The Atlas Calistoga: Wine Country’s Newest Luxury Hideaway
As Napa Valley’s northernmost wine appellation, Calistoga blends a small-town charm and slower pace with world-class wines, cuisine, and spas. Generations have long been drawn to the region’s hot springs and bubbling muds. The steaming sites near the base of Mount Saint Helena were originally discovered by the indigenous Wappo tribe some 8,000 years ago. When American settlers arrived in the 1840s, the news of the hot springs’ “healing powers” quickly spread thanks to a wealthy, enterprising newspaper publisher who built Calistoga’s first spa resort. Over 150 years later, Calistoga remains a destination for relaxation and rejuvenation with more than a dozen spas and hot springs resorts.
In addition to its soothing mineral waters and mud baths, Calistoga is credited with putting Napa Valley on the global wine map. The region’s volcanic soils and long growing season attracted winemakers as early as the 1860s. But wine critics had paid little attention to the region’s wines until the 1976 Judgment of Paris, when a Calistoga chardonnay from Chateau Montelena beat out the best French winemakers, sending shock waves through the viticultural world. Today, Calistoga is home to more than 50 wineries—mostly family-owned—which produce some of the best Cabernet Sauvignon anywhere.
Calistoga’s historic downtown is lined with spas, wine-tasting rooms, boutique shops, art galleries, and acclaimed restaurants, all clustered in a charming, walkable setting backed by pine-covered mountains. The National Trust for Historic Preservation named Calistoga a “Distinctive Destination,” recognizing the city as one of an elite group of American communities dedicated to preserving its character and sense of place.
The Atlas Calistoga
The town also boasts several intimate B&Bs and boutique hotels that provide exceptional hospitality. The newest addition is The Atlas Calistoga, which opened its doors in September 2021. Tucked into a quiet residential neighborhood within walking distance of downtown Calistoga, The Atlas provides a luxurious pied-à-terre with the choice between three private cottages and a 2,100-square-foot main house.
Tucked along the back of the property, the one-bedroom cottages are ideal for a romantic hideaway or a solo retreat. Imbued with a Zen-like tranquility, every detail of the cottages has been thoughtfully curated and furnished with discerning travelers in mind.
The cottages are elegantly appointed with designer furnishings, kilim rugs, and original artwork. Layered with luxurious linens, the plush king beds provide the ultimate cocoon for a restful night’s sleep. The beds are so comfortable that guests won’t want to crawl out from the covers in the morning. Across from the bed, gas fireplaces are built at the perfect height to watch the flames while snuggling beneath the sheets. Guests can curl up by the fire in the oversized chaise lounge and spend an afternoon getting lost in a book. French doors open to a private, sun-dappled patio or balcony with a bistro table and comfortable chairs for lounging.
With the fully stocked kitchenette, guests can prepare a cheese board or hors d’oeuvres to pair along with a bottle of local wine. Coffee aficionados will appreciate the fresh beans, coffee grinder, French press, and milk frother for crafting their own morning brews. The kitchenette also features a Nespresso coffeemaker, microwave, toaster oven, and a filtered water pitcher chilling in the fridge. Outside, guests have access to a shared barbeque grill.
The cottages’ luxurious baths offer double-sink vanities and beautifully tiled showers with glass enclosures, rain showerheads, and push-button controls. Other creature comforts include plush bathrobes and slippers, make-up mirrors, and dressing areas with well-stocked armoires.
Yoga mats allow guests to keep up with their fitness workouts while backpacks with water bottles encourage day hikes into the surrounding hills. In addition, guests have shared access to cruiser bikes with delightful wooden boxes for carting home bottles of wine. Bike helmets and locks are also available.
The main house is a stunningly renovated 1890 Victorian farmhouse that blends sophisticated modern comfort with historic charm. Featuring two luxurious bedrooms with en suite baths, the spacious home is perfect for two couples or a family seeking an upscale wine country getaway.
An open-concept living room, dining room, and chef’s kitchen provide the perfect entertaining space for friends to gather and prepare dinner with the bounty from the local farmer’s market. After dinner, guests can cozy up to the fireplace in the living room for a movie or game night. A separate den area with a television, dishwasher, wet bar, mini-fridge, and powder room provides more entertaining space and an additional sleeping space with a pull-out queen sofa. Outside, the wraparound porch with rocking chairs offers a charming spot to relax and reconnect.