Wine For Misfits

A little piece of Paris in Sonoma Wine Country

A Cost-Effective Sonoma County Hotel

There are so many reasons to adore the Metro, but a major draw is its budget-friendly price tag in a prime Sonoma County location:

Downtown Petaluma & the River: Eight-minute walk

Music Venue: Ten-Minute walk

Pizza: Three-minute walk

Winery with Vineyard Views: Five-minute drive

Sonoma Square: 30-minute drive

Lagunitas Brewing: Ten-minute drive

Quirky Ambiance

Whenever I travel, I look for the keyword “quirky” (I also look for ghost tours, but that doesn’t apply here). I love an eclectic, cheeky atmosphere, and with a Paris theme, the Metro Hotel does not disappoint.

When you first enter, there’s no check-in counter. There is, however, a very flattering full-length mirror worthy for selfie material. 

After you take your selfie, go past the staircase towards the café to find the check-in office.

On your short, anticlimactic voyage to check-in, you’ll notice the maximalist décor with knick-knacks galore! It’s charming and campy in the best way.

Cute Roomy Rooms

Where they go balls to the wall with tchotchkes in the communal area, they take a more minimal approach in guest rooms. 

Some rooms may have a duck lamp (trust me, it works), but all the rooms have a bright color scheme of purple, red, yellow, and blue. It sounds like a primary color cacophony, but it works flawlessly.

Each room I’ve stayed in had ample square footage. But, if glamping is more of your forte, then you can book the airstream camper outside with a little outdoor area near the bocce ball court.

Wakey Wakey with Crepey Crepies

Every morning, la cheffe cuisinière makes fresh crepes. She churns them out, so there’s little to no wait time. Once you grab one (or ten – do you, boo), you can fill them with sweet or savory fixings.

You can also make a cup of coffee to your liking with their DIY pour-over coffee station. No burned coffee at this bistro!

With fresh crepes and fresh coffee, it’s the perfect way to start the morning.

You Might Be Able to Bring Your Dog

One room in the Metro allows dogs. But if your pooch is a bit more energetic, Petaluma is surrounded by farmland, and a lot of people put their properties up on Sniffspot.

If you don’t know what Sniffspot is, it’s a private “dog park” you rent by the hour. It’s especially a lifesaver on long road trips!

2000s Nostalgia Booking Experience

When booking a room, you’ll go on their website that looks like it was designed in 2003 (but has all the efficiency of modern web bookings). With comic sans font and grainy photos, you need to play OutKast’s “Hey Ya!” and do a bit of low-stakes time-traveling. 

Hometown of a Famous Podcast Host

If you’re a Murderino, you’ve probably heard of Petaluma because this is the hometown of comedian Karen Kilgariff.  

I asked a waitress at one of the downtown restaurants if she’d ever seen her, and she said no but knew people who had seen her. This means I’ve met someone who knows people who have seen Karen Kilgariff in real life.

Super cool.

I know.

What to Do

Restaurants and tasting rooms border the river. My favorite strategy is to wonder around and see which restaurant has the vibe I’m looking for or see which one has the least amound of people.

Really just depends on my hangry level.

If you like outdoor activities, you can go on a kayak shesh and work up a sweat, then go relax with a glass of wine while enjoying the river views.

If live music is your thing, the Mystic Theater is a gorgeous old venue with great acts. But if you are with your family and need an all-ages atmosphere, the Phoenix Theater doesn’t have a bar and is kid-friendly.

Kitty Rating Score

TL;DR

This is one of my favorite hotels. It’s quirky and charming with great staff. Plus the location and price are killer for a Sonoma County hotel! 

It’s one of those IYKYK spots.

The Metro Hotel downtown Petaluma gets 10 Kitties.