Hi all,

Getting ready to finally book my first trip to the Cali Wine Valley.
I've done some research on Sonoma Bed and Breakfasts and am trying to
decide between the Applewood Inn and Vintners Inn. Anyone have any
thoughts on either?

Thanks!
Frank

Never stayed at either. Vintners Inn in Santa Rosa is next to the John
Ash Restaurant, which is pretty good. I've never eaten at Applewood
Inn.
Also, Santa Rosa to me seems a little more central to Napa and Sonoma
counties (if you're planning to go to Napa). Guerneville is west of
Santa Rosa and a little further out of the way.
fsa3 wrote:

Getting ready to finally book my first trip to the Cali Wine Valley.
I've done some research on Sonoma Bed and Breakfasts and am trying to
decide between the Applewood Inn and Vintners Inn. Anyone have any
thoughts on either?

Thanks for the information thats exactly the type of information I
need.

My plans right now are to just do Sonoma, I only have 2 nights to spend
and really only 1 full day. One of the things I'm looking for in a bed
and breakfast is for them to be able to help me setup a tour for the 1
full day I'm there (something with a limo or a van or something). It
would also be nice if they were real close to a winery for the 1/2 day
I can spend the next morning.

If you have any other B&B recommendations I'm all ears.

Last time, I stayed at a Best Western in Santa Rosa and ate at John Ash's,
which is a good reason to stay at the Vinters Inn. I've stayed at the BB
near the Vella Cheese Country in Sonoma's town square.
wrote in message
oups.com...
Never stayed at either. Vintners Inn in Santa Rosa is next to the John
Ash Restaurant, which is pretty good. I've never eaten at Applewood
Inn.
Also, Santa Rosa to me seems a little more central to Napa and Sonoma
counties (if you're planning to go to Napa). Guerneville is west of
Santa Rosa and a little further out of the way.
fsa3 wrote:

Getting ready to finally book my first trip to the Cali Wine Valley.
I've done some research on Sonoma Bed and Breakfasts and am trying to
decide between the Applewood Inn and Vintners Inn. Anyone have any
thoughts on either?

In article ,
says...
Last time, I stayed at a Best Western in Santa Rosa and ate at John Ash's,
which is a good reason to stay at the Vinters Inn. I've stayed at the BB
near the Vella Cheese Country in Sonoma's town square.

Well, I've stayed at the Motel 6 in Santa Rosa and, er, let's move on.
A bed and breakfast near Sonoma's town square would put you close to the
girl & the fig, which is where I discovered Rhone-style wines. Great
food and if you eat there, get the fig salad. Great.
http://www.thegirlandthefig.com/html-sonoma/index.html
Can't offer advice on tours because I always drive.

Joseph B. Rosenberg wrote:
Last time, I stayed at a Best Western in Santa Rosa and ate at John Ash's,
which is a good reason to stay at the Vinters Inn. I've stayed at the BB
near the Vella Cheese Country in Sonoma's town square.

Do you know the name of the BB in the town square?

There are no B&Bs right on The Sonoma Plaza. There are a couple hotels,
though. Within 3 blocks of The Plaza, there are lots of B&B choices:

http://www.cottagesonoma.com/

http://www.sonomafarmhouse.com/

http://www.benzigersolanacottage.com/

http://www.ceciliasadobe.com/

http://www.thecooperageinn.com/

http://www.corascottage.com/

http://www.cottageinnandspa.com/

http://www.cuneocottage.com/

http://www.hiddenoakinn.com/

http://www.stonegrovebb.net/

http://www.thistledew.com/

http://www.victoriangardeninn.com/

Bob


On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 11:12:19 -0700, fsa3 wrote
(in article . com):


Joseph B. Rosenberg wrote:
Last time, I stayed at a Best Western in Santa Rosa and ate at John Ash's,
which is a good reason to stay at the Vinters Inn. I've stayed at the BB
near the Vella Cheese Country in Sonoma's town square.

Do you know the name of the BB in the town square?

I think it was the Sonoma Inn--it was on a corner lot. to the left of Vella
Cheese--we're talking 1984 here---I ate at John Ash about 4 years ago and
the origonal in Mendicino in 1983.

While Route 29 in Napa is about the same as it was in 1984--but much more
devoloped then on 1st trip in 1977. The Road to Santa Rosa(12) from either
Sonoma or Healdsburg is littered with strip malls, making it look like Route
46 in New Jersey.

I was on my way to Napa/Sonoma last September but ended up a guest at the
Sutter Roseville Hospital,
"fsa3" wrote in message
ups.com...

Joseph B. Rosenberg wrote:
Last time, I stayed at a Best Western in Santa Rosa and ate at John
Ash's,
which is a good reason to stay at the Vinters Inn. I've stayed at the BB
near the Vella Cheese Country in Sonoma's town square.

Do you know the name of the BB in the town square?

In article m,
says...


