Travel guide Fodor’s list of the 10 most luxurious wine country hotels around the world is a compendium of sheer opulence.
From a medieval castle to a stylish modernist hotel set among vines, the top end of the wine tourism market certainly looks gorgeous. We've picked our three favorite spots from the list for the wine possibilities they offer.
Les Sources de Caudalie, Bordeaux
The city of Bordeaux may have had a major beautification program in recent years, but many dedicated wine lovers would prefer to avoid the bustle and stay in the heart of the vineyards. Owned by the Cathiard family and located at their Château Smith Haut Lafitte property in the appellation of Pessac-Léognan, this was a pioneering wine-tourism venture in Bordeaux and remains a top choice in the region, less than 10 miles south of the city.
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Rooms have been imaginatively and simply furnished, just as you might imagine a French country home to be. As for the grounds on the edge of the vineyards, they are tastefully laid out with sculptures to make you smile and none of the pomp you might expect from Bordeaux.
A choice of two locally well-respected restaurants are on-site, but this hotel is best-known for its vinotherapy spa, where you can be pampered with grape extracts. Try a Chardonnay scrub or a Merlot wrap. Once you are sufficiently relaxed, venture out to visit some of the other local wine estates such as Château La Louvière or Domaine de Chevalier.
Cape Kidnappers, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand:
An easy drive from Napier, this spectacularly-situated luxury lodge sits atop dramatic cliffs and looks out over the Pacific Ocean. The lodge is set in rolling farmland, with a golf course that has hosted PGA events and offers both a challenging round and unequalled views.
The suites are luxurious, as is the service and the food, which is what you'd expect for almost $650 per person a night. But it is Cape Kidnappers’ proximity to the wine country of Hawke’s Bay that should get the juices flowing. Silky Syrah, charming Chardonnay and buxom Bordeaux blends abound in Hawke’s Bay and you don’t have to travel far from Cape Kidnappers to find them.
Three miles away are Clearview and Elephant Hill wineries, while a five-minute drive will get you to Te Mata Estate and Craggy Range. Beyond that the sub-regions of Puketapu, Gimblett Gravels and Bridge Pa are half an hour away at most by car.
Meadowood Resort and Spa, Napa Valley
Set a mile off Napa Valley’s Silverado trail – the less busy of the valley’s two main thoroughfares – for a combination of relaxing environment, excellent food and top wine advice, Meadowood resort is a winner for wealthy wine lovers. It is ideally positioned for visiting some key Napa wineries like Duckhorn, Joseph Phelps or Beringer Vineyards, with many more in easy reach.
Located in a woodland enclave, there is no better way to prepare for your wine-tasting day than with an hour’s hike directly from your cottage, and no finer way to end the day before dinner by relaxing in the resort's pool, or on the balcony of your private cottage. In winter, there is an irresistible cozy log fire in each room.
Dinner can be a simple grill or a sumptuous – and yes, very expensive – meal in the restaurant for which long-term chef Christopher Kostow has earned three Michelin stars. The wine list has more than 10,000 lines and it goes without saying that a top team of sommeliers is on hand to help you choose. A menu of "wine experiences" is offered too. If you are staying a while and do want to head out for something simpler, the town of St. Helena is only just up the road from Meadowood, which is also in easy reach of either Yountville or Calistoga.
