Serene Luxury at Brewery Gulch Inn
Feeling pampered and well-looked after in a beautiful natural setting in Mendocino, California
(Disclosure: I received the media rate for my stay at Brewery Gulch Inn. Observations and opinions are my own.)
Mendocino is a small town 135 miles north of San Francisco along California’s scenic Pacific Coast Highway. The town is designated as a Historic Landmark and is a delight to wander through, with its Victorian architecture, dramatic coastal views, and shops and cafés. Two miles south of town, on a bluff overlooking the coast, is Brewery Gulch Inn.
The ten room inn, designed by architect Caroline La Pere, was built in 2001. Surrounded by incredible views, it is simple and luxurious with a relaxed and welcoming vibe. The Inn prides itself on its attention to detail in making guests feel comfortable and at home. This care was evident during my one-night stay.
The feeling of being well taken care of began when I made the reservation. I was asked about food allergies. My husband and I have none. I was asked whether we were celebrating any special occasion. We were in the middle of a Pacific Coast road trip and our stay at Brewery Gulch Inn just happened to coincide with our anniversary.
The feeling of being well looked after continued when I received a reminder email a few days prior to our stay. The email included information on how to find the Inn, suggestions for places to eat along possible routes we might be taking to get there, and notification of areas where cell service was limited, with advice to call them if we hadn’t left Highway 101 by a certain time so they could save us food and wine from the dinner buffet.
Our room was welcoming in so many ways (even without the Champagne) – gas fireplace and leather club chairs, jetted two-person tub, plush robes hanging in the closet, fresh flowers, fine linens, and a box of Dutch Hill caramels on the comfortable bed. On the desk we found a collection of items designed for relaxation – a card deck of yoga poses and meditation, a book of poems on sleep and dreaming, and an adult nature-themed colouring book and pencil crayons.
The Great Room was an inviting place to sit and relax, visit with other guests or play a board game. Here we found a massive collection of movie DVDs (over 500), which could be taken to the room and watched on our flat screen television. We watched a movie that evening but it took quite a while to go through the printed index of available selections before making a selection.
A “light dinner” buffet, including complimentary wine and beer, and breakfast are included in room rates. Focus is on nature and organic food from local farmers. Breakfast includes pastries, freshly-squeezed juice, and a choice of made-to-order menu option. The dinner buffet and breakfast were both delicious.
The menu on the evening of our stay:
Roasted Flank Steak over wild greens with Portabello-Onion Relish & White Truffle Oil
Sundried Tomato and Artichoke Hearts Polenta Cakes with Parmesan Cheese
Heirloom Tomato Salad with Scrambled Feta & Fresh Basil, Balsamic Vinegar
Roasted Haricorts Verts with Agrumato Lemon
Sauteed Yellow Corn and Zucchini, Onions, Oregano
Seeded Batard and Sweet Butter
Mixed Berries Créme Fraiche Romanoff
The setting of the Inn was as an important part of the experience as the accommodations and amenities. The views from the deck and individual patios or balconies were spectacular, different with each turn of the head. The grounds were nicely landscaped. The air smelled fresh and clean. Bird feeders at the corner of the deck attracted a variety of birds.
Brewery Gulch Inn is constructed from eco-salvaged redwood. Lumber mills along the Pacific Coast supplied wood for the rebuilding of San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake. Some of those lumber mills were located along Big River, north of the Inn. Logging occurred in summer months when river currents weren’t strong enough to float logs to the mill. As they stacked up in the water, the weight pushed the lower logs (called “sinker logs”) into the river silt. When winter rains came, the dams of logs were dynamited and logs floated to the mill, leaving the “sinkers” behind. Perfectly preserved logs, up to sixteen feet in diameter, were discovered in the late twentieth century during an earthquake retrofitting project on Big River Bridge. Some of the logs were used in the construction of Brewery Gulch Inn.
There is wifi at the Inn, but that seemed irrelevant once I settled in. I used it briefly to confirm the next day’s route, but that was it. My laptop stayed in its case. The only thing we kept on the desk was the champagne bucket. The Inn was all about relaxing. I didn’t want to tune in to the Internet. I wanted to slow down, disconnect from the stresses of the world, and be soothed by nature and the amenities at the Inn. It was a lovely way to treat myself.
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Looks like you had a very nice stay and that the resort goes above and beyond.
Deb, the resort did look after every little detail. Very relaxing.
I just love Mendocino. This looks perfect!
Tam, Mendocino is a cute place. The Inn was fantastic.