Buena Vista (Haraszthy), possibly the oldest winery in California. Nice tour
and art galleries.

I took my adult niece to Buena Vista last year because of a
recommendation in a travel book. The grounds are pretty and the building
is nice, but the wine was bad. We each paid $15 for the historical tour
and tasting both of us felt it wasn't worth the money. I understand that
they changed hands in the last few years and my sense is that they are
in a serious profit-taking mode.

On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 15:28:46 -0700, Steve Timko wrote
(in article ) :

In article m,
says...


Buena Vista (Haraszthy), possibly the oldest winery in California. Nice
tour
and art galleries.

I took my adult niece to Buena Vista last year because of a
recommendation in a travel book. The grounds are pretty and the building
is nice, but the wine was bad. We each paid $15 for the historical tour
and tasting both of us felt it wasn't worth the money. I understand that
they changed hands in the last few years and my sense is that they are
in a serious profit-taking mode.

Eh! That's a shame. $15 to take the tour?! I'll take them off my list of
recommendations.

B

In article m,
says...
On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 15:28:46 -0700, Steve Timko wrote
(in article ) :

In article m,
says...


Buena Vista (Haraszthy), possibly the oldest winery in California. Nice
tour
and art galleries.

I took my adult niece to Buena Vista last year because of a
recommendation in a travel book. The grounds are pretty and the building
is nice, but the wine was bad. We each paid $15 for the historical tour
and tasting both of us felt it wasn't worth the money. I understand that
they changed hands in the last few years and my sense is that they are
in a serious profit-taking mode.

Eh! That's a shame. $15 to take the tour?! I'll take them off my list of
recommendations.

It's what they call their Heritage Tour:
http://buenavistawinery.com/history/tasting/tours/
It says it includes three library tastings. They started us off with a
pinot noir that I now believe they had opened the day before. It was
easily the worst pinot noir I've ever had that was labeled pinot noir
(as opposed to jug wine labelled something like "burgundy."). The
savories they describe are literally a few berries, a few nuts and some
cheese and crackers. It was educational but it was also a fairly hard
sell on Buena Vista wines. More education and discussion and less sales
may have salvaged it. I don't like paying $15 to hear a sales pitch.

Jahwol: Buena Vista was bought sometimes in the early 80s by a German
company--never cared for their wines before the purchase didn't care for
them afterwards---all they talked about & paid attention to was marketing
and getting innocent tourists to visit them when wandering around
Sonoma--Greed may be good for Gordon Gekko but not for one of the few
wineries to have a real history. In Sonoma, its Sebastianti,Simi and Buena
Vista as the pre WWII pioneers; Hanzell opened up after the war; Parducci
and Pedronocelli moved into retail sales around that time, the some version
of Souverein. Hacienda, and Kenwood started up in mid 60's, Dry Creek a bit
later.
Then the deluge....................
"Steve Timko" wrote in message
. net...
In article m,
says...
On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 15:28:46 -0700, Steve Timko wrote
(in article ) :

In article m,
says...


Buena Vista (Haraszthy), possibly the oldest winery in California.
Nice
tour
and art galleries.

I took my adult niece to Buena Vista last year because of a
recommendation in a travel book. The grounds are pretty and the
building
is nice, but the wine was bad. We each paid $15 for the historical
tour
and tasting both of us felt it wasn't worth the money. I understand
that
they changed hands in the last few years and my sense is that they are
in a serious profit-taking mode.

Eh! That's a shame. $15 to take the tour?! I'll take them off my list
of
recommendations.

It's what they call their Heritage Tour:
http://buenavistawinery.com/history/tasting/tours/
It says it includes three library tastings. They started us off with a
pinot noir that I now believe they had opened the day before. It was
easily the worst pinot noir I've ever had that was labeled pinot noir
(as opposed to jug wine labelled something like "burgundy."). The
savories they describe are literally a few berries, a few nuts and some
cheese and crackers. It was educational but it was also a fairly hard
sell on Buena Vista wines. More education and discussion and less sales
may have salvaged it. I don't like paying $15 to hear a sales pitch.

Just stayed at the Applewood in July. Lovely place, charming hosts and
the food was great. Absolutely the best included breakfast I've ever
had. Applewood was also a memorable dinner.Wine tastings every evening
and not too far from Sonoma wineries and the beautiful Sonoma coast.
Vitner's Inn in Santa Rosa is a bit farther. I also recommend Willies in
Santa Rosa about a mile from the Vitner's Inn for original tapas and
wines.
In article .com,
"fsa3" wrote:

Hi all,

Getting ready to finally book my first trip to the Cali Wine Valley.
I've done some research on Sonoma Bed and Breakfasts and am trying to
decide between the Applewood Inn and Vintners Inn. Anyone have any
thoughts on either?

Thanks!
Frank

"Joseph B. Rosenberg" wrote:

Buena Vista was bought sometimes in the early 80s by a German
company

Racke. The are into spirits.

M.