Feb. 21 (Bloomberg) -- Sonoma County, once a laid-back place of rural charm and eccentric wineries, is rapidly morphing into luxury-hotel heaven. French vinotherapy massages? Bien sur. A faux-Mediterranean lodging club with world-class golf? Got it. Beds with such soft Italian sheets that wine language -- rich, thick, opulent -- does a crossover in my mind? Naturalmente.

About 60 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge, Sonoma has 60,000 rolling, vine-filled acres dotted with more than 250 wineries. The wines have long been outstanding, the restaurants on culinary tourists' radar, and recent stays at three Sonoma sanctuaries convinced me that you don't have to go to buttoned- down Napa for pampering.

Now happens to be a good time to visit. On the first two weekends in March, more than 100 wineries open their cellars for the 30th annual Russian River Wine Road barrel tasting.

For a romantic retreat, I head to Kenwood Inn & Spa, in the historic Valley of the Moon north of the city of Sonoma (29 rooms and suites; $300 to $950).

With private balconies and splashing fountains, the ivy- covered, Tuscan-inspired villa clustered around verdant courtyards and surrounded by vines seems like an operetta stage- set fantasy. Ditto my third-floor room, where wall tapestries, heavy Italianate furniture and a wood-burning fireplace beckon. But first, I need vinotherapy spa time to decompress after a day of tramping vineyards and spitting wine on concrete floors.

I follow flagstone paths past a mossy koi pond, steaming pool and Jacuzzi. Minutes later I'm being pummeled and stroked with sauvignon blanc grape-seed oil from Bordeaux-based spa Les Sources de Caudalie. After an hour of tough love, I soak in a ``wine barrel bath'' of bubbling water enriched with grape vine extracts with, they say, anti-aging properties.

Revitalized, I'm ready for a glass of 2005 J Vineyards Pinot Noir and dinner next to an outdoor fireplace in the intimate guest-only dining area. What's not to like?

In-Town Hotel

Further north, Hotel Healdsburg, smack on the historic town plaza in trendy Healdsburg, is the opposite, a sleek, minimalist, in-town oasis (55 rooms and suites, $260-$790). The mud-colored exterior is no guide to what's inside: glass and steel walkways, pitchers of lemon water on glass tables, spa, pool, gardens.

The hotel's 2001 opening jump-started this small town's gentrification. Fortunately, chic clothing emporiums, two pet boutiques, 12 tasting rooms and Michelin two-star restaurant Cyrus haven't stamped out local culture. (My regular stops: Bovolo for homemade gelato, Downtown Bakery & Creamery for morning sticky buns, tacos at Taqueria El Sombrero.)

My room is informal elegance -- Tibetan rugs, warm colors, an oversize bathroom in concrete and Italian tiles. The bed looks like a low-lying cloud, surely the most comfortable I've ever slept in. A peek beneath the covers reveals the secret: a Pacific Coast Feather Co. Euro Rest feather bed and Frette sheets.

But, alas, all is not perfect. Service is spotty, plaza noise seeps into my room, and while the hotel's Dry Creek Kitchen boasts a stellar, Sonoma-only wine list, the food is uneven.

Private Club

The secluded Mayacama golf and residence club east of Santa Rosa strikes a decidedly different note. A private road winds through rolling hills to the Mediterranean-style clubhouse and a Jack Nicklaus-designed golf course ranked No. 66 in America's top 100 by Golf Digest.

The 650 acres, once owned by Charles Schulz of ``Peanuts'' fame, now include fractional ownership residences for those craving a permanent spot in wine country with golf, spa, pool, restaurant, your own wine locker, and hobnobbing with vintner member heavyweights like Bill Harlan of cult Harlan Estate. (Here, too, service is spotty, though happily they've recently replaced the restaurant's chef.) For $650,000 to $900,000, you get 70 nights a year at plush one-bedroom casitas and three- bedroom villas, with both indoor and outdoor showers.

Tuscan Village

Managing Director Jonathan Wilhelm says the aim is a community, ``like a Tuscan village.'' Call this the manicured, gated version, although the sweeping post-card perfect vistas are eye-soothing enough.

My casita overlooks the golf course, and as I sip wine on my patio I watch wild turkeys wandering on a fairway. By the look of things, I'm sure it's someone's job to clean up after them.

My batteries recharged by luxury, I need something different, like pizza-and-pinot night at rustic roadhouse Zazu, where winemakers are usually swapping stories over great food. The superluxe lifestyle needs a bit of contrast for full appreciation.

(Elin McCoy writes on wine and spirits for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are her own.)

To contact the writer of this story: Elin McCoy at emcwine@aol.com.

Last Updated: February 21, 2008 00:04 EST