And Then We Went to Sonoma for a Day…

It was very convenient that it happened to be our montha-versary 😉

Sunday morning, June 2nd, Andy ran the Lake Chabot Half Marathon. It’s worth noting because he finished 27th out of 179 runners, and it was trail run. (Meaning rather treacherous and very hilly at times).

Then we were off to Sonoma for a night’s stay at MacArthur Place Hotel. I was approached a few months ago via email to schedule a visit to this former 19th century estate just few blocks from Sonoma’s Historic Plaza. Now, MacArthur Place is a luxurious 64-room retreat and spa. I’m not kidding when I tell you: this place is magical.

Each of the Inn’s 64 rooms and suites are individually designed. Suites include special touches like fireplaces, original art, 2-person hydrotherapy tubs and patios or balconies that overlook the estate’s opulent gardens. The in-room shampoos and soaps are made locally with grapeseeds from neighboring vineyards, organic olive oil, lavender and rosemary.

These are beautifully appointed rooms, rich with woods and luxuriant bedding, some with outdoor showers, many with decks where you can sunbathe in privacy. Yes, please.

Upon check in (we stayed in the Azalea suite), I was greeted by a card and a box of chocolate truffles.

Here are some interior shots of our suite:

 

I was so excited when I saw the room. It also had a fireplace that could be seen from the huge tub/hot tub.

We decided to change into our swimsuits and enjoy the pool area before dinner. We brought a bottle of dry rosé and some plastic cups and laid out in the sun. It was heavenly. I thought about the fact that we had to check out the very next day and I became momentarily depressed! 😉

Then it was off to Happy Hour, because Lord knows, I can’t miss complimentary wine. 😉 MacArthur Place offers a daily Happy Hour in the Library complete with good local wines and appetizers (cheese, fruit, and crackers) – just enough to get your appetite going for dinner. If you’re lucky, you’ll get Cynthia pouring your wine for you!!

Speaking of dinner, the Inn’s restaurant Saddles is housed in a century old barn that was designed to replicate the barn at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. Originally used to house prize Trotter horses and buggies, the Barn is now home to a top-of-the-line steakhouse featuring a wide selection of Prime, Grass Fed and Dry Aged Beef. After Happy Hour in the library, we headed to our room to gussy up again, and then we walked across the property to Saddles Steakhouse.

During that walk, I encountered the largest wall of jasmine I had ever seen! 🙂 It’s just about my favorite thing that grows wild here in California.

Painting near the ceiling of Saddles Restaurant. So much attention to detail! 🙂

Just look at this starving man, ready to eat:
Though not gluten-free, we did try out the bread. Come on, it’s brioche, housemade, and comes with two different spreads. If you’re going to treat yourself, this is the time to do it! 🙂
Andy ordered the Oysters on the Half Shell with house mignonette, and I ordered the Chopped Iceberg Lettuce with bacon, tomatoes & a blue cheese dressing. My plan was to cut up my steak and eat it with the salad… BOOM! Steak salad with blue cheese! 🙂

All of the steaks at Saddles are aged a minimum of 21 days and are completely hormone & antibiotic free.

I ordered the 6 ounce Filet Mignon and Andy went with the Ribeye. We both ordered the complete dinner option with garlic mashed potatoes, market vegetables, wild mushrooms and a cabernet demi glace ($7 extra menu option, on which I recommend the splurge).

We enjoyed a 2010 Cline Mouvedre with our dinner.


The menu at Saddles offers desserts, but I had more wine and a box of truffles (if necessary) waiting for me back in the room.

The next morning, the treadmill was waiting for me. The gym at MacArthur Place is small, yet you can still get the job done. There’s an elliptical, a treadmill, a bike and some other standard gym equipment (weights, mats, etc.). You can also opt to run outside, like Andy did.

The grounds of MacArthur Park are particularly lovely. There are statues made from different mediums everywhere. One piece of giant artwork are these life-sized stone chess pieces sitting on a giant chess board.


MacArtur Park Hotel also offers complimentary continental breakfast (inside Saddles Restaurant) from 7am-10am. Andy and I were able to grab some fruit and a few other things before we checked out and headed back to Sacramento.
          

MacArthur Place Hotel is located at 29 E. MacArthur St in Sonoma, CA. You can find MacArthur Place Hotel on Facebook here. Thanks to MacArthur Place for hosting our stay! We’ll definitely return.