Wine Country 2 Ways: Find Your Style at These Sonoma County Sister Properties

If you can believe it, I grew up in Southern California and went to college in the Bay Area but never made my way to Sonoma County for wine tastings. A few years back, I ventured on a weekend getaway to Temecula in the Greater Los Angeles Area and got a feel for what I imagined wine country would be like, but I didn’t really have an excuse to go — until recently, when I found myself staying at two very different properties in Sonoma County: a boutique hotel in downtown Healdsburg and a wellness-oriented retreat in nearby Forestville.

For a boutique experience with a big personality: 27 North

My journey to Sonoma County started with a short plane ride from Los Angeles to Santa Rosa. I was picked up by 27 North’s Oliver in a Volvo SUV with a panoramic sunroof for a short and scenic ride to Healdsburg, complete with wild turkeys and bursting vineyards. There’s a bookish warmth you feel when you walk into the hotel, and I was pleased with the welcome drink, a hibiscus tea with (or without) the housemade tequila, El Mexicano.

Though my journey wasn’t long, travel days can still take something out of me. The second I got settled into my room, I sank into the fluffiest bed, almost as if it sighed along with me. I kicked off my shoes, turned on the gas fireplace with a flick of a switch, and flipped through the local SF Modern Luxury magazine while I enjoyed a cup of local Russian River Tea Company tea.

My room was spacious — bigger than the apartment I lived in years ago in New York. I loved the 19th-century antique armoire, the faux balcony windows, and the extravagant four-poster bedframe. The attention to detail was incredible, like the well-appointed mirrors featuring tiny birds, flowers, and butterflies that gave it a lightly feminine touch.

If you must work from your room, you can feel fancy sitting at the leather-top desk with vintage books held together by bronze lions. The hotel’s L’Occitane bath products finish off the elegance, along with homemade lavender bath salts. Soak in the jet tub and enjoy the view — in my case, local art from Terry Sauvé that delivered a gorgeous setting sun overlooking the vineyards. In fact, the hotel is filled with art from other locals, like Bradford Brenner’s lulling florals and Berisford’s modern It’s-It ice cream pieces.

Luckily, I didn’t have to grab a Lyft to get dinner as the property has a restaurant, Arandas, right downstairs. Wednesday night is Rock Like a Banshee — bring your own collection of records, or listen to the DJ spin some classics while you enjoy happy hour with a Savoia Spritz Slushie to cool off or the prickly pear margarita. Happy hour (Thursday and Friday between 4 and 6 PM and Saturday and Sunday between 3 and 6 PM) offers classic margs for $5 each plus light bites like queso fundido ($10), coconut shrimp tacos (2 for $10), and quesabirria (2 for $10).

For dinner, get the carnitas bowl: slow-cooked, citrus-marinated pork on a plate filled with the most delicious frijoles de olla (slow-cooked beans), perfectly cooked and flavorful Spanish rice, guacamole, and crema. Be sure to ask for the in-house hot sauce. Though I was full, I had to go with the can’t-miss recommendation for dessert: the churros. I don’t order them often because I’ve found that churros can be greasy or stale, but the texture of the cinnamon-sugar crunch against the soft warmth of the freshly fried dough was mind-blowing.

The churros come with a side of chocolate and caramel sauce (and cute fresh flowers for decor), but my server Jess suggested dipping the dessert in the horchata mudslide. It’s like an adult milkshake with tequila blanco, Two Stacks Irish Cream, Evil Bean Coffee Liqueur, horchata whip, and Abuelita Chocolate ($15). Thirsty for a little more, I also had to try the hotel’s craft cocktails and would recommend mixologist Matt “Mellow” Sykes’s La Mujer Florero: vodka, velvet falernum, strawberry Campari, lemon, and grapefruit.

Before heading to bed, I wanted to check out the library I passed on the way in. As a bookworm, I practically swooned at the vintage editions of Charles Dickens, a collection of poetry, an early edition Romeo and Juliet, and Harvard Classics series of hardcovers. Sitting there, I felt a bit like Southern lifestyle blogger Millennial Belle with the dim lights, lo-fi music, and a glass of Malbec.

