Napa is back: October hotel demands surpass pre-pandemic levels
The overall demand for hotel rooms in Napa County exceeded pre-pandemic levels for the first time in October, according to recent data provided by Visit Napa Valley.
The statistics on the number of hotel rooms sold countywide was good news at Visit Napa Valley, the organization whose tasks include drawing tourists to Napa County.
“So it is both significant and encouraging to see October 2025 demand exceeded October 2019 demand here in Napa Valley,” said Linsey Gallagher, president and CEO at Visit Napa Valley.
“We continue to see Napa Valley out-performing other destinations, as we navigate headwinds in the travel and wine industries. As an example, year to date through October, Napa Valley’s hotel occupancy is up 3%, while Sonoma County is down 1.8% for the same period, so there is nearly a 5% occupancy performance difference for those two regions,” Gallagher said.
“The strength of the Napa Valley destination’s brand on the world stage remains very strong,” Gallagher said. “Our hospitality partners continue to over-deliver on visitor’s expectations, encouraging them to continue to return to the destination and to purchase our wines in their home markets.”
Overall, Napa County, including its five incorporated cities, collected about $66 million in lodging taxes, also known as transient occupancy taxes (TOT) , in 2024. This was $11 million more than 2019, according to Visit Napa Valley.
American Canyon Councilman David Oro said he was not surprised that Napa County exceeded pre-pandemic levels last October.
“Napa Valley has continued to position itself as a top-tier destination for wine, food, wellness and outdoor experiences, and the marketing efforts by Visit Napa Valley and the local jurisdictions, including American Canyon, have been key to that,” he said.
“What is surprising, and encouraging, is that despite a decline in international visitors, domestic travel has more than made up for it,” he said. “The fact that we’re exceeding 2019 demand shows how resilient and appealing this region is. It really speaks to the strength of the Napa Valley brand and the work being done by all cities in the valley to elevate the visitor experience.”
The town of Yountville and the city of Calistoga produce budgets that rely heavily on TOT revenues. Yountville’s lodging industry generated about $8.8 million in TOT revenues in 2024/2025, representing nearly 60 percent of the town’s revenues, according to the town, home to 11 hotels and inns, totaling 453 rooms.
Alain Negueloua, vice president and general manager of Bardessono Hotel and Spa and Hotel in Yountville, said the demand for hotel rooms reinforces that Napa Valley “is very much alive.”
“The continued demand speaks to what people love about this destination — world class wine tasting, exceptional dining and an increasingly strong focus on wellness. Napa Valley remains America’s first agricultural preserve and the country’s most iconic wine destination. The interest and visitation continue to validate that,” Negueloua said.
“Yountville sits at the heart of the Napa Valley, and it benefits directly from the valley’s strength,” Negueloua said. “Our town offers an incredibly concentrated experience, rich with walkability, art, tasting rooms, renowned wineries and some of the best restaurants in the world, all within an intimate and charming setting.”
The holiday season at Bardessono has “exceeded expectations,” Negueloua said. “We saw an increase in last minute bookings, which reflects how guests are continuing to make more spontaneous travel decisions, particularly for short getaway experiences.” Activities included Bardessono’s Fifth Annual Latke Throwdown which drew “excellent
attendance,” he said. “Looking ahead, I’m optimistic about continued collaboration among Yountville hotels to
attract larger groups and position the destination competitively while preserving what makes it unique,” Negueloua said.
Calistoga’s lodging taxes revenues from tourists have continued to increase. Last year, the city collected a record $12.3 million in TOT revenues from 37 lodging establishments with more than 860 rooms. It is more than half the city’s general fund. Still, there are ups and downs.
Although Napa County’s occupancy was up overall in October, hotels in Calistoga generated 7 percent less in October 2025 than it did in October 2024, noted Calistoga Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Eric Reichert.
“I’m not sure if that was residual cancellations and non-bookings due to the Pickett Fire, or people being more cautious with spending” Reichert said.
The Pickett Fire broke in August east of Calistoga. It burned more than 6,800 acres in mostly steep terrain before it was contained 17 days later.
Data from the holidays will not be available for another month, he said.
Carl Dene, whose holdings include Calistoga’s Brannan Cottage Inn, said November was “great” but he’s heard from hotels, restaurants and merchants that tourism was down in December.
Robby Delaney, general manager at Four Seasons Resort and Residences Napa Valley, which opened in November 2021, reported said the holiday season has been “robust, capping a stellar year overall.
“Demand has remained steady rather than peak-driven, with guests prioritizing culinary experiences, wine, wellness and meaningful time together. Despite the impact of the (Pickett) Fire on harvest season, we continue to see positive year-over-year growth.”
Calistoga Mayor Donald Williams on Monday said he was not anxious about what he called “normal ups and downs.”
He, too, sensed that December’s tourism statistics would be down a bit.
Still, Williams is confident Calistoga will continue to attract visitors. The hotels in Calistoga work hard to make their accommodations appealing, he said.
Calistoga City Councilman Kevin Eisenberg said overall he was very pleased with the continued demand for lodging in Calistoga.
Eisenberg cited Calistoga’s attractions, including its thermal waters and mud baths, nearby outdoors and road and mountain biking opportunities.
“Calistoga was founded as a tourist destination, and it is our good fortune to continue and extend or appeal,” Eisenberg said.
The city of Napa has received more than $27 million in TOT in 2024, representing about 22 percent of its general fund budget, according to Visit Napa Valley.
Sara Brooks, general manager at Napa River Inn in Napa, said the fact that the demand for hotel rooms exceeded pre-pandemic levels in October is a strong signal for the Napa County travel industry.
“It confirms that travel demand has fully recovered and, in some cases, surpassed pre-pandemic benchmarks,” Brooks said.
San Francisco, which historically drives demand into Napa Valley, is also in recovery, she noted.
“The holiday season is solid,” Brooks said on Dec. 23. “While we are busy, we expect December occupancy to be a few points lower than last year. This will also be greatly affected by the amount of snow and tourism that typically visits the Tahoe area.”
January is shaping up to be very strong, Brooks said. Planned activities include Napa’s Lighted Art Festival, and special deals offered through Napa Valley’s Restaurant Month and the Napa Valley Vintners’ program.
“We are seeing many returning visitors coming specifically to visit during the (Lighted Art Festival) and that’s very exciting after so many years creating this unique event. It’s one of those win-win situations; it benefits tourism and locals seem to enjoy it as well.”
Napa’s Lighted Art Festival is Jan. 17-Feb. 15.
American Canyon received about $1.4 million in 2024, or about 5 percent of its general fund budget in TOT funds. The city forecasts to have $1.9 million for fiscal year 2026, between July 1, 2025, and June 30, 2026, assuming its fourth hotel opens, said city spokesman Brodrick Aberly. That hotel is under construction. The city also anticipates $73,000 from hotel charges tourists pay to market tourism in Napa County.
Oro said American Canyon’s hotels are more affordable than establishments in other parts of the Napa Valley “without sacrificing convenience or quality.
“We’re located right at the gateway to Napa Valley, just minutes from world-class wineries and attractions, so visitors can stay with us and enjoy easy access to the full Napa experience,” Oro said.
