Rancho Caymus Inn
Sweet valley hacienda
The long and wining road
Rancho Caymus Inn lies just steps from lauded Napa Valley wine producers including Beaulieu Vineyard and the Round Pond Estate. But that’s far from all this revamped hacienda has going for it. There’s a pool in the courtyard, where terracotta tiles, blooming flower baskets, shaded spots beneath trailing vines and a colourful Grape Harvest wall mosaic provide the movie-set backdrop for a refreshing dip, or ice-cold glass of crisp chardonnay. Rooms come with dramatic carved bedsteads, stovepipe fireplaces for cooler evenings and patios or balconies overlooking the courtyard. Then, of course, there’s the wine: rich Rutherford reds borne from the very soil beneath your feet, sipped by poolside fire pits with friends as the sun goes down.
Facilities
Rooms
26, including three suites.
Checkout
11am. Earliest check-in, 3pm.
More Details
Rates include an extensive breakfast selection, including English muffins, eggs, bacon, sausage, homemade granola, yoghurt, fresh fruits and berries and a selection of juices, teas and coffees.
Free Internet Access
Pool
At the Hotel
Hot tub, free WiFi. In rooms: 55-inch flatscreen TV, stovepipe-style gas fireplace, tea- and coffee-making kit, free bottled water, air-conditioning, Tarocco toiletries.
Our Favourite Rooms
Room 109, a premium suite with a huge wraparound balcony, is our pick of the bunch. Like other rooms at Rancho Caymus Inn, it features oak-beamed ceilings, a stovepipe-style gas fireplace and stucco walls adorned with decorative plates and Ecuadorian textiles retained from the inn’s original decor. What really sets this one apart though, is the original stained-glass bathroom window by Napa Valley artist Gaye Frisk. Suites are dual-level, so mind you don’t miss the step up to your hand-carved oak bed after one too many ‘last’ nightcaps in the courtyard, or you may wind up with an even sorer head in the morning.
Poolside
The courtyard pool is heated, so good for a dip year-round. It’s open daily 7am–11pm, as is the jetted hot tub right next to it.
Packing Tips
You’re not expected to dress to the nines for wine tastings here. No, not even at the most prestigious vineyards. Wine country casual is king in Napa Valley, meaning jeans are fine and comfortable shoes are actively encouraged (so leave the kitten heels at home, boys). Pack a broad-brimmed straw hat for sun protection and, natch, to achieve that perfect sipping-wine-by-a-vine-in-a-hat selfie. And don’t forget the all-important Alka-Seltzer to stave off any unfortunate wine-swigging side effects the next morning.
Also
Your room key unlocks the hotel’s small honesty shop, where a selection of snacks, drinks, supplies and, yes, wines can be purchased.
Children
Little Smiths are welcome but there are no specific facilities for kids beyond pack-and-play travel cribs that are available on request for a nightly fee of $25.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Hotel Restaurant
There’s no restaurant at the inn, but snacks including olives and cheese and charcuterie platters are available to order between 12 noon and 6.30pm. Breakfast is served from 7.30am–10.30am.
Hotel Bar
No bar, but there’s plenty of wine and beer available to buy by the glass or bottle, to sip in the courtyard or in your room.
Room Service
You can have breakfast served to your room for a small fee, as well as snacks and drinks throughout the day.
Planes
The 75-mile drive from San Francisco International Airport takes around an 90 minutes, or longer if you pause en route to ogle Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.
Automobiles
There are dozens of car-rental agencies at the airport and almost no public transport in Napa Valley. So, in short, getting your own set of wheels is a no-brainer. The drive across the Oakland Bay Bridge and into California’s wine heartlands is worth the entry price alone even if, once you get to Rancho Caymus Inn, you’ll find there are several wineries within easy walking distance. Parking at the hotel is free.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
At the risk of stating the obvious, we heard through the grapevine that there may be a few decent wineries in the vicinity if you look hard enough. In fact with Rancho Caymus Inn smack dab in the centre of Napa Valley, there are hundreds within stumbling distance. The phrase ‘spoiled for choice’ has never felt so apt. Fortunately, the hotel makes it a little easier by playing favourite with a smattering of ultra-local producers…
They’ve been making award-winning wine at Beaulieu Vineyard for more than a century, so you can be sure the cabernets you’ll taste here have quite the pedigree. You’ll also discover the magical wine-making properties of ‘Rutherford dust’, a phrase clearly coined long before marketing departments came along. Best of all, this one’s just round the corner across (we kid you not) Grape Lane, so you can safely leave the spittoon back at the ranch.
The Round Pond Estate is slightly further afield – an epic three-minute drive, to be precise – but very much worth it for what awaits the intrepid wine lover there. We’re talking panoramic views of verdant vineyards and the undulating hills beyond, coupled with Bordeaux-style wines and velvety olive oils made right here on the estate. But not, as far as we can tell, a round pond.
Of course, even the most seasoned wine aficionado needs a day off the sauce now and again and, handily, the valley offers up alternative day-trip options galore. Take a hot-air-balloon ride over the patchwork of vineyards to the mountains (glass of wine optional) or stay closer to terra firma on a horseback ride through wine country (glass of wine optional).
It’s less than 20 minutes’ drive from the hotel to downtown Napa. A day trip here might include a stroll around the Napa Art Trail, admiring avant-garde sculptures and art installations by local artists. Or a lazy riverside bike ride along the Napa Valley Vine Trail to Yountville. Or, you know, you might feel more at home just exploring the trendy urban wine bars here, of which there are, of course, barrel-loads.
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