Breakfast at the hotel is grab-n-go, perfect for those off to explore the town. Grab a pear, a coffee with plenty of assorted milk options, and a muffin. If you’re here on the weekend, treat yourself to brunch instead. I’m not a sweet breakfast diner, but I listened to my server’s suggestion and went for the Brioche French Toast, served with fresh strawberries and horchata whipped cream. Get a side of the crispiest bacon and insanely well-seasoned breakfast potatoes.

With just 16 rooms, 27 North is like the Goldilocks hotel: intimate but not too quiet. Rooms start at $400 per night, and California residents can enjoy 20 percent off plus a complimentary bottle of local wine.

Book Now

For quiet luxury in the redwoods: Farmhouse Inn

During my trip to Sonoma County, I also stayed at 27 North’s sister property, Farmhouse Inn, a Top 15 on Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best owned by fifth-generation farmers Catherine and Joe Bartolomei. Locals said it’s in the middle of nowhere, but it actually sits in Forestville, an approximately 5.3-square-mile census-designated place about 20 minutes south of Healdsburg. The location is a big part of its appeal, delivering a chance to unplug and sink into natural beauty. That’s probably why it’s such a favorite hideaway with celebs.

Walking into the lobby, you’ll be greeted by top-notch staff like Latisha, Heidi, or Jessica with a welcome drink — and a chonky house cat named Charlie (so famous he even has his own Insta). While the bathrooms are stocked with Natura Bisse products, be sure to fill up at the bath bar, Lush-style offerings with fresh cut soaps with scents like Rosemary Watermelon or Sonoma’s Herb Garden, bubble bath, and whipped brown sugar scrub from Sumbody.

My modern rustic room offered a quiet escape, with its porch overlooking gorgeous foliage, a dual fireplace to enjoy, and lots of sweet welcome goodies, including a bottle of Lancaster Estate’s winemaker’s cuvee, trail mix, the best gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, and lemon poppy seed organic blue cornflake petal rice krispie treats. For me, though, the extra touch that sets this place apart is the handwritten welcome note on the chalkboard and the sweet greeting card — that and the heated bathroom floors. Sure, the inn provides slippers, but you won’t need them.

I settled in to dine at the on-site restaurant, Restaurant at Farmhouse Inn, led by chef Craig Wilmer and pastry chef Amanda Hoang. It draws on several cuisines — Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mexican, German, Croatian — to create what it calls a Californian’s Cuisine. To start, try the Serpent Cut Serpent Cucumber. I almost went for the Bloomsdale Spinach Agnolotti with feta, but my server, Akram, highly recommended the cucumber, and I’m so glad I listened. With 100 cuts, this exquisitely presented dish hides a creamy soy bean puree in the center and is topped with crispy shallots to give it texture, while fresh mint provides a mouth-watering finish. It’s topped off with black vinegar for a kick.

For a main, go with the Masami Flatiron Carne Asada served with Brentwood Corn and Salsa Verde. Dessert was Hot Date Cold Date with Jujube Toffee Sauce and shaved Black Truffle on top with a side of date ice cream. While everything was perfect, the often-ignored and understated bread and butter were a star. Carol’s Dutch Oven Sourdough is what we all were hoping we could have made in 2020. The crisp edges, the fluffy chew, the flavor — it didn’t need any butter, but, listen, when they placed down that gorgeous pressed flower plate with house-cultured butter in the shape of a spoon holding Joe’s Honey, I wanted to weep. It was (almost) too gorgeous to tear into. Grab a glass of Chef Amanda’s Milk Punch — a unique blend of rum and brandy, fig leaf, tonka bean, and a hint of pineapple — or go for one of the many bold wines.

