The Most Budget-Friendly Hotels in Napa, California
If the world’s budget hotels took a leaf out of Napa’s book, cost-conscious travelers would breathe a satisfying sigh of relief. Cue free wine tastings, geothermal spas and communal fire pits.
While Napa is the land of très chère vintages and Michelin-star restaurants, it’s not only for the 1 percent. There are tons of free activities in California’s Wine Country, such as hiking and biking, tasty diner-style restaurants, food halls and country markets selling picnic provisions, and small wineries that charge modest fees. And there are also dozens of cheap hotels and inns in Napa, including revamped motels and quaint bed and breakfasts, that will let you live the high life without breaking the bank.
UpValley Inn and Hot Springs
Budget Hotel, Spa Hotel
Known for its therapeutic hot springs, Calistoga has been a sought-after wellness destination since 1862. The boutique UpValley Inn and Hot Springs – where bright, modern rooms come with a calming color palette and hardwood floors – offers a wellness experience without luxury prices. The swimming pool and whirlpool are fueled by geothermal water, sure to soothe tired muscles and induce deep relaxation. The Calistoga Shuttle – an inexpensive, on-demand transit service within the city limits – can transport you to winery tours, shops, restaurants, cultural activities and more. Staff members at this cheap hotel in Napa are always happy to recommend the best hiking and biking trails to complete the healthy, wholesome experience.
Calistoga Motor Lodge and Spa
Motel, Inn, Spa Hotel
The Calistoga Motor Lodge caters to travelers who want to escape city life at a reasonable price. Retro, two-toned campervans inspire some of the property’s rooms, though they also have rainfall showers and views of foothills and chaparral shrubland. This cheap Napa hotel’s amenities, such as a geothermal mineral-fed pool, an apply-your-own mud bar and a spa, elevate it beyond your typical motor lodge made good. The Moonacre Spa and Baths puts a new spin on spa treatments, such as grape-seed body scrubs, old-timey bath soaks and massages that use a heated linen poultice filled with lavender and mustard seed to soothe. Hang out in the stylish relaxation area beneath a wooden pergola, take a dip in the pool at golden hour, or grab a bicycle and ride along wine trails far from the hustle and bustle.
SpringHill Suites Napa Valley
Budget Hotel, Chain Hotel
Only 7mi (11km) from Downtown, this all-suite cheap hotel in Napa with Mediterranean architecture has plenty of on-the-house amenities for one very reasonable price, including a heated pool, a hot tub and a large communal firepit surrounded by couches and chairs. Sunny rooms with yellow accents have living areas with sofa beds, minifridges, microwaves and coffeemakers, so you can redress the balance after one too many wine tastings.
Cabernet House
Bed and Breakfast
This small hotel offers indulgent, old-fashioned service at a reasonable price. Each themed guest room has a European-style fireplace, luxury linens and high-tech must-haves, including a Dolby Digital DVD movie system. Elsewhere, the private cottage, fronted by fragrant jasmine blossoms, has French country decor and beautiful tile work. Whether you relax with a book by the fire or stay in the warming comfort of your king-size bed, you’ll leave restored and rejuvenated. The Downtown Napa hotel also has unlimited free French press coffee and tea.
Hotel Napa Valley
Budget Hotel, Boutique Hotel
Around the corner from dozens of tasting rooms and more than 50 restaurants, the sand-colored, and cheap, Hotel Napa Valley offers an excellent location and a taste of old Napa inside a restored mansion. High-ceilinged guest rooms have stone fireplaces, redwood-paneled walls and flat-screen HDTVs, while each bathroom has spa-quality toiletries, such as potions with green-tea extracts and organic olive-infused soaps. The front desk loves arranging VIP wine-tasting trips, kayaking excursions on the Napa River and cycling adventures. The famous Napa Valley Wine Train is just 15 minutes away by foot.
Napa Winery Inn
Budget Hotel
This tidy hotel near Downtown Napa has all the requisite amenities at a very modest price, making it a good choice for families on a tight budget. It has a heated swimming pool, a complimentary country breakfast and generously sized guest rooms with pops of red and gold and dark-wood furnishings. King suites are a more luxe choice, complete with whirlpool tubs. Napa’s great restaurants are within easy reach, including Galpão Gaucho, Brazilian Steakhouse and Bistro Don Giovanni, an Italian restaurant with a California twist.
The Napa Inn and Spa
Bed and Breakfast
The bright blue Napa Inn and Spa, housed in two turn-of-the-century buildings, is a steal when you consider the quiet yet convenient location. It’s within walking distance of Downtown Napa’s boutiques, art galleries and wine-tasting rooms. All 15 rooms at this cheap hotel in Napa have an ensuite marble bathroom, and most have a fireplace. Unique touches set this stay apart, such as breakfast lit by candlelight and served in the dining room or out on the garden patio, and complimentary wine tastings each evening.
Cedar Gables Inn
Bed and Breakfast
The Cedar Gables Inn in Napa’s Old Town is an impressive structure with turrets, a gabled roof and colorful mosaic inlays. Originally a wedding present from prominent resident Edward S Churchill to his son in 1892, it’s one of Napa’s “Big Four” mansions, but the rates are still reasonable. Painstakingly restored over the past decade, the 11 guest rooms and suites, accessible via winding staircases, boast handsome decorative furniture, fine art and modern bathrooms; some have soaking tubs and fireplaces. You’ll love losing yourself in the hotel’s charming spaces, such as the seating areas next to sunny bay windows, where you can tuck into your favorite novel or daydream.
El Bonita Motel
Budget Hotel, Motel
St Helena’s throw-back El Bonita Motel has had several lives. It began as a religious retreat in the 1940s before transitioning to a cheap Napa motel with art deco flourishes in the ’50s. Guest rooms with two double or queen-size beds or one king have patios and kitchenettes; some also have wine-country mural headboards. They’re spread across three buildings, situated among a pool and gardens. Its amenities, such as free breakfast and a lawn with a large firepit, make it a brag-worthy find in a destination filled with more pricey four-star hotels.
The Jack London Lodge
Budget Hotel
On the banks of Sonoma Creek in Glen Ellen, the rustic Jack London Lodge – named after the famed writer and adventurer – offers a slice of tranquility. Twenty-two comfortable rooms, with wood floors and vintage furniture, look out over fairytale woods. You can enjoy congregating on the creekside patio for a seasonal continental breakfast or sidling up to the antique oak bar in the saloon for a glass of wine each night. The lodge is just down the hill from Jack London State Historic Park, a 1,400-acre (567ha) reserve with more than 29mi (47km) of trails and storied buildings to stop by, including where London lived and farmed during the early 1900s.
Looking for a little more glamour for your trip? Check out our guide to Napa Valley’s best boutique stays and the top hotels in Napa – all bookable with Culture Trip.