Napa Valley. Those two words make wine people very happy. Vineyards, trellis, food, grapes, hills, and don’t forget the wine. Downtown Napa is going through a revival and it is great to witness. The Napa River Inn located at the historic Napa Mill is a quaint and intimate hotel with is in walking distance of shops, restaurants, and the famous Oxbow Public Market.

Any stay at a hotel starts with the reception area. Hospitality is more than saying hello. It’s personal. It’s warmth. It’s the person at the front desk that makes you feel after a long drive ready relaxed. My stay at the Napa River Inn started with a greeting and quick history of the hotel before I was given my keys and taken to my room.

The hotel may be called an inn, but in my opinion, is a boutique hotel. Small, quaint, and luxurious. The first thing I do in any hotel is to check out the bathroom and then act like a 5-year-old and dive into the bed. I need to know I’m going to be enveloped in crisp sheets, feather beds, and decadent pillows. I want to spend time in the bathroom soaking away the travel delays. I take this very seriously. My room was the respite I needed after coming from Lodi and late nights.

If you are needing to really relax, enjoy the hotel’s spa with products from Au Natural and Michele’s Apothecary, both which are local brands. I highly suggest purchasing a few products from NV Organics which I fell in love with there.

The next day was a day to enjoy and chill; two things that are hard for me to do while traveling and working. Walking downtown Napa is easy. I like being able to walk out of the hotel and explore. A lovely bistro, Grace’s Table, with an innovative and fresh menu is perfect for lunch or dinner. A further walk, but easy with the beautiful California weather is Oxbow Public Market.

If you choose even more adventure I recommend using one of the bikes from the hotel and following the Napa river route and exploring local trails. It was great to actually get outside, get my legs moving, and laughing along the way. It also made me realize I actually like bike riding. I need to do more of it at home.

I'm headed back to Napa in the fall and you know I am plan to stay at Napa River Inn again. I adore this place.

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Travel Diary: Napa River Inn