Montage Healdsburg: The heart and soul of Sonoma
Wondering what it's like to stay at Montage Healdsburg? Chase Travel’s writers and editors visit the world's top hotels to give you a firsthand look inside.
Much more casual and agrarian than Napa Valley, its neighbor to the south, Sonoma County is filled with family-owned, multigenerational businesses. Montage Healdsburg may not be one of them, but the hotel does a great job of fitting in, and giving you the impression it's been here forever (and not, in reality, since 2020). Driving the long road to the sprawling property, past 258 acres of vineyards and heritage oak trees, it's hard to believe the hotel didn't exist before then. Even the guestrooms, which are luxe treehouses that stand atop stilts in the forest, feel like they've always been part of the landscape.
Everything about this place feels deeply rooted, including the staff. They all seem to be friends with one another—and the rest of Sonoma. The server at Hazel Hill, the hotel's signature restaurant, might offer to introduce you to the resident beekeeper, who harvests the small-batch raw honey sold at the on-site Healdsburg Country Store, and your hiking guide is buddies with the guy who poured your rosé at Marine Layer in town last night. It's always better to see a destination for the first time with a local and, at the Montage, you'll feel like you're staying with someone who's eager to share their home with you.
Montage Healdsburg has a very tucked-away quality, ideal for travelers wanting easy access to Sonoma but also privacy. The main building sits at the end of a winding, uphill road and the guest rooms (which are more like private treehouses) are hidden within a forest. You can't see any of the property from the street; in fact, there are only two places off-property where it's visible: the tasting room at nearby Jordan Vineyard and the community of Parkland Farms, population 1,638. It all creates the effect of a warm and inviting family home, rather than one of Sonoma's most exciting hotel openings in years.
Guests—multi-generational families in coordinated tennis whites, groups of girlfriends having a weekend away, couples with their babies and designer strollers—gather around the double-sided fireplace in the warm, modern lobby each morning, sipping their lattés over quiet conversation. They come together again in the evenings, at happy hour drinks on the vineyard-view terrace or for multi-course dinners at Hazel Hill, but otherwise keep to themselves. The hotel could be at full capacity and you'd never know it, both because of the property's sprawling layout and its quiet atmosphere.
Rooms, especially those with forest views, feel like your fantasy treehouse brought to life. Housed in stilted, free-standing buildings, they hover among the treetops, putting you eye level with the lace lichen-covered oaks that surround the property. Floor-to-ceiling windows—in the closet area, beside the front door and even the forest-facing bathrooms—bring the outdoors in, while the balcony, complete with a firepit, makes you feel like you’re in the canopy.
Most guests are here to visit Sonoma's famous vineyards, but you don't even have to leave the property for that. The Montage has 15.5 acres of its own vines, managed by acclaimed winemaker Jesse Katz of nearby Aperture Cellars. In early 2024, the hotel launched a private wine label, Surveyor, with a sauvignon blanc to start, followed by a cabernet sauvignon and rosé. Sample one next to the firepit on your balcony as a prelude to dinner at Hazel Hill or, better yet, on Scout Field Bar's outdoor terrace, overlooking the grapes that went into your glass.
Still, the Montage makes a notable effort to educate guests about what else Sonoma has to offer—and there's a lot. Through the hotel's adventure hub, Compass Sports, you can go hiking in the Healdsburg Ridge Open Space Preserve or e-bike through Dry Creek Valley. Also available are experiences like seaweed foraging on the Sonoma Coast, driving along the Bohemian Highway to see the redwood trees, kayaking on the Russian River and horseback riding around Lake Sonoma.
Equally important to the hotel is caring for the land and supporting local purveyors. Before building even started, the developers cataloged as many trees as possible (22,000 oaks, to be exact) and then, for every tree they had to take down, they planted a new seed. A resident beekeeper maintains four hives and a natural log nest across the property, harvesting the honey for the hotel's restaurant and spa. And local products like Journeyman artisan meats show up everywhere from your welcome amenity to your dinner plate. The love for Sonoma is palpable—and infectious.
Cardmember Benefits
Montage Healdsburg is a member of The Edit by Chase Travel℠, a collection of hand-picked hotels with premium benefits for Chase Sapphire Reserve cardmembers. Customers who book a stay at the Montage Healdsburg through The Edit will earn 3 points per dollar and receive special benefits, outlined below.
Daily breakfast for two
Guests will receive a $60 breakfast credit, valid at the French-inspired Hazel Hill and the cafe-style Healdsburg Country Store or for in-room dining. Don't miss the avocado toast with lemon-herb ricotta.
Room upgrade if available
Guests are eligible for an upgrade to the next room category (think: moving from a vineyard king to a deluxe vineyard king), if available at check-in.
Welcome amenity
Every guest receives a welcome amenity, which could include a half-bottle of Aperture wine and seasonal, locally inspired snacks.
A $100 property credit
The credit can be put toward food and beverage purchases outside of breakfast as well as spa services. We recommend the spa's Harvest Honey Ginger Infusion Ritual, which features a body wrap with honey harvested on property.
The Room
You'll feel like you're sleeping in a treehouse at the Montage, where the guestrooms are housed in a series of stilted buildings in the forest. In nearly all of them, a third of the floor space is outside, whether that's on the spacious balcony, each equipped with a firepit, or in the indoor-outdoor shower. Every room also comes with floor-to-ceiling windows and a deep soaking tub for baths with stunning views of the property's oak trees.
