How one Napa stay is giving mobile homes a good name
A visit to a region of world-class wine and indulgence doesn’t have to mean stuffy hotels with cramped elevators and fancy rooms packed as tightly as a patron’s overly chic set of Versace luggage. Enter the RiverPointe Napa Valley. Transforming small mobile homes into quaint cottage-style getaways with private wooden decks nestled along the Napa River, RiverPointe has taken a unique approach to pampered living. And it works.
A community of timeshares that doubles as rentals when vacant, RiverPointe feels like just that—a community. Rather than lavishly extravagant, the cottage-like condos, located at 500 Lincoln Avenue in Napa, are cozy, comfy and complete. Visitors can expect to happily linger and lounge at this abode despite all the surrounding Napa Valley goodness, which I certainly did during my weekend reprieve.
Less than a three-hour drive from Santa Cruz, RiverPointe offers an enclave of sweet little nooks placed a 15-minute walking distance from downtown Napa, dotted beside a convenient path along the river (fishermen, bring your gear). After checking in at the front office, I immediately got acquainted with 
my adorable rental—a one bedroom, one bath that was all-inclusive. It featured a living room area with couch, coffee table and television; a full open kitchen with dishwasher, refrigerator, oven and coffee maker; a narrow hallway with closet; a bathroom with shower and tub; and a bedroom with queen bed, television and closet. On the outside of the detached structure, there’s even a mini white picket fence-style barrier that masks the mobile home uplift from the ground, giving a charming effect.
Carefully manicured shrubbery, a petite lawn, and a one-car driveway contain each unit to accentuate the feeling of fully accommodating, secluded living. The rental was situated with plenty of towels, pillows, cooking gear, and television channels to help me get right at home, and the only thing I found to be faulty throughout my stay was one bedroom television remote control. (Note: the complimentary coffee is blissful. Grab some Half and Half from a shop around the way and drink up while sitting on the umbrella-shaded deck before the blistering Napa heat sets in!)
Clean, pristine, and inherently private, the cottages are perfect for a couple, and when more than one is rented they can be an ideal family vacation locale: there’s a community pool, jacuzzi, ping pong table and various games available for shared use only steps away. With ample amenities (some rentals even sport outdoor barbeques) replete with daily housecleaning service, RiverPointe balances the independent traveler’s contrasting needs for space and spoiling.
When entering the RiverPointe fold, resign yourself to eating morning breakfasts out on your personal deck, strolling along the river, and sealing your days with a nice red wine ribbon tying things to a close.
For more information on the RiverPointe Napa Valley, go to riverpointenapa.com or call 800-252-7777.
