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Sanctuary on top of the world

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View from the house
Pool
280 degree views from the front deck with the hot tub and new gas grill
Living area
Property grounds

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
4 bedrooms4+ bathroomsSleeps 10

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Pet-friendly
  • Dryer
  • Breakfast available
  • Hot tub
  • Washer

Explore the area

Map
St Helena, CA

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 10)

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 4

2 Double Beds

Master Bedroom #1

1 King Bed

Red Room Master #2

1 Double Bed and 1 Queen Bed

4 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathtub · Bidet · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 3

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 4

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Powder Room

Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Sanctuary on top of the world

The stunning wine country estate above the clouds is perched on top of a mountain on the ridge with spectacular 275 degree views. Surrounded by vineyards & forests, this property is serenely quiet. Relax, Unwind & Experience the gorgeous Sunrises and Sunsets at this unique property.

This 4500 square foot, 'Arts & Crafts' style house is built entirely out of old-growth redwood, (even the floors and ceilings). Artwork and European antiques make it a unique home- unlike any other generic rental house you will see. Above all, its a very special experience with transformative energy. For wine lovers, there are several boutique wineries within walking distance in this coveted micro climate appellation. Equally easy access to both Sonoma and St.Helena/Napa. Serene surroundings make this private property a true getaway.

Aside from being a really special place perched on top of a mountain, the house has many amenities. There is a pool (not heated or fenced in with no safety cover), hot tub & sprawling lawns with a croquet & bocce ball set. There's an outdoor gas grill on the front wrap around deck with extraordinary views of the valley floor. 3+ outdoor seating areas to eat or lounge. Inside of the house there's a fire place and a gourmet kitchen with all the kitchen devices you could want. The main house has 4 bedrooms & 4.5 bathrooms- 3 bedrooms have en suite bathrooms (1 king & 2 queens) and the one bedroom with two full sized alcove beds has its own bathroom across the hall with no other bedrooms on that floor. All bedrooms are far apart for privacy. The house sleeps 8 people and there's also a pool house that can be rented for an extra fee that sleeps an additional 2 guests.

Ask about custom options.

Property manager

Julia

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Amenities

Pool
Hot tub
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Check out before 11:00 AM
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Children

Adults only
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Non smoking only

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

St. Helena

Located in St. Helena, this holiday home is near theme parks and in the mountains. Castello di Amorosa and Calistoga Hot Springs are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Calistoga Speedway or Redwood Empire Ice Arena. Discover the area's water adventures with kayaking and rafting nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking and horse riding.
Map
St Helena, CA

Getting around

  • Santa Rosa Station - 45 min drive
  • Santa Rosa, CA (STS-Sonoma County) - 51 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Sterling Vineyards - ‬27 min drive
  • ‪Brasswood Bar + Kitchen - ‬17 min drive
  • ‪Duckhorn Vineyards - ‬18 min drive
  • ‪Buster's - ‬26 min drive
  • ‪The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone - ‬15 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Does Sanctuary on top of the world have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

Is Sanctuary on top of the world pet-friendly?

Yes, pets are allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Sanctuary on top of the world?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Sanctuary on top of the world?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Sanctuary on top of the world located?

Situated in the mountains, this holiday home is steps from Bothe-Napa Valley State Park and within 6 mi (10 km) of Spring Mountain Vineyard and Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. Beringer Vineyards and The Christopher Hill Gallery are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 68 out of 74 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 74 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 74 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 74 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 74 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Michael M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful!

This is not a 5 * property, but if you're looking for character, art and plenty of charm, it's the place for you. Be aware the drive up the mountain can be a little treacherous, but once you're there, the views are magical! We definitely will be back!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Cheri W., Concord MA USA

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

A beautiful home with fantastic views! Very private with lawn, pool abs sauna

Would definitely stay again! We had a girls trip to Napa and this home was a perfect fit.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

janet b.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Vacation in St Helena

Lovely home with outstanding views surrounded by vineyards. The 5 mile drive up the mountain is a 20-25 minute drive out of St Helena. The house was well-appointed and comfortable for our group of 4 couples. Would return in the future.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Kathi M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing!

