Picture the perfect ingredients for a relaxing getaway: delicious farm-to-table food; rolling, moody waves, whale spouts in the distance, and the tallest trees on Earth as your frame. This is the beauty of the Mendocino Coast, easily the most romantic place on earth.
I keep coming back thanks to the natural beauty and the fact that every time I’m there, it feels like a retreat from reality, a delicious escape. How convenient that it’s only a few hours north of the Bay Area in Northern California!
Mendocino is known for its boutique hotels and B&Bs. Having stayed in my fair share, I can say that these are the best luxury hotels in Mendocino:
- Most Romantic: The Inn at Newport Ranch
- Coziest BnB: Brewery Gulch Inn
- Best View: Sacred Rock Inn
- Best in Town: MacCallum House
- Best for Wildlife: Noyo Harbor Inn
- Best for Families: Little River Inn
- Best Eco-resort: Stanford Inn
- Best for Seclusion: Elk Cove Inn and Spa
1. The Inn at Newport Ranch
If you want solitude, the Inn at Newport Ranch is tough to beat. It sits on over 2,000 acres of private land encompassing seaside cliff walks and trails through the redwoods. Each room is impeccably designed, with redwood trees and hot tubs in some.
Each evening, guests are treated to a happy hour beverage and an optional delicious dinner. There’s also an organic garden, and our room featured a kitchen.
While there, I highly recommend taking the ATV tour through the forest. You may even be able to forage for mushrooms!
This is the perfect escape if you’re looking for something romantic, secluded, relaxing, and truly away from it all. It’s a popular spot for engagements and weddings, too! Read my full Newport Ranch Inn review.
2. Brewery Gulch Inn
For something closer to Mendocino proper, the Brewery Gulch Inn is in the perfect location for exploring the state parks, the boutiques in town, and coastal walks.
Most of the rooms feature of view of the ocean, in addition to a delicious breakfast each morning and tapas in the evening. Both meals were delicious, and the tapas were often enough for dinner for me.
This is another ideal romantic getaway, with an adorable garden and rustic, woodsy feel. Read my full Brewery Gulch review here.
3. Sacred Rock Inn
Although the Newport Ranch Inn was named the most romantic on this list, I’d be hard-pressed to find something as romantic as Sacred Rock as well, particularly the two-story rooms that have their own private bathtubs with what must be the best view in Mendocino.
This newly-renovated inn is indigenous-owned and the architecture, charming style, gorgeous location, and cozy atmosphere make it hard to beat. It’s a bit further afield from Mendocino then some of the other suggestions on this list, but for some people that might be just perfect.
It’s right on the coast in Elk, California, which is a tiny town that experiences smaller crowds, and has one of my favorite beaches in the area. There’s a reason why this is named sacred rock. Staying here seriously feels like a meditative experience. Read my full Sacred Rock review.
4. MacCallum House
After staying at so many inns in Mendocino over many visits, really in any season including the winter, I have to say MacCallum House is the best one that’s located right in Mendocino town. There are so many benefits to staying in town, including being able to forget where your car keys are. In a place where the local wine is so good, and there are so many boutique shops and delicious restaurants right in town, you never have to drive if you don’t want to!
The MacCallum house is a victorian-era inn with a main house that you can stay in, as well as several other structures throughout the gorgeously manicured property. We stayed in the newly renovated room #15, which had a fireplace, sitting area, and its own private hot tub!
Many of the inns in the area have nice restaurants, but MacCallum house has a truly delicious farm to table tasting menu you absolutely must try. Read my full MacCallum House review here.
5. Noyo Harbor Inn Restaurant and Tavern
Another Fort Bragg gem, the Noyo Harbor Inn Restaurant and Tavern keeps regulars coming back for its outstanding hospitality, spa offerings, and awesome location. Here you’ll have fantastic views of the marina from the main balcony on the property.
This spot is perfect for if you want to be in Fort Bragg to be close to glass sand beach and the other lesser visited state parks in the area, and you want an upfront view of the famous harbor seals. For those who want to walk down and hang with them whenever you wish, this is the perfect spot to stay.
Beyond that, after eating at many amazing restaurants in the area, the Noyo Harbor’s has to be my favorite. After staying at four inns in the area together, my group of friends and I all still talk about the amazing food here.
This accommodation also has a spa that offers deep-tissue massage, among other treatments. It’s a pet-friendly hotel as well, with specific rooms available if you’re traveling with a furry friend. Though breakfast isn’t included, eating at the restaurant is worth it.
6. Little River Inn
Family-owned and great for families, the Little River Inn has a huge rolling lawn that is perfect for kids to play while the gorgeous coastline sunsets unfold. It’s also walkable from the inn to Van Damme state park, one of the best in the area for summer days.
The inn is quite large, with several room types to choose from. Ours had its own little balcony, sitting area, and fireplace along with a huge bathtub!
The onsite restaurant is delicious, which is a running theme in Mendocino where just about every restaurant is amazing. Still, it’s nice to know that you don’t have to go far to have a great meal when staying at Little River.
7. Elk Cove Inn and Spa
Heading south along the coast, the Elk Cove Inn and Spa is another quaint B&B that offers stunning views from many of its rooms, delicious food, and a beach that feels almost private. I loved watching the pelicans dive into the water and fly around the rugged coastline at sunset.
It felt like a magical moment when Mother Nature and I were having a moment, as is so often my feeling in the Mendocino area.
I recommend booking one of the suites with an ocean view. Bonus: this is a pet-friendly hotel!
8. The Stanford Inn by the Sea Eco-Resort
Perched next to Big River and offering rooms with sea, bay, and river views is the Stanford Inn by the Sea Eco-Resort. The rural location of this hotel makes it one of the most serene in the area, so those looking for quiet accommodations will love this one.
Here you’ll also find a vegan restaurant, The Ravens, as well as a spa offering Ayurvedic treatments and Swedish massage. They also have a gym that offers yoga classes, an indoor pool (pools are super rare to find in Mendocino), and complimentary bike rentals. It’s also pet-friendly and family owned!
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I hope this list helps you find the absolute best place to stay in Mendocino for you. I have enjoyed my time at every single one of them, and all for different reasons. Whether your non-negotiable is having an ocean view or a bomb complimentary breakfast, these accommodations have something for everyone. Let me know which one sounds the best to you!
*Some links in this post are affiliate links for products and services we personally use and love. Any purchase you make through them supports us at no extra cost to you. Several of these inns have also hosted me as a guest free of charge.
Seeking Stamps says
Wow- these are such charming accommodations! Thank you for the helpful information about visiting Mendocino.