History Dining No Smoking No Televisions Green Lodging Our Dogs No Children
Prices ADA-Friendly Room Mansion Rooms ($) Lower Garden Suite Room ($$) Honeymoon Suites: Upper Garden Suite Rooms ($$$)
HISTORY OF THE INN ON FIRST
Our home has been dated to 1905 construction and only 3 families lived in the house prior to the conversion to and opening of a romantic Napa Bed and Breakfast Inn. Renovation began in 2002 and completed in 2003. The mansion originally included 4 bedrooms and 1 bathroom (Budding Vine) upstairs, with four rooms downstairs including the dining room, living room, foyer, and library (approximately 4,000 square feet sitting on .35 acres of property). The second floor was renovated to include 5 bedrooms, removing a sun room (Angel’s Share) off the master suite (Veraison). The renovation of the rooms included private bathrooms, whirlpool tubs and gas fireplaces. In 2003 a separate building behind the mansion was completed (another 4,000 square feet)- 3 lower suites with private decks (Meritage, Incantment, and Heritage Estate), and two extra large suites (Noble Vineyard, Vintage Reserve) referred to as the honeymoon suites on the second floor. Whirlpool tubs for two and gas fireplaces were added.
Originally each room was painted a different color and decorated using English artist Cicely Mary Barker’s flower fairies as inspiration. When we (Jim and Jamie) purchased the inn in May 2007 (at the time under a different name) The Inn On First was born. We knew the flower theme didn’t suit us so we chose a more contemporary direction. We removed all doilies and as many flowery accessories as possible from the rooms, painted the common areas of the mansion, removed the existing furniture and replaced it with what we brought from our home in San Francisco.
While most of the flowery accents have been replaced a few examples remain until it is in need of replacement and/or financing is available. There are still elements of the old (armoires in most of the mansion rooms, antique bureaus) mixed in with the new and more contemporary look we want for the whole inn, giving it a homey and comfortable feel that is very different from a standard hotel room. This is a work in progress and will continue for years to come. So, expect rooms to be constantly evolving over the next five to ten years.
A significant decision made about a year into ownership was REMOVING ALL TELEVISIONS. With whirlpool tubs for two and gas fireplaces in every room we felt televisions would only get in the way of intimacy and romance for couples. Yet in a nod toward the contemporary we do provide wireless internet access for those who need to stay connected with the outside world while on vacation. Another decision we made was to become a SMOKE-FREE PROPERTY. No matter where one smoked on the property it was noticed by other guests so we felt it best to not allow smoking anywhere on the premises. We aspired to be a GREEN BUSINESS and implemented a program that is certified by the State of California. Simple things such as replacing plastic water bottles in the rooms with re-usable stainless steel bottles, installing soap, shampoo and conditioner dispensers in the showers (with Gilchrist Soames BeeKind Collection), and many other practices helped to make this a reality. For a full list of what we offer in the rooms be sure to visit our Amenites and Policies Page. We are proud to be one of the certified Green bed and breakfast inns in the state of California.
Dogs
We would be remiss if we didn’t tell you we share our home and inn with three miniature schnauzers. They are not allowed in the mansion with guests, but you might see them in the yard periodically, but never unattended. We have a couple of rules for guests reagrding the “princes of the Inn”. Do not feed them! This breed is prone to pancreatitis and human food and/or anything not a part of their daily diet can cause this potentially deadly problem. Calvin, the youngest, is afraid of his own shadow and occassionally barks at people he has yet to meet. Should this happen, simply ignore him and he will stop! When quiet he, along with Oscar and Hugo, will provide you with love and affection. They are incredibly friendly and love, love, love people. For those of you who have left canine companions at home, or if you’re simply a dog lover, they are a great source of consolation while you’re separated from your four legged friends.
If you are planning on bringing a dog we have limited space available, so please visit our Dog Friendly Page for more information.
Dining
When it came time to renovate the dining room we decided to have a custom communal table built with wide benches and a couple of chairs. It allowed us to host up to 14 people at once in the dining room, and with a table set up in the living room we could accommodate 6 more if necessary. As for breakfast in bed we do have one Breakfast Massage option available that offers a cold continental breakfast in the privacy of your own room. Otherwise, dining at The Inn On First is a family affair that everyone can enjoy together as a group. Be sure to visit our Breakfast Page to see pictures of some of our 113 hot entree recipes that we serve at The Inn On First.
