Trip to Calistoga, Napa Valley

"Harvest time will be early this year," said Philip as he poured coffee into my cup. Alan and I were about to have breakfast al fresco, taking in the view of the rows of vineyards before us.

"If you look at the vines closely, you will see that the grapes are already starting to sprout," he added.

Every year, Alan and I make an effort to go someplace new for our wedding anniversary. My pick for this year was a bed & breakfast highly recommended by my brother. Chateau de Vie in Calistoga, Napa Valley offers a refreshing break from the heat as well as the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas.

Accommodations

It's a three-story house with 4 rooms in the middle level. I believe the top floor housed the suite. Upon entering, you are welcomed with soothing urban music -- reminiscent of modern hotels and resorts. (This one reminded me of the music for Skylofts at MGM Grand). Dominating the walls were posters with Diego Rivera's art. Philip, the main host and one of the chateau's proprietors, greeted us and led us to our room.

Our bedroom was decent size with a four-poster bed, a comfortable armchair next to a reading lamp, a tall dresser...but no television. That made me sing Handel's Messiah in my head. But I swore to my husband, the TV addict, that I had no idea they wouldn't have any TVs in their guestrooms. I'm surprised he didn't mind and in fact, he had a really relaxing time just reading and napping during our stay. I love quiet time and hardly ever turn a TV on, so this was perfect for me.

The bathroom was just as nice with L'Occitane amenities. Outside our bathroom window was another breath-taking view of the vineyards. Imagine how much fun it was to just brush your teeth while looking out this window!

Downstairs were the main living room, main dining and kitchen areas. The parlor had sofas and ample-sized armchairs conducive for reading. Bookshelves lined one end of the room. Opposite that were French doors that led outside to a deck area with bistro sets and patio furniture. This is where they served breakfast. This backyard area overlooked the surrounding vineyards -- some of which are owned by Chateau de Vie. (One should never miss the opportunity to taste their excellent Cabernet Sauvignon.)

Beyond the deck is the pool area. The Jacuzzi tub is enclosed in a gated section and past that, a small lap pool. Everything seemed to be just the right size. Understated yet never lacking.


Breakfast

Breakfast was served at 9 am. Unlike other B&Bs, this one had several smaller tables where guests and their own parties can dine in private as opposed to dining altogether at a common table. There's nothing wrong with socializing with others except when you're on vacation, sometimes you prefer alone time. For starters, we had delicious scones. I never thought about having them for breakfast. I always thought scones were reserved for afternoon tea. (By the way, Philip published the famous recipe in his newsletter.) Next, we had strata with artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes. Fabulous! After breakfast, we took up Philip's suggestion of taking a walk through their vineyards. The photograph at the top of this page shows the mini grapes already starting to sprout. I made Alan put his hand next to it to give the viewer a better sense of its size. "Beautiful" is probably an adjective too common to describe this place, but I can't think of any word more apropos.


Around Calistoga and Napa Valley Driving around this town is enough for a wonderful adventure. The different wineries alone such as Opus One is a must see. The building structure at the center of the property reminds me of Aztec architecture. The surrounding acres of vineyards seem to stretch as far as your eyes can see.The one curious thing Alan noticed with some vineyards is that a rose bush grew in front of each row of vines. We asked Philip about this and he said there are two schools of thought: one (which is his favorite) is that it is a symbol of celebrating the fruit of the vine...the very essence of Napa Valley...and the romanticism of it all. The other (the more scientific explanation) is to protect the vines. If bugs were to attack the plants, the bugs would go after the roses first.

~ dates of stay: May 18 - 19, 2008