Three miles before you hit downtown Napa (and inevitable traffic), pull into Vista Collina resort, valet your car, and don't pick it up until you're ready to leave.
Napa's newest resort has all the makings of a stress-free, Wine Country staycation, including its very own vino village.
The Tuscan-style retreat opened in July in Napa's urban Crusher Wine District. It has vineyard views and 145 modern, neutral-toned rooms, including 39 suites that were designed for staying in—think large living spaces, balconies, soaking tubs, and fully-equipped kitchens.
Convenience is of the essence here. While the purpose of your trip is, duh, wine, there's no need to make reservations ahead of time, book expensive transportation, and fight for elbow room at a crowded tasting bar. Steps away from Vista Collina is The Village, a miniature and quainter version of downtown Napa with eight intimate tasting rooms that you can pop in and out of at your leisure.
(Courtesy of Vista Collina)
The tasting rooms pour everything from well-known producers to boutique labels. At Cornerstone Cellars, for instance, you can taste cabernet sauvignon from 14 of the 16 Napa Valley wine appellations. Next door at the chic Foley Food and Wine Society, you'll sip a variety of wines from seven different brands spread out over California.
They all stay open until 7pm, so it's totally reasonable to spend the better part of the day lounging by the pool, complete with a jacuzzi, private cabanas, day beds, and poolside service. The one taproom, Napa Smith Brewery, keeps the hops flowing until 10pm, and there's also an adorable market, Five Town Grocery, where you can procure everything from your morning coffee and bottles of wine to cheese and charcuterie, ready-made dinners, and midnight snacks.
At the heart of The Village sits an expansive lawn lined with wine barrel adirondacks. On any given day, the lawn will host activities and events like yoga, concerts, and artisan markets, but it's also open for picnicking and lawn games. If you're feeling fancy (or just plain lazy), use the lawn butler service to curate your own assortment of goodies; they'll bring it over in a perfectly packed basket with a blanket. Later this year, the Food & Wine Center will open at The Village, offering cooking classes and demos.
Vista Collina guests also have access to many amenities at The Meritage Resort, located directly across the street. There you'll find Siena Restaurant, Crush Ultra Lounge (a bar and bowling alley in one), and Spa Terra, offering grape-seed treatments inside a dreamy wine cave. If after all of that you still feel the need to leave the premises, there's a free shuttle that will zip you over to downtown Napa.
// Vista Collina Resort, 850 Bordeaux Way (Napa), meritagecollection.com/vista-collina