For breakfast, take advantage of the fact that you can order room service anytime before 2 AM by sticking your order outside and choosing your desired time. I woke up from the dreamiest sleep to eggs and fruit in bed, along with Five Mountains heirloom organic tea, a San Francisco brand founded by a former monk that swears off petroleum and only uses ethically grown, single-origin, fair-trade leaves.

After the perfect morning of lounging and relaxing, I walked over to the Wellness Barn where Wendy Wright greeted me, offering a robe to change into. Haley ushered me back for a relaxing 90-minute Antidote massage ($378), followed by a delicious cup of My Mother’s Garden, a floral blend including peppermint, blue mallow petals, lemongrass, and rose. There are also herbal baths that include an artisanal candle and journal to take home, floral readings, and farm-to-beauty facials for your getaway glow-up. Sonoma isn’t just about wine, and Farmhouse is leaning into wellness culture to become a truly Goop-level retreat in NorCal.

Lunch on site offers a lighter, locally sourced flair that you can enjoy inside, poolside, or patioside with the tranquil background of water fountains and birdsongs. I got the Bloomsdale Spinach and Nori Dip, a creative take with pepitas, garlic cloves, and miso on sourdough, followed by the gem Caesar topped with boquerones and pierre poivre. For dessert, try the flavor king pluot crisp — the perfect blend of salty-sweet oat streusel and tart plum. There’s also a juice bar outside. Try one of the cold-pressed juices like the Detox (grapefruit, lavender, lemon, cucumber, mint, and ginger) or a smoothie like the Beekeeper (stone fruit, honey, chamomile, marigold, dates, and alyssum flower). Add in vanilla collagen protein powder, blue spirulina, bee pollen, or a Farmacopia blend like radical immune or super power adaptodens.

Really use up the amenities here and enjoy the room — soak in the jet tub and light some of the provided candles, sit by the fireplace with a glass of wine, read on the patio, or take a steam shower. The property also has options for those who want to get outside the room. Walk the grounds and observe the colorful flowers, meditative fountains, and cute chickens. Sip something local every night from 4:30 to 5:30 PM, when the inn hosts a complimentary wine-tasting called Pour, Restore, and Reconnect from a rotating vineyard.

If wines aren’t your thing, you can learn more about adaptogens and local herbs, honey tastings, and essential oil workshops for mind-body integration. It’s served outdoors and gives you a chance to mingle with other guests. If you have a sweet tooth, cozy up by the communal firepits where you can roast a chef-made marshmallow and make s’mores under the stars. In the morning, try a vinyasa flow yoga class that incorporates a sound bath for a peaceful ending, mat Pilates, or even forest bathing. Poolside yoga under the canopy of redwoods and morning glories? Say less.

Book Now

Things to do in Sonoma County

Walk, shop, wine, and dine in Healdsburg

Founded in 1851 by entrepreneur Harmon Heald, Healdsburg offers rustic creekside beauty along the Russian River about an hour from the bustle of San Francisco. The traditional territory of the Pomo Tribe, the town became known as a quiet getaway for those looking to enjoy European vibes without catching a flight.

If you’re not enjoying breakfast at your hotel, walk a few steps across the street to Little Saint. I hadn’t looked at the menu beforehand, but when I arrived, my knee-jerk reaction (like most other guests who came in after me) was to gasp and say out loud, “Oh my god this place is SO CUTE!” It happens to be entirely plant-based with produce and flowers from its own regenerative farm, located less than three miles away. Brunch is served from 8 AM to 3 PM. Try the breakfast sandwich: seitan ham, Just Egg, peppers, and garlic aioli on a housemade English muffin along with rocket and my personal favorite, pickled onions.

I haven’t been vegetarian in years, so I was a bit reserved about it, but this genre of cuisine has come such a long way (or maybe I just got lucky at this heavenly spot). Pair your meal with a skinny glass of an iced latte, or go for one of the Cosmic Cups: ashwagandha cocoa featuring Volo Chocolate, mushroom latte that blends espresso with reishi, chaga turkey tail, shitake and lions mane, or golden milk. Don’t have time to stay? Grab some plant-based lemon ricotta or burrata, fig salami, and wines to pack a picnic.

