The Plum Blossoms were so pretty! The air was so fresh, and the town was so quaint. It seems like a…read morereally peaceful way of life around the town. Cute, quaint, quiet, cozy. This little guest house was just perfect for our 1 night stay in the Russian River Valley. The home had everything we needed- couch, tv/movies, kitchen, comfy bed and an additional sofa bed, cuteness throughout, great patio with a chiminea to keep you warm, and was nestled in a little country town in the woods of Monte Rio. You can walk to the river which is down the road, and you can rent kayaks for the day as well. Cecile, the owner, lives on the property, but this was still very private. She let us stay until 3:30pm on our day of "check-out". We walked a block to dinner at Cafe les Jumelles (see my review), but when the weather is good you should bring groceries and cook a meal at home, and eat under the stars outside. I also highly recommend breakfast or lunch at a wonderful restaurant down the road a bit called the Garden Grill. http://www.yelp.com/biz/garden-grill-guerneville#hrid:dVw0Lds83zFX0cuHvp9pEA I highly recommend staying here for a great get-away. This garden cottage can be found on sf bay area craigslist, under vacation rentals/Russian River. To contact the owner for rates and booking email Cecile: cecilekuz@gmail.com

I must admit that I was a little bit nervous when reserving this place through Craigslist, but I…read morecouldn't have better things to say! The cottage itself is adorable, clean, and includes all the essentials (towels, dishes, kitchen, clean linens, etc.) The patio in between the rooms is really cute and feels secluded. Cecile, the owner, has a house on the front of the property, and she couldn't have been nicer about answering our questions about Monte Rio and the other nearby Russian River towns. We probably wouldn't have even seen her if we had not gone out of our way. Monte Rio is cute, quaint, walkable little town. That said, it has plenty of food/resturants and a crazy little local dive bar and movie theatre right nearby. Guerneville (the main little town in Russian River) is also only about 4 miles away and includes more options (a small brewery, sporting options, Armstrong Redwoods, a bookstore, lots of restaurants, etc.) The entire area is a great escape from the city and is only about 1 1/2 hours away! And I would definitely recommend the Garden Cottage Duo over a nearby hotel or inn.

Amazing homemade German food!…read more We tried this restaurant on a recommendation while visiting the area, and we were absolutely delighted by both the food and the service. We ordered the bratwurst, red cabbage salad, German potato salad, potato pancakes, spätzle, and Jägerschnitzel. Every single dish was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. It was honestly hard to pick a favorite because everything was so delicious, but if I had to choose, the Jägerschnitzel absolutely stole the show! For dessert, we had the freshly baked apple strudel, and it was the perfect ending to an incredible meal. You could taste how fresh everything was--from the flaky, buttery pastry to the warm apples and even the homemade whipped cream. It was absolutely delicious. This is a great spot whether you're dining as a couple or with a larger group. If you're planning to come with more than five people, I'd recommend calling ahead to see if they can accommodate your party with a reservation. We'll definitely be back the next time we're in Guerneville!

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 had a wonderful stay at the Inn on the Russian River! We were a large family group of 12 people…read morestaying in five different rooms, and the property was a great fit for our group. The property has direct access to the river, including a small dock where you can fish, which was a highlight for our family. There's also a lovely fire pit area, and the s'mores kits were such a fun touch for the kids. We also appreciated the complimentary coffee in the morning. The large grassy area was perfect for the kids to run around and play, and there are plenty of games available as well, including board games and Jenga. These little touches made it easy for the kids to stay entertained and enjoy the property. The rooms are on the smaller side, but having a mini refrigerator in each room was incredibly helpful when traveling with kids, especially with a larger family group. The owners were exceptionally nice, welcoming, and helpful throughout our stay. It's clear that they take a lot of pride in the property and genuinely care about creating a great experience for their guests. Overall, we really enjoyed our stay and would happily come back. It's a charming, family-friendly spot with thoughtful amenities and a beautiful setting right on the Russian River. It was especially nice having a place where our entire family could stay together and enjoy the property.

5 star stay all th way. We came out with family for the week and had plans to go to the beach and…read moresee other parts of the river but it was pointless. For us this place had it all. Downtown was a short walk (groceries, pizza, sandwiches, anything you need) and on the property there were kitchen spaces for us to hang out with plenty to do on the property. Rooms #11 & 12 were amazing. 11 is the larger room and larger bathroom with 2 full beds. 12 has a pullout sofa and full bed. Easily sleeps 2 couples in each room or mom and dad and 2 kids, but that's not what you're there for. Outside (if you take both spaces) is a large outdoor deck divided in half by a wall but connected so you can get from one room to the other. It has a shared yard beyond that. The landscaping is amazing. The property is on the river with tons of space to chill in the water. They have a deck for the facility and everyone can use it. It's shared so be prepared to be with other people but it is a place that seems to attract a good crowd. Everyone who we ran into there was nice. Another thing on the property they was cool was coffee, fresh ice cold filtered water, popcorn, and the front desk made the kids cotton candy daily. There is an ice machine there as well so you can roast in the sun and drink ice cold filtered water till you pop. That part of the place is in the outdoor kitchen which is community and has board games and seating for everyone. Outside the kitchen is bathrooms and seating areas. 2 fireplaces for s'mores and I believe a bbq pit (I can't remember we have a travel size Traegar they let us use) as well. If I were to get married or have a party it would 1000% be here. I think there is 12 rooms and I'd rent the whole spot for it without even thinking twice. Maybe bring extra help to keep the party rolling but this place legit is perfect for it. They also have like a VIP outdoor seating area we didn't end up getting but has a TV and some "roped off" area to hang out at that is an amazing setup. I can keep going but we loved this place. Even upon arrival our room had spiders have babies in the room (happens yall it's on the river and def outdoorsy) and my wife felt awkward asking because we didn't want to sound like the complaining people but we asked for a vacuum to get them out. The lady actually came in the room and helped us. 5 star stay. 5 star people, oh and being a licensed contractor and getting along with people who work, the people who kept the grounds were cool too. Super nice to our kids, and when you see the landscape, you can tell they are good at their job. Can't say enough good stuff. We will be back.

