Hotel recomendations

[genolan]

The wife and I are headed to Monterey and Napa Valley in September and need some hotel recommendations in the $200 a night range. Also any outstanding winery would be appreciated.

[Jamo]

There are Embassy Suites in both locations (Monterey and Napa)...otherwise, it depends on what you're looking for...both towns can be a bit pricey. Try Pacific Grove hotels near Monterey. In Napa...there's a lot of choices from the chains.

In Napa...take a run up the hill above town to the Hess Collection (a client)...great fun/modern art collection mixed in with the winery. Andretti winery (yup...his) is just north of town...buy the Andretti label to show friends, but the Montana label is the better drink (named after the restaurant the Ferrari factory test drivers frequent near the factory. Trefethen winery is often overlooked but has some of the best tasting stuff, and the winery is more old fashioned than most. Mondavi and Franciscan are good places to visit. Spend time in St. Helena in the northern part of the Valley...great downtown.

If you have the time, pop over to the Santa Rosa area...Kendall-Jackson (client) visitor center is great just north of town, and Ferrari-Carano (client) has one of the most magnificent wine chateaus and gardens anywhere. Healdsburg main square is the best downtown in Napa-Sonoma. Take the Russian River route to the coast and drive back down to Bodega Bay (da Birds), which in my mind is prettier than Big Sur.

Obviously these are my choices...there are wineries in both the Napa and Sonoma regions to fit everyone's taste...from modern edifices like Stirling to the more traditional. Check out the wine train in Napa for dinner...takes you up and back through Napa Valley in the evening with a play being performed by characters while you roll along.