We really enjoyed our two night stay at the Bear Valley Cottage! It is within walking distance to the Point Reyes Visitor's Center and nearby trails, a few quick minutes drive to fabulous restaurants, and close to gorgeous Limantour Beach. The accommodations are cozy, comfortable, welcoming, well-designed, and felt like home! For the beach area, the cottage's weekend rates for four adults were very reasonable. The owners were kind and helpful. We will definitely stay here again! read more

This place is great and for a variety of reasons. First off the couple that runs the place live right nearby and are very caring and conscious of the space and how they run it. This manifests itself in the green practices they have been doing for a while and they also are big supporters of bicyclists! (they are the official Bikestation for Olema). Great spot that's nice and low key and they have their own garden where they grow various herbs, bees and chickens too! read more

Bear Valley Cottage - bear biker weathervane! - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Olema, California

See all

Charming B and B Inn. Notables for people who plan to stay here: $125/night. It depends if you get the cottage or a room. You share a wall with one of the rooms (Redwood and Tides). There is a propane fireplace downstairs. Generally it's C-O-L-D. There is a space heater in the room at night time. Blankets/Sheets were soft. It's "GREEN" friendly. Shower - Water wasn't too warm at all. You take a quick shower and be prepared not enough HOT water. Breakfast during the week - Granola and Strauss Milk with OJ. There is water, tea, hot cocoa, and port wine for guests. There are games and books for guests to read. Walkable to Olema Inn and a Bar near by. 21 miles from the Inn to the Light House. read more

See all

Bear Valley Inn must be added to one's short list of desirable destinations for several reasons, but there's not enough space here to tick them all off. For starters, owners Amanda and Ken bathe customers with love, kindness and a true enthusiasm for West Marin living, making Bear Valley Inn a highlight for several travelers each year. Their love of bicycles is also a big draw (Ken rides his fixed-gear to the Larkspur ferry many days a week, en route to his job in SF; for kicks, use Google Maps to plot out what you think his route might look like...), and Amanda was manager of Palo Alto Bicycles and League of American Bicyclists board chair for a while. Their love of the wheel seeps into their passion for food, conversation and literature, all evident in the buildings surrounding their property on the corner of Bear Valley Road and Sir Francis Drake Blvd/CA State Route 1. Get ready to be pampered! Make sure to spin into nearby Point Reyes Station to visit Mike Varley's Black Mountain Cycles. read more

Bear Valley Cottage - The bike-friendly Bear Valley Inn. - Bed & Breakfast Near Me - Olema, California

Noisy and unfriendly hired staff. We stayed 2 nights. Highway 1 is 10 feet from the wall of the Hummingbird cottage. You hear every single car that drives by. And I was shocked to see that all the hotels on the one street in Olema were directly on Highway 1 as well. Comforters and quilts were stained and dirty. Kitchen and all cookware in need of good scrub. We didn't use any of their cookware, but used paper products instead. Beds were comfortable. The futon looked like the mattresses and throw pillows were so grossed out by how filthy they were that they wanted to be put out of it's misery and burned. The cottage is unfinished and the grounds are overgrown and unkempt. The hired staff (1 person as far as we could tell )couldn't care less about helping you with anything. She is unfriendly. When we asked how far the Point Reyes lighthouse or horse back riding was, she looked like that was an annoying question and said she'd worked there for 3 years and didn't know where to go. Then she handed us a pile of used, dirty, old pamphlets people had left behind. No phone. AT &T users will have no service. We had to go hunt down the unhappy hired help and ask to use a phone. She again looked and behaved like we were a huge bother. She then brought over a land line and gave us a pre-paid phone card because almost any phone call is long distance. The owner found his way out to the yard and made conversation. When I asked him about how noisy it was he said their website makes it very clear that they are on Highway 1. Yes, they state this, but no, I expect there to be more than 10 feet from a freeway - - - maybe 100 yards, but not 10 feet! Upside - the owner was kind enough to direct us to the Point Reyes lighthouse and recommended a fantastic horse back riding location. read more

