Appellation Healdsburg

The place is been open for only a few weeks so the landscape is minimal and appears bare. But in a short time this can be a major resort destination. The service from the staff was impeccable.

Great brand new hotel with beautiful rooms and comfortable beds. Immaculately clean. Wonderful breakfast at the Folia restaurant. Only a couple of minute drive from the Healdsburg City Center.

We stayed at Appellation Healdsburg for two nights last week. It’s a beautiful new hotel and you can tell they’re aiming for that upscale wine country feel — a step below Montage pricing but still high-end. There’s definitely potential here, but it still feels like they’re working out the kinks. The property itself is modern and clean, but there’s a lot of concrete and not much greenery yet. It gives the place kind of a stark, unfinished vibe. Maybe the landscaping just needs time to grow in, or maybe it’s fire code related, hard to tell. Either way, it doesn’t have that lush, resort feel yet. There’s also some construction happening right across the street (looks like part of the same development), which takes away from the peaceful atmosphere. The staff were mostly great — friendly, attentive, and clearly trying hard to make guests feel welcome. But a couple of the younger staff at the restaurant and bar seemed pretty disengaged. Nothing terrible, just not what you’d expect for a place positioning itself as luxury. Our room was spotless, but we couldn’t get it to cool down enough at night. Even with the thermostat turned down, it got hot and stuffy — probably because the windows don’t open and there’s limited airflow. We didn’t sleep well either night, which was a bummer because the bed itself was comfortable. We both booked massages. The therapists were excellent, but the overall spa setup felt like an afterthought. There’s no dedicated spa area or lounge — it’s basically just a treatment room near the fitness area. The woman at the front desk seemed unsure of what to do and didn’t add much to the experience. Not bad, just not what you’d expect for the price as compared to Cavallo Point or Solage. Pools were large and nice with lots of seating, but no pool bar or pool service takes away from the lounge vibe. We ate dinner at Folia one night. The space is beautiful, and the service was friendly, but they surprised us with a pre-fixe menu we didn’t know about until we sat down. The food had good ideas but was too saucy and heavy — the grilled fish came swimming in sauce, which kind of drowned the flavors. You can tell they’re aiming high though, and I think it could become a real highlight with a few tweaks. Couldn’t quite figure out what the upstairs bar was going for. Music was super loud and had a clubby feel. Overall, I’d give Appellation about a 6.5 or 7 out of 10. It’s a nice spot if you want something new and modern without paying Montage prices, but it’s not quite a true luxury experience yet. My guess is that in a year or two, once the landscaping matures and the staff has more experience, it’ll be a lot closer to the vision they’re going for.

This hotel has so much potential but they will fail to bring repeated guests if they don’t improve their guest service experience . Pros : Gorgeous aesthetic. Beautiful outdoor setup Rooftop bar , restaurants . When the underdeveloped trees and greenery develop over time the setting will only grow more rich and beautiful . Comfortable rooms Food ingredient quality is great . They locally source ingredients Cons Welcome expirience : walking in is very unclear where the reception desk is. We weren’t greeted or told where to check in . Recommendations : greet guests immediately offer drinks / snacks ( the give you a bite after you check in which is nice but we drove a long way and should have been offered something upon arrival ). It would have gone a LONG way to have had a greeting with one of those things while we waited and told to have a seat . It was obvious check in was taking a while as the hotel is brand new and staff is also getting things dialed in . Restaurant service : Our server was very nice but the service was very slow and there was hardly anyone dining. We waited 20 minutes to get our coffee . Food was cold. We had to track servers down Several times we just weren’t acknowledged at all . Staff seems to be unengaged in guests generally .

What a lovely new hotel in one of my favorite towns in the world! We loved the organic modern designs of the room, the beautiful grounds, the yummy food, and how clean and comfortable our stay was. One night was far too short!!

Lovely new build, warm modern with beautiful heritage olive trees throughout. Nice outdoor spaces. Separate adults only pool, good gym, fantastic food and service. A winner from someone who has owned venues and been in high end F&B.. Great wedding venue possibilities. Think this will get on the travel blog radar, book it while still under the radar!