We have stayed here several times over the years. What a wonderful spot. We have used the recipe…read morefor popovers we got there so many times. The rooms are fascinating and eclectic but very comfortable. This is a much better alternative than staying in a hotel

Me and my girlfriend spent a weekend there and the family was out of town, at Disneyland actually,…read moreand in the meantime it was run by some snobby guy with an attitude. Food was so-so, indoor hot tub didn't work properly and was running most of the night. Overall, it wasn't a good experience for the hefty price tag we payed. Update: The owner of Avalon, Hilary, has contacted me a couple of days ago, expressing sincere concern about our disappointing stay at her B&B back in April 2007. It is a good sign that she is taking reviews and opinions about her business serious, as every competent business owner should. I attribute the somewhat mediocre experience to her absence and I am sure that our experience would have been different if the family would not have been out of town during our visit. I have to echo the two other posters in regards to the rooms and surroundings of the Avalon Bed & Breakfast. The room we stayed in was in impeccable condition, the picturesque surroundings and tranquility we got to enjoy on the patio were perfect, except for the above mentioned problems. That's the sole reason I can't give it 5 stars. However, Hilary has since offered us a free night at her establishment, which is a nice way of trying to remedy our experience. It shows she truly does care about her guests and patrons and we might take her up on her offer.

I recently went on a small getaway with my boys (12 and 15) and they were not in the best mood…read morebecause they thought they would get bored. That completely changed upon leaving and the comment they both made as were driving away was "that was fun Mom!". Our cottage was very cute, extremely clean and there was even a record player and lots of vinyl to listen to (and listen I did!!). The general smell of fresh, crisp air was intoxicating in itself, but waking up to the aroma of freshly baked bread and pastries was mouth-watering. And the taste, texture, and variety did not disappoint either. The night before we enjoyed live music, a few games of Uno, some wonderful freshly baked pizzas, and to top it all off a slice of chocolate raspberry cake (all made by our wonderful host Mark). The next morning started with rain, so we took advantage by opening up a puzzle from the countless games in the community area and dug in. Once the rain stopped, the sun peeked out and we took a little walk to a nearby waterfall, enjoying the cool, green silence while investigating different vegetation and minerals as we walked. That evening we sat around in the community area enjoying more freshly baked goodies and other guests. The last morning, Mark and his small son were kind enough to wrestle some energy out of my boys and beat them over the head with pillows and cushions, while I laughed hysterically from my safe little corner. I barely looked at my phone for 2 days straight. How wonderful! And.... my hair and skin was amazingly soft after washing with the mountain water coming out of our tap. And how could I forget about the fairy ring of redwood trees (group of trees growing in a circle around the stump of an old growth tree, this is how they regenerate) right next to the grove. The oldest standing tree was 1,200 years old, meaning that the center "mama" tree that used to be there was probably two or three times older and BIGGER than the already standing behemoths. Mark made it feel like home away from home for us and my boys asked me if we could go back soon, probably to continue the wrestling match. I just want more fresh onion focaccia! And brownies. And cookies. And walnut tartes. And......

5 stars and more!!!!…read more We spent one night at Elim Grove Cottages this fall and had the most wonderful time. The first night we arrived, Mark was there to welcome us with one of his kids and invited us to join him for a campfire out in their backyard. It felt like we were family. After a long drive, it was really nice to receive a cold beer and a warm welcome like that. Our cottage was cozy and really inviting. The highlight for us was definitely the outdoor area. There are fruit and vegetable gardens, an outdoor fire pit and little outdoor spaces where one can read and just be. You can see that the owner has put a lot of love in this place. We were mostly left on our own and it was really nice exploring the area. There's a creek right next to the property and little trails that you can take if you so wish. And sky-high redwood trees everywhere! Breakfast was a treat of freshly-baked items that Mark himself made, and it's amazing. And we learned later on that Mark has won several awards for his bakery. It was a real treat meeting Mark and his kids in person, he has such a giving spirit that just inspires you tremendously. I was personally really moved by his story and his life motivation. It's not often that you meet someone with so much clarity in his life purpose, and it was really inspiring to meet someone like Mark. Even though we found this place after reading several reviews, we were still very much surprised by our time here. The cottages and owner truly surpassed everything we expected out of a typical B&B, and we can't wait to return soon. Highly recommended for those who just want to get away from it all. And for those who are doing the coastal drive along Northern California, make a little detour and stay at this place. You'll thank me for this.

