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INN REVIEWS

Carter House Inns

AAA Four-Diamond Inn Award:
Nationwide, only three percent of the estimated 27,400 AAA-rated lodgings and four percent of the estimated 12,400 restaurants are awarded Four Diamond designations each year.

Pamela Lanier's Inn of the Year

San Francisco Focus Magazine: "Best Small Hotel in Northern California"

The wine list of Restaurant 301 has been acknowledged by many to be one of the finest in the world, and has recently been chosen by The Wine Spectator Magazine for an international Grand Award, the highest honor the publication bestows in its wine list awards program.

Our wine program was recently recognized by Sante Magazine as the finest in a hotel restaurant on the West Coast.

This property has been featured in Sunset, U.S. News & World Report, Country Home, Country Living, Bon Appetit, San Francisco Focus, Northwest Palate, Gourmet, Art Culinare, San Francisco Chronicle, Wine Spectator, New York Times Magazine and Organic Gardening.

Casa Laguna Inn

Voted Orange County’s Best Bed and Breakfast

On Orange County Register Best of the Best 1997-2003

Dunbar House, 1880

Received AAA 4 diamond Award

Glendeven Inn

One of the country’s “Ten Great Places for a Romantic Weekend; USA TODAY

“This beautiful clapboard home, elegant in its simplicity, is one of the most delightful inns on the Mendocino coast.”; Karen Brown’s California Charming Inns & Itineraries

“One of the 10 best Inns in America” Country Inns Bed & Breakfast

Grape Leaf Inn

Arrington’s Inn Traveler- Voted by inngoers as one of the “Top Wine Country Inns” Arrington’s 2004 Book of Lists

Tripadvisor-“The inn was immaculate and clean, with lovely antique furnishings and thoughtful touches…”

DigitalCity.com 5 star user rating-“Absolutely the best breakfasts and wine tastings anywhere in the wine country…”

Harbor House Inn by the Sea

"This inn has it all, views, elegant rooms, and meals that alone makes the trip worthwhile" Sunset Magazine, February 2004
One of 20 Best Seaside Getaways on the Pacific

Wine Spectator's "AWARD of EXCELLENCE"

Top 10 Inns 2004

Inn at Occidental of Sonoma Wine Country

Sky West Magazine-“The most inspired and eclectic collection of antiques and family heirlooms that you will ever find in one place”.

VIA Magazine-“The Inn spoils people with fireplaces, spas, tubs, and the worlds best granola”.

Travel Holiday Magazine-“only the plushest survive. The Inn at Occidental stands out”.

J. Patrick House Bed & Breakfast Inn

“And there is the J. Patrick House, the first B & B to have opened in Cambria ... voted one of the top 15 B & B Country Inns and best on the West Coast ... charming guest rooms with a queen bed, wood burning fireplace and private bath where you’ll be surrounded by Irish country comfort and amenities.”
Famous food-travel critic, Elmer Dills

“The home style setting amid pine trees was rustic and comfy, yet sophisticated. It was close to town yet far enough from the hustle and bustle of daily commerce.”
Doug Ernst, Napa Valley Register

Joshua Grindle Inn

At our recently awarded AAA Four Diamond Mendocino inn, we offer you unobtrusive care and a wonderful night's sleep.

“Inn of the Year”
-- Pamela Lanier's Bed & Breakfasts, Inns, & Guesthouses of the United States
“Inns of the Year Honor Roll” from the 2003 Lanier guide

“Inn of the Month”
-- Travel Holiday Magazine

Featured in Sunset Magazine

“The West's Best B&Bs: Wake up to a great breakfast!”