During a few of my California trips we traveled through Mendocino, but never stopped. But Brewery Gulch Inn looks fabulous! I’ll remember it if I get back out that way:)
Jacquie, the town of Mendocino is well worth stopping at next time you drive that way, even if only for an hour or two or three. For a longer stay, you can’t go wrong with Brewery Gulch.
The place looks fantabulous! I feel like grabbing a chair, a book and curling up there in the lawn.
Great captures. Happy #TPT
Indrani, it’s the perfect place to curl up with a book on the lawn.
I love the bedspread in the Pine Room and the chairs out the front and the deck. How lovely to stay in such a beautiful place.
The deck was so inviting.
Looks like a delightful spot! But then again, I love Mendocino and the California coast so it couldn’t be anything but delightful to me!
Jill, this was my first visit to the area and I’ve just discovered how delightful Mendocino is.
My mouth is watering at this moment. The menu descriptions you have included in here sound delicious. Overall, the inn looks fantastic. I feel like it is the perfect place to celebrate an anniversary. I will need to pass this post to my husband.
Ruth, it’s a great place to celebrate an occasion.
Hi Donna! What a fantastic experience! Nothing seems to be taken for granted. I agree with Ruth on the menu. My mouth is watering. Good on you that you left your computer in its bag for the weekend! Welcome to Travel Photo Thursday. #TPThursday
Hope you had a fabulous anniversary celebration!
I just love when businesses add little touches like a card or note. Champagne (very appropriate for the occasion) takes it up a notch!
Definitely fabulous.
Nancie, it was pretty fantastic. Thanks for stopping by.
Looks like you had an incredible stay and journey! The living space is as beautiful as the outside views.
Brooke, the living space complemented the natural beauty – it was well done.
This looks like a great place to slow down, escape the worries of everyday life, and recharge. Beautiful.
Corrine, that is certainly what it felt like for me – a place to slow down and recharge.
This looks really cosy! Brewery Gulch Inn should be commended. I love the gift shop and the old suitcases too.
Ruth, it did have a cosy and pampered feel.
I love the setting of the inn – so many places to relax, de-stress and just enjoy being exactly where you are. Sounds like the Brewery Gulch Inn did everything they could to ensure that you created a memory of your time there as well as making your anniversary celebration a day to treasure. I’ll bet this was a high point of your coastal wanderings! Anita
Anita, the setting is indeed beautiful. Our entire coastal trip was pretty special. Brewery Gulch was certainly one of the high points.
Service with a smile is #1 in my book and leaves a lasting impression. I am definitely adding the eco-friendly Brewery Gulch Inn to my list of stays the next time I am in the area.
Alison, I think you’d find lots to enjoy at a stay at Brewery Gulch.
The Brewery Gulch looks like such a lovely place to experience Mendocino County. It looks and sounds like such a one-of-a-kind property that fits its setting.
Irene, it is a lovely place.
What a wonderful place! I’d love to visit it — if only I lived on the west coast. i’ve never heard of an Inn providing all that advance information by email while you were still on the road. Now that is customer service!
Jeannette, the advance information was useful and it certainly made me feel welcome.
Always nice to be pampered a bit. Looks like a great place and wow, what a breakfast!
Veronica, it’s definitely nice to be pampered once in a while. I could get used to more of it!
Brewery Gulch Inn looks like a gorgeous place to stay. Elegant, rustic charm in a beautiful setting with fabulous food – not too shabby!
Johanna, not too shabby indeed!
Great stay – so sunny and relaxing.
It was a great stay.
This looks just lovely. I’d love to spend a long weekend just relaxing, reading and eating there.
Sue – that would be a delightful weekend.
The “light dinner” buffet with complimentary wine and beer doesn’t look very light. Great place to enjoy!
Not my definition of a light dinner either. It was delicious and filling.
I did a road trip through Mendocino, Humbolt Park and the Lost Coast a few years ago. Loved the area!
Patti, it’s a lovely area, isn’t it?
Thanks for sharing this wonderful experience. I have a feeling I’d be spending most of my time relaxing on the deck.
Nathalie, the deck was a nice place to sit and relax.
What a lovely interlude at the Brewery Gulch Inn and even extra special because your visit happened to coincide with your anniversary. We drove Highway 1 north from San Francisco to Seattle one year. The drive is spectacular and being able to end a day and begin a day at a place like this would be a wonderful bonus. Actually, it looks like guests should at least treat themselves to a 2 night stay.
Suzanne, a 2-night (or longer) stay would be nice to really enjoy the Inn and relax.