At last after decades of dreaming, this bucket list item is finally crossed off the list…read more Celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary this was the perfect gift. We had no idea what to expect. It was more than we could ever have imagined. We enjoyed the most perfect autumn weather. So that was an absolute stroke of luck. Tides were in our favor and the boat trip to and from the islands were comfortable. Innkeepers Danielle and Rae (seven months new to this gig) are/were incredible hosts, tour guides, chefs, and comics. We were the only guests spending two nights and so glad we opted for that. Enjoyed a beautiful view from our second-story room - West Brother Island and the raucous comings and goings of the island birds was incredible. Breakfast, happy hour, and dinner were more than enough and so delicious. And we enjoyed the company of other guests - many Bay Area locals but also from San Diego and Illinois. If you're a wildlife and nature lover, put this a the top of your list. Not only a wide range of birds, but also Harbor Seals, Sea Lions, and Harbor Porpoise were seen on our visit.

The Mrs. and I spent last night at the East Brother Light Station. When she told me that we were…read morestaying at a lighthouse that was a bed and breakfast I had some reservations. I'm not a huge B & B fan even though we've stayed in a few. We arrived at the predetermined time and location. Said location being San Pablo Harbor which is located near Richmond. The harbor has plenty of parking and it is safe to leave your vehicle. We waited in a small seating area near the Sailing Goat restaurant. Soon, the rest of our fellow guests arrived. We all chatted for a bit before our boat arrived to take us to East Brother Island. The boat named Lucretia was manned by our hosts Dre and Charity. They loaded the six of us and our bags, four people had to stay behind to be picked up shortly thereafter. Getting to the island was an adventure. The ride took about ten minutes. The island the lighthouse sits on is only 3/4 of an acre. It has three structures on it, a water storage tank and a cistern that is only fed by rainwater. There is no water supplied from the mainland. The lighthouse is a stately old Victorian house with a lot of character. The inside is decorated with period pieces. The first floor holds two guest rooms, a bathroom, the gift shop, dining room, and the kitchen. The ONLY shower that is in the house is located in the bathroom which is only accessible from the dining room. The two guest rooms share that bathroom. The second door holds the parlor, game room, and two guest rooms. The rooms are named for their view. We stayed in the San Francisco room which had an incredible view from the bedroom window. It also had its own toilet and sink. The bed and linens were very comfortable. At 4 p.m. Dre rings a bell that summons everyone to the roundtable on the grounds for champagne and charcuterie. Then at six he rings it again for dinner. Dre is the chef and Charity provides the table service. For dinner we had tomato bisque, salad with strawberries and almonds, Coc Au Vin Blanc with saffron rice and green beans, and cheesecake for dessert. All of the food was really good. For breakfast we had Dre's homemade quiche with potatoes and toast. There really isn't much, if anything, to do on the island. It was nice to socialize with the other guests but at times I was exhausted. Nothing against them that is just my personality. After breakfast Dre took us out to Walter's workshop and demonstrated the fog horn for us. Just the mechanics of it all was fascinating. Dre and Charity are incredible hosts. Dre will tell you a lot of Dad jokes which are hilarious. Overall we were on the island for 24 hours and it was an incredible experience. Probably a once in a lifetime experience.

If you need to escape the city, the Inn on Tomales Bay is a great option. Less than a hour and half…read morefrom San Francisco, my girlfriend and I took a long weekend in Tomales Bay, and we stayed at the Inn on Tomales Bay. The innkeeper, Bob, greeted us in person when we arrived around 11:30pm; He personally showed us to our room and calmly described how ordering breakfast worked, gave us wifi credentials, and then let us relax. If you're looking for upscale luxury, this is not the place for you. If you're looking for an exceptionally clean, cozy, and well run B&B than look no further. You're staying in a tranquil, untroubled place that persuades you to decompress and clear your mind. Notable Amenities: - WiFi - Feminine products in the bathroom - Novels and light music - Fireplace - Continental breakfast - Binoculars - Hiking backpack - Mini refrigerator What is provided to you promotes relaxation and exploring your surroundings. We spent our mornings in the room eating breakfast, listening to Claude Debussy and watching the mist clear over the bay. We then headed out to go kayaking all day, had oysters and champagne for dinner, then retreated back to the B&B to cozy up in front of the fire. *Note About Breakfast* Breakfast is brought to your room and includes the following: tea, orange juice, and an assortment of breads (blueberry, coffee, pumpkin, poppyseed, etc.) *Note About Your Surroundings* You are near a few restaurants, and a light breakfast is provided, otherwise not much is around. I would suggest bringing some fruits/veggies and other light snacks when you are out during the day.

