Review of Auberge du Soleil, by The TI Review Team

Imagine Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, in all its gorgeousness, first-rate reputation, and top-notch service. Now transplant it to the hills of Napa, California, making the attendant alterations for style - swapping English soigne for light-flooded, wood-floored rustic chic; 200-year-old stone walls and beams for easy, breezy Craftsman-style bungalows; and, in lieu of Raymond Blanc's oh-so-proper haute cuisine, an Alice Waters-style freshness in the kitchen. And there you have Auberge du Soleil, one of California's, if not America's, buzziest and most mythicized hotels.

The facilities

Auberge is a favourite escape for San Francisco's monied elite, an active, health-conscious group; not surprisingly, their go-to resort is renowned for its spa - a 2,000-square-metre building overlooking the Valley, offering a huge range of massage and treatments utilizing flora grown locally (from grapeseed to lavender to rose hips to California olive oil). The Melisse suite clocks in at the size of a hotel suite, with a private pool and tanning deck (book it by the half-day).

The restaurant at Auberge du Soleil is one of the Wine Country's first great dining establishments; the room, panelled in wood and hung with contemporary art, is a draw to this day. There's a pool, tennis courts, a fitness centre of the likes only found in California (so many StairMasters!) and a wine cellar virtually unrivalled in the region (and in Napa Valley, that's saying a lot).

The rooms

All of them are huge - doubles measure a massive 520 square feet - and suites have staggering views out over the valley. Wood floors are strewn with kilims, low sofas are built into walls, fireplaces are massive (almost every room has one) and bathrooms are enormous white-on-wood affairs with skylights positioned over bathtubs, power showers, double sinks, and heated floors. Every last room is stocked with robes, slippers, and a slick espresso maker (there are milk and ground coffee in the fridge) - perfect for brewing a cappuccino to enjoy on your balcony every morning.