A Luxe, Romantic Hideaway in Sonoma’s Russian River Valley
Nestled in the heart of the Russian River Valley, Farmhouse Inn is among the most romantic places to stay in Sonoma County. The editors of Condé Nast Traveler recently named the boutique hotel among the best in North America for its coveted Gold List in 2024. It’s also been a Condé Nast Readers’ Choice Award winner for seven years running.
Behind the stone walls, this intimate 25-room property exudes an easy elegance and understated luxury. Bubbling fountains, lush foliage, and a profusion of blooms greet guests and whisks them to an oasis of calm. Pairs of Adirondack chairs and swinging day beds tucked in quiet spots around the property invite couples to relax and reconnect. Each evening, a rotating list of local winemakers pour complimentary tastings. Guests can also indulge in the gourmet s’mores kits set by the fire pits each night. Two onsite restaurants and a wellness spa round out the offerings.
Founded by fifth-generation Sonoma farmers and siblings Joe and Catherine Bartolomei, the Farmhouse Inn honors the region’s agrarian roots through the property’s design elements, the meticulously sourced local food and wine, and the inn’s warm and knowledgeable staff who open doors for discovering Sonoma’s hidden gems.
The inn’s accommodations include cozy rooms in the original 1873 farmhouse, newly remodeled country-chic cottages, and luxurious barn suites steeped in modern farmhouse style. All the rooms feature white-washed furnishings, dreamy bedding, fireplaces, heated marble floors, soaking tubs, steam showers, and personalized touches that reflect the inn’s heartfelt hospitality. The barn suites are especially romantic. Tucked into the trees at the back of the property, the suites offer double-sided fireplaces for couples to cozy up indoors or out, private patios, and jetted tubs for two.
Food and wine are star attractions at the Farmhouse Inn, which offers two onsite dining options: the Farmhouse Restaurant and the Farmstand. The intimate Farmhouse Restaurant has long been a fine dining destination serving exquisite, six-course tasting menus. Crafted by Chef Craig Wilmer, the ever-changing menus feature fresh, local, and sustainably sourced ingredients, much of which is harvested directly from the Bartolomei family farm down the road. Wine Director Jared Hooper offers expert wine pairings for each course from the restaurant’s extensive wine list with an emphasis on Sonoma vintages. The restaurant serves dinner from Thursday through Monday only.
The inn’s poolside Farmstand is a more casual affair serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. The locally sourced farm-driven menu features wood-fired pizzas and a seasonal rotation of small plates. Guests can choose to dine indoors, outdoors on the patio, in-room, or poolside.
Just steps from the pool and fire pits, the Wellness Barn is a tranquil, healing hideaway with a range of spa and wellness offerings. The menu includes massage and facials as well as unique bathing rituals like the CBD Gemstone Bath. Guests can also book private yoga classes, sound bath meditation, and guided forest bathing sessions. In addition, couples can enjoy any offering of their choice with a side-by-side session in the spa’s Couple’s Suite.
With all the amenities of a resort, guests may choose to never leave the Farmhouse Inn’s cocoon of luxury. But outside the stone walls, Sonoma beckons with charming small towns, a stunning coastline, magical redwood forests, and world-class wines. Healdsburg and Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve are both about a 15-minute drive from the inn. The coast is just 30 minutes away. As for planning a wine-tasting trip, be sure to check in with the inn’s concierge staff. Beyond just providing suggestions, they can create a custom-tailored itinerary with exclusive private tastings and tours at Sonoma’s premier wineries.