Nestled in Sonoma wine country, this charming Mission-style resort blends cozy elegance with a lavish spa experience featuring soothing geothermal mineral baths and fine dining delights.
"An elegant mission-style resort hosting guests near the Russian River Valley."
"Distinguished by light terra-cotta walls, clay tile roofs, and multitiered stone fountains, the 97-year-old Spanish Colonial Revival–style inn (a member of the Historic Hotels of America) once served as a rest stop for weary soldiers and sailors in World War II. Now, the storied property—with accommodations ranging from 264-square-foot Fairmont rooms with Le Labo apothecary products, to a one-bedroom Legacy Suite fashioned with furniture by Williams Sonoma Home—boasts a spa, modeled after a Roman-style bathhouse with three outdoor mineral pools heated between 92 to 102 degrees; and five on-site dining options including California-French fusion restaurant, Santé, headed up by executive chef Jared Reeves." - Jennie Nunn
"This area just outside of the city of Sonoma has been prime real estate for centuries, since Indigenous peoples first discovered healing mineral hot springs here. After a previous hotel burned down in a wildfire in 1923, developers constructed the current Spanish Mission–style retreat, and it debuted four years later to much fanfare, complete with a now-iconic water tower standing tall above its tiled roof. Today, those springs feed five geothermal pools, with temperatures reaching up to 102 degrees and contain minerals like manganese, silicate, and zinc, in a magical setting marked by gurgling fountains and 100-year-old redwood and eucalyptus trees. Unsurprisingly, the wine lists are impeccable across the property, from Santé Restaurant to 38º North Wine Bar, which takes its name from the temperate latitude that cuts through some of the world’s finest wine regions." - Nicholas DeRenzo
"For a hotel that’s nearly a century old, the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn and Spa has done a beautiful job staying both relevant and desired by travelers and locals. Healthful relaxation and rejuvenation are central, with its coveted location atop an ancient hot spring. Mineral pools feature water sourced from said hot spring, both throughout the spa and at the main pool. The main pool features a proper poolside food and drink menu at the five-seat Water Tower Bar or ordered from a chaise lounge. The seasonal cucumber-honeydew gazpacho with spiced yogurt is cool and subtly sweet, and the fried, lime-doused Brussels sprouts are addictive. Salads, poke, and sandwiches like Nashville hot chicken or a fried green tomato po’boy round out the menu at this casual, social spot that offers, in addition to an expected alcoholic drink selection, several wines and house-batched cocktails on tap — it’s wine country, after all." - Laura Smith Borrman
"Napa’s neighboring county abounds with places to stay, ranging from quaint b&bs to lavish resorts and spas, such as the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa boasting a full 18-hole golf course and 40,000-square-foot spa with private cabanas and mineral baths." - Abbe Baker