To say that I enjoyed my stay here is an incredible understatement. I think there are not many places that I have felt completely enamored by, but this little inn at the corner or Shoreline Hwy and Bear Valley Rd in Olema is just perfect (and I don't use this word often) for a getaway if you're looking to escape for a few days. I can't compliment Bear Valley Inn enough for making my first visit just absolutely amazing. I felt completely at home, immediately comforted by the cozy and welcoming layout - patterned sofas/carpet and a fireplace greet you along with tea, wine, and the kindest, friendliest and informed inn keepers you will ever find. The rooms are upstairs, but you can also book you own cottage too I believe that is right next door. Plus there are discounts for those who bike/hike to the inn! (this came in handy, I went there through public transit)! Breakfast is served (all local ingredients) every morning starting at 7:30am. Granola, strauss milk and if you are lactose like me they can provide you almond milk as well (you can request this when booking), fresh fruits and homemade yogurt! On the weekends they have these mini muffins which are delicious! They also provide you with the local paper so you can eat and catch up on news while you're at it! This place is welcoming for solo travelers like me, or couples and small families. My room was everything. It was so beautiful, clean, cozy - it had a space heater too which was great (at night sometimes it gets just a tad chilly!), it's own bathroom + shower, a view of the garden, a wonderfully comfortable bed (I was so in love with the decor and ambiance it was just magnificent). It was everything I could hope for in a room (I literally asked myself if I could stay there forever lol). I almost don't want to share information on it because it was so great I just want it for myself! Cute, Quaint, Convenient. I have to say the inn keepers (I don't know if this is what I should be calling them) but who ever greets/assists you - they are superb. Thank you so much for making my stay even more incredible and I hope I see you again! They provided me with information for my solo hikes, food nearby, and any other places I was interested in checking out. The inn itself is half a mile from Bear Valley Visitor Center (I literally just walked there!), and many hiking trails! It is also near 2 restaurants and a liquor/deli store. It's very central to Point Reyes and not too far from a lot of things. I believe a shuttle can bring you to Inverness or Point Reyes Station if you want to do that! I'm sure I could go on more, but this is already quite long and hopefully informative. The point is: Bear Valley Inn is fantastic, there is no question when booking here! read more

I love this place. We showed up after biking all day and Amanda reduced our price from 180 to 150 for the night. The yard and garden were beautiful and Amanda offered me aloe from her garden for my sunburn. She stocked us with fresh, organic milk, cream, and yogurt, as well as a wide variety of teas and fresh coffee. She even gave us apples, bananas, and fresh strawberries. The hummingbird cottage was spacious and clean. I've stayed in a lot of hotels, and this was NOT a hotel. I am so glad it wasn't. read more

B&B success! The Bear Valley Inn is a really charming old house with charming that is surrounded by a nice garden and feels secluded even though it's just off the road. Be warned that this is not like a hotel where you keep to yourself and don't interact with others. The Inn is cozy and intimate, with only 3 rooms for let, which means you will meet your fellow vacationers at breakfast. I actually found these forced interactions to be pretty cool. Breakfast was a great medley of fruits, homemade yogurt, granola, and coffee. The Inn has a communal living room with fireplace and complementary wine (!). The rooms are smartly decorated, warm and inviting. My only complaint of the inn was that the shower was very small and had poor water pressure. What I really liked was that there was no TV, so you are forced to relax the old fashioned way, whatever that is. Overall we had a really good time and it was relaxing. About ~$165 after taxes for a weekend night. read more

We really enjoyed staying in the cottage. It's a perfect fit for us (a couple) but I think it would be great for a parent or two and a few kids. It's really comfortable and we like the location quite a bit. Being able to walk to the Bear Valley trails is a huge bonus. They have taken care of a lot of details that make it a really great place to relax. We did check out the Inn as well and it's lovely. I think staying at the Inn is a nice fit for people who want the breakfast served to them (I heard from other guests that it was yummy) while we liked eating the delicious granola and homemade yogurt at our leisure in the cottage. Ken and Amanda, the owners are really nice, active people. They seemed to genuinely care if we found the right activities for us and are quite knowledgable about all of the opportunities in the area. For example, they knew that the best whale watching right now is on North Beach and they were right. Finally, do listen to their food recommendations. We went to the places that they suggested and honestly, I think the reuben sandwich at Perry's is the best sandwich I have had in my whole life. read more

I love this place. It's quiet and clean and chillin. Totally five stars if only because THE FREAKIN' OWNER DIDN'T GIVE IT FIVE STARS. How honorable is that?!?!?! read more

