Flashing neon signs, pastel muscle cars, and palm trees — this is the classic image of the American motel. These motor hotels — later coined "motels" by the owner of the Milestone Mo-Tel in California — were once simple, functional waystations for roadtrippers exploring new miles of American interstates.

December 22, 2023 For visitors planning a trip, there truly are hotels in Napa for every type of traveler, whether it's a former stagecoach stop-gone-boutique hotel that hugs the Napa River near downtown, or an eco-luxury property in Yountville paying homage to its original Italian-born owners. Here, we present the top 15 resorts and hotels in Napa Valley.

The Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa seeks to build partnerships with wineries that exude its values of fun and adventure. Not only does the Lodge promote its partners’ wine experiences to guests, it offers event space to wineries without expansive properties. The Lodge caters to a younger demographic, and with its on-site programs and tastings, it nurtures a lifetime of return visits to Napa Valley.

Every year the Sunset Travel Awards honor the best in travel in the West. This year we had over 600 entries across all categories (a record number!). These hotels, motels, and lodges are the 2023 winners of the Where to Stay: Roadside Lodging category. Calistoga Motor Lodge was recognized in the Best Roadside Lodging category. This funky motor lodge inspired by the Great American Road Trip has hula hoops, board games, and cruiser bikes, but the real draw is the mineral water that made this area a famous Napa Valley wellness destination. Soak in a private clawfoot tub filled with geothermal waters and get playful with a DIY mud painting, detoxing from a day of wine tasting.

Part of the JdV by Hyatt brand and inspired by the Great American road trip, Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa is a stylish and fun getaway that makes your stay feel like home. Accommodations include Camper guest rooms and suites featuring retro-inspired details reminiscent of a camper van, as well as elevated Deluxe rooms.

Hyatt Hotels Corporation (NYSE: H) announced today that Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa, a retro-inspired property with 97 guestrooms and suites, has joined the JdV by Hyatt portfolio and is now open and bookable through Hyatt channels. Perfectly placed at the head of the Silverado Trail in the heart of California’s wine country, Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa marks the first Independent Collection hotel in Napa Valley.

If you love wine and gorgeous scenery, Napa is definitely a place you’ll want to experience. With more than 400 wineries in the region, there’s a reason this valley in California is so well known. Whether you visit during the busyness of the harvest season or during the Spring, there’s plenty to do in this beautiful region. But for an especially memorable day trip in the Northern part of the valley, however, Calistoga, California boasts a unique history, amazing food, shopping, and a laid-back vibe (in addition to wine tastings, of course).

Originally inhabited by the Wappo Native American tribe, who believed in the healing power of the hot springs that defined the region, Napa Valley’s town of Calistoga has long had a magnetic pull for those seeking rest and rejuvenation. In the late 1800s, developer, entrepreneur, and Calistoga founder Samuel Brannan saw the tourism potential for these hot springs, ultimately opening the Calistoga Hot Springs Hotel on the land he purchased in the area.

I have a confession to make, and I can already hear an audible gasp from my Northern California friends and neighbors: I’m not all that into wine. I absolutely can and do appreciate excellent wine, craft beer, and cocktails (when I do drink, I want it to be good after all), but I am no fanatic. What I do love more than anything is traveling and making memories with my family, which includes my husband and two young kids, ages four and six, and one of the places we love to do that in is Napa Valley.

It might seem counterintuitive, but the best way to relax, restore, and detoxify your body might be to get a little dirty – from a mud bath in Calistoga, that is. Emanating from long-ago volcanic activity, the legendary mud baths in the town of Calistoga coalesce by combining mineral-rich volcanic ash with waters from natural, mineral hot springs all naturally found in this idyllic little hideaway town of Napa Valley. The resulting mixture – this magical mud – has been touted for its many nurturing benefits such as hydrating the skin, reducing inflammation, promoting general relaxation, and more.

Napa Valley Restaurant Week is fast approaching and with special menu items and once-a-year offers, it’s one of the best times to try area restaurants.

The Best Mineral Hot Springs in Sonoma and Napa Wine Country Feel the tension melt away at one of these relaxing mineral springs resorts. Mother Nature has a way of providing remedies for all ailments. For thousands of years, people have gathered at geothermal mineral springs to ease their pains, from achy muscles to weary minds. The natural heat and mineral content of the springs have been reported to soothe arthritis pain, improve circulation, relieve certain skin conditions and more.

One of our favorite things about living in Napa Valley is the abundance of amazing restaurants seemingly at our fingertips. We love discovering hidden gems, locals favorites and the new openings everyone is buzzing about. We recently dined at Fleetwood Restaurant in Calistoga and were absolutely blown away by the pairings Chef Edgar and his team whipped up for us.

