! They have biplanes and “war birds” modeled after the North American AT6 planes that flew in WWII.

Safari West is nestled on 400 acres in the heart of California's wine country; Safari West is home for over 400 exotic mammals and birds. Not a zoo, not a drive-through park, it's a wildlife preserve where the whole family can experience some of nature's most beautiful animals in a natural habitat.

Bale Grist Mill is site of a water-powered grist mill that was built in 1846. It was once the center of social activity as Napa Valley settlers gathered to have their corn and wheat ground into meal or flour.

Old Faithful Geyser in Calistoga is one of only three Old Faithfuls in the world, designated as such because of its constant and predictable eruptions. This spectacle is a true rarity, and there's no better place to see it than here!

The Petrified Forest - Geologists call this attraction one of the finest examples of a Pliocene fossil forest in the world. Step back in time, over 3 million years, and follow the trail of majestic petrified redwood giants arrayed before you in a fascinating grove in beautiful California wine country.

Family Friendly Activities

ON PROPERTY
Swimming - The Inn has two swimming pools which are heated to 82 degrees year-round. The Hilltop Pool which is reserved for adults only, and Otto's Pool, which is designated for families and fitness. Otto’s Pool is comprised of an infinity edged lap pool, hot tub, cabanas and children's pool, as well as Otto’s Pool diner which offers full food and beverage service daily, in season. We offer pool toys for kids to splash around; and the zero edge wading pool is perfect for small children. Otto’s Pool diner serves family friendly snacks and meals, and our cabanas provide the perfect relief from the sun.

Bikes - The Inn offers complimentary adult-size bikes on property for rides through the local countryside. Although we do not have children's bikes on hand, our concierge would be happy to arrange for them.

Bocce ball - Our town square offers two professional size bocce courts and lawn area.

DVDs and Games - Reception offers a variety of DVDs and games for families to enjoy on a complimentary basis.

NAPA
Napa Cinedome Movie Theater - Napa's local movie theater.

Scientopia Discovery Center - a children’s discovery center designed to encourage children’s love of science, math, art and music through hands-on exhibits, creative play areas and fun-filled events.

ST. HELENA
Grist Mill State Historic Park - Built in 1846, visitors can watch grain being ground by the mill's original quartz stones. Restored through the efforts of the Native Sons of the Golden West, the mill is now a state historic park. After two years of restoration, the largest wooden overshot wheel in North America now grinds corn, which is bagged and sold at the mill. Located 40 minutes from the Inn.

SONOMA VALLEY
Sonoma Train Town - Miniature steam trains guide you through acres of landscaped parks filled with bridges, tunnels and waterfalls. The park also features games and a petting zoo.

Wine Country Horseback Trail Rides - Western trail rides are located twenty minutes from the Inn in nearby Sonoma Valley. 90 minute rides are $85 per person for a private ride, or $65 per person as a group, prices do not include gratuity. Rides are by appointment at 10:00 am, 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm. Ages 7 and up. (Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian).

Sonoma Plaza - Picnic areas, playgrounds, amphitheater, ducks and pond, chickens, fountains, rose garden, local events. Tuesday night Farmers' Market 5:00 pm to dusk, April through October.

FAIRFIELD
Jelly Belly Factory - See where the original gourmet Jelly Belly is made and learn how they create the delicious flavors. You will have the chance to see hundreds of thousands of pounds of candy in the making. Over 40,000,000 Jelly Belly beans are made each day! Located 30 minutes from the Inn.

SANTA ROSA
Safari West - A private 240-acre wildlife preserve is home to 400 exotic free-roaming mammals and birds. You will spend 2 1/2 hours on a unique tour through the rolling hills of the reserve among rare herds of animals including antelope, eland, gazelle and zebra. Located 60 minutes north of the Inn.