My guest stay at Animal Place was so calm and relaxing! It was great to feed and play with the…read moreanimals. They have all kinds- pigs, chickens, cows, bunnies, goats, donkeys, and sheep! They're so sweet- make sure to give the pigs some belly scratches! My room was very cozy and warm despite the fact that we went in December. I also loved that the coordinators cooked us a home-made meal- lentil cauliflower tacos with cashew cream. Yum. The beds were also comfy and easy to sleep in. It was such a nice getaway from the hustle and bustle of urban life (I live in Oakland), so if you're craving to go out in nature and "get away from it all"- Animal Place is the place for you.

Staying at Animal Place's Guest House and getting to meet the animals and the staff was literally…read moreone of most amazing and educational experiences of my 50+ years of life. We went in December 2016 with friends and couldn't wait to come back again so did a second visit in March 2017. The guest house itself is newly remodeled, beautifully appointed, and a great headquarters for exploring the sanctuary and the surrounding area. A staff person is assigned to take care of you while you're at the house and prepares a bountiful breakfast of bagels, fruit, and cereal. She also makes sure everything goes smoothly during your stay and is an awesome host. There are three bedrooms, two of which have bunk beds so you can bring a big group if you want. You can just reserve a couple of beds and share a room with other guests, or you can reserve the entire room or even the entire guesthouse. They are not always full, so chances are even if you just reserve a couple of beds, you may have the room to your self anyway. The staff are all very passionate about the work they do for the animals, and we loved being able to support the mission of the sanctuary by staying here rather than paying for some random AirBnB. Of course the biggest reason to stay here is easy access to the animals. On weekends you'll get a private tour included with your stay, and that included getting up close with the goats, pigs, chickens, turkeys, rabbits, sheep, and cows. And you're not just meeting any old animals--you're meeting survivors who will inspire you. We brought two teenagers who loved the tour but you could easily bring younger kids. We can't wait to go back and can't recommend this experience enough! #Life-changing!

I highly recommend this house! It is very clean, cozy, the house has everything! all equipment is…read morenew. I am very pleased. It's cozy and comfortable here. I will definitely come back to you Thank you.

We recently stayed there for three days and two nights. These are wonderful accommodations with…read morewonderful amenities. Everything was picture perfect, and our hosts were extremely friendly and helpful. And, not only do they allow dogs, but they can even provide a dog walker if you want one. Couldn't have imagined a nicer place to spend a weekend. It greatly exceeded my expectations. We definitely plan to return again.

Vaquera ranch was so delightful. There were so many horses, goats, and sheep that lined the fields…read moreand the rooms were just so charming and thoughtfully put together with a delightful horse theme. The kids had a great time feeding and petting the animals and riding the horses. It was such a peaceful getaway and Pam the host was so charming and helpful. The nearby towns of Penn Valley and Nevada city were higher end then a lot of the other western towns I had been to around California and had some great dining options. We were able to visit the mining museum and stop over in Tahoe to see some snow for the kids. The estate also had a great hot tub and we were able to bbq steaks at night and there was plenty of outdoor space for dining. We had a great restful time and it was a great weekend getaway. Pam even made us home made breakfast and dinner which was also delightful! Highly recommend!

(VRBO is a pain the &$%#, book through her site or direct contact)…read more I booked a weekend at Vaquera Ranch, I'll never forget it. I searched and searched for the perfect place and this was it. I was traveling with family and friends, including two energetic 7 year old girls who are nuts for animals (with the attention span of a gnat). Pam's place is majestic, a quick hour to skiing, hiking, etc. At first we felt we were MILES into the sticks but once we got our bearings it was a very quick 10-minute drive out to the store. We didn't cook much but if we had to there were pots and pans, a nice-sized cuisinart hot plate (everything there is top of the line!!), a Kuerig coffee pot with biodegradable pods (which we appreciated). The wine fridge was enough to keep some groceries if you wanted. And by groceries, I stored beer in there. The kids loved movie night on the big screen TV, doing crafts around the beautiful kitchen table, and of course going down to see the horses. The large tub, we couldnt get them out of it...which was absolutely perfect, they were filthy at the end of each day! We enjoyed the massive show the sky gave us come night time! Stars galore! Pam was over the top generous with her time. Memories of the ranch and the space Pam has created for her furry, four-legged family will live warmly in our hearts until we return.

We just had the most wonderful stay at Lamb's Victorian Inn. We only stayed for one night -- just…read morea quick overnight getaway. Janet is absolutely the perfect hostess. The reservation process was easy, and she made sure we had everything we needed when we arrived. We found a list of local restaurants on the dining table, which was very helpful. (Tip: If you're going downtown for dinner, don't drive -- it's a nice walk from the inn, plus it's hard to find parking downtown.) The inn is in a quiet area, and we slept quite well in Lola's room. In the morning, the breakfast Janet made was incredible! Egg and cheese croissant sandwiches with fresh basil, thick sliced bacon, fresh fruit, juice, and coffee. One of the best meals I've ever had! The grounds are lovely. There is a pool and a hot tub, and plenty of places to sit and relax outdoors. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay, so much that I wish we could have stayed longer! We definitely will next time. :)

I tried calling on two separate days last week to find out about their availability and prices!…read more Both times I had left messages, and never received a call back!

