Page 86 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2021 DISCOVERING MENDOCINO

BREWERY GULCH INN

We felt at home the moment we entered
the great room/lobby at Brewery Gulch Inn,
our second outstanding Mendocino accom-
modation on this trip. It didn’t take long to
figure out why. They constructed most of the
inn from the heart of redwood and outfitted
with classic Stickley furniture.
Our redwood home for almost two
decades, built into the hillside of San Diego’s
Mount Helix, was styled after the famous
Greene and Greene craftsman homes in
Pasadena. During our time there, we fur-
nished it with Stickley classics and other arts
and crafts period furniture.
The Inn sits on a bluff-top capturing views
of the Smuggler’s Cove and stunning sunsets.
Many of its cozy romantic rooms offer two-
person tubs and private decks. The soaring
building borders the 48,000 acres of mead-
ows and redwood groves of the Jackson
Demonstration State Forest. One delight of
our comfy room was two club chairs warmed
by a gas fireplace - perfect for nightcaps and
morning coffee.
In pre-pandemic times, guests gather
around the enormous fireplace in the great
room to enjoy the evening happy hour of
complimentary local wines. Doors from the
great room open onto a large deck and gar-
den. Another option for relaxing when the
weather permits. During our stay, happy hour
was mostly enjoyed in our rooms. Social dis-
tancing limited interactions among the few
who ventured into public spaces. We could
only imagine how lively and fun this welcom-
ing area could be minus Covid restrictions.
Included with our stay was a delicious
cooked-to-order breakfast, served in the
great room where the Stickley tables are
flooded with morning sunlight. Ron, an afi-
cionado of scrambled eggs, raved about his
perfectly cooked eggs and the side of savory
biscuits and gravy. Pure comfort-food heaven.

86 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE 2021