Calistoga also happens to be brimming with splendid resorts, boutique hotels, historic B&Bs, and secluded vacation rentals. Here are the top cool and unusual hotels in Calistoga, California (in no particular order)... 1. Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa – a retro, hip and unique boutique hotel perfect for Millennials and Gen Zs

Sweeping valleys, rolling vineyards and the most exquisite hospitality experience is what you’ll find if you pay a visit to Napa Valley. Just an hour north of the Bay Area of San Francisco, wine country is a must do for a weekend getaway or a special occasion. My husband and I decided to take a trip to the wine capital of the U.S. to celebrate our 12th wedding anniversary! Let’s face it…after doing our best to celebrate our tenth anniversary under COVID restrictions and being under quarantine for almost 3 years with our family, we knew it was just the perfect place to get away from it all.

There’s an unabashed joy, pure and unsophisticated, that upshots when so many of our favorite things unite under one experience – it’s innate. Visceral. Like when you’re a kid and you’re at the beach. The ice cream guy comes by so you get a Sidewalk Sundae and your best friend, she gets a Chipwich, and the sunshine and the sand and then you’re going home to have a sleepover. The elation! Flash forward a few (decades), and you’re up in wine country, maybe with some friends, there’s a converted motor lodge giving you unmistakable Rosebud Motel vibes, it has a spa, it’s delightful, and they offer things like salt soaks and eucalyptus steams and massages and stones from the Hot

FLEETWOOD CALISTOGA IS THE HEART OF CALISTOGA MOTOR LODGE AND SPA Few resorts in the Valley capture the spirit of summertime as well as Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa. With its Palm Spring-esque vibe that pays homage to the old-school road trips of the ’50s and ’60s, this playful, nostalgia filled resort is all about fun. From bocce ball and cornhole to its two mineral-water pools and laid back on-site spa, to complimentary bikes, Calistoga Motor Lodge is a welcoming place, the heart of which is its restaurant, Fleetwood Calistoga, a communal gathering spot for both guests and locals.

image shows the diners choice award logo for 2022
Open Table Diners’ Choice Award 2022

Congratulations to our on-site restaurant, Fleetwood, Calistoga! OpenTable diners voted us one of the best!

Trip Advisor Travelers’ Choice 2022

Travelers’ Choice (formerly Certificate of Excellence) recognizes businesses that consistently deliver great service.

Trip Advisor Travelers’ Choice 2020

Both family friendly and dog friendly, what the Calistoga Motor Lodge lacks in Napa hedonism, it makes up for in charm and quirkiness. This renovated roadside motel channels a modern, mid-century America, camper-van-chic vibe with fun touches such as skipping ropes and hula hoops for little kids and big kids alike.

Sun-soaked vineyards, oak-laden tasting rooms and sparkling wine plus spoons topped with caviar – it’s just part of the Napa experience. From the infamous resorts in St. Helena through the premier Napa wineries and to the revitalised downtown area, it doesn’t matter if you’re here for a relaxing weekend in Napa Valley or enjoying the Napa Wine Train on a girls trip, we’ve got you covered.

The town of Calistoga, in the heart of Napa Valley, has a more laid-back vibe than nearby Napa and Sonoma. Plus, it’s got great trail access to hiking, biking, and plenty of wine tasting. But many don’t expect to find access to geothermal waters. The 50-room Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa (from $246), designed as an ode to the American road trip, has three mineral pools on the property fed from underground springs, plus poolside cabanas and lounge chairs for relaxing after your soak and a spa with treatments like mix-your-own-mud baths.

Mud baths are a favorite pastime at Indian Springs, but a few blocks down the road, the Calistoga Motor Lodge offers a modernized version of the treatment in its chic Moon Acre Spa, modeled after classic European bathhouses. It opened in 2017 following major renovations to a rundown roadside motel and is the town’s latest celebration of living simply.

This laid-back, rustic retreat has recently incorporated CBD into its spa treatment menu, offering two signature treatments. The CBD Soak ($75 for 25 minutes) is a twist on their popular Splish Splash featuring infused bath salts that help to restore the body after a workout, reduce inflammation, and relieve stress. The CBD Massage ($145 for 50 minute) uses a hemp-derived, rich body cream to reboot muscles, skin, and aura.

This classic roadside motel re-imagined by NY studio AvroKO reverberates with mid-century nostalgia of fancy-free summer road trips, simple pleasures and cool, quenching pools to dive into after a long day’s drive. The design is pure retro with mid-century inspired poolside furnishings in a fresh palette of navy and white stripes, woven fabrics, and strung lights. Lounge in your own trellis-covered cabana or play vintage analog games. But the three pools – main pool, wading and indoor Jacuzzi – are uniquely Calistogan being fed by geothermal hot springs below.

This 1940s roadside motel has been reborn as a 50-room Napa oasis. The lobby is a cross between an old general store and a 1970s-inspired living room, complete with green velvet sofas and a fireplace. Guest rooms feature vintage-inspired bedding and quirky retro art. Don’t miss the mix-your-own-mud bar and three geothermal mineral pools at the spa. Rates from $209 per night, depending on the season.