Stayed there on Saturday night. The place was very clean and Bob was very friendly. The room is…read moreequipped with various types of music CDs, a binocular, a backpack, etc, very thoughtful. The view..oh..the view, it was awesome. We sat in the dark watching the bay in the full moon night. It can't get better than this. The breakfast was great and the conversation with Bob was even better. We'll definitely go back!

I had the pleasure of serving as a planner and coordinator for a wedding at Berkeley city club, and…read moreI couldn't recommend them or their staff more. Nicole, our account manager, was an outstanding guide throughout the entire process. She was present and available for site visits, walked us through what was and wasn't possible on site, and helped us make critical decisions about how the day would flow. Our catering lead, Ariel, was fantastic the entire night and made sure that our bride and groom, as well as all of their lovely guests were well fed, and had delicious drinks. As a UC Berkeley graduate, I have always loved Berkeley City Club. It stands out as a wedding venue because it is a naturally beautiful space where anyone can feel like their luxury and they have unique spaces for weddings of any size. This 46 person celebration fit perfectly into the central courtyard, replete with greenery that made the bride's dress shine, and the drawing room, which created an intimate, fun, flowing atmosphere. I highly recommend Berkeley City Club to anyone looking for a beautiful wedding venue that has unique spaces, great food, and outstanding staff.

THE CITY CLUB BAR…read more John treated me ! Thanks Johnny boy!! I started with a Gin Martini 2 olives & a twist on ice ... Unfortunately the ice wasn't in cubes so the flavor was so watered down that I couldn't taste the gin at all...We then were served some great little warm breads with delicious butter YUM! The split mixed iceburg lettuce salad arrived which was a generous portion & well dressed with some notes of tarragon ..nice! John ordered the braised short rib & he subbed out the mashed potato/roquefort for the fried potato disks that came with the rib eye. Good spuds! My beef bourguignon had wonderful toothsome wide egg noodles but weirdly, chunks of green pepper & undercooked pearl onions? The beefy gravy was perfect on the pasta BUT the beef's texture was terrible.. mushy without a smidgen of bite! YUCK! When John had me taste his beef the resuts were much the same... too soft & textureless.. then the opposite...the pretty split carrot halves were too hard & undercooked on his plate to bring out their sweetness....I assume these 2 long cooked meats styles had been sitting for god knows how long I left most of the dinner to take home & see if I could repair the dish... (I'll probably eat the noodles and use the beef in a taco?). so my suggestion is to order the rack of lamb (if I return....which John had had & recommended) & stay away from long cooked items (except beans)

Ok we reserved this place after looking at Yelp and Reddit and I don't think there could possibly…read morebe a better place. They serve breakfast at your door and it's too notch. They also have some suites with jacuzzis and the woman at the front desk is amazing. Please pick here this is a luxury hotel for regular prices. This is it!

Everything from check in! Professional but welcoming. The…read moreaccommodations were excellent, everything we needed. The location was was great-walking distance to downtown

My wife and I recently stayed the Dancing Coyote Beach Cottages and although we generally enjoyed…read moreour vacation, it was substantially marred by the infestation of mosquitos in our room. We diligently kept the windows and doors closed during our stay, but we woke up the next morning with at least 20 bites between the two of us. The buzzing in our ears woke us up too. Suffice to say, we did not stay the additional night and left early. I highly recommend the owners take steps to eliminate this problem. I cannot recommend this place to friends and co-workers.

A really lovely and charming hide away. The cottages are rustic and cozy, just steps from a…read morepeaceful little bay. Not far from sites and instead of TV, board games, a fireplace, deck, sitting area and tranquility. Highly recommended!

In two words : "Simply Amazing". This was my second time at this Couch & No-Breakfast and it keeps…read moregetting better and better. The hostess, the lovely miss Dle, will take care of you like no other. Cooking entertainments, visit by car in Berkeley and many more. Additionnaly, you are guaranteed to never sleep in the same couch between the different visits. A luxury offered by nobody else. Unfortunately rumours have it that Miss Dle will close her Berkeley location. But hopefully she will export her original Couch & No-Breakfast concept elsewhere in the world. No matter where she goes, I can't wait to try her next couches!! Thousand thanks miss Dle. You'll be missed by the whole California =).

Cozy, quiet, comfortable, and right in the heart of Benicia. Room rates are also reasonable.read more

Booked a place to stay last minute. Generally I don't care for Bed n Breakfast Inns but choices…read morewere limited. This place was awesome!!! Right at the water, old but everything was spotless! Didn't have that old crinkly smell. Every where you looked there was a timeless treasures. The owners were very kind and accommodating,. Bedding soft and cozy. Breakfast had many delicious options. Walk to everything. Great location. Would love to stay here again sometime!