About 70% of the king rooms connect, providing a perfect option for families or friends traveling together. For even more space, book one of the studio or one-bedroom suites, which feel more residential thanks to the separate sitting areas. If you're visiting with a group and are willing to splurge, the Guest House is the hotel's most impressive set up, complete with three bedrooms (each with its own entrance) and a central courtyard with a hot tub overlooking neighboring Jordan Vineyard.
The Features
Don't miss: The wide variety of activities on offer. Of course, the Montage can arrange for private tastings and tours at some of Sonoma's most elite vineyards (they'll even pack you a gourmet picnic basket to take with you), but we suggest taking a day off from sipping and sampling to enjoy yoga among the vines, a pickleball match or even an archery lesson.
Favorite features: With an outdoor shower, soaking tub and a floor-to-ceiling window with forest views, the bathrooms here really steal the show. The glass shower door even has a round hole in it for you to easily test the water temperature before jumping in. Genius.
Can't stop thinking about: The hotel's new private label wine, Surveyor—especially the 2021 sauvignon blanc. If you're drinking wine that's made with grapes grown on site, you're usually at a vineyard, but here, you're sitting by the firepit on your private balcony instead.
The Lowdown
What are people drinking: Wine, of course, or one of the specialty cocktails at Scout Field Bar, like the Menzies Inferno with serrano-infused tequila, amaro, strawberry and habanero salt.
The dish you're recreating at home: The side of Journeyman bacon on Hazel Hill's breakfast menu (tip: the artisan meat company has a butcher shop in downtown Healdsburg).
The perfect spot for your Instagram post: Strike your best warrior pose on the yoga lawn surrounded by cabernet sauvignon vines.
The souvenir from the gift shop you're bringing home: A hand-blown wine decanter, specially designed for Montage Healdsburg by Northern California-based glassmaking studio SkLO.
The local spot everyone's talking about: The staff will share your enthusiasm for dinner at The Matheson in downtown Healdsburg, where you can sample pours from an 88-tap “wine wall” (tip: if you didn't drive to the hotel, hitch a complimentary ride to Healdsburg Plaza in the house Cadillac).
The Perfect Stay
Rise and shine
Make it down to the cabernet sauvignon vineyard for a “Yoga Among the Vines” class, held at either 8 or 9 a.m. depending on the day of the week. Then, refuel with a red juice (a healthful combination of carrot, beet, celery, ginger, yuzu, orange and turmeric) and a perfectly flaky pain au chocolat from the Healdsburg Country Store.
Morning
Head off property for a wine tasting, or a few. If choosing vineyards feels overwhelming, have the hotel concierge plan your morning—they can arrange for everything from private drivers to exclusive tastings, like one offered at Aperture Cellars just for Montage guests.
Afternoon
Back at the hotel, grab a salmon burger for lunch at the poolside Hudson Springs Bar & Grill, then take a dip in the zero-edge adult pool overlooking the vineyard.
Evening
Enjoy a cocktail by the firepits on Scout Field Bar's outdoor terrace (there's live music Thursday through Sunday from 6 to 9 p.m.). Once the sun's gone down, head inside for a five-course chef's tasting at Hazel Hill. Full and satisfied, walk back to your room for a soak in your tub or a nightcap on your balcony.
Know Before You Go
Getting there
The closest airport is STS in Santa Rosa, though it only makes sense for West Coast visitors (flights from the East Coast have long layovers). Most guests fly into SFO, then rent a car and make the under-two-hour-drive north.
Tech specs
The Wi-Fi is strong throughout the hotel and the cozy lobby is a great place to get work done. In the guestrooms, central panels next to the front door feature light switches for every section of the space. Just remember, white outlets cut out with the motion-sensor lights, so use the gray outlets for charging your phone or laptop.
When to go
Spring time is ideal—it's not too crowded yet and everything from the vines to the lavender is just starting to bloom. While cooler, winter is also a beautiful time to visit as mustards and other wildflowers blanket the valley floor. High season occurs in late summer and early fall during the grape harvest.
What’s included
Bottled water, Wi-Fi and a Nespresso machine in the rooms; electric bikes; daily activities like pickleball, archery and guided hikes through the Compass Sports outdoor center.
What’s around
Vineyards, vineyards and more vineyards; some of the most popular include Aperture, Flowers, Jordan and Silver Oak. There's also great hiking nearby in the Healdsburg Ridge Open Space Preserve, Riverfront Regional Park and Lake Sonoma. Downtown Healdsburg is just 10 minutes away by car; the Bohemian Highway, lined with towering redwood trees, is about 45 minutes; and beach towns like Bodega Bay on the Sonoma Coast are under an hour's drive.
Fast Facts
- Number of rooms: 130 guestrooms and suites, 12 residences
- Number of pools: Two (adult and family)
- Fitness center? Yes
- Spa? Yes
- Salon? Yes
- Number of bars/restaurants: 1 restaurant, 1 café, 1 bar, 1 country store
- 24-hour room service? Yes
- Childcare and kids club? Yes
Booking With Chase Travel
Chase Travel is the first stop for your next adventure. Eligible Chase cardmembers can visit chasetravel.com for even more trip inspiration, including hotel recommendations, travel guides and editor-curated itineraries, and to earn and redeem points when booking hotels, flights, car rentals and must-do local experiences.
Eligible Chase cardmembers, get started at chasetravel.com.