Really fun, spacious eclectic house on a fantastic property! The hosts could not have been more attentive.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Joseph S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Utterly Magical

My family and I spent a week here and every moment was magical. The views were amazing and the pool was refreshing, the kids barely got out of it. The property itself is quiet, secluded and filled with fantastic landscaping and places to sit, read or enjoy a moment. The house itself is large, our group of 6 could spread out with everyone having their own private space. It too was filled with magic, artwork, ceramics unique spaces and every amenity we needed. We would not hesitate to stay here again, it was the perfect quiet family retreat.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

8/10 Good

Katrina M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Unique and lovely escape destination

We had a very nice time at this large and loved family home. The views are wonderful from the heights of Spring Mountain Road, but have to be comfortable with the 13 minute ride up the windy road. Plenty of space for our family and some of the friends/family that visited us. Pool, landscaping and surrounding decks were so nice for relaxation. It is a family home very full of eclectic art, memorabilia, and personal items. This gave it a very homey feeling, but also a sense that you're in someone's personal space. Every detail of what a guest might need was thought of and nothing was missing. It's an older home, so some parts of the house were due for renovation, but fully functional nonetheless. Had a wonderful time!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Kevin S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Heaven in the hills

This is a quirky amazing experience. The hosts are so warm and friendly. We had a flat tire and they offered to let us use their car to work things out. The house is unique in all the right ways. The VIEWS!!!! Spectacular to say the least. We returned for a second stay and will happily book this rental again.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

alan w.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful Sunrises

Great location for visiting local Spring Mountain vineyards.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Sherri K., Tucson

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent!

Beautiful location and a great space for a group. Owner was very sweet and addressed all of our needs.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jana L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Simply marvelous

No complaints - this was truly the perfect vacation to celebrate Mother’s Day.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jonathan Y., San Francisco USA

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Fantastic

The host Barbara and Manfred are the nicest and most friendly couple ever to host us . The house is amazing a touch of class and many beautiful corners points and little anecdotes. The place is made for relaxation and hosting family and friends. Really great . All the best Diana & Jonathan

10/10 Excellent

Thomas C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing views. Quiet. Nice people. Dog Friendly. Great outdoor space to hangout and enjoy the sun

Next time in Napa... would do it again.
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2021

10/10 Excellent

MacGregor J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful Getaway

We had a long awaited reunion with dear friends at the Estate Above the Clouds. The location is gorgeous and the home is cozy and welcoming. There were plenty of places to sit in the sun and read or talk. The kitchen would have been perfect for cooking but we wound up not using it. The pool is not heated, but this kids splashed in it anyway. It would be so refreshing in the summer. The rooms and bathrooms were clean and nicely appointed. We would come back!
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2021

10/10 Excellent

Sandeep M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quaint house in the hills

Amazing views, with ample play area for the kids or if you’re looking for a quiet, serene getaway. It’s only 20 minutes from Downtown St Helena
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2021

10/10 Excellent

Kirby J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Truly an oasis in the hills.

This property is a wonderful escape. Close to wine country with beautiful views and facilities.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2021

10/10 Excellent

Stephanie S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great family get away!

Such a nice time "up the mountain". Kids enjoyed playing lawn games and swimming. Getting back to nature. House is large. Julia, Rebecca and Barbara were wonderful hosts and a pleasure to work with.
Stayed 9 nights in Jun 2020

10/10 Excellent

Rebecca J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

LOVE the Estate Above the Clouds

This is our second time staying in this wonderful home. The property is quiet and beautiful! The view is amazing. We love the character and charm of this home so much! It is worth the short drive from town. The owners are super to work with!! Thank you for another great trip!
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2020

10/10 Excellent

Rachna V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Charming home tucked away in the mountains of St Helena

This home is so beautiful! The pictures don't do it justice. The bedrooms each have their own charm, there are tiny nooks where you can read and relax. The outdoor space is gorgeous. The kitchen is large, spacious, and has everything you need to cook amazing meals. It's tucked away in the mountains and very peaceful. Downtown St Helena is only a 10-15 min drive down the hill, but we mostly stayed in the home because it was such a charming space to relax in. Thank you again Julia and Sandra - you were both so responsive, attentive, and accommodating. We had such a great time.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jacob B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Stunning Views

The pictures do not capture how beautiful the property. We could not have been more pleased.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2019

10/10 Excellent

Colleen R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Above the clouds!

