What makes California wine country living so special? Is it the fact that one is surrounded by vineyards instead of freeways? Perhaps it’s that you wake up in the morning and hear birds chirping instead of horns honking. Or maybe it’s the neighborhood vibe you get when you walk into town to pick up your favorite pastries and a cup of coffee and the shopkeeper remembers you the next day? These are all of the things you might expect when you stay at The Bungalows at Calistoga; wine country living up valley.
Centrally located within walking distance of downtown Calistoga, three craftsman bungalows are waiting for you at the top of Napa Valley. Locals sometimes refer to Calistoga as living up valley, with downtown Napa being further south. This semi-rural part of Napa Valley is laid-back and full of charm. The same may be said for The Bungalows at Calistoga.
Family-owned and operated, these three bungalows are each unique in their own way. Bungalow A is the largest of the three, measuring almost 900 square feet, while Bungalow C is almost 550 square feet. All three bungalows are able to accommodate 4 people.
My husband and I stayed in Bungalow B. On a separate visit, a friend of mine stayed with several girlfriends in Bungalow A. They loved it!
We liked that the owners designed the craftsman cottages from the ground up. With high ceilings and carefully selected artwork, the bungalows are more welcoming than a typical cookie cutter hotel room. With the full kitchenette, including refrigerator, stove top, oven, coffee maker and dish wear, you don’t need to mingle with guests when it comes time for breakfast. You have the entire place to yourself.
Of course, there’s always the option to eat out when you are this close to so many restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops downtown. The owners designed the bungalows to feel like home. To that end, the cottage is stocked with locally roasted coffee and a bottle of Calistoga wine. There’s even a washer and dryer on property. Imagine renting this place for an entire month?
The bedroom features a king size bed with separate closet and a large bathroom. The bathroom has sliding barn doors and two pedestal sinks. There is no bathtub, but the large walk in shower is huge. Quality bedding and pillows, fluffy white cotton towels and Beekman toiletries give the bungalows a five star feeling.
A smart television is mounted on the wall across from the bed. The owners offer access to Netflix, Hulu and Amazon television. There’s also complimentary wifi for streaming your own programs.
One of my favorite features of the bungalows are the Dutch doors at the front and rear entrance. Afterall, the definition of a bungalow is a low, one- storied house with a broad front porch; ideally with Adirondack chairs at the ready. (I threw in that part about the chairs.) These bungalows would make the authors of Merriam-Webster’s dictionary proud.
If you have come to Calistoga to “take the waters” there are plenty of spa options in town. Indian Springs, Golden Haven and Solage Spa are all within minutes of the property. There’s also a bike rental shop downtown if you decide to ride to wineries, rather than drive. In either event, drink responsibly.
The only thing I found missing at the bungalows was a communal barbecue.
Prices for the bungalows range from $299 – $500 depending on the season. Go to Trip Advisor to book through various online booking sites.
Review and all photos by travel writer Nancy D. Brown, who was a guest of The Bungalows at Calistoga. As always, all opinions are her own.