We visited this lovely restaurant/hotel for dinner on a cold Sunday night in November…read more They have a lot of weddings, as it had a large hall with bright lights and folding chairs/tables. Not inviting so we sat at a high boy in the darkened bar, which was much nicer. I'm sure it's beautiful to sit on the balcony in the summer on warm nights. We chatted with the German owner who was doubling as a bartender, who was very nice. We loved the German influences in the bar, as we had just been to Oktoberfest in Munich. The owner's daughter Sarah runs the kitchen. My husband had a pork tenderloin schnitzel "Vienna style" ($20) and I had a jaegerschnizel with mushroom gravy ($20) and both were excellent. We split the potato pancakes (two with sour cream and apple sauce, $12) which were served crispy but tasty. They had a nice German beer and wine list. We finished with a delicious apple strudel to complete a lovely meal. I recommend this restaurant for tasty dinners in a unique venue.

We very much enjoyed our stay at the Highland Dell Lodge along the Russian river. It was just…read morebefore the season starts, and we were the only one in the building, kinda nice to have it all to ourselves! The staff was very friendly and helpful and while we knew there would be a breakfast, we had no idea it would be so extensive and wonderful. Beautifully positioned along the Russian river with views of the beach and the bridge this place harkens back to the hay day years of the Russian River and a whole history worth examining. I will look forward to staying here again in the future!

What a wonderful stay. I and my friends recommend Bella Luna for a lovely stay in Healdsburg. Thank…read moreyou to the thorough and professional owners.

Loved our stay at this charming inn, which is walking distance to downtown Healdsburg! Daniel is a…read morevery welcoming host who made many suggestions for dinner, and even hooked me up with an ice pack for my sore knee! Our very spacious room, named Amber, was immaculate and the owners thought of everything from having plenty of towel racks, a wall mounted blow dryer, conveniently located charging outlets, toilet separate from vanity area, well placed nightlights, pool towels, comfy beds & linens (Slept like a baby!) as well as the beautiful landscape surrounding the inviting pool! Also liked all of the decor including the Hawaiian shirt prints and decorative sunflower & waterlily art tiles in our room! Also, have to mention the eggs Benedict at the Costeaux French Bakery!! So delicious!! Best breakfast!! Yum!! We will definitely come back and stay longer next time to explore the downtown shops and restaurants or just relax and hang out at the gorgeous grounds of the Bella Luna! Thank you Daniel for our amazing stay at Bella Luna Inn!!

Loved our stay at The Inn at Occidental conveniently located in the heart of Sonoma County. The inn…read morehas close to the beauty of the Sonoma coast, the majestic redwoods, the lively Russian River, and bountiful vineyards, wineries, and farms of West Sonoma County. It is dog friendly and so welcoming. The Inn hosts a fabulous Wine Bar and beautiful breakfast, lovely views, and large rooms. It is also the perfect stay located at the center of Occidental's charming town. The rooms are themed with verandas with lovely views of the town and forest views. The rooms are spacious, welcoming, and comfortable. We enjoyed the cozy fireplace seating area, the lovely veranda, and charming atmosphere of the main entrance, balcony, cozy robes, and a large bath jacuzzi. The breakfast was exceptional. We enjoyed the large breakfast buffet with hot dishes upon order (all included). See you again!

What a peaceful cozy place. We spent a night here for my husband's birthday and loved it a lot…read more Staff is very friendly and nice... Evening wine hour with live music was such a treat. Location is perfect too, just a half min walk from really good restaurants. Rooms were clean and tidy.

I guess this place doesn't have a "high ratio of returning guests" anymore…read more.. Well maintained as they thought it was, it did not meet the standards expected in order to keep their doors open. In the competitive business of hospitality, they should have strived to be more than mediocre and pretentious.

