Sonoma, Napa hotels make Condé Nast best in the world list
Two of the three California hotels to make Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List for 2024 are in Wine Country.
This is the third time Farmhouse Inn in Forestville has achieved this designation and the first for Meadowood Napa Valley.
“There is no shortage of incredible hotels in Napa and Sonoma, but we landed on Farmhouse Inn and Meadowood for a few reasons. While they are very different properties in terms of how they look and feel, and where they're located, they both are properties that really capture the heart of Sonoma and Napa respectively; both have very long, strong community bonds, and both have really stood the test of time,” Rebecca Misner, senior features editor for the publication, said.
“We love the understated luxury of Farmhouse Inn and Meadowood, and while both properties are beautifully designed, have excellent food and of course wine, and wonderful spas, neither feels at all fussy. They are incredibly welcoming and both channel a certain intimacy that can be hard to find in high end hotels."
The Gold List is a collection of favorite hotels selected by the editors of Condé Nast Traveler. The magazine admits this can be a bit subjective, but now in its 30th year, those doing the judging do have a set of parameters and years of experience.
“The guiding principle is that every property that makes the list is a place that gets nearly everything right. It's a place that we personally can't wait to return to, and the kind of place that we freely recommend to friends or family who ask where they should stay when they're in a certain destination,” Misner explained.
While this is the Farmhouse Inn’s third year on the list, going forward critics will be judging the Sonoma County property under different leadership. Foley Entertainment Group bought a majority stake in the resort last fall after it had been an independently operated business for 22 years.
Catherine and Joe Bartolome retained 25% ownership and management positions. However, now it’s corporate public relations folks providing talking points for the company only through email.
“Condé Nast Traveler continues to be a premiere voice in travel, and recognition on their prestigious Gold List, alongside just 12 other properties in the United States, is a rewarding and humbling accolade,” Mia Giobbi Thomas, vice president of sales and marketing for the Foley Entertainment Group, said in an email.
Meadowood often finds itself receiving Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, but this is a first for the editors to single out the St. Helena resort.
While it was first established in 1961, Meadowood had to shut down after the September 2020 Glass Fire that reduced its three-star Michelin restaurant to ashes.
It reopened in August 2021 with 36 lodge-style rooms and suites designed by Howard Backen.
“It is a true honor to be named to Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List for 2024. Our entire team is dedicated to bringing pleasure and joy to our guests, and Meadowood’s long-standing commitment to the highest standards of hospitality is something we are collectively proud of,” General Manager Patrick Nayrolles said.
The other California property to make the Gold List was Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. Throughout the world, 75 hotels and resorts were singled out for this designation.
Kathryn Reed is a journalist who has spent most of her career covering issues in Northern California. She has published four books, with the most recent being Sleeping with Strangers: An Airbnb Host’s Life in Lake Tahoe and Mexico. She may be reached at kr@kathrynreed. com, or follower her at kathrynreed.com, Twitter @Kathryn0925, or Instagram @kathrynreed0925.
