We found this charming Bed and breakfast that is walking distance from the heart of St Helena. read more

Ambrose Bierce House - Now known as St. Helena Inn - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Saint Helena, California

This is a great place! It is kind, friendly, and peaceful. I say "kind" because the owners and innkeeper are nice people who go out of their way to make sure you are enjoying your stay. It is located in the perfect spot: only a couple blocks from downtown and far enough from the town center that you might as well be in the country. The breakfast is fantastic. I stayed for a week, and every day I had a different, well, "masterpiece." Also, the afternoon "wine" hour features delicious treats and lovely local wines. We stayed in the Mollie Day room and it was so luxurious - a king-sized bed, a spacious bathroom with a Jacuzzi tub big enough for two! It's downstairs, in the back (very quiet) and features its own patio and exit. A true home away from home. The Inn St. Helena was once the home of Ambrose Bierce, the famous humorist and writer. It feels like it: a place where you can relax and let your imagination go. It is fresh, clean, bright, and at the same time historical. It is a place to drop out of the busy world and catch up with yourself. And afterward, you'll have a cherished memory you may keep forever. read more

Spent a long weekend here with my husband and daughter. There was a flood or something before we arrived and the rooms smelled like sewage. It was a very uncomfortable night. The following night were somewhat better but still not what one would expect for a BnB of this price. No one said anything to us about the smell or the flood until I mentioned it, then only a simple apology. It was very disappointing. We had hopes of enjoying wine and snacks in the common areas each night but it just smelled so bad no one could stomach it. I was embarrassed that this was my daughters first trip to Napa and her graduation present. I felt like I had to explain that I really didn't cheap out. This was an expensive disappointment. read more

First, the positives: this b&b is in a great location and has lovely rooms. Wine and cheese in the afternoon is a nice touch. But the negatives are significant enough that I would not return. The first issue is that the inn lists on its website that a discount is available for those attending the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone (a terrific cooking school!). However, despite providing the receipt they said would allow the discount, they never credited the 10% off, nor did they respond to my follow up requests regarding the credit. Given that the CIA class started earlier than breakfast was offered, we did not have breakfast on our class date, so the b&b saved the breakfast money, but still refused the credit. Secondly, we did not have a class on the last day of our stay, a Sunday. To say the breakfast was substandard is an understatement. It comprised a sweet plain yellow cake (the innkeeper kept remarking how great it was that she was offering cake for breakfast, as if adults would actually choose to have this rather than more appropriate breakfast fare). In addition, the breakfast included a small corner of bacon (maybe 20% of a strip) and shrimp and grits. For those of us who tend to want healthier food, there were no such options. And worse, one of our party informed her at arrival that she was vegetarian, and is also allergic to shellfish, but was served the shrimp and pork. The innkeeper suggested that she just eat around it. With all the lodging options in the area, we will not be returning here. read more

Madeleine, the Innkeeper was the highlight of our stay. She was terrific. We stayed in Wysteria-6 and St. Helena-7 Other Positives: Very clean rooms and bathrooms, extremely comfortable beds, great location. Negatives: We stayed in December - nights were cold, so we used the heater. The thermostat was located outside the bedrooms in the main room of the house so all the rooms were controlled by this one thermostat. The first night, we had to turn the thermostat down to 58 degrees because anything above that caused our room to heat up to unbearable temperatures. They had three bedrooms in the house, luckily no one was staying in the third bedroom or we might have been arguing over the thermostat :) Also, the fireplace in the upstairs bedroom did not work - this is a key feature of the room so was disappointed. Overall, a positive stay. Fix some of the small stuff and it is a 5 star stay. read more

From the moment we arrived, we were made to feel extremely welcome by Vick & Madeline, the Innkeepers. It was a prefect location to explore plenty of wineries and in walking distance to shops & restaurants. Madeline was adorable, with her cute little southern accent & welcoming arms, I felt I was at home with family. Her breakfasts are amazing..without a doubt the best! The cheese & wine cocktail parties in the afternoon was a little cherry on top of our busy day....& great way to meet the other guests. We loved our loft room with the separate access, parking was a breeze. Overall, our first visit to Napa Valley will be very memorable due to this quaint little B & B, Inn St Helena. We can't wait to return! read more