After your first meal of the day, stroll around downtown Healdsburg. As someone who loves to shop local, I was delighted to see so many mom-n-pops. Many of the clothing shops had sale racks outside to browse for tops and skirts. Lucky Heron is a special shop, and owner Michelle curates a little something for everyone, like Formulary 55’s handmade lotions, sweet little jumpers for sweet little ones, gently used vintage clothing, jewelry, and more.

Pop into Pizzando for a local Straus Farms soft serve organic vanilla ice cream to cool down. And no downtown is complete without a local bookstore. Copperfield’s didn’t disappoint. It had tons of books on sale out in front, but what really makes a book shop for me is its displays. I loved seeing a spotlight of local authors, summer reads with employee handwritten recommendations, and Italian cookbooks, along with cute gifts for the book lover in your life.

For baked goods, check out the chic Costeaux French Bakery, which houses the pie pan of the Guinness World’s Largest Pumpkin Pie (weighing in at 418 pounds) and offers cookies, pastries, and drinks to-go along with its sit-down menu. Another worthwhile activity in Healdsburg is Art Nite, hosted each First Thursday from 5 to 7 PM, with 19 participating art galleries and restaurants offering perks like a free glass of wine or a bowl of guac.

For a good night, head to Goodnight’s Prime Steak + Spirits, a steakhouse named after rancher and Western Heritage Museum Hall of Famer Charles Goodnight. For the full experience, see Ashleigh Grace, the lead mixologist upstairs. Not only has she crafted every delicious and expertly balanced cocktail on the menu, but she even makes her own moonshine cherries. Everyone is greeted with a warm welcome and drink recommendations depending on their mood. All night, I kept hearing how incredible each diverse libation was, from the Girl in Green grasshopper and the frozen-jalapeno-topped Jolene to the strawberry-infused, tequila-based beverage called When We Say Goodnight. The standout, though, is her 10-years-in-the-perfecting espresso martini, rimmed with butterscotch and Hawaiian black salt. I was so over the moon about it that the guy next to me ordered one also after he finished his beer and declared it the (second) best damn drink in Healdsburg.

If you want to have a little more than liquid for dinner, Chef David Lawrence’s Japanese A5 wagyu sirloin is a luscious (and splurgy at $105) dream with its crisp edges, melt-in-your-mouth texture, and pristine flavor that truly needs nothing else — though all steaks come with a choose-your-own sauce (try the red wine bordelaise or the chimichurri) and salt (like the truffle or pink Himalayan).

For sides, try the five-cheese lobster mac or the Blue Lake green beans with caramelized Walla Walla onions and roasted garlic-chili butter. Vegetarians can choose from a vast selection of salads like the made-to-order tableside Caesar and dishes like corn bisque, Parker House rolls, crispy maitake mushrooms, burrata, or loaded baked potato. If you still have room, try the fried bread pudding topped with vanilla ice cream, then head to the local dive bar John & Zeke’s where the party keeps going late into the night.

Get a taste of wine country

Sonoma isn’t known as wine country for nothing, so be sure to set aside time for at least one tasting. Head to Banshee Wines in Alexander Valley (about 15 minutes from Healdsburg) for a Flight of the Banshee Tasting ($40). Hotel 27 North offers a Volvo transfer there.

My tasting started off with the winery’s own deliciously crisp and bright Ten of Cups sparkling brut, followed by a 2021 chardonnay. As a carménère lover, I couldn’t believe how much I liked this California classic white with its baked apple, honey, and citrus flavors. The Trenton Vineyards Russian River Valley pinot noir aged 15 months in French oak offered baked cookies, sassafras, and mocha, while the Anderson Valley one gave Fig Newton, Graham cracker, and caramel. To finish, the Cabernet Franc left a hint of blueberries, dark toffee, and baking spices.

If you’re looking for an event space, the cellar space below brings plenty of room, plus some nostalgic early aughts punk surprise in the form of Avril Lavigne’s old roadie set.