Renovated rooms at Napa hotel, new cottages in Healdsburg, and Visit California’s CEO to retire

Guestroom upgrades at Napa hotel

Hotel Yountville, a luxury property located in the Napa Valley, has completed the renovation of its 80 guestrooms, according to a Jan. 14 announcement. The project began last February and wrapped in late December.

The upgraded rooms have been redesigned to reflect the Tuscan countryside, according to the press release. The project cost was not disclosed.

“The property’s residential scale and lush garden surroundings (recall) the feeling of an Italian villa: warm, grounded, and deeply connected to nature,” said Jillian Adams, senior interior designer at Dallas-based Premier, which led the redesign.

Braemar Hotels & Resorts, Inc., owns Hotel Yountville and Remington Hospitality operates the property. Both businesses are also based in Dallas.

Hotel Yountville was originally built in 1998 and in 2011 underwent a multimillion-dollar expansion and renovation. It upgraded the guestrooms and added 29 more, along with the restaurant, spa, meeting and event space, outdoor pool and lounge patio, the Press Democrat reported at the time. Braemar acquired the property in March 2017 from Ashford Hospitality Prime, Inc.

The average room rate is $860 per night, according to a spokesperson for Hotel Yountville.

Little Saint expands

The team behind Little Saint, a 100% plant-based restaurant and events venue in Healdsburg, has opened four bungalows on the property, according to a Jan. 15 announcement.

Located behind the restaurant, The Cottages at Little Saint feature four designs that represent the influences of musicians from the late 1960s and 1970s. Each cottage is aptly named: Gimme Shelter (The Rolling Stones), Court, Spark (songs by Joni Mitchell), and Déjà Vu (Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young). Each cottage has a collection of vinyl records.

“The Cottages feel like a natural extension of the Little Saint family,” said Laurie Ubben, founder of Little Saint.“ Just off the town square and a few steps from the restaurant, our guests can take in the full rhythm of Healdsburg … while always having a charming retreat to return to at the end of the day.”

Room rates range from $400 to $900, depending on the season.

Little Saint and the cottages are located 25 North St., on the property formerly occupied by The Shed, a restaurant and marketplace that closed at the end of 2018. Little Saint’s restaurant opened in April 2022.

Visit California CEO to retire

Caroline Beteta, who has served for 30 years as president and CEO of Visit California, has announced her retirement, effective in September.

Beteta said in the Jan. 15 announcement that it feels like the right time to begin planning for the next chapter — for her and the Sacramento-based nonprofit tasked with marketing California as a premier destination for travelers near and far.

Visit California’s board of directors has begun a global search for the organization’s next leader, Beteta said.

“I will remain fully engaged throughout the transition, and our programs, campaigns, partnerships and priorities will move forward with focus and momentum,” she said.

As the umbrella tourism agency for the state, Visit California works with individual tourism bureaus, including Sonoma County Tourism and Visit Napa Valley, to help develop and maintain their marketing programs.

“I am incredibly proud of what we have created — a world-class marketing organization, a strong and trusted governance model, and a statewide network of partners who collaborate with purpose and heart,” Beteta said.