Any great suggestions on nice hotels, restaurants and activities in Napa and Sonoma Valley? Not too too expensive $$$ and less.
I suggest looking into Vacation Rental By Owner (VRBO) rather than a hotel.
How long is the stay? For stays less than a week, VRBO might not be a good choice.
There were a few recent threads, so you might want to do a search.
For very short stays, we like the Marriott in Napa. It is not located downtown, but getting to downtown Napa is very easy. In Napa, my favorite restaurant is Angele’s - located next to the river and the riverwalk. We also liked the food we ordered at Brix. The best lunch (and very cheap, too!) is to buy some goodies at the TJ in Napa (across the road from the Marriott), drive to Mondavi Vineyards, and have a picnic lunch there.
I thought the Indian Springs Resort and Spa in Calistoga was a lot of fun. It’s got a huge hot pool or you can go for mud baths massages etc. It makes a nice break from wine tasting. I have no recollection as to how much it cost.
while I agree with Bunsen that Marriott is convenient, I’d call and check with them first. They did sustain damage in the earthquake and have been doing repairs. A neighbor was in Napa recently near there and the construction noise was not calming…
I stayed there in November 2014. No damage noticeable, no construction. The pool and the hot tub were both operational. 
There are some buildings downtown Napa that did sustain damage and are still closed, but most shops were open even though there was some construction scaffolding on them.
Napa and Sonoma are paradise for riding bikes. Bikes can be rented in Healdsburg and other places. I love riding along Westside Road, just north of the Russian River, starting in Healdsburg; it’s winery, winery, winery, winery, winery for miles, and all are beautiful. You can bring a picnic, and when a winery takes your fancy, stop, eat your picnic, taste a few wines. You can go as far as you like, then turn around and go back.
If you’re a crazy bicyclist like me, keep going south on Westside Road until you get to Sweetwater Springs Road. Go up it, go down the other side through the redwoods, and then it’s just two or three miles to Guerneville where you can stop for a snack. If you are not crazy, Sweetwater Springs is not the road for you.
Here is a thread I posted last year about Napa
http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/parent-cafe/1512168-silver-wedding-celebration-trip-to-napa-area-p1.html
Our final itinerary is the last post. We had a great trip and I would do it again
We did not have too much time as the next day was interview for D. So we went to La Toque, in the middle of Napa.
http://www.visitnapavalley.com/restaurants-la_toque_134.htm
Expensive, but you are pampered.
As a local, we are less experienced with Napa than any one of you! ^^
Wife and I stayed at the cottages of Napa when we visited.
The cutest individual cottages which were very nicely appointed. They had bicycles we could use. I wouldn’t hesitate to stay there again. The place was fantastic.
I think there have been many threads on Napa in the past. Perhaps searching for them might be helpful. Obviously, you will not have many problems locating a very good restaurant, including the very pricey ones few will admit to ever disappoint! A few of my favorites have been the CIA, Model, and Woodhouse.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/woodhouse-chocolate-saint-helena
As usual, there is a high level of subjectivity in matters of food and entertainment. It still pays dividends to read the yelp and tripadvisor comments and check it for yourself later.
A few years ago, H and I vacationed in Napa. One highlight of the trip was a dinner at Morimoto–it’s right in Napa. The food was excellent as was the service. The night we were there Thomas Keller (French Laundry chef/owner) came to dinner and brought his staff (our server pointed them out).
http://www.morimotonapa.com
Highly recommend Madrona Manor in Healdsburg. Food was unreal.
I grew up in Northern California. We prefer Sonoma to Napa and our favorite spot is Healdsburg. It’s right of Highway 101 but despite this a gorgeous small downtown with many shops, restaurants and there is a boutique hotel right on the square. If you’ve never been you should visit
The restaurant that used to be in that hotel closed shortly after we were there (we got to eat there but it was a bit disappointing). What is there now?
We also stayed in Healdsburg right off 101. Even though it’s north it was very convenient to Napa or Sonoma amenities. Great relaxed dinners at the end of hectic winery hopping days. Don’t miss Domaine Carneros and Artesa Vineyards on Hwy 12 (basically across from each other).
Morimoto’s (Japanese fusion?)… We ate at Morimoto once on a weeknight and loved both the food and the service. Went back on a Saturday and were extremely disappointed. The place was packed, the wait staff was overwhelmed, and the food was not as beautifully presented as the fist time. So, when making reservations at Morimoto’s, ask if they expect a crowded evening. Angele’s (French-American) is almost next door, and in our 5 times dining there we never encountered bad service.
Yes, Morimoto’s. We were there for lunch, it is just next door to the Napa Information Center. The large natural wood entry table is impressive, it must costs a fortune. Food is ok, service is ok, that was our impression. I won’t get excited with it.
Our reservations were really early (we were the first people in the restaurant) so it wasn’t crowded) and we did the Chef’s Tasting Menu, which was excellent. In 2014, while visiting our daughter in Philadelphia, we took her and her significant other to the Morimoto there. It was a completely different experience–crowded, very noisy, and the food was good, but nothing like what we had in Napa.