Reviews

HEAVEN on EARTH!

As avid (UK) fans of California generally and repeat visitors to the Sonoma and Napa valleys over the last 10 years or more, I can honestly say that this was THE most wonderful place we have ever visited in this area. For work and for leisure, my husband and I travel extensively and are lucky enough to have stayed at many pretty amazing establishments in Asia, the Americas, Northern and Southern Europe and beyond. Travel and luxury and appreciating our surroundings is "our thing". We would come back and stay in a heartbeat – it would be fair to say that this lovely retreat is quite firmly now in our top 5 list of our most favourite places anywhere!

The comments that precede my review echo 100% our own experience. The property is luxurious and so highly equipped, yet feels very homely and relaxing - you will want for nothing (except to stay longer of course!!). We too enjoyed the privacy, the amazing setting, surroundings and breath-taking, changing views and internally, the architecture and design. And, yes you've guessed it, we too cancelled our local dinner reservations in favour of cooking at home because it was just too much to miss to not be there to drink it all in! In terms of the local area, the property is well situated for touring the area and there’s plenty choice when it comes to great wineries and eating opportunities, whether casual or formal dining or food outlets to bring fab food "home" :-)

Come once and a) you just won’t want to leave - evidenced by our own decision to extend our stay (thank you Alan - you gave up a night of your birthday celebrations for us which was very generous spirited of you indeed) and b) you'll want to work out when is the soonest you can come back. Alan could not have been more welcoming or accommodating. He greeted us on arrival to show us around and left us some lovely treats of wine and nibbles to get us started on our vacation. An added lovely touch - one of many.

I cannot recommend this property and its owner(s) highly enough. Lovely, lovely, lovely - when can we come back, please?!

- Stephen and Maggie

A true sanctuary!

My wife and I spent about 7 weeks at this incredible home - the longest we've been out of Seattle in 20 years - and in a word it was rejuvenating. It's a beautiful winding drive into the hills behind the town of Healdsburg - bring your driving gloves - it can be quite twisty in spots. But pulling up to the home there's an immediate sense of peace. The home, thoughtfully designed and built by the hosts, is modern and beautiful, but blends into its natural surroundings perfectly. There are trees in every direction, except to the east where the view opens back up over the valley, the vineyards, and off in the distance, the mountains. You can't see the neighbors in any direction except for one house across the valley that's probably about 3 miles away. We cooked, swam, barbecued, rode our bikes, jogged in the hills, visited the amazing wineries and restaurants of Healdsburg, sat in the hot tub and stared at the stars and entertained friends on the patio. The home was well appointed in every way - the kitchen was a joy to cook in, beds were comfortable, and the furniture and art in the main living areas was gorgeous. The photos truly don't do it justice. But the best part was certainly our hosts - we got to know Alan, JP, and Cami over the course of our time there and aside from being attentive, responsive, and truly thoughtful we now think of them as friends we'll stay in touch with long after our stay is over. We're back in Seattle now, but dreaming of Healdsburg and our stay in this gorgeous hidden sanctuary.

- Adam & Amy

Heaven On a Hill!!!!

Alan, we can’t express how pleased we were with our stay at your beautiful home. You provided everything we could have needed. All of the personal touches went far above and beyond anything we anticipated! The house is immaculate. The views, stars, serene setting, and quiet were just what the doctor ordered for our relaxing getaway. We loved exploring new wines, and hiking Armstrong Woods park during the day, and returning to the spa and pool for a relaxing evening, dinner at home, and night of stargazing. It was simply heaven on earth. We look forward to many more visits to your amazing retreat on the hill!

- John & Kim