Imagine a rustic inn with views like this one, but with all the amenities and coziness of home on the shores of northern California. Enter the Brewery Gulch Inn in Mendocino California, which contrary to it’s name, doesn’t have a brewery on-site. That said, it does boast a ton of history, from as far back as 1851 when logging was a big industry in the area. The eco-salvaged, virgin-growth redwoods from the time was what built the original Brewery Gulch Inn, which then and today, provides views of the Pacific Ocean and is nestled among spruce and pine trees.
The property is situated on a sylvan hillside overlooking Smuggler’s Cove and the Pacific — the large handcrafted wooden door at the entrance is mighty impressive. As you enter the main reception area, you’re greeted with more eco-salvaged redwood, a redwood and granite reception desk and a soaring glass and steel wood burning fireplace. If you had a chill before you arrived, the gentleness and great fung shui of the main lobby area is sure to warm you up. The main sitting area has plenty of light with its 14 foot ceilings, redwood-framed tall windows facing ocean views and artisan floors, which all have radiant heat and are stained in a deep, rich leather red. I loved the inside decor of the main building.
Below are photos taken facing the outside of our room after breakfast one morning. The charming feeling of the inn itself makes you feel as if you’re visiting a grandmother somewhere in the country, a place you’d like to sit back and relax for awhile while watching the days pass you by. They also have Rustic Adirondack-like chairs outside in the main sitting area as well as directly in front of the rooms, many of which face the sea.
Speaking of views, just down the road — a stone’s throw from the property — you can take in views like this one, where there are lovely trails you can hike or simply have a picnic. We were there in late December and while it was nippy, it wasn’t too cold to take leisurely afternoon walks.
The lobby area is frankly where you find yourself hanging out when you’re not taking in the natural beauty around the property. They offer a ton of games, movies, and books for you to partake in during your stay and hot tea, coffee and biscuits always seem to be on offer. In fact, they boast a 500+ DVD collection and to unwind you while you take in a movie, there’s landscape art and photography scattered throughout the property.
Take a look at the massive sized Scrabble and Chess Tables – we even went back in time one rainy evening and played Monopoly until after 1 am — t’was nostalgic to say the least!
The inn also provides scrumptious breakfasts every morning, and coffee is served in their charming Brewery Gulch mugs, which come in both dark green and blue. Scones are on the counter and there’s always fresh water infused with fruit and lemon. In addition to the bread baskets and scones, they have what they refer to as a classic BGI Breakfast, their signature dish in the morning, which consists of two organic eggs, BGI Millionaire’s bacon, Yukon Gold potato cake, fruit and toast. You can also get other options as well such as a Peg’s Roast Beef Hash and Eggs, brown rice farina and even a Mango-Calamansi Lassi – YUM!!
What’s unique about the inn is that they offer breakfast and what they refer to as a light buffet dinner every day for guests which is included in the cost of your stay. Note that their dinners only run for an hour though and are on the early side, so you may not want to dine there every evening because of that limitation. That said, you should at least try it one night as the spread is delicious, fresh and healthy — they had turkey and beef, string beans, sauteed Asian style, cabbage salad and a variety of other healthy side dishes – oh so delish! And, of course, there is both white and red wine available as well for the duration of the meal. As you can see, they choose warm colors to add extra warmth to the overall experience. Two thumbs up!
They also offer picnic lunches, wine and cheese and romance baskets, have a gift shop of unique finds from around the area and a concierge on site to help you with activities like canoeing, kayaking, scuba diving, biking, golf, tennis, horseback riding, hiking, wine tours, spa appointments and more.
The rooms, albeit classical and traditional, also have a modern flare. Our room was apparently just remodeled so a new bathroom had just been installed before we arrived. Think clean lines in a classic Arts and Crafts style, but with the modern amenities you’d want and expect from a little luxury inn. The rooms also feature the eco-salvaged redwood, as do the windows and deck railings. What I loved about the beautiful wood throughout is that each timber seems to differ from the next, with mineralization adding subtle red, purple and blonde tones to the finish.
There are ten spacious guest rooms that are scattered across three levels. In our room and others we saw, there were gas-lit fireplaces and ours plus seven others have private decks. Each room has a hardwood desk, leather club chairs in front of the fireplaces and alpaca throws. Even though it wasn’t too cold while we were there, it was nice to know that they had down comforters and plush robes. Although our room didn’t have a tub, five rooms showcase large two person tubs, which is great if you’re thinking of a romantic getaway.
One other thing to note is their hospitality. While we were there, we were working on a presentation which included video taping and they were so generous that they provided us with magic markers, scrap paper, tape, scissors and highlighters to make our practice sessions that much more efficient!
Two thumbs up! We’d return in a heartbeat.
DETAILS:
Brewery Gulch Inn
9401 North Highway 1
Mendocino, CA
www.brewerygulchinn.com
707.937.4752 or 800.578.4454
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
