The Carneros Inn
Napa Valley, United States[view map]
Local restaurants
Angèle (+1 707 252 8115) is 10 minutes away at 540 Main Street on the Napa River, and has an excellent modern French menu. Just a little further afield is the huge and always packed Bistro Don Giovanni (+1 707 224 3300) for straightforward Italian fare at alfresco tables.Local bars
There are bars, of course, but you're much more likely to end up in one of the local wineries or tasting venues. The multi-winery tasting bar Vintner's Collective (+1 707 255 7150) is housed in the historic stone Pfeiffer building on Main Street and is an excellent place to try some of the valley's famous wines. You'll get an overview of the region's varieties as well as wines from some of the smaller properties.Worth getting out of bed for
Di Rosa Preserve: Art & Nature (www.diroaspreserve.org) on the Carneros Highway is a 217-acre estate that houses a private collection of thousands of works of art by Northern Californian artists in a unique natural setting.
When you're in Napa Valley, you should at least visit one vineyard or tasting house. The Carneros Inn concierge can arrange a bespoke tasting for you at one of the many wineries in the Valley, but there are two right on the hotel's doorstep: Artesa has an amazingly romantic balcony and tastings from $7.50; Domaine Carneros by Taittinger (+1 707 257 0101) recalls a French château, and has a lovely terrace with table service; reservations aren't necessary and you can share a plate of cheese with your wine, too.