This place is a must visit. The food was delicious, the grounds are amazing and the staff are…read moregreat!! Try it, I can't wait to go back!!

Mother's Day brunch: The menu was very small, ran out of multiple items, and, again, it was very…read moresmall; service was all over the place. They comped the meal, and we didn't ask for it; we only wanted to split the check, which was a policy that was never discussed, but their system could do it. So they decided to comp the check, given the many issues. Then the manager calls me after we leave, leaves a message, and says, very passively aggressive, "We comped your meal, but you did not leave the server a tip." Servers live off tips. But don't worry, we took care of her tip. Have a good day." Umm, excuse me? I was a server for over 7 years. First of all, I wouldn't expect a tip after the establishment that failed me by not ensuring they had adequate kitchen supplies to keep a Mother's Day up and running. Additionally, I would have added more staff to the day, which would of course be very busy. And lastly, how are we tipped when you comped the bill and walked away, and nobody had cash? We did not ask for the bill to be comped. So for future reference, dear John I don't recommend calling your customers and bullying them over voicemail. You're the problem, not us.

FRAUD ALERT…read more Boyfriend & I came here on January 31st. We got massages which we paid the gratuity for that very day since we were charged right away. As of yesterday 2/27 I've been charged $86 by "The Inn on First" which I noticed immediately as either a mistake or fraud. I called them & front desk receptionist seemed very confused & even apologetic because of the fact I was there one month ago & not yesterday! I told her I would like to be refunded & she of course had to get the owner involved, understandably. The owner, Celia, calls me & already had a defensive rude tone to her voice which was confusing because of the situation. She claims that I had not been charged for the gratuity from the massages & that they had just now caught it & were charging me now. I told her that I know for a fact we had already paid for the gratuity based on the amount charged to my card which was the total cost of the massages including the gratuity. She argued stating my numbers were not accurate & that they again will be keeping my $86. I told her this is fraud & she knows it. & I will be putting a review on Yelp regarding this. She then changed up & said if I have an issue with the gratuity charge that I'll have to take it up with the massage employees as if they were a separate entity- which they may be but again, my credit card statement shows that it's "The Inn On First" that is charging me this $86 I responded to Celia by reminding her that this is HER BUSINESS & that she should be the one to resolve this! She responded by basically stating it's not her problem. Absolute fraud! We were intending on coming back and to this place soon but they lost our business & I'll be disputing this charge with my credit card company. CELIA YOU NEED BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE PEOPLE SKILLS. Interestingly enough this apparently happens to people every so often here which leads me to believe we were targeted by her!

My wife and I stayed here last minute on a recent weekend. The place was great. We stayed in the…read moremain house. They couldn't have been nicer or more welcoming. We got champagne at check in along with fantastic cookies. The room was well appointed with a fireplace and private hot tub in room. The shower too was spacious, clean, and powerful. Overall the place checked all the boxes and then some. The breakfast was over and above our expectations. Fresh fruit and a delicious homemade muffin to start. Cold juices and hot coffee. Yogurt and granola. All before the menu comes out with a custom made hot breakfast. My wife got avocado toast and I got an omelette. Both came with house made potatoes and mine had an option for a variety of toasts to choose from. All delicious and a great way to start the day. Really grateful to have found this place and already thinking about when we could go back. Also, perhaps most important, it's walkable to just about everything downtown, including the oxbow market and all the restaurants and shops in between, of which there are many.

Funny how the owner David left this comment responding to my review when he wasn't there and all of…read moretheir trash cans were full from the previous party. So we proceeded to ask the lady who he left in charge who pretty much knew NOTHING and she told us to just leave it out there and she would take care of it so WE DID and that resulted in them taking our deposit. Sounds like a scam from the business to me. Employee tells you one thing, owners tell you another. Please people don't even bother getting scammed and I'm sure if I left the place in a mess, he would've taken photos. We cleaned up everything and even swept the place. These people are full of it, don't waste your time. Also took him a year to respond, never responded to any of the emails or calls. Scam likely , bravo!

I have hosted several events at this location (an event for my business, a clothing swap, a class),…read moreand attended many more events and parties since the space opened in February. As a host, the space is reasonably priced, clean, well-lit, conveniently located, and most importantly - completely wheelchair accessible. There are very few venues in the East Bay where the entire space is accessible. In this case, this includes the mezzanine (there is a lift), and there are 2 accessible bathrooms (of the 6 total bathrooms). I have also found that the space has adequate tables and chairs, as well as a small stage, a projector, and sound system, so I don't have the added expense of renting those things. I wish it had a kitchen (it has a fridge), but other than that, this space is awesome for lots of types of events! I already have another event booked there in November.