The purpose of this review is to hopefully save others of the major disappointment we experienced upon staying at the Ambrose Bierce House B&B. This B&B is not clean in the least. We were so surprised when we arrived, we considered leaving immediately, but were too tired, and had to take it as a challenge to stay. I'm wondering why no one else mentioned the horribly frayed, filthy carpeting on the interior stairs, the overall run down appearance of the entire inn, and stained carpeting in their rooms. I have stayed at many other inns, and have never experienced anything even close to this. The bathroom was in serious need of repair. I don't consider it charming to see a bathroom towel fixture with scotch tape used to hold it together, or the need to add tissue to broken mini blinds in the shower for adequate privacy. We stayed in the Mollie Day Room. I wouldn't advise it if you don't want the overall smell of dryer softener sheets in your room. There is a door in the bathroom that leads directly to the housekeeping room. The best feature was the private entry so that we could leave early without disturbing any other guests. I certainly would not want to eat there. Unfortunately the person who greeted us took us through the dirty kitchen. Not very appetizing. I have seen other B&B's with spotless kitchen areas. The Ambrose Bierce House B&B needs some serious upgrades. I would like to add that if you check my many reviews on Yelp, you will see that I have only given a poor review to one other business. read more

Ambrose Bierce House - Broken mini Blinds in Mollie Day Room - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Saint Helena, California

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Just got back from a St Helena girls trip celebrating a friend's 40th and this was a fantastic choice. The inn is in a great location, clean with well appointed rooms. Madeline is a delight and made the most wonderful breakfasts and cheese and meat trays for happy hour in the evenings. She was so very warm, welcoming and genuine. We had to leave early the last morning and she kindly gave us gift certificates for a lovely bakery down the street. You won't be disappointed when you stay here at Inn at St Helena! read more

-Conviently located within walking distance of the St. Helena strip. and it has it's own parking! -When we first pulled in we noticed a fire house across the street and thought it might be noisy, luckily our room was downstairs in the back of the house. Did not hear any firetrucks during the night :) -The room was very comfortable with a big jacuzzi tub. -A hearty/very tasty breakfast was served in the dining room as was an evening wine tasting -Discount wine tasting cards available in the dining room are a great way to experience wineries you might not normally go to. read more

My friend and I recently stayed here for a 2-day trip to Napa. We had a wonderful experience while staying at the Ambrose Bierce House. We were sorry that we couldn't take advantage of an extra night there! Carlos was incredibly helpful with tons of information about wineries, restaurants, excursions, etc. He went above and beyond our expectations so that our trip ran as smoothly as possible. He even called our ballooning company to wish us a fun trip! Sadly we were only able to enjoy breakfast one morning, since we had to be out early the other day for our ballooning, but the stuffed french toast was absolutely divine! It left us wanting more :) Overall, the house is very cozy and accommodating. We were lucky enough to be the only guests our second night, so we felt like we had the run of the house... we were spoiled :) We were able to have the hot tub all to ourselves and lounge in the parlor with their complimentary wines & cheeses. I would recommend this place for couples or pairs or friends who are in Napa and want to have the complete bed and breakfast experience! Great value! Thank you, Ambrose Bierce House:) read more

Stayed at this charming bed and breakfast for one night and we had an amazing time. The patio with the porch swing was cool hang out, with a bottle of wine and great conversations equalled an unforgettable stay. The innkeeper was very welcoming, easy to talk to and makes one the best breakfasts we've ever had. The inn was clean and had everything you could ever need and more. We had nothing but a great experience! We will definitely be back and would highly recommend to our friends and family. read more

