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keep costs low, reserve a place with a size suited to your party. Generally, properties
in or close to the towns of Sonoma or Napa are the most affordable of these com-
panies' holdings, and because these population centers are pleasant and not urban,
they often constitute a good score. I'm combining both counties in one list since
these companies may offer properties across the county lines.
About 30 properties, all in the charming towns of southeast Sonoma County
(in Sonoma town, Glen Ellen, and Kenwood) are repped by Go Sonoma Valley/
Glenelly Properties ( % 707/996-6720; www.go-sonoma.com), which keeps a
close eye on quality. The firm has been known to post discounts on its website, so
always go there first. Besides, that's where each of the listed homes is shown in
plenty of photos and described in generous detail. These are on the expensive side,
but they're top quality. Rates start at about $250 a night for a one-bedroom, but
three-bedrooms start just over $300, which means this firm is more economical
for couples' retreats, girlfriends' weekends, and so forth. Each place was decorated
by its owner, but all of them are fully stocked with everything you need to
pretend it's yours for a while. Some even have pools, although hot tubs are more
the norm.
Perhaps more likely to hook you up with the least expensive properties in the
southeast of the county, Stay Sonoma ( % 866/647-8888 or 707/996-1888;
www.staysonoma.com), like all these companies, has mostly places that charge for
around $350, but there are a few affordable winners in its stable. Its president, Wendy
Newman, has been in the lodging biz for decades, and its website is better-organized
than Go Sonoma's, enabling you to see in a list which properties you can afford and
even which will be booked on the dates you want. Among the least expensive: $175
to $190 for a studio cottage at Palmer Place, although if you have lots of people with
you, paying $475 for a four-bedroom (which is what lots of places charge for a one-
bedroom) isn't a bad deal. That's a little under $125 per bedroom. Also ask about the
Sonoma Oak Hideaway, a new property, priced at $175; it would fit three for $200;
and about Alexandra's Plaza Suite, an unfussy and cozy cabin, conveniently right off
the main plaza in Sonoma, that goes from $165 to $185.
To stay amongst the redwoods of the Russian River area, contact Russian River
Vacation Homes ( % 800/997-3312 or 707/869-9030; www.riverhomes.com), the
rental wing of a long-running property-management company. It has about 60
places, and its website lets you search by price. Rates in this neck of the woods are
lower in general, probably because it's a 20- to 30-minute drive to the thick of the
wineries (albeit through gorgeous forest and farmland): $150 to $225 for most of
its one-bedrooms and studios. There is a $20 booking fee.
Early in your search, check out VRBO.com —it stands for Vacation Rentals
By Owner —a booming, generally reliable site where, as the name suggests, peo-
ple who want to rent their cottages post descriptions and enticements for your
business. At any given moment, there are several dozen properties listed in a ded-
icated “Wine Country” section, with prices and photos clearly announced to
make your search quicker. A few of the properties I single out below, such as
Acorn, list there. The price range is varied, but the quality is generally high. You
will, though, have to vet the properties and renters yourself, although the fact
there's a fee to post a listing seems to weed out the tricksters and the poorer can-
didates. Another spot to check is Keys for Rent (www.keysforrent.com), but note
that you'll have to do separate searches for Napa and Sonoma counties there; at
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