“The Joshua Grindle Inn...is different from so many other bed and breakfasts in the whitewashed North Coast town. Maybe it's the water tower. Or the extra attention to detail. Or simply the New England elegance that graces the property...”
Sacramento Magazine

“...all ten rooms...feature the same charm and attention to detail that is a signature of owners Cindy and Charles Reinhart and Manager Christine Wagner.”
Orange Coast Magazine

“A nostalgic gingerbread-trimmed front porch bids welcome to the mellow, antique-furnished homestead which harbors ten comfy guest rooms in an 1879 Victorian house and two outbuildings”
Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report

“The in-room massage by Glenna was the perfect way to begin my vacation. She has amazing hands and found all of my trouble spots. It was the best massage I've ever had! Consider her massage not a luxury, but a necessity - don't miss it!”
Coastal Living Magazine

“Talk about lofty accommodations...Guests gather in the house each morning for an out-of-this-world breakfast”
American Way

“Are you looking for a retreat with plenty of pampering and majestic surroundings? Head north for Mendocino and the charm of the Joshua Grindle Inn”
Gentry

“The sun shines brightly on the small enclave of Mendocino, California, a craggy coastal town on the Pacific that boasts many inns worth checking out, especially the 1879 white-washed Joshua Grindle Inn”
Honeymoon

“The Grindle does historical well, offering rooms furnished with period pieces and local history in the form of photographs and other mementos - and the heart of the village is only a short walk away”
Sunset

“The owners pay close attention to the little details that make for a pleasant stay - wine, cookies, silky robes, hair dryers, feather beds, quilts, even teddy bears”
Passport Newsletter

“Impeccably appointed interior decor and period furnishing . . .excellent gourmet breakfast”
Las Vegas Magazine

“In this quaint community, where Bed-and-Breakfast inns are as plentiful as sea gulls, the Joshua Grindle Inn is a standout...Mr. Grindle's old Victorian homestead is quintessential Mendocino”
Bill Gleeson in Weekends for Two in Northern California:

50 Romantic Getaways
“... enjoyed another great weekend at JGI! The service, establishment, and food was impeccable, as always. Everytime I go back, I think it was so perfect, it couldn't get better. But, Charles and Cindy really put the perfect in perfectionism!”

Fodor's America's Best Bed and Breakfasts
First Edition
“All of the rooms are spotlessly maintained, immaculately decorated, have well lighted comfortably arranged sitting areas and private baths”
Karen Brown in Karen Brown's California Country Inns and Itineraries

“Charles and Cindy . . . made us feel extremely comfortable and welcome from the moment we checked in. The location is perfect, only a few blocks from the ocean. And there's nothing more romantic than sipping sherry by the fire on a chilly Northern California night. This was, truly, the FINEST bed & breakfast experience we've ever had. We'd recommend it in a heartbeat.”
Kerry & Dan, New York City from Out and About Magazine

“The things that captivate me most about the Joshua Grindle Inn are the fresh, clean smells in the guest rooms, the books and the comfortable chairs, the breezy vista toward Mendocino and the ocean, and the wonderful gardens. They're a joy to see growing, seemingly so wild and casual (I know that's not the case), on this beautiful site. Even with the crowds that flock to Mendocino during summer tourist time, the atmosphere here is tranquil and rural.”
Julianne Belote in Recommended Country Inns, West Coast

McCaffrey House

McCaffrey House Country Inn - recommended by the prestigious French magazine: America.

Beauty, tranquility, and peace - perfect ingredients for a romantic evening."
Guest Journal

"An American Bed & Breakfast is equivalent to an English Country House - a superb experience."

"Having spent over a week touring California, our stay at McCaffrey House turned out to be the highlight of the honeymoon. We are already planning our next trip!"
- Toby Young, London Sunday Telegraph

"Not only is Yosemite spectacular, but the historic towns that surround the National Park are charming reminders of the Gold Rush days. For example, the scenery, history and good eats at McCaffrey House, in Twain Harte ... it was calming and peaceful to be there."
- The Modesto Bee

"McCaffrey House .... a famed dining spot in the Sierras that is worth the drive - and since you are there anyway, spend the night. Michael & Stephanie McCaffrey will make you feel at home!"
- Barbara Albright, Associated Press

AAA Four Diamond Award Winner

Orchard Hill Country Inn

"The perfect inn." - Elmer Dills B&B Review

"Julian's newest bed and breakfast is a slice of heaven" - Orange County Register

"Orchard Hill, a luxury inn opened in 1994, sets a new standard for historic Julian, renowned for its rusticity." - Fodor's Bed & Breakfast and Country Inns

Country Inns Magazine named Orchard Hill the 1996 Waverly Inn of the Year for its "innovative and versatile approach" to decorating. The judges particularly noted the Inn's Great Room design, which they said recalls "a bygone era of America's great National Park lodge..." Photos and an article on Orchard Hill were featured in the magazine's Special Collectors Holiday Edition.