I recently stayed at the Ambrose Bierce House with my mom and friends, for some birthday/wine drinking celebrations. This was February 20th and 22nd. This was a great option for us. It is right downtown, so it was very convenient for strolling along Main Street and close to lots of great restaurants. We stayed in the Eadweard Muybridge and Lillie Langtry rooms. Each room has their own bathroom, which to me is KEY in a B&B. I don't like sharing bathrooms with strangers. The rooms were very comfortable and clean, including the bathrooms. The bedding was also very lovely. We had breakfast on Saturday morning. We left too early for Sunday breakfast. Erin did a wonderful job. First, I thought it was great that she checked with us, along with the other guests, to see if the time for breakfast was suitable. Then she made a wonderful fruit salad, bacon and French toast with homemade cinnamon syrup. It was delicious and gave us a chance to talk to some of the guests we had not met yet. All but 1 room is located upstairs with a really nice living room area, where you can hang out. This is also where Erin serves snacks and wine at 5pm each day. So fun to have that. There is also a great front porch off of the second floor with a porch swing and chairs. We had a great time one evening chatting and sipping wine. Erin is also truly great. She is incredibly knowledgeable about the area, wineries, restaurants, etc. She is a great resource to provide options. The other thing that was super fun was that she is super knowledgeable in Chinese Astrology! We had a fun evening hanging out after the wineries learning our Chinese signs and what they meant. Fun little bonus for us. Also there is plenty of parking behind the house that is dedicated to the house. So, parking was never a problem. I would highly recommend this as an option when visiting the area. I know I will definitely try and stay there next time. read more

It was a quick, one night stay while visiting wineries for work. Madeline was very nice, checking in with me during the afternoon to confirm arrival. Very comfortable bed, wonderful shower. The fresh cooked breakfast was delicious. Amazing muffins. Well worth the price. read more

Just spent a great 4 days in the Wine Country which included a 3 night stay at the Ambrose Bierce House. Great location, walking distance to good eats, drinks, just about anything else you may need. Caretakers provided a breakfast to remember with all the guests sharing interesting facts about themselves along with good tips on vineyards trips. The caretaker, John, was extremely helpful in our wine tasting selections. This was my 6th time in the valley and he pointed us to several smaller vineyards that we would may not have visited, that turned out great wines. If you want 5 star accomidations, stay at the Ritz, but if you are looking for a warm, friendly, and accommidating stay I would recommend The Ambrose Bierce House. Our stay was great, we will go back, and that is the best reccommendation I can give. Thanks again to John for a memorable time, Todd & Debi read more

We only stayed one night (end of August 2014) on our way to Lake Tahoe. The earthquake happened a few days before and besides the oven not quite working, you'd never know it happened. We arrived late for check in so we did not know about the Fire siren and in the middle of the evening (3:30) it went off. Not knowing what the siren was, scared me. First I though earthquake. Then when nothing happened I thought it might be a Fire alarm as we have something similar in the town next to mine. The room was beautiful. The restaurant was a short walk down the street. The Market was amazing. read more

We stayed at the Ambrose B&B this week and found it to be great. It is centrally located making it easy to walk to the wonderful shops and restaurants along Main Street. Although Ambrose is on Main Street, our room was very quiet and peaceful. Cristhian, our Innkeeper was wonderful. He is very friendly and helpful and goes out of his way to accommodate your needs. I loved swinging on the porch swing. Very relaxing! Can't wait to go back and enjoy the wonderful hospitality. Thank you Cristhian and staff. read more

This was a really nice B&B. The staff was incredibly friendly, made great breakfast, and the rooms were clean and cozy. The staff was also very helpful with suggesting wineries, restaurants, and so forth. The only thing that was lacking was the afternoon happy hour.. they're in St Helena and the wine was Beringer; ick.. the cheese spread and bites weren't good either. But that's the only complaint. This place was great, and we'll be back! Oh! And you can't beat the location!! You could walk to the downtown restaurants and shops. read more

This is a quaint little bed and breakfast, that is not only lovely, but sparklingly clean. Their breakfasts are quite good as well. I probably shouldn't recommend this place because it will just get harder to get a room, but they have earned it! Thank you for a job well done! And for always making our stays in Napa delightful! read more

