City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Accommodations
Address: 170 Railroad Street
2. Courtyard Santa Rosa By Marriott
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (707) 573-9000, (800) 321-2211
Address: 175 Railroad Street
Description: Right on the edge of historic Railroad Square, this Marriott hotel has close access to enough antiques shops to delight any collector looking for bargains or the unusual. All the standard amenities are available in this 138-room inn. Kids will love the swimming pool, spa, and in-room movies; adults can explore any of the interesting restaurants located within walking distance.
3. Hotel La Rose
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (707) 579-3200, (800) 527-6738
Address: 308 Wilson Street
Description: A quaint and romantic hotel in Santa Rosa’s historic Railroad Square, Hotel La Rose was reconstructed in 1985 and designated a National Historic Landmark. The hotel is graced with a charming English country interior decor that belies the fact that this is a very modern hotel. The four-story main hotel has elevator access to its 28 nonsmoking rooms, and the carriage house, added in 1985, has 20 additional guest rooms built around a lovely courtyard. One of the hotel’s great assets is its proximity to the restaurants in Railroad Square, including its own, Josef’s.
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Accommodations
Address: 2777 Fourth Street
5. Fountain Grove Inn
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (707) 578-6101, (800) 222-6101
Address: 101 Fountaingrove Parkway
Description: In harmony with the natural environment, the Fountain Grove Inn’s design is all redwood and stone, sweeping low across historic Fountaingrove Ranch. The lobby too is far from ordinary, dominated by a large redwood sculpture of the legendary horse Equus. Utmost restraint and understated elegance mark the inn’s 125 rooms, which all have separate dressing alcoves, double closets, and work spaces with wireless Internet. The rooms underwent redecorating in 2007. The inn’s pool, waterfall, and spa offer a view of the historic Round Barn, which sits atop a small nearby hill. The inn’s restaurant, not surprisingly called Equus, carries out the theme, with the legendary horse etched in glass and redwood carvings.
6. Hilton Sonoma Wine Country
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (707) 523-7555, (800) 445-8667
Address: 3555 Round Barn Boulevard
Description: Just off US 101 north of downtown Santa Rosa on 13 acres of Fountaingrove Ranch, this hotel has let stand the historic landmark known as the Round Barn to mark its entrance. New in 2004 was a $6 million makeover of much of the facility. This chalet-style hotel has 246 rooms and suites and boasts many amenities, including a state-of-the-art in-room phone system, business center, an on-site restaurant called Nectar, an outdoor patio with a panoramic view of the Santa Rosa valley, a Junior Olympic–size swimming pool, and an on-site workout facility.
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Accommodations
Address: 4350 Barnes Road
8. The Gables Inn
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (707) 585-7777, (800) 422-5376
Address: 4257 Petaluma Hill Road
Description: Built in 1877 at the height of Victorian Gothic revival architecture, this home was constructed with 15 gables rising above some unique keyhole-shaped windows. There are seven rooms in the main house—five up a mahogany staircase, and two accessible to disabled guests—some of which include fireplaces, and all of which share central air-conditioning. Each room is furnished in unique decor that displays its history and character. An adjacent cottage is furnished with a kitchenette, TV with video library, stereo, woodstove, and two-person whirlpool tub. A lavish country breakfast is served.
9. Melitta Station Inn
City: Santa Rosa, CA
Category: Accommodations
Telephone: (707) 538-7712, (800) 504-3099
Address: 5850 Melita Road
Description: Once this was a busy railroad station; before that it was a general store and post office. Today it’s a warm inn with six guest rooms (five if the two-room suite is occupied) furnished with antiques and folk art. The inn’s former life is evident in its unique plank flooring and hand-sawed fir boards with the sawyer’s strokes still well marked. The style here is American antique, with lots of collectibles to admire. The setting is part of the charm: The inn is surrounded by state parks, hiking trails, and biking opportunities. A full buffet breakfast is served by the wood-burning stove in the large sitting room on the balcony. It’s in a good location for exploring both the Sonoma Valley and the city of Santa Rosa.