On our last visit to Calistoga, we booked the Best Western Stevenson Manor Inn with a coupon special of $79, good for during the week only. What a deal! But a strange thing happened on the way to Calistoga. We got a call from the Stevenson saying their remodeling project was behind schedule and our room would not be ready. Instead, they were shifting us to their sister inn, the Eurospa & Inn at the opposite end of Calistoga. They said the rooms were better and the room rates higher, but they would honor our rate at the Stevenson. So, we ended up at the Eurospa & Inn for one night at the room rate of $79.

This is one of the older inns in Calistoga. The bungalow style rooms have all been renovated and have all the usual amenities including a potbelly gas stove and wireless Internet access. The rooms were comfortable and clean. The pool area is really nice and a great plus in the summer weather. But this is winter so the pool is not much of a factor in our stay. Who wants to swim or jump in the spa when the air temperature is 40 degrees?

We liked the fact that the Inn is within easy walking distance to town, but the Inn is situated in a very residential part of town and it seems a little out of place. We also did not like the fact that they do not have an inside area for the continental breakfast that is included. No one wants to eat outside when it is very cold, which means eating your breakfast in your room. We opted to skip the breakfast and head into town for our meal.

We have to say that the people that run the Eurospa are very honest and trustworthy. We left a very valuable and sentimental ring in our room at the Eurospa. We did not notice we were missing the ring until arriving home. We called the Eurospa about the ring and they told us they would search our room at first chance. The ring was found; it had apparently fallen off the nightstand and rolled under the bed. Thank you, Eurospa!

The Good: Easy walk to town, trustworthy staff.
The Bad: A little old and worn. The Stevenson is a better choice for us.

A few months back there was an article in the San Francisco Chronicle touting the Chardonnay Lodge as a recommended budget motel near downtown Napa. Most visitors to the Napa Valley like to bask themselves in luxury at an upscale B&B or inn. For folks like us who travel often to the Napa Valley, we look for bargain spots with comfortable accommodations. If you spend little time in your room, there may be no need for the lavish amenities.

We decided to try one night at the Chardonnay Lodge on a recent trip to the Napa Valley. We did find our room to be very clean and comfortable. The rooms have all been recently painted with warm colors and the owners are very friendly and accommodating. The cost for a midweek night in November was a mere $89. No doubt the Chardonnay is a bargain considering the lodging rates in the Napa Valley. If you are on a tight budget the Chardonnay might be a good choice. For us, it was not. There are 20 rooms at the Chardonnay spread out in a U shape and as near as we could tell, there were only two other rooms occupied that night. The motel is on a busy street and in a commercial part of town. It is possible to walk to downtown Napa from the Chardonnay Lodge. It is about a 20-minute walk, but on a cold dark night this is not a wise choice. We found ourselves a little too isolated here and prefer a spot where there is more action.

There are other budget possibilities in Napa and we have stayed at two, the El Bonita Motel in St. Helena and the Stevenson Motor Lodge in Calistoga. Both of these are better choices but you will have to pay slightly more. We also spotted a Travel Lodge in downtown Napa that looks good in terms of a budget price and central location.

The Good: Budget rates and very clean, friendly owners.
The Bad: Rooms small and two far from the mainstream of wine country.

We travel so often to the wine country that our travel budget only allows us to stay at a fancy hotel or B&B a few times a year for special occasions. The rest of the time, we look for something reasonable in price but it must be clean and comfortable. The Stevenson Manor in Calistoga fits perfectly into this category. It is a Best Western motel, well maintained and immaculate throughout.

Like most lodging establishments in the Napa Valley, the Stevenson Manor has some specials for the off-season. We lodged at the Stevenson Manor in November and that entitled us to a special promotion for returning guests. We received two coupons, each good for a one-night stay during mid-week to the end of March for a measly $77 per night. The regular rates vary from $100 to $125 midweek and $140 to $150 on weekends during the off-season. Prices jump up the beginning of April to $180 and more.

One thing we like about the location of the Stevenson Manor is the proximity to the restaurants and downtown area of Calistoga. It is only a half-mile walk into town. We would rather not have to drive to a restaurant. This way we can enjoy a full bottle of wine with our dinner.

The Stevenson Manor has a hot tub and heated pool, which we took advantage of on both days in the early evening. The continental breakfast is more than adequate and not just your usual pastry and bagel choices. The motel also provides free high-speed Internet access to all rooms.

The Good: Reasonable price, very clean and comfortable rooms, Internet access, walking distance to restaurants. Some rooms have a gas fireplace.
The Bad: Continental breakfast area is small and crowded.

We travel to the wine country often so we try to find something moderate in price for our lodging. B&B’s are not our thing unless we are with a group or it’s a special occasion. We don’t need something luxurious because we spend very little time in our rooms. What we really are looking for is something clean and comfortable, a place where we can get a good night’s sleep. The El Bonita Motel in St. Helena is one such accommodation. We recently spent two nights there and found it to be very a relaxed and affordable place to stay. Besides the price, we like the idea that we could walk into St. Helena. The main shopping area is just a half-mile away. We walked into town for breakfast, and for dinner to Tra Vigne the first day, and the second night to Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen. Cindy’s is at the opposite end of St. Helena so the round trip is about two miles.

El Bonita provides a continental breakfast that we tried on the second morning. They had a good assortment of fruit and cereal along with the usual fare of bagels and such. Our room was in the older section close to Highway 29. The traffic on this highway is busy from early morning to the late evening and the noise can be bothersome. Further back behind the old section is a two-story newer area where it is much quieter. Some of the rooms in this area are suites with two bedrooms. The pool is perfect for a quick dip to cool off during the summer. Prices vary but for the peak season on weekends the rooms start at $189. A two-bedroom suite is $289. Those are pretty good prices for the Napa Valley.

The Good: Budget prices if there is such a thing in the Napa Valley. Rooms are comfortable and clean. The downtown area of St. Helena is about a half-mile.
The Bad: Rooms near the highway are noisy. You won’t find any elegant amenities at this hotel.