This was my first time ever staying at a B&B, and it was a very good experience. Kelle and I came up for a holiday getaway for the New Year, and we had a wonderful time all the way around. We pulled in, got our keys out of the lock box, and went inside to find a comfortable setting. There's are some comfy chairs, a couch, and a gas fireplace in the living room, and a couple tables in the dining room. There are a total of three rooms, and we stayed in the Poppy Room. Staying in this room affords you your own full bathroom across the hall from the room, whereas the other two rooms have very small bathrooms in each. Our room was comfortably appointed with a queen sized brass bed, a dresser, and a couple chairs. The bathroom was big and bright and had a large claw-foot tub - something Kelle took full advantage of more than once. The breakfast was of the continental variety and on the morning of the 31st we had yogurt with granola and bananas, and hot coffee. It was a good way to kick start the morning. We enjoyed our time there and will likely be back. read more

This place is a pretty amazing bed and breakfast. Not only is it an affordable and impeccably decorated place to stay in one of the more gorgeous regions of the bay area, but it's also environmentally conscious to the point where they have already won environmental awards. Breakfast each morning stars local food, delicious homemade muffins or scones, eggs from the back yard, maybe some of Amanda's own yogurt, or a variety of other tasty treats. If that isn't enough, this might be the most bicycle friendly bed and breakfast ever conceived. Not only is the Bear Valley Inn the official Bikestation for Olema, they offer a discount if you arrive by bike (it's really not hard, and adds a new dimension to the trip, try it). Not only that, both Amanda (and Ken if you can find him) are avid cyclists themselves, and are more than willing to suggest rides in the area. If you're a cyclist (and even if your not) , there is no better place for you to stay. read more

I just want to thank Amanda and Ken for a great stay at the Hummingbird Cottage. We arrived in the afternoon after scattered rain showers and the gardens were fresh and inviting. After exploring the garden and resident chickens, we settled into the cottage and found the amenities to be excellent. Hummingbird cottage has everything you would need for a weekend. Olema is a very short walk away and has excellent dining choices. I look forward to my next stay at Bear Valley Cottage. read more

My husband and I stayed 2 nights at Bear Valley Inn recently (we stayed once before about a year and a half ago). We couldn't be happier. My husband has a series of photographs that are based on Pt. Reyes so we travel out there every now and again. Dawn and Amanda really go out of their way to make guests feel special. I'm allergic to wheat and soy and Geoff is vegan and we felt it would be overwhelming if we made special food requests. It's hard enough for us to figure out what to make ourselves! Anyway, when Dawn found out, she created the most wonderful breakfast for each of us. She made us feel so comfortable and welcome. We are so grateful for their hospitality. Just perfect, really. read more

The Bear Valley Inn is a beautiful retreat near Pt. Reyes. The Inn itself is amazing. The entire place is beautifully designed and the craftsmanship of the old house is impeccable. My boyfriend and I were in the middle of finals at UC Berkeley and decided to take a much needed weekend away. We could not have been more happy with our choice. After a great night's sleep we woke up to a delicious breakfast and then went for a walk on the Bear Valley trail. The trail is within a mile of the inn and was one of the most incredible hikes I've ever been on in my life. The inn is a beautiful place for a weekend away, nestled in an unbelievable location. read more

I am completely, totally, absolutely in love with the homemade granola Amanda makes & serves here. The chickens running around out back are pretty awesome too. :) read more

What a wonderful two day get away! Thank you Amanda and Ken for the lovely accommodations at the Bear Valley Inn. ken was very welcoming when I arrived. showing me to my room and giving me the run down on where to grab a bite, and picnic items for my planned trek the next day. I stayed in the Poppy room which is the only room that is not en suite. Super clean, tastefully decorated and super comfy cotton bed linens. The large bathroom with the large claw foot tub, is directly across the hall from the room. The Bathroom was stocked with EO bath products, which smelled sooo good. The tub was the perfect answer to a long day of hiking. (Be sure to stop by the pharmacy in Point Reyes Station to grab some bath salts to soothe you're tired muscles.) I left rather early on the first morning, in order to take full advantage of the many trails that are close by. Nevertheless,Amanda had already made coffee to ease the frosty morning. The second morning was a weekday so breakfast was limited to organic fruit and homemade granola. A nice light breakfast to start the day The common area was full of local reading materials, maps, fireplace, and comfy sitting area. The dining area was stocked with Mighty Leaf Tea (my favorite) and hot chocolate. I was able to relax next to the fire with a hot beverage and map out my 11 mile hike for the following day. Wonderful hosts! Beautiful Guest House! Conveniently located to restaurants, shops and trails! I cant wait to go back to the Bear Valley Inn! read more

