One Of Napa’s Most Beautiful Luxury Resorts Is Getting a Multimillion-Dollar Makeover

We checked out the start of Meritage Resort and Spa’s spectacular transformation.

Anyone who frequents the Napa Valley knows The Meritage Resort and Spa is one of California wine country’s most esteemed luxury retreats. Now the AAA Four Diamond property is going even more upscale with a multiyear, multimillion-dollar revamp slated for completion in March 2024. Meanwhile the Meritage’s even posher sister resort, formerly known as Vista Colina, has been rebranded as The Grand Reserve at The Meritage with an enhanced menu of luxury services and experiences.

On our recent tour of Vintage Wine Estates’ award-winning wineries, we wrapped up with a stay at The Grand Reserve and got a preview of all the amazing improvements to come. While other luxury hospitality brands have recently moved into the Napa Valley space, Meritage remains the gold standard.

The main remodel, spearheaded by HBA San Francisco, includes updating and modernizing the resort’s 157 Meritage guestrooms and 165 Bordeaux guestrooms. “Leather detailing and metal hardware showcase elevated craftsmanship in a sophisticated interpretation of an equestrian aesthetic,” notes Sarah Hullinger, HBA’s senior project designer. “Wood, leather, metal, and stone are carried through the furnishings and fixtures, bringing a slightly masculine element of rustic comfort.”

The Grand Reserve’s new name is a nod to the resort’s location in the heart of wine country, and the property features incomparable views of surrounding hillside vineyards. The 145 rooms and 39 luxury suites are designed in Tuscan style, and the suites are a major draw thanks to spacious living rooms, kitchens, soaking tubs, dining areas, and expansive vineyard views.

Guests of both resorts have access to what many consider the top spa in the Napa Valley, Spa Terra, located inside a wine cave beneath the hilltop vineyards. Whether it’s a hot stone massage your after or some other viniculture-inspired treatment, you can also take advantage of the relaxation lounge, whirlpool baths and steam room, among other amenities. And the outdoor pool is the perfect place to unwind before or after.

The Meritage is also home to Olive & Hay, featuring farm-to-table, Italian-inspired cuisine that draws diners from both on-property and and farther afield. Using the freshest, local Napa-grown and harvested ingredients, it “fuses homemade and homegrown with modern and classic, and innovative and traditional.”

Menu standouts include an American Wagyu New York Strip steak with Hasselback potato, bruléed truffle mousse, and bordelaise sauce; and Veal Osso Bucco alla Milanese with braised veal shank, saffron risotto, roasted bone marrow, Cipollini marmalade, gremolata, and rosemary breadcrumbs, along with various pizza and pasta options.

The Meritage’s renovations are part of a series of enhanced upgrades at the property following a $25 million investment made by the Busch Family and Pacific Hospitality Group (PHG). Additional upgrades to the property include recently remodeled ballwooms and The Village Bistro, a French-influenced pop-up dining experience with a wine country twist that opened last summer.

Ans still to come are a refreshed Lobby and Lobby Bar, Blend restaurant, Crush Lounge, a new Steakhouse and Champagne Bar, Pool area, and more.