What a perfect evening. A few weeks ago, our friend from St. Helena e-mailed us a “Local Escape” promotion for Calistoga Ranch, and after viewing the Web site, we immediately called to make a reservation. With many Saturday nights already snatched up, we opted for a Sunday, March 9th.
We arrived at the serene, Zen-like Calistoga Ranch in the early afternoon with our moods already soaring from an unexpectedly positive tasting experience at Barnett Vineyards (to be described in next Monday’s posting). And our day would only get better.
As we pulled our Prius into a driveway filled with Audis and Lexuses, we were greeted by a young man in a crisp, white polo shirt and dark sunglasses who led us to the breezy, earth-toned reception area. As he handed us cool bottles of water, I felt drenched in calm. The smiling receptionist then casually informed us that we had been upgraded, and then directed us to a golf-cart that would transport us across the expansive (and gorgeous) property to our room.
Upon walking through a private wooden gate and up a few stairs, we found ourselves on a beautiful, spa-like terrace that led to two spacious cottages. “Which one is ours?” we asked. ”Both,” he answered. Wow!
As we were shown in, we rushed through the two suites, swimming in delight. The private wooden deck overlooked a beautiful backdrop of mountains, and as I peered over the edge, I saw a family of deer peacefully grazing just below. The deck included two comfortable cushioned chairs with matching foot-rests that faced an outdoor-indoor gas fireplace, a hot-tob alongside a table and chairs, and a tree trunk around which the base of the deck had been carved. These plush features created an aura of natural beauty, bursting with the sweet scent of jasmine.
The cottages contained just about every amenity you could expect from a hotel room and then a whole lot more: an elegant bedroom, two flat-screen televisions, two bathrooms (one a master with two separate vanities divided by a bathtub in the middle), two pairs of black flip-flops for the pool and spa, an outdoor shower that allowed for an exhilarating experience under the early morning sky, and a wet bar with a complementary bottle of Chardonnay in the fridge. All very classy, very comfortable, and very private. It was certainly no surprise when we learned that this room would normally cost a whopping $1200 per night and that several big-name celebrities had stayed here before us.
After leaving the Ranch to attend our second tasting of the day at Chateau Montelena (to be described in two Mondays from now), we returned in time for a quick pre-dinner dip in the mineral-water filled pool — perhaps one of the more idyllic swims I have had since our move to San Francisco a couple of years ago — and then, after putting our little boy to bed, we relaxed in front of the fire, nibbled on a dinner of fresh multi-grain bread, olive spread, artichokes, cheese, and apples, enjoyed our bottle of wine, and wondered what we had done to deserve such a perfect evening.
If you’re considering planning a trip to Calistoga Ranch, just note that the lowest room rates typically range between $550 in low-season and $845 in high-season for one night’s stay. If these prices are outside of your budget, we highly recommend taking advantage of the “Local Escape” special. Either way, it’s worth every penny ten times over.
www.CalistogaRanch.com
580 Lommel Road
Calistoga, California 94515
(707) 254-2800
