These Are the Top Wine Country Hotels

The Sunset Travel Awards celebrate the best in travel in the West, and this year we had another record-breaking number of entrants of the highest level across all categories. These hotels and resorts are the 2024 winners of the Where to Stay: Wine Country Escapes category. Check out the complete list of winners here. For our definitive and searchable travel directory to help you plan your next trip in the West, click here.

Banyan Tree Veya

Fernando Marroquin

It’s been a while since Valle de Guadalupe has celebrated an opening of this gravitas. The expansive 16-acre villa-only property levels up this already white-hot wine region in Northern Baja with rooms outfitted with private plunge pools, plus seven standout culinary outlets, a botanical garden, and the hotel’s own Grenache-focused Pictograma Winery.

Dawn Ranch

Gentl & Hyers

The recently renovated 22-acre Dawn Ranch in Guerneville, California, offers a dreamy getaway in the woods, with its cozy cabins, glamping tents, and access to the Russian River. Extensive programming includes scent-making classes, guided foraging, and treatments at the Spa at Dawn Ranch. The Lodge at Dawn Ranch, led by Chef Fernando Trocca, serves a vegetable-forward menu with craft cocktails. Amenities like Fender guitars and Swarovski binoculars make for a delightful rustic luxe reset.

MacArthur Place

Courtesy of MacArthur Place

MacArthur Place Hotel and Spa is set on a lush six-acre property right in the heart of the town of Sonoma. With multiple pools, outdoor showers, a renovated spa, and three restaurants and bars celebrating local ingredients, serving craft cocktails, and pouring regional wines, it combines the best of the city and the surrounding wine country. Add the hotel’s acclaimed art collection and artist-in-residence program and a stay here adds up to a vibrant cultural and culinary experience.

Huttopia Wine Country

Courtesy of Huttopia Wine Country

There’s no shortage of slick, luxury hotels in wine country, which is what makes a quirky glamping option like Huttopia Wine Country stand out from the pack. Perched amidst vineyard hills with panoramic views, it offers 63 fully solar-powered wood and canvas tents. Enjoy family-friendly amenities like electric mountain bike rentals, a solar-heated pool, and games like ping-pong and pétanque. Located near Clear Lake and Napa Valley, it’s an off-the-grid haven perfect for nature lovers and wine enthusiasts alike.

Poetry Inn

Bob McClenahan

Live like a Napa Valley wine baron at this house on a hill offering privacy and serenity in the Stags Leap District. Accessible only to guests, the resort features suites tricked out with fireplaces, soaking tubs, and balconies with epic valley views. Poetry Inn guests will now have access to Sullivan Rutherford Estate. Situated in the heart of the Napa Valley and surrounded by lush gardens and a picturesque pond reminiscent of Monet’s Garden, Sullivan Rutherford Estate has been quietly producing world-class merlot and cabernet sauvignon wines for over 50 years.

The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern

Courtesy of The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection

The latest thing in luxury lodging in the Santa Ynez Valley, The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern in Los Olivos, CA, blends modern farmhouse design with luxe ranch style. Formerly a stagecoach stop, the property boasts well-curated rooms with fireplaces and firepits, and offers activities like winemaker experiences, knife-making, and chef-led dinners. The original historic structure retains that throwback stagecoach vibe with rustic furnishings and multiple fireplaces, albeit now with an exceptional restaurant and craft cocktail bar. An elevated ranch retreat.

Stables Inn

Courtesy of Stables Inn

This Paso Robles property captures the rustic charm of the Central Coast’s most fantastic wine regions with its quirky indie spirit and down-home hospitality. Each of the 19 stylish rooms is uniquely designed with a nod to the area’s equestrian heritage. Guests enjoy amenities like plush bedding, local artisan touches, and a central location perfect for exploring nearby wineries and downtown Paso.

Harmon Guest House

Courtesy of Harmon Guest House

Located in downtown Healdsburg, Harmon Guest House embodies the eco-chic charm that draws visitors year after year to the heart of Sonoma’s wine country. Its 39 rooms, including six suites, are nestled in intimate pods for a private getaway vibe. Each room features balconies or patios with views of the bustling main street, tranquil garden courtyards, or the serene pool and creek park. Don’t miss the rooftop lounge for elevated bites and craft cocktails worthy of the region’s excellent food scene, as well as panoramic vistas of Fitch Mountain and the Sonoma Hills.