Quiet Luxury in the Redwoods: Farmhouse Inn
What It's Like at a Travel + Leisure Top 15 World’s Best Hotel
During my trip to Sonoma County, I stayed at 27 North’s sister property, Farmhouse Inn, a Top 15 on Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best owned by fifth-generation farmers Catherine and Joe Bartolomei. Locals said it’s in the middle of nowhere, but it actually sits in Forestville, an approximately 5.3-square-mile census-designated place about 20 minutes south of Healdsburg. The location is a big part of its appeal, delivering a chance to unplug and sink into natural beauty. That’s probably why it’s such a favorite hideaway with celebs.
Walking into the lobby, you’ll be greeted by top-notch staff like Latisha, Heidi, or Jessica with a welcome drink — and a chonky house cat named Charlie (so famous he even has his own Insta). While the bathrooms are stocked with Natura Bisse products, be sure to fill up at the bath bar, Lush-style offerings with fresh cut soaps with scents like Rosemary Watermelon or Sonoma’s Herb Garden, bubble bath, and whipped brown sugar scrub from Sumbody.
My modern rustic room offered a quiet escape, with its porch overlooking gorgeous foliage, a dual fireplace to enjoy, and lots of sweet welcome goodies, including a bottle of Lancaster Estate’s winemaker’s cuvee, trail mix, the best gluten-free chocolate chip cookies, and lemon poppy seed organic blue cornflake petal rice krispie treats. For me, though, the extra touch that sets this place apart is the handwritten welcome note on the chalkboard and the sweet greeting card — that and the heated bathroom floors. Sure, the inn provides slippers, but you won’t need them.
I settled in to dine at the on-site restaurant, Restaurant at Farmhouse Inn, led by chef Craig Wilmer and pastry chef Amanda Hoang. It draws on several cuisines — Taiwanese, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mexican, German, Croatian — to create what it calls a Californian’s Cuisine. To start, try the Serpent Cut Serpent Cucumber. I almost went for the Bloomsdale Spinach Agnolotti with feta, but my server, Akram, highly recommended the cucumber, and I’m so glad I listened. With 100 cuts, this exquisitely presented dish hides a creamy soy bean puree in the center and is topped with crispy shallots to give it texture, while fresh mint provides a mouth-watering finish. It’s topped off with black vinegar for a kick. (The only snake is the shape; it’s a vegetarian dish.)
For a main, go with the Masami Flatiron Carne Asada served with Brentwood Corn and Salsa Verde. Dessert was Hot Date Cold Date with Jujube Toffee Sauce and shaved Black Truffle on top with a side of date ice cream. While everything was perfect, the often-ignored and understated bread and butter were a star. Carol’s Dutch Oven Sourdough is what we all were hoping we could have made in 2020. The crisp edges, the fluffy chew, the flavor — it didn’t need any butter, but, listen, when they placed down that gorgeous pressed flower plate with house-cultured butter in the shape of a spoon holding Joe’s Honey, I wanted to weep. It was (almost) too gorgeous to tear into. Grab a glass of Chef Amanda’s Milk Punch — a unique blend of rum and brandy, fig leaf, tonka bean, and a hint of pineapple — or go for one of the many bold wines.
For breakfast, take advantage of the fact that you can order room service anytime before 2 AM by sticking your order outside and choosing your desired time. I woke up from the dreamiest sleep to eggs and fruit in bed, along with Five Mountains heirloom organic tea, a San Francisco brand founded by a former monk that swears off petroleum and only uses ethically grown, single-origin, fair-trade leaves.
After the perfect morning of lounging and relaxing, I walked over to the WellnessBarn where I was greeted with a robe to change into, then ushered me back for a relaxing 90-minute Antidote massage, followed by a delicious cup of My Mother’s Garden, a floral blend including peppermint, blue mallow petals, lemongrass, and rose. There are also herbal baths that include an artisanal candle and journal to take home, floral readings, and farm-to-beauty facials for your getaway glow-up. Sonoma isn’t just about wine, and Farmhouse is leaning into wellness culture to become a truly Goop-level retreat in NorCal.
Lunch on site offers a lighter, locally sourced flair that you can enjoy inside, poolside, or patioside with the tranquil background of water fountains and birdsongs. I got the Bloomsdale Spinach and Nori Dip, a creative take with pepitas, garlic cloves, and miso on sourdough, followed by the Gem Caesar topped with boquerones and pierre poivre. For dessert, try the Flavor King Pluot Crisp — the perfect blend of salty-sweet oat streusel and tart plum. There’s also a juice bar outside. Try one of the cold-pressed juices like the Detox (grapefruit, lavender, lemon, cucumber, mint, and ginger) or a smoothie like the Beekeeper (stone fruit, honey, chamomile, marigold, dates, and alyssum flower). Add in vanilla collagen protein powder, blue spirulina, bee pollen, or a Farmacopia blend like radical immune or super power adaptodens.
Really use up the amenities here and enjoy the room — soak in the jet tub and light some of the provided candles, sit by the fireplace with a glass of wine, read on the patio, or take a steam shower. The property also has options for those who want to get outside the room. Walk the grounds and observe the colorful flowers, meditative fountains, and cute chickens. Sip something local every night from 4:30 to 5:30 PM, when the inn hosts a complimentary wine-tasting called Pour, Restore, and Reconnect from a rotating vineyard.
If wines aren’t your thing, you can learn more about adaptogens and local herbs, honey tastings, and essential oil workshops for mind-body integration. It’s served outdoors and gives you a chance to mingle with other guests. If you have a sweet tooth, cozy up by the communal firepits where you can roast a chef-made marshmallow and make s’mores under the stars. In the morning, try a vinyasa flow yoga class that incorporates a sound bath for a peaceful ending, mat Pilates, or even forest bathing.
Poolside yoga under the canopy of redwoods and morning glories?
Say less.