Outdoor Dining
Many years prior to the conversion as a Napa bed and breakfast inn a property next to the historic mansion was purchased and a small home taken down so that a side yard was provided for the original mansion. That side yard is now accessible through the dining room doors and leads out to a lovely patio where we are able to dine during the summer months with warmer weather. Sometimes guests lounge here throughout the day reading a book or sitting quietly listening to the sound of the small waterfall and pond in the corner of the garden. In the warm evenings during Harvest Months guests love to sit with a glass of wine, cheese and crackers, and enjoy a bit of peace and quiet before heading out for dinner.
PRICING
Low Season rates effective December through July. High Season rates effective August through mid-November. During Harvest & Summer seasons a two-night or three-night minimum stay required if your stay involves a Friday, Saturday or Holiday.Single-night stays available any time during low season and at the innkeeper’s discretion during high season. Subject to availability.
Prices range from $145 (smallest room) midweek during low season to $450 (largest room) weekend in high season and are subject to availability. Please see each room description below to find the range of prices, or check our availability calendar for the best rate for the time you’d like to stay with us.
One room, Heritage Estate, is ADA-friendly with wheelchair access, king bed, large shower with a shower seat and handrails. There is a reserved parking space in the parking lot that is ADA-accessible, with a ramp to the mansion and dining room. To access the breakfast patio anyone in a wheelchair will need to take the sidewalk near the back parking lot and around two other homes to the front of the house to access the gate to the patio seating area.
As a courtesy to our other guests who are on romantic getaways we respectfully request no children under the age of 12.
Many of our guests have children and are looking for a quiet getawy without the presence of children while on their vacation. Also, with the open fireplace in the living room, the unguarded fireplaces in the bedrooms, the open pond in the yard, and the presence of 3 small dogs that live at the inn and are unaccustomed to being around children, we believe our inn is an inappropriate lodging facility for those under 12 years of age. For those traveling with children 12 years of age or older, we can provide up to two extra cots in one of our larger suites (the only rooms that can accomodate more than 2 people): Noble Vineyard or Vintage Reserve. The extra person charge is $50 per person/per day.
MANSION ROOMS
The following maps are not to scale but are laid out so that you can see where rooms are located in each building. The mansion and the garden suites building are approximately the same size in square footage. Our front entrance is located on First Street, and our parking lot is around the block located on Clay Street.
There are 5 bedrooms upstairs in the historic mansion and all boast private bathrooms, whirlpool tubs for two, and gas fireplaces, and NO TVs. These are the original bedrooms of the mansion and some noise from downstairs will travel upstairs to all of these rooms. Remember, it is a house and not a hotel- although we have been in hotels that are noisier! In two of the rooms we say to expect some traffic noise. Note that this phrase brings to mind different concepts for people. For those who live in larger cities like San Francisco, the noise is neglible. For those who live in quiet suburbs, the traffic commute traffic can be heard in the morning. Remember that Napa’s population is 75,000- not a big city by any definition, nor a small township either. We are in the historic district, away from most of the population, but people still use 1st Street as a main thoroughfare to Highway 29.
Budding Vine (Queen- room #1) $145-$300 Check Current Price/Availability
Budding Vine is one of five bedrooms in the original mansion with NO TV. It is a Queen bed with a full bath with a separate shower. There is a closet as well as a small bureau. The room hosts a whirlpool tub for two, gas fireplace that is your source of heat, and a seating area with windows that overlooks First Street. A second window next to the bed overlooks the side garden. With the window open you can hear the running water from the pond and waterfall in the side yard that will remind you of a stream in the hillsides. The room is equipped with a separate window air conditioner, coffee pot, iron, blow dryer, bath amenities, and a picnic basket for you to use during the day. There is some commute traffic noise along First Street. For those who live in larger cities like San Francisco, the noise is neglible. For those who live in quiet suburbs, the traffic commute traffic may be noticeable in the morning. NO TV IN ROOM.
