EDITOR’S NOTE: Shortly before this story went to press a series of devastating fires ravaged parts of both Napa and Sonoma counties, resulting in the loss of lives as well as thousands of homes and businesses. The Hilton Sonoma Wine Country hotel and Fountaingrove Inn both burned down, as did several wineries. We decided to run this story, as the area is currently working to get back on its feet. See the fire update sidebar on page 102 and our disaster coverage on www.MeetingsToday.com/DisasterUpdate for updated information on business closures and how to help.
While the term “wine country” can be applied to a growing number of regions in California and beyond, for most it’s still Napa and Sonoma that first come to mind.
The adjacent counties just north of the Golden Gate beckon visitors with an array of acclaimed wineries, chef-driven restaurants and world-class hotels and resorts, among other attractions.
Equally enticing are such down-home pleasures as organic farm stands, country towns, natural hot springs, hiking trails, bike paths and plenty of places for rejuvenation and quiet escape.
Napa County
Napa County is largely comprised of two distinct regions: the fabled Napa Valley, where world-famous wineries are interspersed among upscale resorts and charming small towns like St. Helena and Calistoga, and the city of Napa, a once overlooked enclave that has become a magnet for acclaimed restaurants and stylish hotels.
“The city of Napa has really been revitalized over the past several years, with many new tasting rooms downtown and places like the Oxbow Public Market and concert venues like Blue Note and Uptown Theatre,” said Teresa Savage, vice president of sales for Visit Napa Valley. “It’s become a great place for meetings. You can go up into the valley during the day and then come back and enjoy Napa at night.”
Napa, both city and valley, is enjoying increased interest from the corporate market, including incentives, these days, according to Savage.
“Incentives, usually for groups of 30 to 50 people, are very strong right now, which is a big turnaround from four or five years ago,” she said. “The allure of Napa is seen as a nice reward for people.”
Another draw for meetings is the fact that experiences for groups are anything but “cookie cutter,” according to Savage.
“Planners are increasingly looking for experiences that are non-traditional and creative,” she said. “Napa lends itself to this perfectly. You can have a chef or winemaker come in to talk to the group. You can arrange a bucket-list activity like ballooning over the vineyards at dawn—a spectacular experience. Or you can do a food tour on a Segway through downtown Napa or Yountville, stopping to taste delectable things along the way.”
A venue showcasing both the food and wine heritage of the region, CIA at Copia reopened earlier this year under new ownership by the Culinary Institute of America. The reimagined 80,000-square-foot venue offers daily cooking and wine-themed classes, a tasting showcase for local wineries on a rotation basis, a restaurant, demonstration kitchens and numerous areas for private events, including a 600-seat amphitheater overlooking the Napa River.
Scheduled to open at Copia this year are the Chuck Williams Culinary Arts Museum, built to honor the late founder of Williams-Sonoma, and the Wine Hall of Fame. Both will feature interactive exhibits on the history of gastronomy in America. Another upcoming addition will be the Reserve Tasting Salon where guests can sample rare and little-known wines from around the world.
“Anything we offer can be customized for groups, including hands-on cooking classes or interactive receptions where the chef makes hors d’oeuvres right in front of you,” said Amy Thomason-Richardson, director of event sales at Copia. “We can also build a wine component into any program. Groups can do a wine class here prior to going out to the local wineries, which is a great introduction to the area.”
The region is also offering an expanded choice of upscale hotels and resorts, including Las Alcobas, a Luxury Collection Hotel, which opened in downtown St. Helena last spring with 68 guest rooms, a fine-dining restaurant, a spa and meeting and event space.
PageBreak“What’s great about Las Alcobas is that it gives us a five-star resort within walking distance of the wineries, shops and restaurants in St. Helena,” Savage said. “For instance, you can walk over a drawbridge to Beringer Vineyards and do a wine-tasting event with your group.”
In downtown Napa, a new addition is The Archer, which offers 183 rooms, a restaurant operated by celebrity chef Charlie Palmer and 15,000 square feet of meeting and event space, including a rooftop pool deck. The new property is one of several stylish hotels nearby, including the Westin Verasa Napa, River Terrace Inn and Andaz Napa, which opened in 2012 with 141 rooms and 9,000 square feet of meeting space.