No recent reviews - This business may be closed. If they 'went under', no sympathy from me. They…read morehiked the rates without doing any improvements at all (and the place really needed some TLC), and they were completely inflexible in accommodating a large group that would have booked the entire place mid week off- season.

For starters, this place is rather difficult to find. The turnoff sign is quite inconspicuous . We…read morecame for the farm tour and cheese tasting and I left feeling underwhelmed but optimistic better days were to come. Patty, the tour guide spoke about the history and her Peruvian partner's substantial impact on the business. She led us down the road to see the chickens, pigs, and goats and encouraged us to peek through the window of the factory, though it was close to the public because it had to stay sanitized. Not as educational as I had hoped Despite being an unusually warm day Patty insisted we do the cheese tasting outside. We tried 5 different types, and oddly I preferred the cows milk cheese despite her specialty being goats milk. I also wasn't enthused about having the tasting on an unstable picnic table surrounded by an endless number of flies we struggled to fight off, and the cheese was steadily melting. Not what I pictured for a cheese tasting. With some additional resources this place could be spectacular.

Patty, the owner, cheated me out of $200 for renting her my goats to eat her pasture. She only…read morechecked prices after the fact and decided to decrease her costs (with a witness) without even asking me. Then she wouldn't pay me and blackmailed me to sign a false receipt! She then rented my goats to another person without informing them of the cost. She thereby involved an innocent party in her scheme, again without asking me if moving my goats to another party's land was OK with me. My goats are my babies. I need to know where they are at all times. She claimed, after the fact, that I should have been driving a fair distance every other day to check on them. This was not part of our original deal. Besides, Patty OWNS A GOAT FARM AND SHOULD KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF GOATS! Patty advertises herself as a goat farmer, but she doesn't even have any of her own goats! This woman and her farm are a run-down fake. Patty is quite elderly and suffers from severe memory loss. She is not even able to walk into her pastures due to physical issues. Don't go there. You will be disappointed in the lack of authenticity. This goat farm is a definite has-been and suffers from deferred maintenance, an owner who can't remember anything, and junk strewn everywhere.

If you are looking for a one of a kind trip to wine country..then this is where you need to…read morestart... Pearlessence Bed & Breakfast is more than anything you'd expect from your regular run of the mill inns. It is absolutely divine...the perfect place to experience wine country and relaxation.... Finding the place after the sun had set proved to be a bit tricky..it is out there people..way out there...where streetlights don't go. We were a little nervous about being so far out in the country at first...but as soon as we pulled up the long drive to the wide open space in back, we were instantly relieved by the beauty and the peacefulness of it all. We parked...right next to a vineyard. The air was crisp and clean and fresh, and I could not take my eyes off of the blanket of stars above. It had been too long since I had seen a sky like that... Linda and Greg met us outside with big, warm, welcoming smiles. They showed us around the room...all of the hidden treasures. OK...let me tell you about the room. It's pretty brand new. There is only one room with a king size bed and a pull out sofa. The bed is heated. That's right. It has a little dial on both sides to heat the bed. The beautiful slate floors...are heated. Not a typo. They are heated!! There is a beautiful gas fireplace controlled by a remote...a rainfall shower for two...I mean. I could go on and on. This place is where it's at you guys. seriously. Really romantic. Out the window...you can view a Field of grapevines in the morning while you pick up a basket filled with local apple juice, pastries, salmon, french press coffee..you name it...it's in there. For further amenities and pictures, please check out their website: http://www.pearlessenceinn.com/amenities.html Another great thing about staying here isn't just about the amenities...it's about the people. I cannot tell you how much we adored Greg and Linda. They are incredibly welcoming, full of great information concerning wine, the area, etc. And...they totally respect your privacy. You don't have to worry about constantly running in to them, or feeling uncomfortable around them...they know how long to stay..and they know when to leave. In fact, we enjoyed their company so much, we wished we would have spent more time with them. I really liked the location of the place. You could, in three days, see a lot of Napa, Sonoma, and my personal favorite Russian River/Dry Creek Valley. Honestly, for the money, the location, and the beautiful views, I can't imagine anyone would go anywhere else. We will be back...often.

