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The Epicenter of Epicurism. The Gourmet Ground Zero. The Capital of Cuisine. Whatever you call it, the facts are clear: Napa Valley is home to the country's only restaurants — outside New York — with three Michelin stars.
Oh, and it doesn't hurt that this idyllic region less than an hour from San Francisco stakes a claim to more than 450 wineries.
Get a whiff of this week's escape and enjoy the best the region has to offer with a two-night weekday ($417) or weekend ($459) stay for two in a standard room at the boutique Wine Country Inn in St Helena.
You'll even get a bottle of champagne upon arrival.
Each unique room (numbers 1 through 7) features a different design — some with fireplaces, others with balconies or patios (some with both), most with hardwood floors and all with touches reminiscent of home.
After a buffet breakfast (which includes produce and eggs raised on the property), take a stroll through the century-old oak and olive trees, fragrant herb gardens and colourful flowerbeds that pepper the grounds.
With a heated year-round pool, rose petal turndown service and an outdoor spa cabana for massages close to nature, you might not want to leave. But equipped with more than a dozen wine tasting vouchers, courtesy of the inn, you can't miss the best of Napa.
The inn also offers its own winery tours in a stretched Suburban for an additional fee.
Or, you can venture out on your own to observe the winemaking process firsthand at the Louis M. Martini Winery, or try the Private Reserve Cabernet at a tasting at Beringer, the oldest vineyard in the area.
With all that vino, you'll need some food. St Helena, known as "Napa Valley's main street," is home to some of the area's best restaurants. The inn can direct you to a cooking demonstration at The Culinary Institute of America, then head to dinner in Yountville, boasting more Michelin stars per capita than any city in the world.
Back at the inn, sip more wine and taste more goodies at the evening wine social, hosted by a local winery and the inn's staff.
Is it any wonder Napa Valley earned TripAdvisor's 2010 Travelers’ Choice Award for "Best Food and Wine Destination"?
Escape kit
- A two-night midweek ($417) or weekend ($459) stay for two in a queen room
- Breakfast for two brought to your room each day
- Wine tasting vouchers
- Afternoon wine social
- Bottle of champagne upon arrival
- Port and brownie nightcap on the night of your choice
- Rose petal turndown service on the night of your choice
- Book by 20 November
For details and to reserve your stay, visit LivingSocial Escapes.
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