Napa Review

So I'm still kind of high from my anniversary weekend so I decided to review the Napa area for those of you who might be interested in visiting.

As I mentioned, Hubby took me up north to San Fran & Napa for a couple of days. It was really nice to get away from the office, if only for a little while. The weather in San Fran left something to be desired (windy & VERY cold) but Napa was gorgeous. We stayed at The Meritage Resort & Spa.

I highly recommend this place. It's only 3 years old and the rooms are gorgeous, as are the grounds. They have a Spa Cave and Winery right onsite, where you can partake in couples massages as well as wine tastings. We checked it out but opted to venture out to nearby Yountville and the wineries there since we really only had one day in town. So 3 stars for the resort but only because we really weren't able to utilize all of the services they had to offer.

Napa is also known for its restaurants and we were really looking forward to eating at the restaurant recommended by the concierge at the hotel. She suggested The Bayleaf since we mentioned we were interested in having a hearty meal with large portions. (Who doesn't like leftovers? Late night snack, anyone?)

Unfortunately, The Bayleaf was not everything we hoped it would be. The restaurant itself was really dated but quaint, considering. The atmosphere was just ok but unusually quiet for a Friday night. In fact, there were only 2 other couples in the whole restaurant while we were there and we never heard a peep out of them. We're a young couple and ambiance means a lot. We certainly like quiet little romantic spots but at the same time, we expect there to be some background noise. In any case, it was a bit too sedate for us.

Lastly, the food was particularly bland. Hubby ordered the steak and I ordered the lamb and neither was very flavorful. The waiter actually told us that the chef doesn't season the meat since they use such prime cuts. He'd rather let the meat's natural flavor shine through. Well, Chef, I have one word for you - Seasoning. Try it. (As you may have guessed, no leftovers.)

Overall, I give the Napa trip an A-, in part because the wineries were a treat - we visited The Hill Family Estate and The Domain Chandon, both in Yountville (check them out, both excellent)- and the resort was awesome, but mostly because anything I get to do with Hubby gets high marks, no matter what. (I know, I'm such a romantic.)

Feel free to offer your trip suggestions in the comments section.




The Meritage Resort & Spa