The Chablis Inn, Napa

Hey, it seems great on the surface, but when you actually get there, it's all downhill. The motel is very close to highway 29 (Napa's main thoroughfare), and in fact, very close to a busy intersection. On weekends, traffic noise is a serious, serious problem, as cars (and especially motorcycles) accelerate away from the stoplight. We had trouble sleeping on both nights. The traffic noise problem may abate once 29 is upgraded to a freeway (2005).

The motel is in a fairly rough neighborhood, about three miles from downtown Napa (the nice part). The facilities and rooms are clean and new. Hot tub and pool look nice.

The worst part for us, however, has been the service. We paid $110/night for a "deluxe king" room with a whirlpool. However, we were given a room with a small queen-size bed and no whirlpool, but charged the full rate. Actually, we were charged above the full rate: $125 for the first night, although our receipt clearly noted that we should pay $110 for both nights. The manager refused to refund us at checkout, but they did send us a $16.80 refund after we complained. We are still in negotiation for the overcharge on the room rate. But this all begs the question: why should we HAVE to negotiate. Hotels usually jump all over themselves to please the customer in situations like this. Either there isn't enough hotel competition in Napa, or the Chablis Inn's unprofessional management simply doesn't understand what it takes to succeed in the hotel business.

Summary: if you don't mind traffic noise and are willing to argue to make sure you receive the services you paid for, the Chablis Inn is a good value. If you want just enjoy your vacation without the headaches, pay a bit more for a real hotel.