Unique Inns along Pacific Coast Highway and Napa

Best Boutique Hotels, Spas, B&Bs and Lodges in California and Oregon

Apr 13, 2009

From California to Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, Unique Inns has the best luxury lodges, boutique hotels, and historic inns on the Pacific Coast and in Napa Valley.

Unique Inns is a collection of independently owned country inns, bed-and-breakfast guesthouses, boutique hotels, luxury lodges and spas along North America's west coast. They range from southern California to the Pacific Northwest of Oregon and Washington, as well as inland in Idaho and extending into Canada's British Columbia (in Vancouver, Mayne Island and Victoria). Some of the best offer beachside accommodation along the Pacific Coast Highway, and in California's wine country in Napa Valley.

Unique Inns in California

This luxurious and intimate mission-style inn is built into a terraced hillside on the Pacific Coast Highway. With just 16 rooms the service is personal and friendly, yet Casa Laguna offers a small spa and business center too, as well as complimentary wine and hors d'oeuvres, and a truly gourmet breakfast. Some of Laguna Beach's top restaurants are within walking distance or a short drive.

Co-owned by movie legend Doris Day, the Cypress Inn is in the center of Carmel. It is not only pet-friendly but positively encourages doggie visitors (and their owners). Just a few blocks from Carmel's pet-friendly beach, it's also only a short walk to Carmel's best restaurants, galleries and shopping.

This intimate guesthouse has 13 rooms built around a stone courtyard, most of them with their own private entrance. Complimentary breakfasts are served in the room, and there is also a complimentary afternoon cheese and wine tasting. The half-timbered English Tudor-style building is in the center of town but in a quiet location and is one of the most romantic retreats in Carmel.

Napa Valley's Wine Country Inn has been in the same family for three generations and overlooks vineyards on the edge of St. Helena. There are 20 guest bedrooms, four suites and five really luxurious cottages with their own spa tubs, wood-burning fireplaces, and in-room massage services. A home-cooked breakfast and an afternoon wine tasting with gourmet appetizers are also included in this romantic Napa location.

This boutique luxury inn is right in downtown Napa, walking distance to some of the town's top restaurants and tasting rooms. The 1903 mansion has five suites in the main building with two separate cottages and the Carriage House in the enclosed rear garden. Rooms have their own spa tubs, and services include a complimentary mini-bar, gourmet breakfast, and evening wine tasting and appetizers.

The Stanford Inn is a truly unique experience, set into a hillside overlooking Mendocino Bay, with the town of Mendocino a few minutes' drive away. The inn is run on green eco-friendly lines, with organic vegan and vegetarian food, much of it from the inn's own gardens. The beautiful rooms and suites are built from pine and redwood, giving a rustic lodge look, but the cuisine sets it apart with exceptional and unusual gourmet food served in its award-winning Ravens restaurant.

In the heart of Eureka's Old Town, the Carter House spreads over several Victorian-style buildings, one of which includes the Inn's Restaurant 301, which many guidebooks rate as one of the best in Northern California. It also has one of the finest wine cellars in the country, having won a coveted Grand Award from the Wine Spectator magazine. There are 32 guest rooms, suites and cottages, with spa tubs, fireplaces, in-room massage available, and breakfast provided in Restaurant 301.

Unique Inns in Oregon

Located a few miles up the Rogue River from Gold Beach, the 16 rooms, two suites and two houses at the Tu Tu' Tun Lodge overlook the river with woodlands all around. Eagles and osprey nest nearby in this beautifully tranquil setting. Guests can enjoy their outdoor soaking tubs, as well as complimentary wine and beer in the afternoon, served with exceptional appetizers. The lodge has its own fine dining restaurant, with many outdoor activities available on site or nearby to help work up an appetite.

Set right on the beach beside the rugged rocks and tide pools of Oregon's unspoiled coast, the Overleaf Lodge and Spa is a short drive from Yachats, which has itself been described as the jewel of Oregon's coastline. All 50 guest rooms and four suites are cleverly built to provide everyone with ocean views, many having their own private hot tubs or whirlpool baths. Rooms include an extended continental breakfast, with many dining options a few minutes away in Yachats.

For further information on all Unique Inns in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and in British Columbia in Canada, and to make online bookings, visit the Unique Inns website.

The copyright of the article Unique Inns along Pacific Coast Highway and Napa in California Travel is owned by Donna Dailey. Permission to republish Unique Inns along Pacific Coast Highway and Napa in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.