We were lucky to find this B&B in St Helena. Our long-planned visit happened on a cold and rainy weekend. But we had a wonderful time anyway because we were so close to the center of St Helena, with a wonderfully warm and comfortable room waiting for us between our soggy excursions. Spotlessly clean, delicious breakfast, good wifi, welcoming but quiet, with a friendly and charming innkeeper (Madeline). It was perfect. We hope to go back soon. Highly recommended. read more

Upon registering to stay at the in St. Helena I was called by there and keep her to welcome me for my stay. Upon arriving, we were greeted by the manager, given a group brief tour and shown to our room. At 5 o'clock they served a very nice tray of snacks and since they located in the center of town had an easy walk to a dinner destination. Our room was very comfortable. The bed was exquisite and the bathtub was gigantic with room for two. My girlfriend and I took a nice bubble bath with ease. One of the most enjoyable part of the house was their patio that overlooks the main street with a porch swing. I could picture Ambrose Bierce standing there thinking up his next book. Upon returning from dinner we decided to enjoy the hot tub on the premises. Which is available at any time. The bed was very comfortable and the next morning we were survey small breakfast of fruit and an egg dish. All in all this was a excellent experience and I highly recommend it to anyone. read more

This was a beautiful B&B located in downtown St. Helena. Perfect location, just a block or two from the main restaurants and shops. Very cute rooms and the bathtub was amazing! I could fit my whole person with extra room for another in the tub and their were jets. It was very relaxing. Zero complaints, would definitely recommend!! read more

We have stayed at the Inn a number of times and this last visit exceeded our previous stays. The upgraded Mollie Day room was spacious and very comfortable. Madeline and Tamara made us feel super welcome and assisted in finding good places to dine. Breakfast was fresh and tasted great. The location could not have been better for winery visits and especially for it's proximity to some great dining spots in St Helena which are in easy walking distance. This is a place I would definitely recommend to anyone looking for a great base for visiting Napa Valley and is especially great value for money read more

Sent this letter to the owner of the Inn and to date I still have had to response. Was giving them time to respond before I posted a review....I guess they do not care to the level I thought.... March 16, 2016 Good Afternoon, I appreciate you contacting me about our time at the Inn. Although Meldalina was pure joy and a fantastic Inn Keeper, we had a few issues with the house and the rooms. 1. The St. Helena Suite Fireplace stopped working on Saturday and with no other way to heat the room it was a bit cold. The TV also stopped working. Our friends had to climb up on a chair to turn it off and on. At a rate of almost $400 a night these issues were just unacceptable and I would appreciate a refund of at least 1 nights stay for my friends Marisa and Greg Frech. 2. The fireplace in the living room filled the living room with smoke and the smoke detectors did NOT go off. No only did we then have to deal with a smokey living room but I was not comfortable sleeping (due to the lack of safety) with the smoke detectors NOT working. 3. The Fountain Suite, where my husband and I stayed, was extremely noisy and the bathroom was described as only being about 6 feet away. Had I been told we not only had to walk closer to 15 feet in the general public area but also through the kitchen and past another bedroom I would have made other arrangements for our stay. Not sure why the fountain suite garnered a almost $400 a night price? It was cold and loud (street noise was extreme) and the lack of privacy during wine hour was unacceptable. A refund of at least 1 night would be seem appropriate. 4. Wine and Cheese hour....Super loud! So on top of our room not have any privacy to go to the bathroom we also had to walk into a room filled with strangers during the wine and cheese hour. I was told no other guest would be in the house besides us since we were renting the 3 rooms. That was another inaccurate statement. Our friends staying in the Bamboo room could not rest during the wine hour because of the level of noise happening in the kitchen which was right outside their door. If an honest description of the house and environment would have been told me I would have chosen other accommodations. I know a lot of Inn's choose to "stretch" the truth to get people to stay at their Inn, perhaps this is your tactic as well? You had the benefit of the past owners yelp reviews and another layer of manipulation as the Inn we stayed in was only purchased by you 2 months ago and NOT part of the Ambrose reviews. My husband and I travel to Napa 2 times a year and have for the last 20 years. The location of your Inn was amazing, your staff is fantastic, I would suggest a more honest description of the Inn, Update the windows, put batteries in the smoke detectors, let guest know the level of noise that will be in the house during wine hour and make sure each room is worthy of the price suggested. We all, of course, had a great time in Napa despite the issues at the Inn. If you have any questions for me please do not hesitate to ask. We wish you much success and trust you will do the right thing and refund my husband and I and the Frech's at least 1 nights stay (including tax) for the inconveniences. Sincerely, Meachele Campbell, Media Director CoachellaValley.com read more