Playfully borrowing from both the camper van and forties roadside motel vibe, the Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa brings some quirky color to the otherwise beige luxury of Napa Valley. It’s a setting straight out of a Wes Anderson movie, in particular, the white, mustard, blue and mint green tiled soaking room where steaming claw-foot tubs are drawn for guests ready to detoxify with medicinal salts from Japan, Turkey, and New Zealand. Outside, three mineral pools are fed from natural geothermal hot springs and utterly revitalize both your skin and soul.

Palm Springs meets Napa Valley at the Calistoga Motor Lodge & Spa. This 1940s roadside motel got a major facelift and now beckons you to unplug and simply chill. Simplistic in design and free of pretension, each of the 50 rooms is outfitted with camper-style banquette seating as a tribute to the great American road trip. It's the perfect spot for spending a cozy night in, snuggled in a super-soft sweatshirt robe (found in your closet), and immersed in a competitive game of Life or Sorry, available for checkout in the lobby.

This spa feels like the Platonic ideal of a roadside motel—congenial, comfortable, subtly transformative. The tub room is clad in porcelain mosaic tile and outfitted with tubs painted a custom color.

Detox at Moonacre Spa & Baths at the new Calistoga Motor Lodge, where the décor taps into classic, mid-century Americana. The vibe is pure camp – turquoise tiled walls dotted with cheeky signage surround claw-footed tubs that invite soaking while three geothermal mineral pools fed by underground springs await outdoors. For a dose of Napa Valley wellness-style, try the divine Wine Country Scrub – a grapeseed exfoliation followed by a full-body massage using oils infused with local rosemary and lavender. Afterwards, sit and schvitz in the spa’s large steam room, styled after the communal bathhouses of a bygone era.

MoonAcre Spa & Baths embodies the exploratory spirit of a fictitious Wes Anderson film, eschewing the conventional with colourful tiling, clawfoot tubs and patterned motifs. Judges observed: “MoonAcre is present, relaxing, and refreshing. It is a spa with a point of view.”

In its past life, the Sunburst Calistoga was a classic 1940s roadside hotel. Reborn in 2017 as the Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa, the property is an ode to the American road trip. The 55 rooms were inspired by Airstream camper vans, with retro prints, bold colors, and minimalist design (each one is outfitted with a camper banquette, too). Outside, there’s a distinct summer camp vibe, thanks to a rotating schedule of activities like group hikes, alfresco cinema night, and spa happy hour, as well as games like bocce ball, Hula-Hoop, cornhole, and traditional board games. And the three geothermal pools, which are fed by Calistoga's underground hot springs, are the perfect way to recover after

Come for the vineyards in Calistoga and stay for the geothermal pools! Calistoga is truly a magical destination not just for its vineyards but many geothermal pools and mud baths. We spent the afternoon soaking in the three geothermal pools at Calistoga Moter Lodge that are all fed from nature’s own underground hot springs.

One of the best new places to take in Napa Valley is this boutique hotel in a former 1940’s roadside motel. The retro-inspired decor by design firm AvroKO is colorful and inviting, dogs are welcome, and the spa boasts geothermal mineral water-fed pools, a mud bar, and one-of-a-kind massages. It’s a short drive to some of the region’s best wineries and restaurants, and there’s plenty to do in the area for a weekend when the weather is a bit too chilly for pool time.

Once a classic 1946 roadside motel, this hotel is now a modern and whimsical interpretation of its former self. The design takes inspiration from the nostalgia of American road trips past, with interiors gleaning inspiration from analogue leisure. Judges stated: “Fresh, original, with its own personality. It is comfortable with who it is.”

If there's one thing we'd love to do to kick off the fall season, it's check into a spa for the night — or maybe even two, or three. There's nothing quite as comforting and luxurious as the smell of eucalyptus, the coziness of terry bathrobes, and someone asking if you'd like another cup of fresh cucumber water (two extra slices for the eyes, please). I mean, does it get any better?

Napa Valley, a delightful landscape of wildflowers and grapevines spread across miles of rolling hills, has been immortalized in film, literature and European wine competitions. As the first and only Agricultural Preserve in the United States, and the first officially designated viticultural area, this small section of Northern California harbors some of the most hallowed wineries and restaurants in the country.

Most visitors coming from the Bay Area tend to start a drive around Napa Valley near the town of Napa and move up. Winemaker Kevin Morrisey’s secret to avoiding the crowds (they’ll eventually be back) is to start up-valley, near Calistoga...

An homage to the classic American road trip, the 50-room Calistoga Motor Lodge & Spa, located in the charming Napa Valley town of Calistoga, draws inspiration from '40s roadside motels and vintage camper...