Shady Oaks Country Inn
399 Zinfandel Ln, St. Helena, CA 94574-1635
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Room & Suite (24)
Dining (9)
About
#4 of 9 B&Bs / Inns in St. Helena
Location
4.7
Cleanliness
4.6
Service
4.5
Value
4.3
We invite you to experience the warmth and romance of Shady Oaks Country Inn secluded on two acres nestled among some of the finest Wineries and restaurants in Napa Valley. Relax and enjoy the elegant ambiance, the wine country tranquility and our cozy amenities during your stay. Shady oaks Country Inn offers the hospitality of a bed and breakfast along with first class amenities like romantic fireplaces, flat screen satellite television free Wifi and a full champagne breakfast. Our goal at Shady oaks Country Inn is to offer you the finest combination of luxury, hospitality and history. To enhance your stay, we serve full champagne breakfasts and premium Napa wines each evening on the Roman pillared patio. Awaken to the Inn's own blend of coffee and our breakfast complete with Eggs Benedict, Belgian waffles, fresh fruit, fresh baked croissants, fresh juice and champagne. After spending your day exploring the beautiful Napa Valley vineyards, ! Book a stay with us at Shady Oaks.
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Property amenities
Free parking
Free High Speed Internet (WiFi)
Free breakfast
Bicycle rental
Hiking
Full body massage
Baggage storage
Non-smoking hotel
Wifi
Breakfast available
Special diet menus
Wine / champagne
Board games / puzzles
Massage
Outdoor furniture
Picnic area
Sun terrace
Express check-in / check-out
Private check-in / check-out
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Room features
Air conditioning
Housekeeping
Bottled water
Flatscreen TV
Room types
Bridal suite
Non-smoking rooms
Family rooms
Good to know
HOTEL CLASS
HOTEL STYLE
Charming
Romantic
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish
Location
Contact
399 Zinfandel Ln, St. Helena, CA 94574-1635
Getting there
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203Reviews0Q+A42Room tips
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Beautiful historic old farmhouse, very nice hosts, quite clean, and they were responsive to our request for assistance with plumbing problems we encountered on our last stay. I would definitely stay here again, hope to rebook for our trip to Napa next year.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: March 2020
Room Tip: The Rose Room has a bathtub, and a very comfortable bed.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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We visited last weekend and had high hopes given the mostly great reviews. The property is conveniently located in St. Helena to lots of wineries and restaurants. It's a beautiful old home that needs maintenance and TLC. We stayed in the Rose room which was a good size and welcoming at first blush with a bottle of sherry and two glasses. Lovely views from the windows of the vines on property. The house smelled old and musty when we opened the front door. We were the only ones there at the time and appreciated being able to let ourselves in. We're really not that hard to please but were disappointed to find: the cute fireplace in our room that prompted our selection did not work. Next morning at breakfast the woman said the pilot wasn't working and she would fix. Instead we got a portable heater placed in our room, not the charm we expected and if this was a known issue, why not fix it before guests checked in? The bathroom was large, but the shower was a joke. Not enough water coming out to rinse yourself and the sink was clogged and didn't drain, yuck! As for bathroom "amenities", there was one shampoo sample bottle and a soap that looked like they had been there for months. Mattress was pretty sad. There was no smoke or carbon monoxide detector in our room. There was the base for it on the wall, but nothing there. Given the fires raging at the moment and just overall safety this was unacceptable. There was also the very odd safety issue of the front door never being locked. So anyone could come in at any time to the rest of the house. Weird and not really safe especially given the tragedies recently experienced in the areas with the shooting at the Veterans home. I shared my concerns with the Inn after we left and appreciated receiving a quick response, but it was more about "oh no one told me, visitors never report" about the issues and I would expect Inn ownership to be proactive to assure things are being properly maintained and presented vs. visitors reporting on a bad experience. Overall we made it work and had a nice breakfast experience. We enjoyed playing boules too. But this is a tired place, the "welcome flag" flying at the entrance was ripped and sad. With some focus this place could be great, but that wasn't our experience and at $300 a night, I expect more.…
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Date of stay: November 2018Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Response from John R, Owner at Shady Oaks Country Inn
Responded Nov 15, 2018
This is the same review written by their partner. You don't have to try and harm my Inn. I did respond to them right away without excuses. I was not aware of the problems until they brought them to my attention. I apologized and will again here. This is no excuse but my wife of 34 years passed away suddenly in July and they are correct. I have not been paying attention to the Inn. I am doing better and will spend a lot of time taking the Inn back to where it was. Warmly
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We booked this a while ago and it was the only B & B available at the time, apparently they had the Napa Film Festival on the same weekend. Shady Oaks is super convenient for a St Helena stay, nice easy check in, a lot of parking, everything was clean and well presented, they do a wine tasting between 5 & 6 pm and they make their own wine, the host was very friendly and informative about the property and the local area, and the wine was pretty tasty. Breakfast was served at 9 am, nice presentation and delicious food, they have Coffee and Tea available in the dining room 24/7. The property is older with traditional furnishings, the TV was good and they have Wifi. We stayed in the Rose room which was roomy and comfortable. We were disappointed to see that there was no Smoke Detector/Co2 alarm in our room, the wall bracket was there, just no equipment. This worried us especially as California was on fire at the time. We tried to start the fireplace but with no success(natural gas with igniter), we mentioned this to the room service and they ended up leaving a portable radiator, not very romantic. The bathroom was a nice size with a tub/shower combo, the shower was not so great but was good enough, the sink did not drain at all well, leaving a scum mark every time. We live in an older house and this is a lovely older property similar to our own, it just seemed a little tired and needs some maintenance, especially when you are paying $300 a night.…
