Hundreds of acres of Pope Valley land tied to the long-dormant Aetna Springs resort are set to hit the auction block Friday, October 30, 2026, after the property’s owner reportedly fell behind on a $31.9 million loan. The trustee sale is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at a fountain near the Napa County Courthouse, with Aetna Springs Owner LLC facing the loss of the land through foreclosure.
The looming auction was first reported by The Napa Valley Register, which detailed how Aetna Springs Owner LLC was reported to owe $31.9 million on the loan as of June 11, and was required to catch up on payments or risk losing the property. Fidelity National Title Co. is serving as trustee overseeing the sale, which will go to the highest bidder. The legal notice carries a stark caveat common to foreclosure sales: bidders are purchasing a lien, not the property outright, and the winning bidder is not automatically entitled to free-and-clear ownership.
Perhaps just as notable as the auction itself is what remains unclear about it. According to the newspaper’s review of the notice, it does not clearly establish whether the historic Aetna Springs resort parcel is actually included in the sale. The cover sheet omits the resort’s parcel number entirely, while an inside sheet lists that parcel number but excepts part of the property from the sale. The notice itself also states that announced auctions often do not happen, leaving open the possibility that the October 30 sale could be postponed or called off.
A $35 Million Purchase Gone Sideways
Aetna Springs Owner LLC bought the Pope Valley property in 2023 for $35 million, according to the Register, as part of a broader push to revive the storied but crumbling resort. Weller Development was involved in those plans for a resort revival, which centered on bringing Six Senses Napa to the site. The project called for a resort with 95 guest rooms and 16 residential estates planned on the western edge of a 3,000-acre estate, featuring vineyards, a mineral spring and access to Lake Juliana…