The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa is located in the heart of California's prestigious Sonoma Valley, next to neighboring Napa Valley. Perhaps one of the most unique things about the Fairmont Sonoma is that the resort itself has it's own supply of thermal mineral water which is part of the reason for a nearly 40,000 square foot spa. All the resorts pools and spa are fed with these natural waters. Combine the location, a Michelin-rated restaurant, the 18-hole championship golf course and a state-of-the-art Spa, all make this an exquisite AAA Four Diamond destination.

The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa

If you are looking for the perfect place to relax, re-charge and experience fine dining after a day in Sonoma Valley, the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa is the perfect destination.

When we arrived at the resort, driving up to the front circle you are instantly immersed into the charming setting of the resort. We were promptly welcomed to the resort and offered a glass of champagne. The bell staff already had our keys and whisked us away to our room.

Our Room

The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa is a fairly small property in terms of the number of rooms with only 226 guest rooms.

During our stay at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa we stayed in one of the Mission Suites. The Mission Suites are very romantic with a four-poster bed, an oversized Jacuzzi tub, a wood-burning fireplace and a patio with french doors.

The room was decorated with many elements of old world charm with red brick as the floor, lots of travertine tile, plenty of warm tones in the organic materials in the linens, curtains, and fabrics.

It does appear that some of the rooms at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn are starting to show signs of some age. But the resort did tell us that they are in the process of updating all of the rooms on the property (in stages).

The Mission Suite had plenty of natural light coming in from the big french doors. But the room was also very cozy at night with the fireplace burning. The bathroom was very open with the vanity, tub and shower within view from almost everywhere in the room.

As you know from reading about our favorite hotel toiletries, Fairmont Hotels feature Le Labo products, which are fantastic.

Dining

The resort's restaurant, Santé, a premier Michelin-rated restaurant. And talk about an incredible dining experience, Santé is phenomenal. In Sonoma Valley you would expect for restaurants to have a large selection of wine. And that is most definitely the case at Santé which has over 500 wines offered on the menu.

We started our meal off with a selection of local cheeses, spreads and bread from the cheese cart. The cart was brought table side and a very nice cheese plate was prepared right in front of us!

Next we opted for the seasonal butternut squash soup, which was perhaps the best soup we have ever tasted. And for our main course we both choose the Dry Aged Rib Eye with Ember Roasted Beets, Black Garlic Puree and a Coffee Black Garlic Bordelaise.

We eat at a lot of great restaurants around the globe with all of our travels but Santé perhaps tops our list.

If you are looking for a quick casual meal we would recommend 38º North in the hotel lobby. It is a great place for a quick salad, sand-which, burger or entree. They offer over 50 wines by the glass from local and international wineries.

Amenities

The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn doesn't lack when you are looking for things to do after a long hard day of wine tastings and exploring the region. From the pool, to the spa, the fitness center and golf course, you won't run out of activities.

The main pool at the resort sits underneath a Water Tower. A little back story on this, is back in the day part of the resort burnt down because there was no water close by to extinguish the fire. The owner of the resort decided he was going to store his own supply of water in case something like this were to happen again. Today, the water tower has become sort of a Sonoma icon.

The Willow Stream Spa at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn is known by the Native Americans to have healing powers since the waters are fed by an ancient thermal spring. We had to check-out the spa for ourselves and experience the ancient bathing ritual.

The clover-shaped outdoor pool at the spa features music underwater. And it was so peaceful to float in the pool with our heads underwater and just unwind.

The bathing ritual takes places in the bathhouse, in which you start by showering, then get into the main Watsu pool, move to the Jacuzzi, and then walk through the tunnel which starts with body temperature water and then has a bucket full of cold water that you can drench yourself with. You might be thinking dumping cold water on yourself doesn't sound like fun, but it was quite refreshing and energizing.

We always try to workout with as much as we travel. And while we were in Sonoma that was no exception. The fitness center featured plenty of equipment to get a nice workout in. And there was plenty of cardio equipment as well as a squat rack, something most hotel fitness centers just don't have.

Overall Impression

The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa is a fantastic place to stay right in the heart of Wine Country. It is close enough to everything, yet feels like you are secluded when spending time at the resort. If you are going to Sonoma, this property should definitely be on your list of places to stay. The resort has plenty of amenities if you are still seeking adventure after a day in wine country.