Orchard Hill was featured as a cover page article in the February'98 edition of Country Inn's Magazine. A Mountain Gem Adds High-Style Gloss to an Old West Town in Southern California. Author Priscilla Lister writes "Sit under the star-studded sky gazing at Julian's few lights peeping through the trees. Toast the prospectors who mined this fine mountain gem and the Straube's for polishing it."

We are proud to have earned the American Automobile Association's coveted FOUR DIAMOND rating six years in a row. An AAA letter of commendation states:"the AAA honors with the 4-Diamond rating only those exceptional properties which significantly exceed AAA requirements in most physical and operational categories."

Orchard Hill was also selected as one of the Ten Outstanding New Inns of 1996 by Inn Marketing, a well respected newletter serving the Bed & Breakfast Industry. Orchard Hill was chosen for its " personal touch and specialness... abundance of charm ... distinctive ammenities above and beyond the norm.. and all-around comfort to guests."

Shore House at Lake Tahoe

3 DIAMONDS by AAA

3 STARS by Mobile, 3 CROWNS by the American Bed and Breakfast Association

3 1/2 KISSES by The Best Places to Kiss

Simpson House Inn

North America’s only AAA Five Diamond Inn

Travel & Leisure -“The Simpson House stands alone in quality”

The Ballard Inn

GLOBAL SOUL FOOD
BUDI KAZALI FUSES AT THE BALLARD INN by D.J. Palladino
The Santa Barbara Independent Newspaper Review

The Honor Mansion

AAA 4 diamond award winner

February 2004 — Country Living Magazine
Inn of the month

February 2004 — Plus Magazine (seniors)
"...One of the most delightful is the Honor Mansion, an elegant boutique resort, tucked away in the charming town of Healdsburg ... Honor Mansion invites couples to unwind and reconnect."

April 2004 — Food & Travel
"...nestled in the Sonoma Win Country is the marvelously romantic Honor Mansion. . .with decorations that would make Martha Stewart jealous. . . pampering is the order of the day. . .the Honor Mansion is definitely the venue to relax and luxuriate"

March/April 2004 — Highroads Magazine
"...the lovingly restored inn features the intimacy of a bed and breakfast, enhanced by the amenities of an elite hotel – and then some. . . whether it’s remembering your breakfast preferences each morning or offering activity and dining recommendations, the Fowlers strive to make your stay at their inn not only relaxing, but utterly memorable. The property itself might be enough to make that happen, but the service – and the food – guarantees it, and there is no more perfect setting for a romantic getaway.”

June/July 2004 — The Wine News
"...The Fowlers have imbued the place with the creature comforts one expects from a luxury inn: down comforters, fine linens, attentive but professional service.”

December 2003 — Travel & Leisure

October 2003 — National Culinary Review
"California’s now famous wine regions yiels a cuisine that has influenced an entire nation. Honor Mansion Breakfast Stratta feature wine country recipe.

