Carneros Resort & Spa creates the quintessential Napa Valley experience without ever leaving the property. The resort spans 28 acres surrounded by rolling vineyards with 86 luxurious, farmhouse-inspired suites, cottages, and private homes offering tranquil seclusion and high-end amenities. Not to mention, the property is super dog-friendly and just 10-minutes from downtown Napa and Sonoma Square.

pet policy at Carneros resort & spa

Carneros Resort & Spa welcomes two dogs of any size per stay with a $150 pet fee. Dogs must be on leash at all times when outside of your cottage, but can take advantage of many of the amenities alongside you during your stay.

Each dog-friendly stay comes equipped with a dog bed, bowls, leash and bag holder. A dog toy and paw wipes might also be offered, and guests have access to dog trailers if they choose to use the property bikes.

Dogs should not be left in the cottages or backyard alone unless in a crate.

private dog-friendly cottages at Carneros resort & spa

We enjoyed a private cottage during our stay and were in the Red Tail neighborhood. Each neighborhood has a designated parking area within close proximity to your cottage. The accommodations are more than traditional guest rooms; they are individual free-standing cottages resulting in a true residential feel.

The cottage styles vary by neighborhood and are very spacious with up to 450 square feet of indoor space with your choice of a king bed or two double beds and a large bathroom with a separate shower, tub, heated floors, and double sinks. Each cottage also features a private front porch and a backyard garden with a sundeck, soaking tub, outdoor shower, table and chairs, fire pit, and chaise loungers. Cottages can have up to 736 square feet of outdoor space and one of the highlights is the floor to ceiling patio doors that fully open to really blend indoor and outdoor living. You can see them in action on our Instagram.

The outdoor living space is truly a gem when traveling with your dog and it was definitely Rue’s favorite feature. Every time we opened the patio doors she’d race out to explore the garden and then claim her spot on one of the chaise loungers.

In addition to private cottages, Carneros Resort & Spa also has two-cottage suites that are joined by the backyard and residences that provide full kitchen and dining spaces.

Dog-friendly amenities at Carneros resort & spa

Carneros is a walkable resort where you’re encouraged to take in nature, explore their cottage neighborhoods and gardens, enjoy meals at their restaurants that capture the essence of Napa's rich agricultural heritage, relax by their two pools, or even hit the gym or spa.

Carneros has two on-site pools. Otto's pool is family friendly offering plenty of relaxation areas on the spacious pool deck lined with palm trees and the fitness center overlooking the lap pool.

Hilltop Pool is the adults only pool on property and was under construction during our visit. Here you can relax with sweeping views of the Napa countryside on a chaise chair or cabana. Dogs are not allowed around this pool area, but are welcome on the patio.

Kelso’s Dog Park is my favorite dog-friendly amenity of the property. A new addition to the resort in 2024, Kelso’s Dog Park is a part of their ongoing efforts to make the whole family feel at home. Named after their managing director’s dog, Kelso, the park features a spacious fenced in area with water bowls, trash cans, agility equipment, and seating for dog parents.

Dining at Carneros resort & spa

Dining at Carneros Resort & Spa is a true culinary experience with something for everyone to enjoy. The chefs collaborate with local farmers, vintners and artisans, ensuring that every dish served is a celebration of the region's freshest and finest ingredients.

Reserved exclusively for guests of the resort, Hilltop Dining Room offers breakfast daily. The dining room takes full advantage of its setting with floor-to-ceiling windows and outdoor patios – where dogs are welcome - and is perfect for enjoying panoramic views of nearby vineyards and the Napa Valley countryside.

FARM and the Marketplace have recently been revamped in collaboration with James Beard Award-Winning Chef Chris Bianco - credited with sparking the country's modern artisanal pizza scene - and are open to the public.

With a beautifully redesigned dining room, expanded fireside patio, stylish bar and adjacent FARM Pavilion, the grounds offer ample opportunity to enjoy food inspired by a deep appreciation of “all that makes good things good."

We at FARM for dinner and enjoyed everything we tried. As a vegetarian, I really enjoyed the focaccia starter, buffalo glazed carrots, and Lumache pasta (like Cacio e Pepe). For our meat eaters, Doodle Dad loved the meatball started - which is huge - and the Dry Aged Rib Eye.

The FARM Pavilion is the perfect spot for unwinding with a glass of wine or enjoying your Marketplace pizza for lunch on the weekends. In the courtyard you’ll find the properties garden where they grow many of the vegetables and herbs that accompany their menu, the wood fired pizza oven, several life-size games like chess, checkers, and bocce, and a chicken coop with a few bunnies and roosters.

Boon Fly Café serves modern rustic cuisine in a contemporary roadhouse atmosphere. They’re known for their donuts, but also serve gourmet hamburgers and have several dinner specials. They do not have a patio for dining with your dog, but you can order donuts to-go from their separate walk up counter inside. And trust me, you don’t want to sleep on these.

POST at Carneros Resort is their new dedicated wine tasting room offering a diverse range of Napa Valley and Sonoma Valley wines in a unique and intimate setting. Once a fully-functioning Post Office, POST returns to its roots to serve as a community center and social hub. Visitors can enjoy a rotating list of signature wine flights, personalize your own, or savor wines by the glass indoors or out.

POST is next door to Marketplace where visitors can build a charcuterie board from their meat and cheese selection, grab pre-made salads, sandwiches, and other snacks, or order an artisanal pizza available on Fridays and Saturdays. The cheese pizza was a 10/10.

Add this unique, dog-friendly property to your bucket list for your next stay in Napa Valley, CA. It’s definitely a splurge with prices averaging $1K/night, but would be a wonderful experience for a special occasion.

If you have any questions about our stay, drop them in the comments.