[ON LOCATION] LAUREL HERMAN
Nestled in northern California, in Sonoma County’s wine region, the city of Healdsburg offers a peaceful small-town vibe with many culinary adventures that make it clear that this area is a wow for incentive groups. Simply said, the area is a haven for foodies and wine enthusiasts, coupled with opportunities for outdoor adventures in the region’s hills and vineyards, where the Russian River flows.
We stayed at two hotels and visited a few others during our visit. First was The Lodge at Healdsburg, totally redone a little over a year ago, and now, it’s a 60-key Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel. “Our boutique lodge is an independent property at a value price point for groups,” says GM Andrew Gumula. This hotel is only a 5-minute drive to the center of town and is a perfect buyout for a smaller group looking for comfort and value.
Gumula explains that at the lobby bar, guests will find a carefully curated wine and beer selection sourced only from Sonoma County. During the conversation, he shared a Dry Creek Zinfandel with us, which we enjoyed as it was balanced and very easy to drink. Each room has a king bed with a fireplace. Groups will conveniently have access to the 2,300-sf Krug Event Center on the property. Additionally, there are several outdoor spaces for gatherings, including a courtyard with a fireplace.
Another option is Harmon Guest House, which has a modern European vibe. The hotel offers 39 rooms and the meeting space, at about 1,500 sf, is on the top floor. Jason Farmer, Director of Sales for the property and sister properties H2Hotel and Hotel Healdsburg, says, “We can accommodate about 90 for a reception and for a corporate meeting u-shape, about 40 in our meeting space. When we add in the adjacent rooftop indoor/outdoor restaurant and bar, we can accommodate over 100 up to 130.”
Next door, H2Hotel, a Gold LEED-certified eco-property, has 36 rooms and a bar/restaurant with a lounge area for drinks and gatherings. Next to the lounge is a private room that opens up to the outdoor patio, which can accommodate up to 120 people, according to Farmer. “Our two properties work very well for buyouts; we do that quite a lot with both hotels booked by one incentive planner. Our properties are modern luxury. We have four stars and would like to think we are five stars, but we do not offer 24-hour room service, which is required for that. However, we provide five-star service,” says Farmer.
Guests at Harmon Guest House have breakfast at H2Hotel’s Spoonbar, and both hotels share amenities such as the bar and pool area. You can sign to your hotel room from either property, explains Farmer. “Our guests really enjoy our location. We are in town right off Healdsburg’s historic plaza,” he notes.
The 56-room Hotel Healdsburg faces the plaza and sports a stunning lobby area with a fireplace, a grand piano and a bar area. “This property is modern luxury but with a little more traditional luxury feel,” points out Farmer. “There are high ceilings throughout the hotel giving it a real sense of space. Our rooms are spacious at approximately 400 sf. And all three properties offer complimentary WiFi for groups,” adds Farmer.
The hotel is home to Dry Creek Kitchen, a Charlie Palmer restaurant, where we dined and enjoyed world-class service and items from the local farms. There are a variety of canapes for starters, followed by first courses such as a fantastic roasted beet salad and main entrees like the delectable saffron linguine with Dungeness crab and a Painted Hills prime strip loin. Also at the hotel is a casual dining outlet called Pizzando, which offers traditional Italian cuisine.
Another property for groups to consider is Montage Healdsburg, which has 130 accommodations. Even if the group is not staying on property, it’s only a 15-minute drive from the town center to enjoy Hazel Hill, their signature restaurant open for brunch, lunch or dinner with indoor/outdoor seating overlooking the vineyards. The menu is varied, offering French-influenced California cuisine. The spa at the resort offers group classes such as yoga or a guided meditation and sound bath experience.
In addition to the hotels’ culinary choices, there are many top-notch dining and drinking experiences in town. For instance, in a departure from traditional wine tasting we had a mixology class led by renowned master mixologist Scott Beattie, who’s the beverage director at Barndiva. This venue offers an indoor/outdoor space that’s ideal for group events as well as a Michelin-star restaurant. For an interactive and teambuilding experience, planners can book up to 24 people at a time to create classic and original cocktails using local artisanal spirits, organic fruits and other plant ingredients from Sonoma. We were served fantastic food at the farm-to-fork restaurant that delighted our tastebuds with every bite. Our menu included a roasted duck entrée and brown butter and miso parfait for dessert.
Another stellar venue for groups is The Matheson. It comprises three levels: The main floor offers a full bar and wine wall experience and the main dining room with an open kitchen; the second floor has a private dining area; and the third floor features a rooftop bar and seating areas. The trendy eatery, located on the city’s plaza, is run by a young chef, Nate Davis, who uses local ingredients in his culinary creations. We were delighted with various temaki to start and my entree was a divine mushroom risotto. You’ll also find the speakeasy-style Sushi By Scratch Restaurants: Healdsburg at this venue, tucked away near the back area. Here, there’s an intimate omakase experience for up to 10 people partaking in a progressive 17-course nigiri tasting menu. As we enjoyed a variety of sake and spirits, we watched the chef up close as he prepared each course using fresh fish flown in from Tokyo. There are three seatings a night.
Little Saint is a 100 percent plant-based restaurant with a wine lounge with a selection of local wines, a cocktail bar and a second-floor music venue that can host a private cocktail reception for 250 or 100 for a seated dinner. At the eclectic venue, which is dedicated to sustainable practices, we sampled the breakfast menu, tasting such dishes as chia seed pudding, seasonal quiche and avocado toast, and pastries such as chocolate Babka and lemon poppy seed muffins. Yet another great food opportunity is Costeaux French Bakery, where planners can enjoy lauded baked goods and breads as they cater to groups of up to 125 for lunch and dinner, including boxed lunches as needed. Additionally, Costeaux works with local wineries to customize gatherings.
Healdsburg is surrounded by excellent viticultural areas such as Russian River Valley, Alexander Valley and Dry Creek Valley, so oenophiles can well imagine the expansive opportunity to visit vineyards. Within these three areas alone there are approximately 260 wineries; groups can visit the wineries or try any of the 20-plus tasting rooms in the downtown area. During our stay, we visited Ernest Vineyard tasting room, where the wines are inspired by the West Sonoma Coast. We had several favorites during our tasting, including the 2019 Estate Freestone Pinot Noir. Here, groups of up to 50 can have a reception. At Seghesio Family Vineyards, where we loved the 2021 Home Ranch Zinfandel from Alexander Valley, groups can take advantage of the outdoor area to host a Bocce & Bottles experience for up to 24 guests.
stayhealdsburg.com/healdsburg-events/meetings