Review: Las Alcobas, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Napa Valley, Part I

One of the newest properties to be added to SPG’s Luxury Collection is Las Alcobas Napa Valley, A Luxury Collection Hotel. Nestled in the Northern California town famous for vineyards, wine, and year-round comfortable climate, it also happens to be the newest hotel to be opened in the area in the last 17 years.

The Las Alcobas stands out from a sea of sky-high priced boutique hotels in Napa as being an excellent choice for redemption using points. With nightly rates for the lowest room category starting in the mid $400’s and going up during popular periods to the $1000 range, redeeming 30,000 points for a night at this Category 7 property seemed like a smart way to enjoy Napa without breaking the piggy bank. No cash and points rates were available for the dates I was looking at, but there were plenty of dates for straight points redemptions.

Check-In

My husband and I took a long weekend in late August to try out this new property. Pulling up the drive, a self-parking lot was to the left, and an arrow pointed to the right for valet. We drove to the right, which led to a small porte-cochère where someone was waiting to assist with the bags.

After asking our name, a minute later the bellman said that we would be in room 130 which was just across from the valet stand. He said there was no need to go to the reception building, as they check folks in right as they arrive. We verified the credit card on file, and provided ID. My husband took a sideways glance at the building where our room was located, and wasn’t terribly impressed with the outside. It was near the driveway and didn’t appear to be the best that the resort had to offer. When he casually inquired about the room type, he was informed that the room was not right by the road but that we were welcome to discuss further at reception if we wished. As the SPG website hadn’t had any photos of the rooms up yet, we weren’t sure of the options but wanted to find out more.

We walked down the path to a small building, and it was immediately apparent why guests were taken straight from their vehicles to their rooms to check-in. The single room was small with just two tables taking up most of the space, and the late August hot sun streamed through the large windows. Three guys welcomed us, and after asking which room types were available for the night to Platinum guests, they were able to find a Jr Suite. With only 9 out of 68 rooms suites, this was already looking to be a wonderful stay.

One of the guys then led the way to the room. On the way, we passed by the spa as well as the main building that housed just six guest rooms (some of them accessible).

The Suite

Once we reached the pool we veered to the left, and there were both stairs and an elevator to whisk us up to the 3rd (top) floor. Stepping off the elevator, room 338 was the corner room on the right. Before reaching the front door, a quirky feature was a gate that swung open to a small area with a welcome mat. Touching the key to the front keypad of room 338, the door clicked open silently.

Bathroom and Closet

The half bathroom was immediately to the right with toilet and sink, and I was happily surprised to find a Toto Washlet toilet, which offers all the fun of spray jets and sounds minus the auto flush and musical tunes. Next to the half bath was a closet, which held a safe and several drawers that included softly-lined drawers so clothes or electronics placed in there wouldn’t get snagged or scraped.

On the opposite wall of the closet and half-bath was the full bathroom. I padded across grey marble that was refreshingly cool underfoot, and noticed it complimented the grey-toned tiny wall tiles. Thick and thirsty towels were conveniently hung on ladder rungs on the wall. Two additional large towels were also in the bottom drawer by the sink. The oversized farmhouse style sink had a well-placed round mirror on the wall, and nearby amenities were by Naturopathica. The large delicately wine-scented soap smelled divine, and had a smartly comical name that fit the local surroundings – Cabernet Soapignon. A second drawer in the bathroom held the hair dryer, laundry bag, cotton swabs, etc.

There were two shower options, with a handheld on the wall that was easy to adjust, as well as a large rainshower overhead. I had initially assumed the glass shower door was just a half, but there were actually two glass doors so that the shower could be fully enclosed. All the toiletry bottles were brand-new, with small silver seals still on the bottoms of each of the containers. The shower scrub was an equal parts Christmas-tree/grapefruit scented thick and grainy paste, and there was also a shower gel, hair conditioner, and sulfate-free shampoo.

Guest Room

Past the closet and the bathrooms down the short entryway hallway, it opened up to the main area of the Jr Suite guest room. Just around the corner was a large TV on the wall that easily swung out for watching from the bed or a chair. All the large doors to the closets, bathrooms, etc. were on sliding tracks so they slid along silently as not to disturb. There was also a coffee and tea area. There were glasses and mugs, and a granite countertop to put together your morning brew (or evening). There was a French Press for coffee, a Breville tea kettle with all sorts of settings, tea bags and coffee grounds.

Underneath the counter was the minibar with several drawers that held snacks and drinks. One nice surprise that I kind of hesitate mentioning is that everything in the minibar was free! The selection to choose from was really good and had been carefully curated, and I enjoyed one of the drinks and had a snack bar.

Bedroom

The bedroom was decorated in muted greys, with warm wood flooring, soft carpeting, and crisp white bedding. The room was amply sized, and I was impressed with the simplicity and quality of the furnishings. A cozy throw on the bed turned out to be a high performance blanket from New Zealand, a chair in the corner had a matching footstool that was just the right height for resting tired feet on, and the down comforter was thick and inviting.

Each bedside table had not just two outlets just above, but two USB outlets as well which was a welcome touch.

Four large and fluffy feather pillows topped a very comfortable bed with down-filled duvet and pristine white linens.

A cozy dining table with two lightly padded chairs, and room service menu were near one of the windows. There was also a small stool near the corner chair if a third person wanted to join.

The room itself was great, but what made it even more spectacular were the views. Almost two full walls of the Jr Suite had floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors, which led out to a huge wrap around balcony.

The balcony had a dinner table for four that looked out directly over the vineyards, as well as a beanbag chair lounger. The earthy vineyard smell and fresh summer air made spending time outside an easy choice, and I reveled in the smooth wood flooring underfoot and peaceful view. There was also a discreet curtain available on a track around the perimeter of the outside dining area. It could be pulled to provide shade so meals outside remained pleasant even during the 11-2pm direct sun.

Lighting and Curtains

Lighting schemes vary by property, and sometimes it takes a little while to figure them out. The lighting panels here were no different. There were panels on either side of the bed as well as in the bathrooms, hallway, etc. Options for lighting included the curious “Romance” setting that simply left the hallway lights on but turned all others off, “Relax” that seemed to have all the lights on, and “Reading” where small lights underneath the bedside tables softly illuminated. The lighting control in the hallway could control the bathroom, bedroom, and the balcony.

There were gauzy curtains that covered the long windows if just wanting some privacy. One of my favorite parts of the room was that the lighting panels also had blackout shade controls. I love to sleep in absolute darkness, and most hotels fall waaayyy short in this area. I immediately tested the button to see if the “blackout” shades really offered a proper blackout, and they did! One button lifted them up, and another brought them back down. The motorized shades ran along a little track set in the wall so that there was no light seeping in around the curtain. Blissful blackout!

Stay tuned for Part II of the Las Alcobas review to find out about the restaurant, breakfast, pool, and fire pit!