Absolutely wonderful B and B! The house is darling! The staff was so friendly and attentive! The breakfast they served each morning was amazing! I would definitely recommend stying here for a vacation away and spending time enjoying the local wineries and restaurants. read more

Woke up 3 times in the middle of the night to be awaken by a loud siren from the fire station down the block. I don't think this is something that rarely happens. Breakfast was't great either. Wine and cheese were not worth mentioning. Overall this place was expensive and a bad experience. I would never stay there again. read more

Wonderful stay here at the Inn St Helena (new name for ABH) during Columbus Day wknd last month. Stayed at the Wisteria Room. Very nice with it's own patio. Madeleine was extremely welcoming and helpful when we arrived. Great place to be at especially with walking distance to all the great restaurants and shops. Will be coming back!! read more

My sister and I came on Labor Day Weekend for a friend's wedding nearby. The Inn was perfect for our quick trip and as the first B&B we've stayed at. Madeline the Innkeeper was so warm and friendly, by the end of the trip we were joking she was our Napa mom! Jeff and the rest of the staff were also so kind and helpful. Although we arrived at 1am due to travel, getting in was easy and everything had been laid out for us. The room was super spacious and clean, the beds SO comfortable. People are sometimes nervous about the noise you might hear at a B&B with others close by, but it was really quiet even if others were up and about. The breakfast was amazing each morning and such a highlight. The wine tastings in the evening were also nice and gave us another chance to chat with the other guests staying at the Inn. The location couldn't have been better, walking distance to the main shops and restaurants in town and 15 minutes from everything else in any direction. Madeline gave us suggestions of where to go and some coupons which was a nice touch. We would definitely come back and stay again and recommend to anyone looking for a great B&B experience in Napa! read more

Great mimosa breakfast! The first morning we were there we had eggs benedict and the second, walnut waffles. John, the inn keeper was great! Beds were comfortable and bathroom was spacious. We had no issues with any fire station alarms as many have posted. The location is great... within walking distance of everything in St. Helena. John provided us with menus for all of the local restaurants to help us choose where to go and then made reservations for us. We could not have been happier. read more

We recently stayed the entire Thanksgiving Holiday with our extended family in the Cottage House at Inn St Helena. We also had 3 children under 5 which sometimes is hard at B and B's, but Inn St Helena was very kid friendly. :) Every amenity was thought of, if or when we needed it, it was magically already there. Exceptionally clean. Madeline made our stay beyond enjoyable and we can't wait to come back!!! read more

After looking around to write a review, I realized the Inn St Helena and the Ambrose Bierce House are the same B & B! We enjoyed our stay immensely!! The beds are extremely comfortable, the location is outstanding, and you're well taken care of during your entire stay. Each room has fresh flowers, mints, and bottles of water! Each day you're provided a delicious breakfast in the mornings and snacks and wine:) each afternoon. The host is wonderful and the location is too! We will definitely stay again!! read more

Ambrose Bierce House did everything right. Start with the booking, the site was easy to navigate. Confirmation afterward complete. Location is REALLY within walking distances of downtown St. Helena. Lots to do and see nearby. The ground is well kept. Parking space in the back spacious. Room well lit and ventilated. Everything is clean. Towels fluffy and plenty. Wines and appetizers generous and with variety. Breakfast delicious and hot. All needs anticipated and prepared. AB House delivers everything it promised and more thanks to Cristhian. He is professional and friendly. He made AB House the natural bed and breakfast choice in Napa Valley. A hidden gem within plain sight. read more

