At Alila Napa Valley, You Don't Have to Love Wine to Enjoy Your Stay

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A more modern Napa Valley experience. You don’t even have to love wine to love a stay here.

Alila Napa Valley may be in the heart of California wine country—it’s a 10-minute walk from downtown St. Helena and right next door to Beringer Vineyards—but it’s not really about wine here. Instead, the focus at this adults-only property is on wellness and design, with activities like redwood forest bathing and astrology readings. This is the new Napa, where luxury comes from sound-healing journeys and custom furnishings instead of big-ticket cabernets.

In lieu of wine tastings, guests spend time at the spa making herbal pouches with their choice of local lavender, lemon verbena, calendula and rosemary, and getting to know Napa through scent. Dialed in to the destination, they can retire to their room—equipped with Italian marble bathrooms and Rivolta Carmignani linens—knowing that, if they do in fact want some Napa wine, there’s a vineyard right outside their window.

That vineyard belongs to Beringer Vineyards, the oldest continuously operating winery in Napa Valley. And while it yields award-winning grapes, it’s equally valuable for the views it provides. More than half of the rooms at Alila look out on the vines, with balconies that feel as if they’re floating over rows of meticulously maintained cabernet. You can watch the fog lifting off the vines from your bed every morning, then drink your coffee next to your firepit as the sun rises over the distant hills.

In case you’re not content with vistas alone, there’s a bottle of Beringer Vineyards cabernet sauvignon in every minibar, so you can quite literally “taste the view.” There’s also a walking bridge on property that leads directly to Beringer Estate, where there’s a tasting experience available exclusively to Alila guests.

But back on property, it’s all about connecting with Napa’s nature and culture. The “Scents of the Valley” experience is a standout offering, during which guests learn about Napa scents like labdanum, fir and pink peppercorn from a local perfumer, then blend their favorites to create a custom room spray they can take home as a reminder of their visit. Other activities include new-moon yoga, vineyard-view painting classes and falconry lessons.

Even the bar puts wine second—the signature drink is a margarita. Guests will be elbowing up to the bar alongside locals to try it, especially after a day spent drinking chards at the surrounding vineyards.

Design is yet another way Alila differentiates itself, especially when it comes to the historic manor. The 1907 Georgian-style mansion houses the hotel restaurant and bar, and features such period details as a wraparound porch, stained-glass windows and an original wood-burning fireplace. Yabu Pushelberg kept these elements intact when renovating the space, while adding contemporary touches like custom furniture from Italian brand Casa Zeta.

It all has a very “we’re not in Kansas anymore” feel. But for those who prefer wellness to wine, it’s the perfect Napa escape.

The Room

You’d be forgiven for wanting to spend your entire stay at Alila on your private balcony. There’s one in every room, and most come with a firepit, plush rocking chairs and gorgeous views of either the vineyards or Beringer Estate. But then you’d miss out on your room, with its Italian marble bathroom (the sink is carved from a single piece) and luxurious linens. It’s cozy and calming, but also exceedingly stylish.

The vineyard-view rooms are the ones you want, especially the Vineyard Pool View with Balcony, which functions as a junior suite with a wraparound balcony. If there are only streamside-view rooms available, request one of the kings with a deep soaking tub on the balcony. There are also three guest rooms in the historic manor, which don’t have firepits due to their location, but they make up for it with a freestanding bathtub in the bedroom.

The Features

Make time for a glass of wine on your private balcony.

Don’t miss: A golden-hour dip in the pool as the sun sets over the vines in the background. The historic mansion may be the first thing you notice about Alila, but the pool really is the centerpiece of the property, with its sweeping vineyard views.

Favorite features: The private balconies with gas firepits and views over Beringer Vineyards. Sitting there with your morning cup of coffee or evening glass of wine, it can feel like you’re enjoying panoramas of your personal winery. It’s also special that Alila makes up for the lack of views in some streamside rooms with outdoor tubs—getting a soak on your balcony to the sounds of trickling water below doesn’t feel like a substitute.

Can’t stop thinking about: The way the hotel uses scent as a souvenir. You can make your own room spray with local ingredients and spritz it at home to conjure memories of your stay.

The Vibe

Open seasonally, the outdoor terrace bar is the perfect spot for happy hour cocktails.

The highly specific reason you’d come here: To be within a 10-minute walk of the outrageously good English muffins at The Model Bakery in St. Helena.

What are people drinking: The Mexico City Margarita. It’s the hotel’s signature drink, made with lemon and a “salt air foam” float.

Are guests staying in or going out? Going out. You’re just down the street from the center of St. Helena, with all its charming restaurants, boutiques and art galleries.

The story you’ll tell everyone when you get home: Over time, the historic main building has served as a B&B, several inns, a hospital and even a supposed brothel, where the Beringer brothers from the adjacent winery were said to be frequent customers—an allegation the St. Helena Historical Society will neither confirm nor deny.

Alila enjoys a prime location just a 10-minute walk from downtown St. Helena.

Everything Else

• Number of rooms: 64
• Number of pools: 1
• Fitness center? Yes
  
• Spa? Yes
• Salon? No
• Number of bars/restaurants: 2 bars, 1 restaurant
• 24-hour room service? No, from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Childcare and kids club? No, Alila Napa Valley is an adults-only hotel