Just like the wine that inspired its name, The Meritage Resort and Spa is a blend of wine tasting, dining, spa, event spaces, romance and indulgence— all in one California Wine Country hotel. Like its tagline touts, it tries its best at romance, especially with its room design and spa. I had a double standard room when I was there (see below) although you can also get a similar room with a king or a suite. The bathrooms were decadent as well with marble counters and spacious showers, the Italian and southern European flare extended throughout.
The Meritage Resort and Spa is located across nine acres of vineyards, and adjacent to the Vino Bello Resort, both of which opened in 2006. There are 502 guest rooms and suites on the property, a gourmet restaurant, two swimming pools and premier meeting and event space.
In 2007, Spa Terra opened at The Meritage Resort forty feet below the iconic Grape Crusher Statue. Spa Terra is known as the world’s first entirely underground spa — it sits across 9,500 square feet and features steam grottos, soaking pools, water walls and lavishly appointed private treatment rooms for individuals and couples. The décor of Spa Terra reflects the Mediterranean theme of the rest of the resort, complete with hand-wrought fixtures and extensive custom tile work.
The resort also has something they refer to as “The Estate Cave,” where you can taste Napa Valley wines right on the hotel premises. Immediately across from the spa, the Trinitas Tasting Room features beautiful stone and dark woods. Here you can sample some local wines and even pair them with artisan chocolate. There’s also a ton of fabulous smelling lotions and soaps you can purchase on-site.
In addition to the main restaurant, there’s also the Crush Ultra Lounge with six bowling lanes, Blend Cafe with customized espresso beverages, an event piazza for celebrations and over 15,000 additional square feet of meeting and event space. The below shot will give you an idea of one of their suites.
The SPA:
The spa was by far my favorite part of the experience. See below to get a sense of the ambiance of the relaxation room where you can spend time before or after a treatment. Below that is a treatment room and another shot of the relaxation room.
There are a number of facial treatments you can do including a short expresso facial, a European facial, a Meritage facial, which utilizes only grapeseed extracts or the Oxygen facial, which is a powerful treatment exfoliating the skin with oxygen. This facial infuses the skin with minerals, vitamins, enzymes and amino acids to restore natural collagen and reveal firm, nourished, glowing and younger looking skin. There’s also the Bella Facial, which is an indulgent spa treatment designed to clarify, renew, hydrate, re-texturize and nourish the skin, the Bellissima Facial, which includes products to promote suppleness, radiance and luminosity for younger looking skin while lifting and firming facial contours.
I opted for the European facial although she customized it a bit to ensure we used the right products for my skin type. You can also do a fun add-on to your facial such as an aromatic scalp massage, an eye refresher or a lip service treatment to soothe those lines. I didn’t have time for a massage but they offer a number of varieties, many of them in 24/50/80 minute increments. From a deep tissue massage and a cave stone massage to something they call an Erba Secca Massage, which includes hot herbal compresses with wild organic herbs, you won’t be disappointed by their services or their service. Ahhhh, I really loved their spa. The ambiance combined home-iness with an Italian flavor and a dose of luxury. Top notch!
They also have a number of body scrubs including: Loofah Body Polish, Cabernet and Passion Fruit Scrub, Lavender Scrub, Olive Stone Scrub, Orange Peel Scrub or the Sea Salt Scrub.
On the last night, I dined at their signature restaurant Siena. While the service was top notch like I experienced at the rest of the resort, my only disappointment was that the menu wasn’t “organic,” which was surprising given that it’s Napa. That said, there are a number of farm-to-table and organic options within a few miles and a nice feature to the hotel is that they offer a free shuttle van to downtown Napa so you can try out some of the local restaurants without having to think about parking or the stress of driving. There are also a couple of other dining offerings on the premises – the salads and mussels at the lounge were great, which I tried for lunch the next day. Additionally, the portions are quite large.
Would we go back? Absolutely!! Give it a try next time you’re in Napa Valley. It’s a particularly great option for a business trip or if you want to bring your family given the massive sized pool and amenities on the premises.
Note: I was hosted by the Meritage Resort & Spa, but all of my opinions expressed here are my own. For more on spas and retreats, check out our Spas Section. You can also view Spas by region of the world including the major cities. For more on Lodging and Hotels in California, visit our California Hotels and Lodging section. (Top California hotels)
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
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