My friends and I enjoyed staying at Julia’s home. It had so much character, Great art throughout the house, great location above the clouds with spectacular views. We enjoyed cooking together in a kitchen equipped for the best chef! Our time was too short but we’ll be back. Thank you for sharing you home with us!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2019

6/10 Okay

Heather H.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness

A Birthday with a View

This property is located in an absolutely stunning location. The out door seating was awesome, the outdoor space was everything you could hope for, the view and the peace and quiet just out of this world. The house itself has great bones and incredible views, but is desperately dated and cluttered, don't be fooled by the "artistic" title it has been given. The bedding was dated, the multitude of carpets a bit grimy, the trinkets and clutter in the house dusty and very overwhelming, and the kitchen layout, a cramped and cluttered space, I had to wash all the pans before using them. However the bathrooms were very clean! The pool cottage was super cute and a wonderful additional space, but the AC didn't work and it was so stuffy during the day and night, one night I almost went outside to the pool to sleep it was so frustrating. Things were broken and it just needs a big overhaul to modernize. For the price we paid I was hoping for something a bit more modern and that had the feeling like I was a hotel/house guest and not a family member crashing at Gran's house.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jeffrey C., Oakland, California

Fabulous House

The house was wonderful and the owners tremendous to work with. Totally recommend this place to anyone!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2019

10/10 Excellent

AD D.

Just amazing

We had an amazing trip to Napa - we all agree the best part of the trip was hanging out at this beautiful estate. The home has so much character, the owners and their pups are incredibly charming. I've been to Napa many times and can't imagine coming back and not staying here again.

10/10 Excellent

Melissa C.

Very interesting property but it was very kid friendly and warm

The owner is awesome! Super responsive and even had a high chair for the baby. Clear instructions were given on how the arrive to the property at night.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2019

10/10 Excellent

Andrey S.

Amazing place

Not sure exactly what we were expecting but we had a spectacular time there. We were celebrating Xmas holiday with our two adult children, son-in-law and 2 dogs and the setting couldn't have been more perfect. Its high on Spring Mountain road, and after making the very curvy and steep drive up to the house, realized we would be happy just staying put and cooking for ourselves, rather than running back and forth from St Helene. The house has truly spectacular views, high in the mountain. We would wake to beautiful sunrises each morning. It isn't possible to fully block the light with the shades, so we did see it each morning. The house is funky and very homey, filled with the artistic and unusual tastes of the owners. Unlike other VRBO houses that we have stayed at, this house had much character, filled with books, paintings, sculptures. It is not one of these ultramodern homes, but an older home, a little bit kitschy and a more 60's feel. The kitchen is fully stocked and a chef's dream with amazing cookware, great appliances and plentiful copper pots and pans. Not clear why there are 3 or more full sets of cutlery, but that was also fun. The location for wine tasting is amazing. There are probably 5-10 Spring Mountain wineries in walking distance, with amazing (expensive) wines and but very very relaxing. We were able to get into 2 of them by calling in the morning (most would not accommodate without advanced reservation), but I realized that we were very lucky. I would recommend making reservations much much earlier. The sense of walking down the road and visiting amazing wineries was a great treat. The hot tub was great (no chemicals) but it was too cold for us to use the pool, (looked beautiful). The only downsides were the ticks that seemed to be attracted to our golden doodle. (our other dog, a lab mix seemed immune to them) and a small TV viewing area. We were able to figure it out so that 5 of us could watch together, but this isn't the kind of house that is centered around a TV. Rather it is the kind of house, to sneak away, and read a book in one of the many different rooms or outdoor areas.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2018

About the host

Hosted by Julia

Host profile image

Why they chose this property

Its like no other property. Very private & unique. Great energy. Total Serenity. Not a typically generic vacation rental. This house has soul.

What makes this property unique

Away from it all.
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