El Dorado Hotel occupies one of the most coveted corners of the Sonoma Plaza, First and Spain, inside the Salvador Vallejo building, built in 1843 for the brother of Sonoma Valley founder General Mariano Vallejo. The adobe foundations and original beams remain intact, making this one of the oldest standing buildings in California. The current hotel pairs 27 understated boutique guest rooms with El Dorado Kitchen, an all-day dining destination led by Executive Chef Armando Navarro that has been one of Sonoma's most consistently praised restaurants for two decades. The culinary program includes the main restaurant, the EDK Cantina taqueria on Spain Street, and a Chef's Experience program that takes guests through the Sonoma Farmers Market and Vella Cheese Company before a private six-course tasting menu.
Each of the 27 rooms has either a semi-private balcony or patio with seating for two, looking out over Sonoma Plaza or the interior courtyard with its solar-heated saltwater pool. Complimentary cruiser bikes are available for guests at the front desk. Most guests stay because they want to walk to dinner, and at El Dorado, they don't even have to leave the building. The location puts every other major Sonoma Plaza tasting room and restaurant within a three-block radius. For travelers building a Sonoma Valley itinerary that prioritizes the historic town center, El Dorado is the most editorially significant boutique address on the Plaza itself.
