Wellness Getaway in Sonoma!

Finally sharing a recap of my trip to Sonoma for a wellness getaway at Vintners Resort & Ferrari Carano! I’ve been to Napa many times but going to Sonoma was a first for me and boy am I OBSESSED!! 😊 I always found wine country to be extremely fun (and not just because of the wine) but Sonoma has its own special kind of beauty and I’m sharing all the details in this post!

How to Get There & Local Transportation!

Vintners Resort is located in Santa Rosa, CA and has a sister property a few mins away in Dy Creek Valley! Santa Rosa has a regional airport just about 10 minutes away from Vintners Resort and that’s where I flew into! You can also fly into SFO (or Oakland!) and drive/uber which would take around 1 hour depending on the traffic (don’t plan to drive around rush hour!) ! Luckily for me, I only had one layover and the flight went by quickly!

I would recommend a rental car if you’re coming from in from San Francisco and are planning to drive around. Otherwise, uber and Lyft are efficient to get around town!

To get to Ferrari Carano in Dry Creek Valley, we took a private bus via Pure Luxury Transportation which was SO fun! The bus was very spacious and had room for everyone (approx. 10 people)! We were able to hook up our playlist to add tunes for the ride and our driver was so sweet! They’re a great transportation company to consider for bachelorette parties, birthdays and wedding needs!

THE VINTNERS RESORT

Honestly, the best way to describe this place is that you feel transported to a more tranquile place! I’ve haven’t explored wine country in other parts of the world but I’d like to think that Vintners Resort pretty gives all the Italy vibes (wait till you see pics from Ferrari Carano too!)

The property is very intimate and the staff is SO welcoming, you instantly feel like you’ve known these folks for years! They make you feel right at home and make you feel like you’re family too! There are about 80 guest rooms and their new renovation, which was an extension of the resort overlooks the 92 acres of vineyard. The room itself is so cozy yet spacious. The bathroom was heavenly with the his & her sinks and for us gals, the perfect lighting 😉! LOL! I looked forward to getting ready everyday even though we were on vacation because the bathroom was so nice! The rooms also have fireplaces which is a beautiful feature to the rooms, making it extra cozy on those chilly Nor Cal nights! One thing that really made my stay so special there was the fact that I woke up every morning just to enjoy the view from my balcony and enjoy the morning fog, and the sunsets of course. It was blissful and something everyone needs to experience! Upon checking in, there was a complimentary bottle of wine in the room which has most definitely been consumed!!

SUSTAINABILITY AT VINTNER’S INN !

One of the coolest things about Vintners Resort was learning about how they automated their processes and tools that they use for harvesting grapes throughout the year. We learned how much work it takes to grow the grapes and to hear about how they use technology to make things more efficient. On top of that, Vintners Resort is committed to sustainability across the acres of vineyard land they have.  They focus on being environmentally friendly in terms of conserving water with their drip irrigation as well as participating in restoration projects to nurture and protect local ecosystems.

THE FOOD (AKA FARM TO TABLE HEAVEN)

Vintners Resorts has plenty of food options as they have 3 restaurants on property (John Ash & Co, The Front Room Bar & Lounge, and River Vine). The best part about Vintners is the “Farm to Table” concept they’ve brought to life at John Ash & Co! The menu is set to only prepare the dishes with seasonal ingredients produced by local farmers and artisans! I could eat there everyday and go to sleep happy (which is exactly what I did while I was there). The food was so fresh and savory and the staff had the perfect pairing suggestions for each course! I especially loved their breakfast/brunch menu, everything was so delicious yet so fresh! I was in heaven! 😊

We had the most lovely evening, a personal highlight for me - DINNER IN THE VINEYARD AT SUNSET. It was so magical and they had a violinist as well which was a perfect touch to such a perfect evening. We had a multiple course meal that took us from sunset to night and wrapped up with dessert and coffee. The decor and setup of the dinner amongst the vineyard was breathtaking - I’ll let the pictures speak for itself! ;)

THE SPA: Vi La Vita Spa

Y’all know how much I love a good spa session (and making a day out of it, let’s be real)! The Vi La Vita Spa at Vintners Resort is a new addition as of Fall of 2018, the spa has its massage and treatment rooms as well as a indoor & outdoor pool with a lounging area and spa sauna. I chose to receive a Deep Tissue Restorative massage which was long overdue! The massage session was so relaxing and effective, it put me right to sleep! I chose the deep tissue because I felt like my body needed something a bit more intense to relax the muscles but they have a long menu to choose from in terms of scrubs, polishes and massages! If spas aren’t your thing, there is a fitness room to get a quick workout whether you are a morning or evening person 😊 We also enjoyed a yoga class with a selection of aromas based on your chakras, it was nice to learn and recognize what my body and mind needed during the flow.

 FERRARI CARANO WINERY

Ok. Hands down. THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WINERY I HAVE EVER BEEN TO IN THE US! If I thought that the resort itself was an escape, Ferrari Carano Vinery is a whole different ballgame. As soon as you enter and go up the winding pathway, the outlook to the vineyard is BREATHTAKING! Just looking out over the vineyard was a sight to see. We then got a tour of the winery and learned how the wine is fermented and produced – which is always so informative because different wineries have different tricks on how they make wine. We enjoyed a private wine & food pairing, which was delicious! The pairing was perfect to learn about all the notes in the different flights and how they compliment certain dishes. It was such a great time and definitely something I want to do again when I go to Sonoma!

 OVERALL THOUGHTS!

I am 100% planning on going back to Dry Creek Valley and visiting Vintners Resort & Ferrari Carano! From the farm to table meals to the relaxing spa session to the beautiful dinner on the vineyard, everything we did and experienced was so relaxing and refreshing! I walked away from Sonoma feeling very zen which is exactly the vibe I was going for! Oh, what I would do to curl up next to the fireplace and enjoy a glass of wine right now! This would totally be a great idea for a girls trip or even a family trip! I know my parents would love a wine country getaway to Sonoma any day!