We stayed 4 nights at this property. Our experience was expensive and mediocre. There was no "fine wine and cheese tasting" in the evenings as advertised. In our four nights, the cheese only surfaced when we asked and the wine was poor, being a wine from John rather than something decent from the countless vinyards in the Napa Valley. The breakfast albeit good was meager and if you stay more than three nights, the offerings repeat. Indeed, Lisa hosted and served the breakfast the last morning we were there...she was barely cordial and was clearing the dishes before we finished...clearly anxious to be rid of us all. Summary: nice property, but they don't deliver on the promises in the advertising...and Lisa is clearly the poorest and most ungracious of hostesses (and John was totally absent). 2 stars at best...not worth the premium prices charged. read more

Loved our stay at Inn at St. Helena Ambrose Bierce Suite. The accommodations were wonderful, the location great, and our Innkeeper Madeline, was so warm and welcoming! We look forward to returning next year! read more

What a great place to stay! Cristhian, the Inn Keeper, was so helpful! The food was great and the atmosphere was very relaxing. There was a giant bathtub in our room that was so wonderful to take a dip in and we enjoyed our stay very much. We'll be back for sure! read more

loved this b&b. for the price, was surprised at how nice it was. we stayed in the mollie day room (note they ripped out the old carpet seen in some pictures and now very nice wood floors are there). very clean, comfy bed, and huge bathroom with jacuzzi tub. cute little patio with private entrance. as a ground floor room you obviously will hear noise from above as it's an older house, but surprisingly wasn't that bad (maybe b/c the people above went to bed at a reasonable time and didn't wake up crazy early). breakfast was yummy. didn't get to go to happy hour so can't comment on that. plenty of parking. will definitely be back! read more

We stayed at the Ambrose Bierce house over the 4th of July and absolutely fell in love. The "Wow factor" was there in all aspects. The house was just perfect and we felt so comfortable staying there. We stayed in the Eadweard Muybridge room and it was everything we expected and more. The high degree of cleanliness and large soaking tub in the bathroom was a huge plus. Our favorite was waking up and sipping our coffee on the porch swing on the balcony! It's just such a charming place. The host and hostess Christian and Tammy were so knowledgeable and personable, not to mention made the most delicious breakfasts! They shared stories about the house and gave us great winery recommendations. The B&B was also right off the main strip so were able to walk to the town conveniently. Lastly, the company we met at the Ambrose Bierce house was memorable. Good times all around. We have been bragging about to all our friends and family since we left. We will definitely be back to stay for our annual Napa trip! read more

Stayed here nights of 8/14 and 8/15. First time in a B&B and I will definitely be back. Cristhian, the inn keeper, was a great host... very accommodating and prepared a great breakfast. Walking distance to plenty of great places to eat. Swing and chairs on upper front porch were great to relax in at the end of the day. read more

Highly recommend the Ambrose Bierce House! First of all, the location can't be beat - within blocks of all the cute shops and restaurants of downtown St. Helena. Second, Cristhian is a gem! He truly makes you feel like the house is your home and has so much knowledge about the history of Napa, where to eat, which wineries to visit, etc. His homemade breakfasts are amazing - best croissants I've ever had! The house itself is super clean and nicely decorated. We stayed in the suite, which we highly recommend for the extra space for luggage, relaxing, etc. When we go back to Napa, we will absolutely choose Ambrose Bierce as our "home away from home" again :) read more

Had a wonderful stay here for a kids free night away with the hubby. We actually ended up having the inn to ourselves for the night since we stayed on a Monday night... Our innkeeper, Vic, was helpful and friendly but not intrusive in the least. Overall, it was a great place to rest our heads after a fun filled day of galavanting around wine country! Oh, and the breakfast was great! read more

Very much enjoyed our stay here. The house has been updated and tastefully decorated. (i.e. every surface isn't covered in lace and flowers like many other B&Bs.) The bed was comfortable and despite the heat outside the air was very nicely air-conditioned. Everything was very clean and well maintained. WiFi signal was strong and 20Mb internet let us stream our shows at night. Victor was very friendly. Will definitely be returning. read more