We booked this directly after reading through a Grass Valley travel website. I was a little leary…read morebecause a few reviews weren't great, but I called anyway because the price was right & they had availability. Barbara answered the phone and she was so pleasant and helpful, I knew it wasn't a mistake. Peter greeted us upon our arrival. He was just too sweet! Walked us around, gave us our key, etc. He told us about the various areas of interest and we had a great conversation about where they moved from. I was sorry to not meet Barbara, she was visiting family. The house is darling, lots of antiques and nick-nacks, cabinets full of crystal and old teacups & China, lots of family pictures. It was like walking through my great-grandmother's house. We stayed in the Brunswick room, overlooking the backyard. Quiet & peaceful, like we stepped back in time when things were simple. I was pleased that there was no TV (they do have WiFi, don't panic). Overall, it was a great stay and I hope to visit again.

Had a lovely time at Elam Biggs B and B in Grass Valley. Just stumbled across this B and B on…read moreGoogle. Our room was first rate and decorated to perfection. The breakfast was top notch and did I mention the cookies? Barbara has been making these blue ribbon (the blue ribbon is next to the cookie jar) sugar cookies for over 20 years. I knew they were good just by looking at the cookie jar. We even bought 3 dozen to take home. At $.50 per cookie it would have been a deal at twice the price. Check out Elam Biggs. Have a cookie on me.

We had a surprise retirement party to attend, youngest son's for 25 years of service, held at Beach…read moreHut Deli, and had driven down from our home in Cold Springs, Nevada. We arrived before check in time and Andrea greeted us with a smile and offered to check us in early. I told her I have sleeping issues and could we be placed in a quiet area with a room. She said she knew the building with rooms 163-170. When we got to the room it was nice and warm, (a problem that we had at The Pines, a small space heater only because the wall unit wasn't working and no maintenance on the property.) We're old and there's good lighting for night time on the exterior. I left the party at 9 PM and stopped by the office for an extra blanket. The two women working were friendly and helpful. The bathroom had a new shower, glass doors and a rain shower head. I always bring my grey slippers for travel. The carpet was very clean and I was so pleased because I'm not used to that. I told my hubby, this is where we are staying in the future when we drive down to see the family.

One of the worst hotel experiences I have had. For about $200 a night I got a stained bed, stained…read morecouches, and dead bugs on the windowsill. At one point in the night our toilet stopped working and the front desk said "You can come get the plunger I am busy". Not to mention the non smoking room wreaked of cigarettes and when the AC was turned on it smelled like fish. This ruined Best Western for me for life. On top of it all they would not let us move rooms and management wouldn't respond to help make the issue right. An over $400 stay that wasn't worth $100. Stay away.

We worked with Briana + Nick of Casa Bella Verde when we photographed a wedding there in September…read more These two wonderful people could not be more hospitable and accommodating, and are a real delight to spend time with. The gorgeous design and attention to detail with the structures design and both interior and exterior design, are breathtaking. The infinity pool with stunning views is like we have never seen before, and the sunset over the valley as seen from the front of the home, is magnificent. We highly recommend staying with them or hosting your event at their beautiful home.

To simply describe our stay at Casa Bella Verde, IT WAS MAGICAL. We live in San Francisco so having…read morethe luxury of just gazing out into the middle of nowhere with complete silence doesn't exist. Our son was turning one month and that is exactly what we were looking for, a couple of days away from the busy city life. We didn't want noises of cars driving by, people roaming the streets and having conversations outside of your bedroom window. I came across this place while surfing airbnb and we couldn't have been any happier that we found it. Briana was a great host! She gave me a call within a few hours of me booking the place online. She advised me that it would be smart to have all of my grocery shopping done prior to arriving at Casa Bella Verde as there are no stores in the immediate area and she also advised me of the unpaved road that is leading up to the house when you turn off the main road. Having the knowledge of these things was very helpful. The "guest house" that you stay in has everything that you might need to have a weekend (or even longer) of relaxation. The guest house is very modern with the amenities one might need and not need. We were particularly fans of the jacuzzi hot tub which is big enough to fit 4 adults. We enjoyed having our morning coffee on the deck which has some amazing views. As a host, we couldn't have asked for a better one. When we got there she did a walk through with us to explain to us on how all of the gadgets work (everything is very high tech.) The fridge was stocked with eggs, some english muffins, and orange juice. As we were making dinner we realized we forgot olive oil and balsamic, I had asked Briana is she by chance had any and without a doubt she did. Within a couple of minutes of me asking I was able to walk over to the main house and there was what we had asked for on the kitchen counter. Thank you for everything Briana and I look forward to seeing you again in the near future.