My boyfriend and I snagged a Groupon Getaway deal, and came here to celebrate our first anniversary. We had a really great experience so I apologize in advance because I'm going to gush about it (at length!):
The minute we drove up, we were stunned by how gorgeous the house was. The gardens are beautiful and the large Victorian is painted in very tasteful purple and tan, blending nicely into a very pretty residential neighborhood just blocks from downtown Healdsburg. We checked in just before 6pm and were greeting by Tiffany, who gave us the tour.
What I liked instantly is that they have a huge selection of herbal teas that they keep out in the dining room 24/7, with plenty of sugar and hot water. I took full advantage! They also have a fridge where you can keep anything you buy that needs to stay cold, like the many great local cheeses! They often have a fire going in their incredibly cozy living room, and we spent a lot of time down there, cuddled up on the couch under one of many available blankets.
Since we stayed on a Sunday/Monday/Tuesday, the inn was pretty empty and it was nice to feel like we had the place to ourselves most evenings. We shared a breakfast table with some really lovely people and had great conversations, which I guess is the appeal of a B&B! We've never done anything like it, but it was definitely a perk to branch out and meet new people. However, we really only saw the owners, Richard and Kae, in passing. They're not really around on slower days, but it would have been nice to get to know them as other guests have.
We were in the Cabernet Sauvignon room, which we picked specifically for the two-person jacuzzi tub (which I'd say we spent 60% of our time in Healdsburg soaking in!). Our complimentary bottle of wine was waiting for us, and they have wineglasses downstairs for you to use whenever you want. The room was very cozy, but the ceilings were pretty low and the bed takes up most of the walkable floor space. There is a mirror covering the slanted ceiling in the bathroom which is meant to make it seem larger, but it is actually kind of disorienting and my boyfriend hit his head a few times. Still, the view of the mountains (through the branches of a beautiful flowering tree from bed or while you look through the shower skylight) is breathtaking at sun-up.
My favorite aspect was the journals on the night stand. They have journals for guests to leave little notes about their stay, as well as the date and where they're from. There was a brand new journal for our room, and we were really excited to be the first to write in it! I'm not sure everyone thinks to poke around so they miss out on these unique little additions to the room, but there is lots of cute, fun, personal touches around that you shouldn't miss.
Also, the breakfast was delicious! I liked that they always included some sort of fresh fruit amuse bouche, as well as both sweet and savory components. My favorite was the roasted pear with honey glaze and goat cheese!
My little gripes (accounting for the missing 5th star):
- We couldn't control the temperature in our room, but we were in the attic and it got unbearably hot. However, the windows didn't open at all. If each room isn't going to have it's own temp control, it would be nice if we could at least crack a window. I hate waking up feeling sweaty!
- The breakfasts were TOO large. Each morning, not a single person at our table could finish theirs. I know the idea is to bulk up on carbs pre-wine tasting, but it felt wasteful. I wish I'd been able to communicate with the staff (none of the servers spoke English) so I could let them know that I'd like smaller portions. I didn't like seeing all that food get thrown away.
- There was also some confusion over recycling. Although there are notes in the room about conserving water, towels, and using environmentally friendly products, the entire staff looked at us like aliens when we asked where we could find the recycling bin for empty bottles. We had to go out back to the large blue bin, and I have a hunch that the empty water bottles we left in our room were just thrown away. Again, those are our personal preferences but it seemed sort of two-faced for them to go on about water pollution/conservation but not have recycling bins for guests (especially in wine country, where we're blowing through wine bottles like crazy).
Overall, we still had a very incredible experience. Although we never went down to the Speakeasy, my boyfriend was jazzed up like a little kid when he saw one of the staff open the bookcase door. I wish they did tastings during the week, but I understand that it's probably not worth it when the inn is almost empty. I'm not sure if we could afford to come back at their regular rate, but Richard and Kae do a great job of making you feel at home, and Healdsburg is a gorgeous town. Definitely worth visiting at least once! read more