Spa Review • North America • United States • California • Napa
Downtown Napa's Best Spa Secret Is Small, Unfussy, and Set in a Former Jail
Tucked into a former 1950s police station, The Spa at Napa River Inn pairs historic charm with grape-infused treatments in downtown Napa. Here is what to expect.
Courtesy of Napa River Inn
BY CHRISTINA VALHOULI
The experience
Set the Scene
It’s easy to miss the Spa at the Napa River Inn. The petite building is covered in foliage and sits across from the Historic Napa Mill, which is home to the hotel as well as The Fink cocktail bar and Sweetie Pies bakery. The spa’s location, along a bend of the Napa River, is one of the most historic and picturesque in town, and perfectly embodies the vibe of the city.
Like downtown Napa itself, the spa focuses on grapes and high-quality ingredients, but is wholly unpretentious. It's the rare urban retreat that feels like part of the town rather than an escape from it, and its back story mirrors that of the city, and its broader revitalization.
Originally built in 1884 using bricks formed from Napa River clay, the mill served as a warehouse for grain, coal, and wine and even had a roller skating rink before becoming a city landmark.
Credit: Napa River Inn
Equally remarkable is the spa, which has just four treatment rooms and was the city’s former police station and jail in the 1950s. As you walk in, there’s a welcoming sitting area with crystal-infused water and Napa shirts for sale. In a nod to the area’s wine heritage, floors are made of cork, and treatments use organic, wild-harvested, and hand-milled grape products from NV Organics.
While The Spa at Napa River Inn is small, the extensive treatment menu spans CBD massages, Thai herbal ball therapies, and facials. As I was in wine country, I opted for the 90-minute grape scrub and massage, using locally harvested grape extracts.
Courtesy of Napa River Inn
Treatment Notes
The treatment
My therapist Colleen eased me into spa mode by starting with a simple breathing practice: inhaling the scent of lavender essential oil as I lay face down. My body (and mind) started to soften as she kneaded muscles that were knotted from my recent cross-country flight.
What made me sink even deeper into relaxation was the soothing scalp massage (plan to wash your hair post treatment), and the deft use of heat. Warmth was a key part of the treatment, as Colleen placed steaming hot towels around my head and neck, and a warming pad was placed over my back once she finished working the area. All this, combined with the massage table’s heated blanket, allowed me to peacefully drift away.
The treatment ended with an invigorating scrub on the back of my legs and feet, using NV Organics’ antioxidant grape seed crush body scrub, which left my skin feeling soft, smooth, and pampered. Post treatment, feeling deeply relaxed and slightly dazed as I always do after a massage, I appreciated the mere 10-step walk to Sweetie Pie Bakery, where I indulged in a different form of self-care: an iced latte and a shortbread cookie stuffed with lemon and lavender cream.
At a Glance
Fast Facts
Location: Napa River Inn, downtown Napa
Atmosphere: Petite, historic, unfussy
Price Point: $$$
Our Favorite Thing About the Spa: Its warm, cozy feel and grape-infused treatments
Recommended Treatment: The 90-minute grape scrub and massage
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