Just outside of town, Silverado Resort and Spa recently unveiled 30,000 square feet of new event space, including Mansion Gardens, an outdoor reception area with a pavilion.
Sonoma County
West of Napa, the much larger Sonoma County encompasses everything from organic farms to redwood forests and a stunning seacoast. Like Napa, it has its share of celebrated restaurants and luxury resorts as well as over 400 wineries tucked among the valleys and hillsides. Its cities include Santa Rosa, the wine region’s largest metro hub, as well as Sonoma, one of California’s most historic Spanish Colonial towns.
Events and teambuilding activities with a wine theme are abundant throughout Sonoma County. Among the newest options is the Count Blending Experience at Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma, where participants gather in the blending cave to create a one-of-a-kind wine as the original vintner, Count Agoston Haraszthy, would have done a century ago. Participants create their own label and leave with a newly branded wine tailored to their personal taste.
In addition to wine-themed events, there are a growing number of other F&B-related options that groups enjoy, according to Mark Crabb, chief tourism officer for Sonoma County Tourism.
“Sonoma County is also getting known for its craft breweries as well as distilleries—if we can grow it, we can ferment it,” he said. “Culinary classes such as cheese-making are also popular. A company called Epicurean Connections offers all kinds of classes for small groups, including the chance to pair wines with the dishes they create.”
In Santa Rosa, the former Hyatt Vineyard Creek Hotel was rebranded as the Hyatt Regency Sonoma Wine Country following a renovation of its 155 guest rooms and 20,000 square feet of meeting space. The hotel plans to unveil a 93-room addition next spring.
Santa Rosa’s most iconic group-friendly hotel is the Flamingo Resort & Spa, which was built in 1957 with classic Mid-Century architectural features that have been carefully maintained over the years. The 170-room resort features 15,000 square feet of meeting rooms, an extensive health club and an Olympic-size pool surrounded by lush gardens and lawns.
New hotel activity is also happening just outside Santa Rosa in the tech hub of Rohnert Park. The Graton Resort & Casino recently expanded with a 200-room hotel, deluxe spa and 20,000 square feet of meeting and event space.
Also new is Oxford Suites Rohnert Park, which offers 163 suites and 6,773 square feet of meeting space.
Groups meeting in Rohnert Park also have a new event venue and teambuilding option, an immersive themed environment called Game the Room.
Groups can book an Escape Room in which they have 60 minutes to solve puzzles, crack cryptic locks and engage in escape challenges.
On the coast and in the Russian River area are new options for small meetings and corporate retreats.
Overlooking the Pacific in Jenner, Timber Cove resort, built in 1963 with redwood and stone design elements inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright, reopened last year after a property-wide renovation that added meeting space, a wine-tasting room and spa. Available for buyouts, the 46-room property includes the Great Room, a massive lounge with a soaring atrium ceiling, and the Ansel Adams Room, which has exposed timber beams, a fireplace and an expansive deck jutting over the Pacific.
According to Erica Howe, director of sales and marketing, the resort is drawing an assortment of group business that includes Bay Area tech companies and law firms. The resort can arrange for activities that include yoga sessions, movie screenings, horseback riding, guided hikes with Unbeaten Path Tours, kayaking on the Russian River and wine tasting at the property’s new Hirsch Room, an ocean-view venue featuring rare wines from Hirsch Vineyards.
“Timber Cove is large enough to feel you are in your own private world and yet intimate to bond with others,” Howe said.
Another coastal option is The Inn at the Tides, an 86-room property set in lushly landscaped gardens and groves of native trees overlooking Bodega Bay. Groups will find 6,228 square feet of event space, a spacious pool area and convenient access to local beaches, as well as the acclaimed Tides Wharf & Restaurant.
Small retreat groups can go “glamping” at AutoCamp, which features 23 modern and luxurious Airstream trailers, 10 canvas tents and an ADA-compliant cabin set in a redwood forest in Guerneville. Gathering places for groups include the Clubhouse, which offers a fireplace and hot showers along with outdoor areas with fire pits. The property, which offers Wi-Fi throughout, can host groups of up to 50 people and is available for buyouts.
