Auberge du Soleil
Rutherford, CA
(map) Phone: (707) 967-3141 Capacity:120 or less
Style:country inn, restaurant
View:hills / mountains, vineyards
"Terraced down the hillside with views of the Napa Valley, all accommodations at Auberge du Soleil feature Mediterranean-inspired décor with original contemporary art."
Experience majestic views, refined service, and fine wine country cuisine within an intimate Napa Valley wedding. The Auberge offers an authenti...
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Reviews for Auberge du Soleil
The good:
* beautiful panoramic view of the entire napa valley
* facility fee is low for what you get ($2500 for daytime weddings, $4000 for nighttime weddings)
* facility fee includes a quality setup - chiavari chairs, fine caramel linens, orchid centerpieces, built-in pinspotting.
* food! where else can you get a michelin-rated restaurant to cater your wedding? =)
* Auberge has won many awards and is frequented by celebrities. Christina Aguilera stayed here the night of her wedding. Also, my fiance and I spotted the coach of the Dallas Mavericks during lunch.
The not so good (at least for my wedding specifications):
* small space.. only 120 people for the reception, and only 75 seats for the ceremony (the other people stand)
* $12K minimum for daytime weddings, and $14K minimum for nighttime weddings...$$$$$
* small portions will not fly with the chinese relatives (for chinese it's about quantity moreso than quality)
I ended up going with another location just because my guest count exceeds 120 people. This is a great place for a small intimate country wedding.
I visited here with my fiancee and I was very impressed with the location.
I like food and I think it's almost the most important thing at a wedding, so let's start there. The food here is AWESOME! When I first arrived, I was starving so we had breakfast even though we had lunch reservations as well. I ordered a salmon and scrambled egg pizza which I could have eaten several of. Then we had lunch and we had a wonderful scallop dish and an awesome lobster dish. I'm not sure that you will be able to get better food for your reception.
The view was beautiful. Auberge is on a hill so it overlooks a valley. The grounds are beautiful as well. We met with the coordinator while we were there and my impression of her is that she would do a great job. I thought she was professional, attentive, and genuine. Some people you meet are a little over the top in their patronization.
This place is perfect if you're having a smaller wedding and want to treat your guests very, very well! Unfortunately, we weren't one of those people.
Gorgeous venue at a reasonable price. Our friends had their wedding there (80 people). Great views and terrific food - Auberge has a Michelin star. Really sweet coordinator.
However, I couldn't hear the wedding at all. No mike-ing is allowed, and it's difficult to hear above the clatter of the diners above you. Try to stay away (unless you don't care if people can hear the ceremony) if you have more than 50 people coming. Beyond about 5-6 rows in, you will only hear snippets of the wedding, namely guys with booming voices.
Auberge offers a spectacular view of Napa Valley and the wedding coordinators are great to work with. They are extremely professional, organized and prompt in responding to your questions and concerns. Did I mention they are also Michelin rated?
I've booked this venue for my wedding next year, and I am so excited about the decision. My goal is to have a small, intimate wedding, sharing good food and wine with family and friends. I know I won't be disappointed. The service so far has also been impeccable, with the coordinator answering all of my neurotic questions!
UPDATE: The wedding came and went, and we could not have asked for a more magical night! The evening went by very smoothly, and we received several compliments. Highly recommended!
I still can't believe we actually pulled off having our wedding at a hotel I, until this year, had only dreamed of staying. We decided a small guestlist with a grand party was the way we best wanted to celebrate the start of our married life. Auberge was the only way to go. The coordinator was wonderful to work with. We felt in very capable hands the entire time. The food was spectacular. The service was impeccable and refined but not stuffy. Unparalleled views of the Napa Valley still have my friends talking about how amazing the whole night was. Not to mention, staying in the suite was a beautiful dream gift from my in-laws. Ahh, I wish we could do it again!