I've been to the BVI a few times now including once before the current owners took over several years ago. It has been and remains to be a beautifully restored, maintained B&B without all the doily fluff and situated in a beautiful setting in a great location. I was, however, a bit disappointed during my recent stay that the grounds were a bit raggedy looking, the Innkeepers were MIA and that the Sunday breakfast, although I thougt I recall reading that it was a full breakfast, only consisted of granola, fresh fruit, juice and coffee. I understand the innkeepers can't always be around for the guests and they obviously have other interests besides running an inn but part of the reason for coming to the BVI was because they're such an interesting couple and I was looking forward to having my out of town friend meet them and learn about all the great cyclying and hiking hot spots, etc.. Maybe they are burned out with running an Inn but I wish I had known that so we could have stayed somewhere else. read more

This place is really the perfect B&B, I am hard pressed to find anything to suggest for improvement. Very friendly owners, beautiful setting, reasonable rate, delicious breakfast. Plus, the chickens are definitely worth a look-see. I strongly reccomend this place for anyone looking for a place to stay in the area. read more

A very special place. The rooms are comfortable and environmentally conscious. The property is peaceful, a house set in a grove of trees with flower gardens surrounding - but still very centrally located in Olema. Amanda is great and does a wonderful job running the place. Her breakfasts are as homemade as it gets from bread and muffins she bakes herself, to fruit from her own garden and eggs laid by her chickens. We had a great time there - highly recommended. read more

We choose this inn based on the facts that they are a green business and could accommodate a family of five for only 2 nights on a long weekend. The inn has a lot of charm. We were staying in the cottage adjacent to the main house where the owners live. I did not actually meet them (my husband briefly met her), which I regret because I do like to meet with the locals and prefer the homey feel of an inn versus a hotel chain. You might like it if you prefer to be left alone. Communication was through email and phone mostly and the keys were placed in a drop box outside the cottage. The cottage itself is cute and well equipped, but do not expect comfort and luxury. Everything is mix-matched. It has all you need with 1 full bed, 1 pull-out sofa and 1 bunk bed, extra pillows and blankets. There is also wifi and a TV with DVDs, books and board games. The kitchen is equipped with basic kitchenware, a fridge, a stove, and a small sink that also doubles as a bathroom sink (not the most practical nor enjoyable experience!). The bathroom is small, only fitting a shower and toilet. They only use green cleaning products which I like. A bowl of fresh organic fruit was left for us to enjoy, as well as home-made granola (including gluten-free on demand), organic milk, half and half, yogurt and jam. These goodies were a nice plus. We had a large backyard to enjoy, complete with chickens roaming around to the kids delight. The cottage is situated close to the main road which makes it a little noisy, especially at night with the buzzing heater on. You might want to bring some ear-plugs and eye mask because the drapes let the light in, in the morning. Overall, I recommend the place if you like organic and green practices and enjoy a rustic environment. Pricing was not cheap at $330 a night for the level of comfort, but it was acceptable given the green practices. read more

See all

Comfy inn, great breakfast, nice E&O bath products, sustainable everything, and major bike enthusiasts! We rode in on our tandem in the pouring rain, and while Ms. Inn Keeper set up drying racks for our dripping clothes, Mr. Inn Keeper wheeled our bike into the garage and OILED OUR CHAIN?! Plus they give a discount to any guests who ride to their inn, and will make special accommodations for you like shipping your gear home for you! (And they have great swag-I got a very special floaty pen that represents our ride from their inn to the Pt. Reyes Lighthouse). We will stay again and again. read more

I highly recommend staying there, Im sure you'd have a great time.It's very neat and has the greatest hosts of all. Thank you Amanda and Ken! read more

On the plus side: the hummingbird cottage was spacious and clean. The host and hostess are friendly and helpful. For example, they made some excellent suggestions about restaurants as well as about activities in Point Reyes. On the negative side: the cottage was cold. Especially since the owners tout how green they are, I was surprised at how inefficient (and ineffective) their heating system is. The primary heater is a propane wall heater that has an efficiency rating of about 50%. It has no fan, so the heat circulation is terrible. They also have a small electric heater (very inefficient also) that has such a weak fan that it would have a hard time heating a closet, much less a large room. Also, the breakfast was very basic - granola, milk and some yogurt. I expect a bed and breakfast inn to have a more substantial breakfast. At $180.00 + tax, the hummingbird cottage is definitely over priced. read more