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First Crush (King- room #2) $155-$325 Check Current Price/Availability
First Crush is one of the original mansion bedrooms with NO TV. Painted in royal blue tones the room is reminiscent of the color of the wine when it is first crushed. It is a King bed with a full bath with a separate shower. It also hosts a whirlpool tub for two, gas fireplace that is your source of heat, and a seating area with windows that look up First Street toward downtown Napa and the local hillsides. A second window next to the bed overlooks First Street. The room is equipped with a separate window air conditioner, coffee pot, iron, blow dryer, bath amenities, and a picnic basket for you to use during the day. There is some commute traffic noise along First Street. For those who live in larger cities like San Francisco, the noise is neglible. For those who live in quiet suburbs, the traffic commute traffic may be noticeable in the morning. The room is equipped with an armoire that is your closet, coffee pot, iron, blow dryer, bath amenities, and a picnic basket for you to use during the day. NO TV IN ROOM
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Veraison (King- room #3) $155-$325 Check Current Price/Availability
It is the original master bedroom upstairs in the mansion with NO TV. It hosts a gas fireplace that is your source of heat, and a whirlpool tub for two. It is a King bed with a full bath with a separate shower. It sits in the center of the house with a single set of windows looking out to the side of a neighbor’s home. It is painted in light green tones with purple accents reminiscent of the color of grapes when they begin to change color from green to purple, the process that is called “veraison”. One of the quieter rooms in the historic mansion. The room is equipped with an armoire that is your closet, a separate window air conditioner, coffee pot, iron, blow dryer, bath amenities, and a picnic basket for you to use during the day. NO TV IN ROOM
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Angels’ Share (King- room #4) $165-$350 Check Current Price/Availability
Originally an enclosed sunroom for the original master bedroom. It was built out to include an extra large bathroom with double sinks, a separate shower, and is surrounded by windows that bring in wonderful light and brighten the room. It is a King bed upstairs in the mansion with NO TV. It hosts a gas fireplace that is your source of heat, a whirlpool tub for two, and sits at the back of the main house with a balcony overlooking the center garden between the main house and the garden suites building. Painted in white it reminds you of angels, and is reminiscent of the essence (spirit) of wine as it dissipates while aging in a barrel. Quietest King room in the house with a lot of windows creating a bright and spacious room, and an extra large bathroom with twin sinks. The room is equipped with an armoire that is your closet, a separate window air conditioner, coffee pot, iron, blow dryer, bath amenities, and a picnic basket for you to use during the day. NO TV IN ROOM
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Sweet Reserve (Queen- room #5) $145-$300 Check Current Price/Availability
This is one of the original mansion bedrooms. It is a Queen bed upstairs in the mansion with NO TV. It hosts a gas fireplace that is your source of heat, separate window air conditioner, a whirlpool tub for two that is in the bathroom (the only room with the tub in a separate bathroom with a separate shower), overlooking the side garden. With the window open you can hear the running water from the pond and waterfall in the side yard that will remind you of a stream in the hillsides. Painted in almond tones it is reminiscent of the reserve sweet muscato wines and set aside as something special. Smallest queen room, but quietest. The unique feature of this room is that the fireplace can be seen from both the bed and the whirlpool tub. The room is equipped with an armoire that is your closet, coffee pot, iron, blow dryer, bath amenities, and a picnic basket for you to use during the day. NO TV IN ROOM.
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GARDEN SUITE ROOMS
The Garden Suites are in a separate building behind the historic mansion and were added to the property in 2003. Built of newer construction these rooms are larger and more spacious, as well as more quiet than any of the mansion rooms. They are all King Beds and there are extra large showers in each of these rooms as well as the whirlpool tubs, with a separate toilet room. Each of these rooms has its own refrigerator and a private entrance. This building is surrounded by 3 overly large oak trees that are well over 100 years old each, so expect to see lots of squirrels running around and to hear birds singing in the branches.
This map is not to scale. The mansion is equal to the size of the garden suites building, approximately 4,000 square feet apiece.
Lower Garden Suite Rooms
The 3 lower garden suite rooms have private enclosed decks and the 2 largest suites upstairs have private balconies. Heritage Estate is our ADA compliant room.
Meritage (King- room #6) $200-$385 Check Current Price/Availability
This King bed suite is on the ground floor in the garden suites with NO TV. It has a private entrance, gas fireplace that is your source of heat for the room, whirlpool tub for two, and a private enclosed patio deck with a garden table and 2 chairs. There is an extra large shower, two sinks in the bathroom area, a separate toilet room, and a closet. This room is painted in wine color that is reminiscent of a blend of wine in Napa called Meritage. This room sits alongside the center garden between the mansion and the garden suites, and is the quietest of the 3 lower garden suites. The room is equipped with a separate window air conditioner, small beverage refrigerator, coffee pot, iron, blow dryer, bath amenities, and a picnic basket for you to use during the day. NO TV IN ROOM.