I chose Pearlessance River Inn as our B&B while planning my tour de pour through Sonoma County…read more We've done wine country every other year so we wanted to flavor Sonoma's beer offerings as supposed to Napa's wines. Lagunitas, Russian River and Bear Republic were all the must hit breweries on our trip. I called Linda a few weeks in advance and got us a two nighter. I mapped everything out in advance and Sebastopol was a great location in between the breweries. Linda was professional and very accommodating as she suggested other local microbreweries that we can try. When we drove through Sebastopol, we noticed tons of vintage shops. My wife was in heaven! I'm there for the booze and apparently she's there for the old knick knacks! Whatever makes her happy right? Anyhoo, we arrived at Pearlessance around 6:00 p.m. and was immediately captivated by the colors of the leaves from the vines. Who knew that a B&B was tucked in the middle of an actual vineyard right? Greg greeted us and gave us a tour of the property. Before he left us alone, he asked what time we would like breakfast. We told him around 10 the next morning. At exactly 10 the next morning, we woke up to a light knock on our door with breakfast piping hot on our porch. We had a blast touring all of the breweries and buying vintage crap! We bought so much that we couldn't fit all of it in our lil Prius on our way home. Growlers of craft beer is definitely a priority to bring back to the Bay Area. We asked Greg if could leave this big wooden mirror that we bought until a later weekend and he was so gracious enough to keep it there for us. We came back as promised and Greg even helped us strapped the big wooden mirror onto the roof of our SUV. We had a wonderful experience at Pearlessance River Inn from the beginning to the end! We've stayed at a lot of B&Bs in the past and this is our favorite by a long mile. The single room makes it so intimate. I don't necessary enjoy waking up and eating breakfast with 10 other couples like it's a dining hall. Breakfast is brought to your room and hell, you could even eat breakfast naked if you wanted too! Don't hesitate! If you're reading this, don't waste your time looking at other places.

What an awesome place to stay at in this cute little town. We had an excellent stay! The…read morehospitality is really off the charts here. Heidi was very friendly and accommodating upon our arrival. We ran into Marco at dinner and he was also very personable, even remembered we spoke on the phone. Chef Crista was also too kind, we asked for a later check out to explore the Redwoods one last time and she didn't hesitate to let us stay a little longer. We will definitely be back to this oasis in the hills. Only 4 minutes away from a beautiful forest and 30 to Jenner. You really can't go wrong here! Such good vibes. The room was very spacious and they have quality toiletries. The simple breakfast that they provide also gives you the fuel to start your day! Unfortunately, I didn't request and spa services so that will have to be next time. And finally an adults only hotel where you are actually treated like an adult with the honor bar and 24 hour pool/spa. Plus furry friend friendly!

We had an amazing stay at Boon! Marco and Peter were so hospitable and treated us extremely well…read more This is our second time here and both times Marco made sure we were taken care of. He's the best! He needs a raise! I've stayed at several other resorts here but this is by far my favorite. The property is well maintained, super relaxing and grounding. They have bikes to take into town which are also well maintained. Rooms are really cute and the place is dog friendly. The pool has a chill ambiance with a curated playlist. Their honor bar is a really nice touch as well. Highly recommend this place!

First off a nice friendly greet by Mia. She was very informative and just plain nice. I would…read morehave given this place a 5, except we had to go upstairs, which was hard for my husband. Plus carry luggage. Also a Hugh tub that you could hardly step over the rim to get into. Found out they have other rooms, no stairs and walk in showers (next time). The room was quite lovely and we both slept soundly. Bathroom was fine except the tub situation. Homemade cookies and wine in the afternoon. The breakfast was fantastic. Good coffee, plus my raw sugar, tea, yogurt with nuts and berries. Also homemade strawberry muffins. We had a panini with ham, cheese and egg on a delicious toasted bread, cantaloupe slices and potatoes. You can walk to so many restaurants and shops. They also are affiliated with some tasting rooms, so you get two for one tasting.

We loved our experience. The rooms are spacious. The bathrooms are modern. The breakfast is good…read moreand we liked the communal feeling. The cookies in the early evening are chefs kiss!