• Substack

Escape New York: The Carneros Inn, Napa Valley

It’s 40 degrees in New York, and you need to get out of town. Where to go, what to wear, and what to eat? We’ve got you covered in our recent trip to The Carneros Inn in Napa Valley, California.

Best First Class from NYC to SFO

JetBlue Mint Class JFK to SFO

Taking a six hour flight shouldn’t be a chore, that’s why we love the new JetBlue Mint Class. With prices starting at $1200 roundtrip, this is one of the best first class experiences you can get at this price point. We personally think Mint Class is better than the Delta, United and American offering for going from JFK to SFO (Mint also flies to LAX, and soon Seattle).

You have full lay flat beds, food service from Saxon+Parole, and Westin bedding to make the ride a true joy.

Only way to fly to LA #jetblue #jetbluemint for free with points #lifetailored #firstclass

A photo posted by Andrew Wise (@andrewufl) on

@ThreadTherapy enjoying the complete 180 lay flat seats on JetBlue’s new Mint Class bookable for just $499 one-way.

The Carneros Inn Review, Napa Valley

#carnerosinn with @threadtherapy #napa #lifetailored #kitandace

A photo posted by Andrew Wise (@andrewufl) on

A modern cottage in Napa Valley, The Carneros Inn offers bungalows with private outdoor space. Our bungalow had two lounge chairs, an outdoor shower, and an outdoor fireplace. The hotel is secluded, and has units spread across a sprawling campus. Our neighbors are far enough away to offer us a completely private experience. The rooms themselves are tastefully decorated, with a giant bathroom with a soaking tub and standing shower. A great treat was the in-room Nespresso machine making morning coffee a breeze (and complimentary). There are three dining options on the property, and the main Farm restaurant is excellent, just be sure to call in for reservations early in the day as the restaurant gets booked early.

Carnernos Inn Restaurants Review

There are three dining options at the Carnernos Inn. A fine dining restaurant in FARM, which offers a tasting menu. A more casual option at the Hilltop Dining Room which overlooks the pool and offers al fresco dining. The Boon Fly Cafe is the most casual of options set in a rustic barn setting that offers excellent cocktails (the Root Beer Old Fashioned was excellent). We dined at FARM, and based on the price point, $$$ and 4/5 Yelp review, we were expecting more. The complimentary bread was nothing to write home about, and the timing of our meal was very delayed. Our appetizers arrived and we waited 30 minutes for our entrees. The staff was kind enough to bring us crudo to make up for the timing, but the mains were nothing special. Our overall takeaway is the quality of the food is comparable to any typical New York restaurant hotel restaurant, definitely not worth the tasting menu.

Carneros Inn Hilltop Pool

Poolside with @threadtherapy #carnerosinn #napa #ca #wine #sun A photo posted by Andrew Wise (@andrewufl) on

We really enjoyed the pool on the hilltop (designated for adults, no kids), and partook in a number of beers, and the Chinese salad. You also have your typical pool fare like burgers, flatbreads, and a full selection of brunch items. There is complimentary sunscreen, which is great for us since we didn’t want to pack any sunscreen in our suitcase due to the 3oz airline rule.

Thanks for an amazing stay #carnerosinn #lifetailored @threadtherapy @lifetailored

A photo posted by Andrew Wise (@andrewufl) on

How to Maximize Your Points

To get the best deal, we recommend using Hotels.com and booking your stay through the Chase shopping portal which is accessible to anyone with a Chase card (Sapphire Preferred, Chase Freedom, etc.). When you book through the portal, you get 4x points on the booking. So if you stay 3 nights at $500, you get 6,000 Chase Membership Rewards points (which can be redeem for Singapore $16,000 Suite Class flights). Additionally, Hotels.com has a rewards program, where for every 9 nights booked, your 10th is free. So if you stay 9 nights at Carnernos, Hotels.com would give you the 10th night free. You can also redeem your free night at any other hotel in the World, so it makes sense to always rack up stays via Hotels.com. $500 night via Hotels.com

What to Wear

For any warm weather water based trip, I like to stick to basic colors. Grey, blue, black and white, which makes packing and dressing extremely easy. Almost every pant goes with every shirt. I just picked up these pair of Swims luca sneakers which are completely waterproof but are built like a sneaker so I could use them to go bike riding, walking, and also swimming. I’ve recently been trying to reduce my wardrobe, so that I only own pieces that bring me joy. The items I brought on this trip all make me happy to wear, look great, and best of all are extremely comfortable. I don’t have a problem wearing any piece in this wardrobe for 24 hours straight on a long plane ride, layover or an all nighter. carneros-inn

Carneros Inn Final Thoughts

  Good morning Napa☕️☺️ with @andrewufl #carnerosinn #napa #ca #fireplace #todaysgoingtobeagoodday   A photo posted by Stephanie Diec (@threadtherapy) on


@Threadtherapy enjoying her morning coffee by the fireplace

Life is about enjoying yourself and the people who are most important to you. After growing up never being able to afford a vacation, I take every opportunity to get away and relax. When I return home, I’m more focused on work, and am more productive than when I left. I’ve never regretted a vacation and if you follow my advice you never will either.

We hope you follow in our footsteps and enjoy your next trip.

Cheers.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Lifetailored has partnered with Creditcards.com for our coverage of credit card products. Lifetailored and Creditcards.com may receive a commission from card issuers Additional Disclosure: This site has affiliate links. We may be compensated when users make a purchase or register to a third party website. For more details read our privacy policy.

More in Lifestyle