3 Reasons To Go To Healdsburg In Sonoma County Now

The entrance to The Madrona is a little mysterious. After a quick turn off W Dry Creek Road, just about a mile from Healdsburg Plaza, there’s a gate with just an M and a winding uphill drive. You really have no idea where you’re going. But at the top of the hill, the gabled mansion, the heart of the eight acre property, comes into view. And, as it turns out, this somewhat confused, off center arrival sets exactly the right tone for what you’ll find inside.

Originally a private residence built in 1881 for a prominent family in this Northern California town that previously operated as a small hotel, this 24 room version opened last spring with far from traditional, flamboyant interiors designed by noted interior designer and the hotel’s co-owner Jay Jeffers. His intention was to create a modern day interpretation of the Aesthetic Movement which influenced the house’s original construction (the elements: beauty+ intellect+art+exotic) and create “an overall sense of magic around every corner.” And so you’ll find horse hair on hide wallpaper lining the walls of the Carriage House, floral carpeting derived from an artist’s watercolor, large animal motifs in carved mahogany furnishings, rabbit ears on chairs in the entry hallway, neon yellow walls in the dining room.

The rooms are a bit calmer (and darker) but all are uniquely designed and feature one of a kind bedframes and whimsical touches such as retro dial phones. They’re split between the Mansion, Carriage House and Bungalows scattered along the outer edges of the property, tucked away in the trees. In good weather, guests can congregate at the pool, wander the half acre of gardens, admire the views over Dry Creek Valley from the chairs on the front porch and gather for meals on the Palm Terrace.

Twelve miles south, another special Sonoma property also went through some changes this year. Farmhouse Inn, the epitome of a relaxed but luxurious country inn that began in 2001 with six rooms in an 1875 farmhouse and has now expanded to 25, renovated three of its cottages and introduced a new room type, the 550 square foot Cottage Petite Suites. Located in buildings over 100 years old, the new rooms are sleeker, more minimal versions of the country chic décor in the rest of the rooms. But everything they do here is cossetting and beautiful.

The culinary side went through changes and additions as well. The Farmhouse Restaurant is well known in the area for its gourmet six course prix fixe menu with many of the ingredients picked that day at brother and sister owners Joe and Catherine Bartolomei’s farm up the road. New chef Jeremy Cabrera is putting his stamp on the concept with dishes such as Black Cod with Manzanita Dashi, Wild Mushrooms, Foraged Sea Grapes and Sea Lettuce and Oz Family Farm Duck Breast with Duck Liver Mousse, Braised Frill Mustard Greens and Pickled Mustard Seeds.

Cabrera is also presiding over the new all day casual restaurant Farmstand which serves three meals daily. And while they may be simpler than those in the main restaurant, these dishes are no less exceptional. Among them for lunch: beet salad with Asian pears, beet puree and cocoa nibs, cauliflower with cashew crema, fried ginger and shiso, quail with arugula, pearl onions, farro and duck liver vinaigrette, and a crunchy, sweet apple galette with autumn spice ice cream and bourbon caramel available at both lunch and dinner.

Another restaurant combining fine dining in one location (the ground floor) and more casual dishes (Roof 106 upstairs), local star chef Dustin Valette’s The Matheson in the center of Healdsburg was an instant sensation when it opened last year and it still is. Some things have changed—hopefully the sushi will return once another master chef is hired—but up on the roof, the atmosphere is relaxed and every dish full of flavor from the sesame crusted ahi tataki to the puffy but crispy pizzas with ingredients such as short rib, broccolini, pork belly and gruyere to the ten ounce New York steak with truffle butter. And everyone at the other tables is always having a great time.