This place far exceeded my expectations. Its a charming home located on a rustic but adorable piece of land. Amanda was a cheerful and informative, innkeeper. This place is great: comfy chairs, comfy beds, and nicely decorated rooms. We had a simple but tasty and organic breakfast in the morning. Nice tea and coffee selection. read more

i stayed here one night for a last-minute weekend getaway with my girlfriend. the place was clean and quiet and very nice overall. we stayed in the poppy room, which had a comfy bed and a private bathroom with a huge bathtub. bath salts and bubbles were provided. the bathroom, however, was not connected to the room -- we had to leave the bedroom to get to the bathroom, which was unexpected, but not hugely inconvenient. plus there was a wooden screen that we could put up for privacy, and we hardly saw the other guests, anyway, except for breakfast in the morning. breakfast was awesome, although i am greedy and wanted more eggs and bacon. amanda was very friendly. also, her environmental consciousness (ie, making her own delicious yogurt to reduce plastic consumption) was inspiring. see tripadvisor for more reviews! read more

Very cute place. Bed was very comfortable and its close to everything. Negatives are that the yard should be kept better, the breakfast is week..granola and muffins?? I expect way more at a b&b, and the help was wierd/unfriendly..thought I met Amanda the owner and she was great. I would go back again...brink my own eggs! read more

Nice setting, and the manager (I think--he was there all the time and seemed to know everything) was friendly and helpful. If he tells you to get a sandwich at Perry's Deli, pay attention! Otherwise...probably not going back. We stayed in the Hummingbird cottage, which would be good for a couple or small family. It was clean and the one bed we used was comfortable--but it's really oddly laid out and cramped, with features that would be difficult for some people. The bathroom is so tiny that a six-plus foot person can't close the door, and the shower is smaller than a phone booth. I could barely turn around without bumping the stall door open. The kitchen and bath share a sink, so you're either brushing your teeth in the kitchen or washing dishes in view of the toilet, and there aren't enough electrical outlets for the chargers and gadgets that go with modern life. The term "bed and breakfast" is a little misleading, too--they offer breakfast only on weekends (there are restaurants nearby). We enjoyed the chickens and the casual atmosphere, but the cottage, at least, was uncomfortable and seemed too expensive for midweek in winter. read more

Cool little inn with nice down to earth owners who have great advice about things to do in Point Reyes. Only 3 rooms so you feel like you have the place to yourself. A nice fireplace and complimentary sherry and ports. Breakfast is nothing special but we hadn't planned on eating breakfast there. Great little inn and we will stay there again. read more

Just returned from a weekend at the Bear Valley Inn. I want to start with the positives as there were some. It is conveniently located as a base location for day trips exploring the Point Reyes National Seashore and Tomales Bay areas. The proprietors are nice folks, were very knowledgeable about local restaurants and events in the area and they make a killer granola you can graze on while you're there. Their home made yogurt was pretty good too. In room coffee was good and they had a nice selection of teas available. There was some good fresh fruit in a bowl on the dining room table. The grounds were interesting with the chickens running the yard and honey bee hives to watch. Unfortunately for us there were more negatives than positives. We booked the Hummingbird Cottage as the main house was sold out for the weekend. For $200 a night we didn't feel we got what we paid for. We checked in on a rather cold and rainy Friday afternoon and the cottage was very cold and took most of the evening warm. Knowing that guests would be checking in, it would have been nice for the owners to have put the heat on ahead of time. The cottage is separated from Hwy 1 by a wooden fence and the vines that grow on it. There was considerable road noise in the cottage. The cottage itself is in pretty rundown condition and really needs a good sprucing up. The wine glasses we used had to be washed out before we could use them. The mattress on the queen sized bed needs to be replaced as it sagged toward the middle. The shower was barely large enough to turn around in and had mold in the crevices that could have been easily cleaned if someone took the time to do it. My general feeling was that ownership doesn't particularly care about the condition of the cottage or the patrons that usually stay there are of the mindset that the things I have mentioned don't particularly matter to them. For me, at $200 a night, they matter. We didn't see the rooms in the main house and can't comment on their condition. read more