Auberge du Soleil vs Meadowood Napa Valley
Two of Napa Valley, California's best properties - rates, honest differences, and what sets them apart.
Auberge du Soleil
An iconic hillside sanctuary nestled in a 33-acre olive grove overlooking the Napa Valley floor.
Meadowood Napa Valley
A secluded 250-acre private canyon estate with miles of oak and redwood hiking trails in St. Helena.
Which one should you book?
Auberge du Soleil has the better restaurant and the better views - a Michelin-starred terrace on Rutherford Hill looking down the valley, and every room has its own private terrace. Meadowood is 250 acres of forested canyon in St. Helena - trails, croquet, tennis, golf - and feels more like a private estate than a resort. One thing worth knowing before you book: Meadowood rebuilt after the 2020 Glass Fire with 36 rooms (it had 98 before) and a new restaurant called Forum. Good restaurant, but the three-star kitchen it replaced is gone.
- ✓The Restaurant - 19 consecutive Michelin stars, open-air terrace above the valley floor
- ✓Every room has a private terrace and gas fireplace - no interior or view-blocked rooms
- ✓Adults-only: no children on property
- ✓33 acres of olive grove on Rutherford Hill - sunny, open, south-facing
- ✓250 acres of forested canyon - hiking trails, croquet lawns, tennis courts, golf, three pools
- ✓Private canyon estate in St. Helena - more land than any other hotel in Napa Valley
- ✓Woodland suites with wood-burning fireplaces and canyon views
- ✓Forum restaurant - seasonal produce from the estate, good but not the same as the original
Key Trade-offs at a Glance
What Sets Them Apart
The details that matter at this level.
Auberge du Soleil is open and sun-facing on Rutherford Hill. Meadowood is inside a forested canyon where the trails go quiet within a few minutes.
Auberge's restaurant has held a Michelin star for 19 consecutive years. Meadowood's three-star restaurant burned in 2020 - Forum is its replacement. Good, but a step down.
Auberge has 50 rooms, all with private terraces. Meadowood has 36 rooms after the fire - it was 98 before. Both feel intimate.
Auberge is sunny and social - the terrace is the center of the experience. Meadowood is wooded and private - most guests barely see each other.
12-Month Nightly Rate Comparison
Average nightly base rates across the calendar year. Click or hover any month to compare.
The Bottom Line
These are Napa Valley's two most well-known luxury hotels and they suit different trips. Auberge du Soleil has the views and the restaurant - Rutherford Hill looking south down the valley, The Restaurant with a Michelin star for 19 consecutive years, a private terrace outside every room. If a great dinner in a great setting is the center of the trip, this is the one. Meadowood has the land - 250 acres of forested canyon in St. Helena, croquet lawns, hiking trails, a proper country estate feel. One thing to know before you book: Meadowood's three-star restaurant burned in the 2020 Glass Fire. Forum is the new restaurant and it's good, but it's not what Meadowood used to have. If that restaurant was on your list, it's not there anymore. If the land and the privacy are the draw, those are exactly the same.
Auberge du Soleil starts from $1,200/night; Meadowood Napa Valley from $850/night. Both are available through Wildist at the same rate as booking direct - with VIP perks, room upgrades, and dedicated advisor support included.
Ready to Book? We'll Handle the Rest.
Both Auberge du Soleil and Meadowood Napa Valley are available through Wildist at the same rate as booking direct — with exclusive VIP perks added at no extra cost.