The Madrona

The Madrona Hotel Goes Wilde in Wine Country

"An intensely creative, art-forward stay in Healdsburg, this Victorian mansion–turned–hotel takes its cue from the Aesthetic Movement and Oscar Wilde, with owner-designer Jay Jeffers brightening formerly heavy interiors, refreshing the palette, and filling rooms with artwork while preserving the estate’s late-1800s bones. Spread across a mansion, a former horse-stable Carriage House, and standalone bungalows on eight acres of a farm founded in 1862, the all-unique rooms pair cozy furniture and fireplaces with playful Aesthete-era motifs—peacocks, foxes, and rabbits—and whimsical touches like bunny-ear chairs and an elephant lamp. Original antiques remain throughout: carved black beds from the 19th century, the home’s dining table newly finished in white, and vintage spirits displayed in a stunning, heavily carved étagère beside the restaurant. A mile from Healdsburg’s center and about ninety minutes north of San Francisco, the property balances the town’s glitz with farm serenity; its wraparound porch, restored by Jeffers, invites lingering. The restaurant favors hearty, seasonal, garden-supplied fare and sometimes eschews exclusive wine-country cuisine for tempura or Wednesday fried chicken, while the cocktail program is unexpectedly inventive for Sonoma and Wilde would love the wine list, too. Sustainability shows in a half-acre garden that uses regenerative techniques and ingredients foraged for the bar. Solo travelers and couples can opt for studios or salons in the Mansion & Carriage House, while larger parties can connect certain bungalows into two-bedroom suites; for those seeking a bucolic, green escape with help snagging hot reservations, this is a wine-country jewel we’d recommend to our closest friends." - Mitchell Friedman