Erna.....We arrived home safe and sound after a marvelous three nights at the Chateau and a fabulous New Year's Eve dinner at the Elderberry House. As always everything was magnificent!

We are always amazed at how attentive and gracious your staff is. That can only come from good leadership and your setting an excellent example. We particularly want to thank Leslie and Jan for all their courtesies. They are two fine representatives and enhance the beauty of your operation.

We have been privileged to stay with you three times and wish for a return in the near future.
Thanks again for helping to make our 50th a memorable occasion.

Best Personal Regards,

Russ and Vicki Beckner

My husband treated me to two nights here for New Year's Eve as a belated anniversary gift. We had eaten at the restaurant before and knew that Erna's Elderberry House produced world-class cuisine, but until now we'd never stayed at the Chateau Sureau. We were not disappointed - from start to finish we had 2 days of extreme pampering. The service is unbelievable - it's like having your own mini Downton Abbey, with maids in French aprons bustling downstairs, and staff to answer your every request. Whether lounging in bed reading, relaxing in the beautifully appointed drawing room sipping champagne (complete with floor to ceiling bookshelves, a grand piano, and fireplace), we felt it was our luxurious country home for two days. We stayed upstairs in the Lavender Room which was the one available when we booked - but I looked into other rooms on the way out and they are all amazing: custom antique furniture and art/ objets, four-poster beds, luxury linens and Hungarian down comforters, fireplaces, small balconies...Erna has thought of every detail. Breakfast each morning was a lovely platter of meats, cheese, fruit and homemade croissants that taste authentically French followed by a quiche or other treat. We were showered with little treats throughout the stay: home baked cookies, gourmet chocolates on the pillows, truffles after dinner...we brought most home to our daughter.

We also dined again both nights in the restaurant - including the special NY Eve 9-course tasting menu (word to the wise: skip lunch and hike to work up an appetite!) Again, the restaurant exceeded expectations. We've dined in some amazing places - Michelin star-rated - in Paris, London, Tokyo...and Erna's can compete with the best. The menu changes nightly as the chef sources local fresh ingredients - but whatever is being served you can be assured it will be amazing.

Having grown up in nearby Fresno, and now living a few hours away in the Bay Area, we were delighted to discover such a world-class European resort so close: we justified the price (it is not cheap!) by saying it was like a weekend trip to Europe without the long flight and additional cost :) So if you're looking for something different from Napa, more intimate and personalized than larger hotels, yet more classy and upscale than any other B&B, try the Chateau - you won't be disappointed.

Unexpected. This hotel is comparable to Europe's finest. The attention to detail is superb and the service is wonderful. I can't say enough about this experience. Not cheap but worth it. And the restaurant is world class.

We are still euphoric three weeks after our magical one-night stay at Erna’s enchanted estate, which was memorable from start to finish. I had the good fortune to read about Chateau du Sureau in the book "1,000 Places to See Before You Die" while planning a fall trip to Yosemite. The Ahwahnee was our first choice for a splurge since it’s so well known. However, the more I read about it on Trip Advisor, the more I realized I didn’t want to stay in such a large, old, expensive lodge. Chateau du Sureau, though 16 miles outside the park, seemed like a perfect treat en route to Yosemite Valley for another three nights. (We quickly came back to Earth upon arrival at Yosemite Lodge!)

The Chateau is unique, a gable-roofed European castle that emerged from Erna’s sweet childhood memories and was built in 1991 with her true grit. Her villa meshes beautifully with her renowned restaurant, Erna’s Elderberry House, and Spa Sureau. Thus, guests are swaddled in luxury from head to toe. Friendly, attentive staff members are attuned to their guests’ every need. Rooms are large, immaculate and inviting, with large comfy beds, a writing desk, fireplace and a two-room bath loaded with fresh towels, bath salts, numerous emollients and other luxurious pleasures. Bottled water, cookies, truffles and wine are tucked around the room or make an appearance while you’re out. The attention to detail is awesome, down to your names being printed on the dinner menu. (Because Erna is in charge, the food is exceptional -- no surprise.) When you want to celebrate a special occasion, see how “the other half” lives and feel like a genuine VIP or King/Queen for a Stay, make a reservation at Chateau du Sureau. You’ll never forget it.