The White House Inn, Napa

This weekend I stayed in The White House. Okay, not THAT White House but rather the incredibly quaint and charming White House Inn located in Napa, CA. After a few hectic days in San Francisco, where I was staying for a music festival, I joined up with my BF for some much needed R&R in one of the prettiest spots in California. I can’t even remember how I stumbled upon across The White House Inn but I am glad I did, as it proved to be a great example of what a B&B can really achieve.

 The Inn consists of 18 rooms spread over three floors in a beautifully restored victorian mansion. For an inn, 18 rooms is on the large size but despite this,  I felt really isolated from the other guests – a big plus. My BF and I stayed in a king deluxe located on the top floor towards the back (number 16 ). We were so pleased by its layout, which included a fireplace, sitting area, king bed and flat screen television. Being on the third floor, the ceilings are sloped, which added to the already overwhelming coziness of the room. Beyond these amenities, what made the room stand out is how absolutely comfortable it felt – almost like you were staying in at your own home (except a really upgraded version complete with maid service). 

Almost immediately, I felt relaxed and comfortable. I turned the fireplace on, laid down on what was surely some of the softest linens to touch my skin and allowed myself to take in the ambiance. Deciding that I wasn’t fully relaxed, I headed to check out the bathroom, which to my delight, included a two person jacuzzi tub and a rain-shower. Despite the fact that it was 4:30 in the afternoon, I decided a bath was in order…if I was going to review the room, it would be best if all aspects of it were tried and tested….right?

Once that was complete and I was squeaky clean, warm and on the verge of a cat nap, I realized that is was wine time. Here at The White House Inn, 5:30 to 6:30 is happy hour, and every day the Inn provides free wine tasting and hor d’oeuvres. Since it would be sacrilege in Napa to skip wine, I dragged myself down the stairs an indulged in some free drinks. I was totally in full vacation mode. In a matter of hours, I had been transformed from the business me to the vacation me – I was loving it. On top of it all, I was taking part in a weekend special which included one free night . Essentially,  I was living life to the fullest – for free.

Let’s summarize -shall we?

The room was well-sized, comfortable and private. The service was appropriate to an Inn, helpful and friendly without being overbearing. The breakfast (included in the price) was plentiful, varied and tasty. If there was one thing that was slightly disappointing, it was the Inn’s location. It’s not that it was bad – it was actually walking distance to downtown Napa, but what surrounded the Inn was a neighborhood that was slightly mish-mashed- and not all that pleasing to the eye. When I go on vacation, one thing I am definitely not looking for it to stay in neighborhood worse than mine. I am not going to ding the Inn too much for this as once you stepped on to The White House grounds and into the house, you felt completely closed off from the surrounding neighborhood. Overall, the experience was really satisfying. I recommend checking it out the next time Napa calls and you are looking for a well-priced B&B. Check out some snaps of the Inn below.