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Incantment (King- room #7) $200-$385 Check Current Price/Availability
This King bed suite is on the ground floor in the garden suites with NO TV. There is a private entrance, a gas fireplace that is your source of heat, a private enclosed deck with a patio table and 2 chairs and 2 Adirondack chairs, and boasts a heart-shaped whirlpool tub for two in the room. This room is the middle room of the King suites on the ground floor and is wider than the other 2, but not as long, and has only one sink in the bath area with a separate toilet room. There is an extra large shower with glass tiles that is part of your private enclosed deck. This room is painted marine blue, an enchanting color; and with all the windows and the glass tile wall in the shower it reminded us of a decanter. So we combined those two words (enchantment and decanter) and came up with our own name for the room. The enclosed patio deck is more private and larger than the other 2 lower garden suites, and is equipped with a separate window air conditioner, small beverage refrigerator, coffee pot, iron, blow dryer, bath amenities, and a picnic basket for you to use during the day. There is a small open closet and 2 small bedside tables for storage. NO TV IN ROOM.
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Heritage Estate (King- room #8) $200-$385 Check Current Price/Availability
This King bed suite is on the ground floor in the garden suites with NO TV. This room has a private entrance, a gas fireplace that is your source of heat, and boasts a heart-shaped whirlpool tub for two. There is an extra large shower, twin sinks in the bath area, a separate toilet room, and a private enclosed deck with a patio table and two chairs. This room is painted in red tones and is reminiscent of bright red wine that is made from estate fruit and is part of the heritage of Napa Valley. This room is ADA accessible with an extra large shower with seating in the shower with separate water controls and bath amenity dispensers. There is a closet, and the room is equipped with a separate window air conditioner, small beverage refrigerator, coffee pot, iron, blow dryer, bath amenities, and a picnic basket for you to use during the day. The windows by the bed lead out to the parking lot and look out on a wooden divider that helps minimize noise. NO TV IN ROOM.
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Upper Garden Suite Rooms- Honeymoon Suites
This map is not to scale. The mansion is equal to the size of the garden suites building, approximately 4,000 square feet apiece.
The 2 upper garden suite rooms are extra large and extremely spacious. Both have balconies that sit under the oak trees. Where there are 3 suites on the first floor, there are only two rooms on the upper floor thus providing greater area to spread out during your stay.
Noble Vineyard (King- room #9) $220-$450 Check Current Price/Availability
Honeymoon suite: This is a large King bed suite upstairs in the garden suites with NO TV. It has a private entrance, gas fireplace that is your source of heat, extra large seating area, whirlpool tub for two, twin sinks in the bath area, a large shower. There is a private balcony that is hidden under the branches of a large oak tree with a small cafe table and 2 chairs. There is a small bureau and armoire for extra storage. The colors are gold and red throughout the room and bring a sense of noblity. The windows on the side of the room look out to the parking lot off of Clay Street the neighboring Victorian house. This room can accommodate one extra rollaway twin bed for one extra guest for an additional fee. The room is equipped with a separate window air conditioner, small beverage refrigerator, coffee pot, iron, blow dryer, bath amenities, and a picnic basket for you to use during the day. NO TV IN ROOM.
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Vintage Reserve (King- room #10) $220-450 Check Current Price/Availability
Honeymoon suite: This is a large King bed suite upstairs in the garden suites with NO TV. It has a private entrance, gas fireplace that is your source of heat, extra large seating area, whirlpool tub for two, twin sinks in the bath area, a large shower. There is a private balcony that is under the branches of a large oak tree with a small cafe table and 2 chairs. This balcony overlooks the yards of neighboring houses filled with oak trees and gardens. There is a small bureau and armoire for extra storage. This room is painted in darker wine tones, reminding you of the rich reserve wines that wineries set aside for special guests. With the darker wood in the room, it is reminiscent of a library in a private home. This honeymoon suite is very quiet and the windows along the left of the bed look out toward the garden and mansion. This room can accommodate one extra rollaway twin bed for one extra guest for an additional fee. The room is equipped with a separate window air conditioner, small beverage refrigerator, coffee pot, iron, blow dryer, bath amenities, and a picnic basket for you to use during the day. NO TV IN ROOM.
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