I got married here in 2005 and I loved it! The food was amazing! You definitely cannot beat the views. The only drawback is that you can't customize too much - for example we asked about having a chocolate fountain and were told no and we asked if they could do pigs in a blanket and were told no on that too. Overall, not a huge deal, and I'm sure that they feel that they have a culinary standard to live up to, but if you check out the menu and want to be able to change things - probably not going to happen. Also, fyi - I found the on-site coordinator to be a little ditzy leading up to the event (we'd already been there, paid a deposit and signed a contract, and talked to her several times and we made an appt to go back and see the place again and she came out and introduced herself and started showing us around again as if we'd never been there before) BUT when it came down to it, as we got closer to the event and the day of - she was great. Saying this more to put people at ease that although she may seem a little ditzy at first, she really does get it all straight when she needs to. All in all, if I had it to do all over again, I'd have my wedding here again. By the way - we did have a small wedding - about 50 people.
About Auberge du Soleil
Experience majestic views, refined service, and fine wine country cuisine within an intimate Napa Valley wedding. The Auberge offers an authentic wine country experience.
"Accessed by a private curved staircase descending from the lobby, the inn's private rooms extend the warm, wine country ambience of the rest of Auberge du Soleil. Maximizing the valley views, all three private rooms feature French doors that open to a spacious stone terrace."
* Rental fee: $500–5,000
* Luncheons start at $52/person
* Dinners start at $85/person
* Additional beverages, tax and a 20% service charge
* Facility fee includes coordination, chairs, tables, china, silverware, linens, etc.
History (from Auberge's website):
Twenty years ago this spring, Auberge du Soleil, one of Northern California’s most revered dining establishments, opened the doors of its inn, a handful of maisons scattered across a 33-acre hillside olive grove in Napa Valley. This month, the acclaimed “Inn of the Sun” begins a new chapter in its history, as it unveils a sophisticated renovation, welcomes a new chef and offers new amenities created to elevate the art of relaxation for which the Auberge has become renowned.
“Auberge du Soleil brought a new style of informal elegance, luxury and service to the world of hospitality 20 years ago,” said George Goeggel, Managing Partner. “For many, it embodies the perfect retreat, and we’ve been pleased to see how many guests have returned again and again throughout the years. Few hotels age gracefully. At 20, the Auberge is better than ever.”
The inn completed the dream of noted San Francisco restaurateur Claude Rouas, who envisioned a tribute to his beloved Provence in the California wine country. Rouas is attributed with bringing a renaissance to Napa Valley when he opened the Auberge du Soleil Restaurant in 1981. It was an instant sensation, attracting discerning diners from Northern California and beyond with its airy, elegant Mediterranean style and French-influenced, locally sourced cuisine.
In 1985, Rouas and business partner Robert Harmon opened the inn. As with the restaurant, the maisons – or cottages – were the work of influential designer Michael Taylor, who infused his “California Style” of overscaled furniture, dramatic fabrics and sculptural accessories with the essence of Provence. The suites enchanted guests with their elegantly rustic furnishings, handmade tile floors, abstract paintings, beds dressed in bright fuchsia and gold and French doors leading to private terraces and sweeping views of the valley below.
The inn opened to immediate acclaim. Critics called it “Casa Vogue;” “the kind of hotel so often found in Europe – secluded, discreet and elegant – and with wonderful food;” and “a masterpiece of design.” Since then, Auberge du Soleil has repeatedly received some of the highest accolades from the hospitality industry, discriminating guests and the media. In 1988, the inn joined Relais & Châteaux, the most prestigious collection of small luxury hotels and restaurants in the world.
Today, 20 years later, the Auberge dazzles again with a fresh, updated look that pays tribute to Michael Taylor’s original vision. It is the work of San Francisco designer Suzanne Tucker, of renowned interior design firm Tucker & Marks, who was Taylor's assistant on the original Auberge. In her renovation, she was loyal to her mentor, going straight for the bold and designing luxuriously overscale furniture, richly covered bedcovers and heavy limestone countertops.
Blog: Auberge du Soleil
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