Watch out! stay away from this place if you plan to visit Russian River…read more We had the 'pleasure' to pay $400 per night for the worst accommodations ever, worst than the cheapest motel you can think of. filthy, extremely poor maintenance, a single (horrible) bathroom with a shower that can not fit even a thin person and a broken toilet seat!!! Although the ad tells it can sleep 10, it has 2.5 rooms with horrible small and smelly beds - far from sleeping even half of that! The entire house is infested with all the bugs you can think of (termites, ants, mosquitoes, etc.), a poorly maintained back yard, a grill that had all the grease and fat of the gazillion guests that have used it before...disgusting. I cant even talk about the kitchen... be aware, this kind of place must be out of business immediately - as its not worthy to host humans.. definitely not for even a fraction of the price.

My husband and I frequently stay in VRBO homes along the Russian River, and have had to contact…read moreRussian River Vacations Homes during several of our stays (for one reason or another). We have consistently been provided with immediate and excellent service; the agents are not only thoughtful, but have always resolved our issues quickly -- and engaged in creative "problem solving" when needed. Our recent stay was initially problematic. But thanks to the Russian River Vacation Homes staff -- our vacation went from being "challenging" to "fabulous" and we now can't wait to return to this vacation home. A special thanks (and kudos!) to Kim and Alyssa -- you guys are the best!

Recently I rented a cabin for the weekend through Russian River Vacation…read moreHomes. It was a beautiful cabin on the river called Casa Luna. The only problem is there is a Russian Orthodox Church next door at least 50 people in wall to wall tents camped in the driveway on the Saturday night. They were incredibly loud and singing church songs in Russian all night. The kids were literally running around screaming and throwing rocks next door at Casa Luna. It was very upsetting and all Russian River Vacation Homes said was sorry. They knew that this happens several times a year. I should have gotten my $ back.

Great for what it is, a roadside motel/hotel right by Northwood Golf Club. Shower head was broken…read morein our room. There was a microwave to cook and heat food and a mini fridge save food in. Had an Ice Machine that we used to put ice in our cooler, ice bag, and water bottles. There is a water machine in the 'lobby' that has three temperature settings, Hot, Cool, and Cold. There is also a pool, though it was closed when I was at the hotel, but is open during summer from 9am to 7pm. Had some great breakfast options near by. Great little place though! Beautiful scenery near by also!

We found this place online. We were looking for a hotel with…read more2 beds for 2 nights. After seeing the pictures and reading the description, we booked the room. There is a no refund policy, which means you cannot cancel your reservations. This place is very expensive, more than what we wanted to spend. With it being summer, peak season, and no other rooms within 75 miles, we had no options but to take it. The place is very old, very very old. They said that they newly renovated. The repainted, put in new linoleum floors, super cheap beds, they are really cots with a soft matress put on top, they are not real beds. They give you a child size table and 2 child size chairs to sit on. A mini fridge, which is okay, and a very tiny microwave. They do not do yard maintenance, even though they say it is more natural and organic and better for wildlife, and to save water. They said the mow every 2-3 weeks. There are huge rosemary shrubs in front of all of the rooms. They are overgrown and should be trimmed, your view is blocked. There are a few plastic tables and Adirondack type chairs out in the field, but nothing near your room if you want to sit outside. There is a nice pool which they lock up every night at 7pm, so your family has to get out at 7pm. The bathrooms are small but come with towels, etc. They have hair dryers, soap and shampoo. We had a few issues our room, I reported it to the 800 number, whom told the manager. He called me and we discussed the issues, and said thank you, that he was unaware of those issue and he will fix them. I was satisfied with my conversation with the manager, he was very professional and understanding. Thank you Xavier. This place is next to Northwwods golf course. There is a restaurant at the golf course. Next door is a little cafe with good food. It is quiet and peaceful here except for a few noisy tenants. $320 per night is way too much for this place. See photos. It should be no more that $129 per night.

This house is the niciest property, in the Gurneville area, right on the Russian River with access…read more(views / kayaks / safe beach with passsing river traffic / dock / gardens/ redwoods / patio / decks / hotub). Its a large quiet property. It was previously a bed and breakfast called Grandmas, a resturaunt / bar called Angelos and probably about 100 years old. The decore and antiques reflect the local nostalgia of the area. Recently put on the rental market.

Anthony is very knowledgeable of the area and created an amazing itinerary that matched our…read morepreferences and interests.

This company is absolutely. The best I've ever used. The…read moreservice was outstanding. It's so wonderful to see you in actual chauffeur. Someone who caters to your every need. And is knowledgeable of the area? Anthony was amazing. First class all the way. I'll never go anywhere else. I can't recommend him enough. If you're looking for a real experience. You have to go with this company. Other companies just provide a driver. But with this company. You get a chauffeur. I've. Used this company now. 10 times. And every driver is first class. They are all knowledgeable with great sense of humor. And always have A. Great idea. If you need a suggestion. You just can't go wrong with them. And people I've recommended them to. Have nothing but the same to say. It's really a world of difference. Compared to other companies. Take my word for it. You will be nothing but happy And very satisfied about their service. You will really be blown away. By the difference? Of this company compared to any other? You'll never go anywhere else. Thank you Anthony and all the drivers that work for you. My whole group. And anyone else I've set to you has been more than satisfied. And we all are very thankful. Look forward to our next adventure. Thanks again. Definitely 5 stars. I give 10 if I could.