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Date of stay: November 2018Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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The place was nice and comfortable. The promised cheese and crackers were never offered, and the champane was missing from the champane breakfast. I would give them another shot if I were you because the has been a death in the family and I am sure this was not the normal treatment.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: October 2018Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from John R, Owner at Shady Oaks Country Inn
Responded Oct 30, 2018
I'm sorry about the champagne and cheese and crackers. There's no excuse for that. I will make sure that doesn't happen again. Warmly John
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This Inn is located in a central location in St Helena, near to all the best wineries, only 15 to 20 minutes to great restaurants and breathtaking views from special wineries. It was a treat to come back to Shady Oaks Inn after a busy day of wine hopping. Wine available for happy hour, delicious breakfasts and quaint rooms.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: October 2018Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from John R, Owner at Shady Oaks Country Inn
Responded Oct 25, 2018
Thank you so much. Come back and see us again John
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Spent two nights at this lovely country Inn. Unfortunately, the owner was not there when we arrived late nor was he there during our stay, and directions about our room and what to expect were nowhere to be found. But a room was left open for us with a key on the vanity. and we moved right in. Since the Inn was otherwise full, our room was a bit small, but we availed ourselves of the decanter of sherry in the crystal glasses left for us. If/when we come back (and I hope we have a chance to), I will request the "rose" room. The Inn is very clean and very well located amongst several vineyards. Breakfast was delicious, and the caretaker who was present was very friendly and helpful. I highly recommend this Inn and would have given it a 5 if our arrival was clearer and we were in larger room.…
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Date of stay: September 2018Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Room Tip: Rose room is the largest, but other rooms are adequate and well appointed.
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from John R, Owner at Shady Oaks Country Inn
Responded Sep 21, 2018
I"m sorry about the check in mix up. There should have been a note by the front door with your name on it and instructions. I was out of town . I'm glad you enjoyed your stay
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Our second time to Napa was as enjoyable as the first. And, Shady Oaks was too. Comfortable, clean and a perfect location. We’d highly recommend this bed and breakfast to anyone. Emma’s breakfast skills are worth the stay on they’re own!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: August 2018Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from John R, Owner at Shady Oaks Country Inn
Responded Sep 2, 2018
Emma will be happy to read your review. Thank you John
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
I found myself, unexpectedly, without lodging my first night in St. Helena. I booked a room at Shady Oaks, and it was lovely. The house is tucked amongst beautiful old trees off the road. Inside, it is charming, and lovingly decorated with antiques that have been acquired over the years by the owners, John and Lisa. A glass of wine was waiting for me. My room was quiet, the bed was very comfortable. The breakfast was outstanding; fresh berries with creme fraiche; freshly baked croissant with butter and jams, and Eggs Benedict. Plenty of hot coffee, and a mimosa was offered. John is engaging, very friendly, and an excellent host. Shady Oaks is a wonderful choice for anyone visiting California Wine Country. Highly recommended!
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Date of stay: June 2018Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Response from John R, Owner at Shady Oaks Country Inn
Responded Jun 8, 2018
Margie, it was great meeting you and talking with you. I hope you have a great weekend and a fun wedding. Warmly John
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We regularly stay at Shady Oaks purely for location, price (compared to everything else in St. Helena you cannot beat it), wine & cheese, & breakfast. It is quaint & cozy & close to all our favorite wineries.
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Date of stay: May 2017Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from John R, Owner at Shady Oaks Country Inn
Responded Apr 11, 2018
I am glad you enjoy our Inn. See you soon John & Lisa
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
We have been regulars of the Shady Oaks and simply love the location, love the friendly staff and the super breakfasts that are served. Lisa and John are very personable and informative in giving you advice on restaurants or wineries or limo drivers. And the evening wine and cheese they serve is a delicious way to round out the evening! The best value around! Period!
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Date of stay: October 2017Trip type: Traveled with friends
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Helpful
Response from John R, Owner at Shady Oaks Country Inn
Responded Apr 6, 2018
Thank you for the great review. We look forward to seeing you again in October. John & Lisa
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ALSO KNOWN AS
shady oaks country hotel st. helena, country inn st. helena, st. helena country inn
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaNapa ValleySt. Helena
NUMBER OF ROOMS
5
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Claim Your ListingSHADY OAKS COUNTRY INN - Prices & B&B Reviews (St. Helena, CA - Napa Valley)
Frequently Asked Questions about Shady Oaks Country Inn
Which popular attractions are close to Shady Oaks Country Inn?
Nearby attractions include Swanson Vineyards Salon (2.8 miles), Oakville Grocery (3.9 miles), and Mumm Napa (2.3 miles).
What are some of the property amenities at Shady Oaks Country Inn?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include free wifi, free breakfast, and free parking.
What food & drink options are available at Shady Oaks Country Inn?
Guests can enjoy free breakfast during their stay.
Is parking available at Shady Oaks Country Inn?
Yes, free parking is available to guests.
What are some restaurants close to Shady Oaks Country Inn?
Conveniently located restaurants include Brasswood Bar + Kitchen, Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch, and Rutherford Grill.
Which languages are spoken by the staff at Shady Oaks Country Inn?
The staff speaks multiple languages, including English and Spanish.
Are there any historical sites close to Shady Oaks Country Inn?
Many travelers enjoy visiting Bale Grist Mill State Historic Park (5.5 miles) and William Hood House (8.7 miles).
Is Shady Oaks Country Inn accessible?
Yes, it offers reduced mobility rooms. For specific inquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.