Flyout Menu
One resort that we had high expectations for was Stanly Ranch. It checked all the boxes: the cool name, the novelty, and its location among the vines. This was our first stop after San Francisco.
Stanly Ranch’s location is perfect, just south of Napa and approximately a one-and-a-half-hour drive from San Francisco. And if you arrive in a private jet, Napa County Airport is just 15 minutes away. It’s no wonder that Stanly Ranch was purchased by Auberge Resorts Collection in 2019 and opened for guests in April 2022. The phrase ‘Location, location, location’ echoed loudly in our minds.
However, perhaps they leaned a bit too heavily on location alone. The truth is, it’s the people who breathe life into a place, not just its surroundings. While location matters, it’s not the entire story. A team of dedicated staff can often transform an average room or dining experience into something truly remarkable.
At Stanly Ranch, we were anonymous guests, but the room was fantastic, and it will be even better when the vines between the small houses mature. However, we found the layout of the houses to be somewhat haphazard, facing each other in an unusual manner, and we missed a sense of privacy while sitting outside.
Sunset over Stanly Ranch
To sum it up, our first breakfast at the Bear was terrible. The fire was still in full swing in the kitchen in the morning, making it unbearable to sit inside due to the smoke (more on this in our upcoming dinner review at The Bear). Why?
Oddly, at the counter, they asked for our telephone number, full name, and even insisted on us spelling it out, followed by a request for our room number. It left us wondering if they might want our fingerprints next. Even the most meticulous U.S. immigration officer had never been so thorough. For a bleary-eyed Swede yet to savor that essential morning coffee, it felt like a near shutdown.
Once we were seated outside, we ordered one Americano. Unfortunately, the espresso machine was broken. We thought that surely the coffee shop next door (5 meters door to door) would have a working machine that could fix the problem and they did, except we had to get the coffee ourselves. So, one of us went over there. There was no one there except two young hip people behind the desk. It took forever to make an espresso, paid for the coffee, and headed back to the table. It was chilly outside, and the waitress offered to turn on the infrared heater in the ceiling. Nice gesture, but of course, this never happened…
If you asked for anything outside of their fixed breakfast dishes, it was a disaster. One of us order some smoked salmon and got a sloppy big bowl of smoked salmon, no finesse whatsoever, not even a slice of lemon. Just salmon for four people in a bowl. Just gross.
Breakfast at The Bear.
We were grateful for the room upgrade at check-in. As we mentioned before, the room is fantastic. The room had a connecting door. On the second night, just before we were going to bed, we heard loud banging on our side of the connecting door. Okay, someone had just checked in and wanted to make sure it was locked. We’ve all been there. But this continued for 5 minutes.
We could see the door moving. It was a somewhat scary experience, and at this point, we called the reception asking for security. On the plus side, they responded quickly. I went out and asked them what was going on.
It was a late check-in, and the lady wanted to ensure that the door was locked! Reception did not follow up after this, so I called them and explained that we were not comfortable sleeping next to our new neighbors.
They offered to move us to a lower room category. Many thoughts went through our minds. We had not done anything wrong, and now we were being penalized. Why not move the guests who had just arrived instead? The resort was far from being fully booked. It still puzzles us today. We politely declined and asked to be contacted by the resort manager in the morning.
Around 3:00 AM, I could hear someone once more pushing the connecting door. Holy moly! We understand that people are different, and we don’t judge. Maybe she had a bad experience with connecting doors and specifically requested a room without one. Who knows?
When there is no parasol on your room’s terrace, and you need some shade.
They did not address this despite our request to speak to the manager in the morning. No one contacted us, and at check-out, there wasn’t a word as if they hoped to sweep it under the rug. So I asked again, and an assistant guest service manager appeared. She was up-to-date with the case and apologized. However, at that point, it was too late to salvage the bad experience.
Stanly Ranch targets high-end customers and charges accordingly, but they deliver two-star service. Sorry, but there is no excuse for this, post-COVID or not.
Despite being a beautiful resort, it has a cold, almost clinical atmosphere and lacks personality. Our suggestion is that you drive another 40 minutes and check in at the Four Seasons Napa Valley. Sure, they have their issues, but at least you feel welcomed and don’t have to leave your telephone number in the morning. Most importantly, they appreciate you as a guest.
First time
2 nights
Arbor King Cottage, upgraded to Rambler One Bedroom King Suit.
None
State of art.
75%, expect light in the morning from a high window.
Menu to order.
No problem here.
No
No