September 2003 — Michelin Guide

May 2003 — Robb Report

May/June 2003 — Going Places

April 2003 — Destinations

April 10, 2003 — Boston Herald Sunday Travel
Feature story Spring edition 2003, Total Fitness, Travel feature story

September/October 2003 — Via Magazine

2002
Voted top 10 romantic inns

October 2002 — San Francisco Magazine

August 2002 — Travel & Leisure

Winter 2002 — American Style Magazine

Winter 2002 — Living West Magazine

Winter 2002 — Brides Guide

February 2002 — Woman’s Day
Feature recipe

February/March 2002 — Romantic Homes Magazine
Feature article

June 2001 — Wine Spectator Magazine
Savoring Sonoma, “plush hideaway on a quiet street”

2000 — Sunset
"Best of the West" Feature recipe

1998 — Sunset
"Hip to be square in Healdsburg"

1997 — Sunset
"Great eats & sleeps in Sonoma"

The Martine Inn

"One of America's top 12 B&Bs"
- Country Inn Magazine

"One of the 8 best B&Bs in Historic Homes"
- Bon Appetit

"One glance at the lavish Victorian interior and the incredible bay views and you will know why this Mediterranean-style inn is one of the best in the area"
- Frommers

The Wine Country Inn

“Surrounded by vineyards and verdant hillsides, The Wine Country Inn is as pleasing as a canvas laid down by Van Gogh”
Jerry Hulse - LA Times

“Combined, they create an atmosphere of comfort in the tradition of Napa Valley Hospitality”
Ann Kaiser - Premiere issue of Country

“...a dreamy redwood hideaway decorated with antiques and handmade quilts”
William Connors - Glamour Magazine

“...and though it is new, it has the look of a back-country New England inn”
Family Circle 4/78

“A likely headquarters for your visit might be The Wine Country Inn, a romantic 25-room retreat just off the main road north of St. Helena”
Craig Turner - LA Times

“One of my favorite choices for lodging is The Wine Country Inn.”
Hank Rubin - Bon Appetit

“A quilt on a wooden wall, powder blue pillows in a day bed nook with a window view to rolling hills beyond...”
Warren Lerude - State Journal, Lansing MI

“...an old-fashioned re-creation embellished with new-fashioned comforts.”
The Hideaway Report

“Located in the heart on the Napa Valley on a shady lane, this contemporary board-and-batten chateau was built specifically as a place for couples to escape daily hassles.”
Roberta Homan Gardner - Woman’s Day

“The Inn offers a generous, self-serve breakfast in the morning. The homemade granola cereal is not to be missed. The staff is one of the Inn’s greatest assets - all of the employees are helpful, friendly and knowledgeable...”
Rob Reid and Elizabeth Hendricks - The Stanford Daily

“The Wine Country Inn has been guided by three generations of the Smith family since it was built in 1975...”
Los Angeles Magazine

Mobil 4 Star for many years

AAA 3 Diamond for many years

Independent Innkeepers Association Member

Special Places Member

Unique Northwest Inns Member

California Association of Bed and Breakfast Innkeepers Member

Best Places to Kiss: Situated on a beautifully landscaped knoll overlooking tranquil acres of tree-hemmed vineyards, this dark wood-paneled inn has all the makings for a romantic country experience.”

Recommended Country Inns, West Coast: Unlike many inns in the area, this one was built new from the ground up. The Smiths borrowed ideas from historic buildings in the valley, making their three story stone-and-wood inn look right at home in the vineyards.

Country Inns and Back Roads: I think other innkeepers in California are fortunate to have such a model inn after which to fashion themselves. The care and consideration that have gone into the designing, and the result, prove that a country inn doesn’t have to be old to be legendary.

Karen Brown’s California Charming Inns & Itineraries: The setting is peaceful, the mood relaxing, and the staff knowledgeable and friendly. Public areas include a lovely lobby which opens onto a large expanse of deck and a pool (now heated all year) on the terraced hillside bounded by a patio and colorful gardens.

Weekend’s for Two in Northern California 50 Romantic Getaways: Like the exterior, guests’ rooms here draw some inspiration from the inns of old, with country-style furnishings, homespun quilts and iron beds. Welcome contemporary touches include patios, balconies, wet bars and modern bathrooms.

The Discerning Traveler’s Guide To Special Places: What all the rooms have in common is comfort. ... There are pastoral views and intimate rooms ideal for romance. The Inn has an outdoor swimming pool with plenty of lounge chairs, and a large bubbling spa nearby.

                

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