Hotel at a Glance: Mendocino Hotel & Garden Suites

A few things have changed since the Mendocino Hotel & Garden Suites opened for business in 1878. For example, the surrounding community has transformed from logging town to artists' colony. But there's at least one thing that remains unchanged: the sunsets around here. The hotel sits on a bluff overlooking the ocean and is within walking distance of Mendocino Headlands State Park, which has served as a vantage point for 50,000 vacation-worthy sunsets since the hotel welcomed its first guests.

• Enjoy complimentary coffee or tea all day at the lobby bar.
• Spend the night in luxurious rooms; the luxury garden room features an Italian marble bathroom and down comforter. Some rooms have small porches. Victorian rooms boast antique furnishings, lace curtains, and blackout drapes.
• Put your feet up and stay in for indoor amenities like cable TV, high-speed WiFi, and a selection of newspapers.
• Go hiking on the coastal cliffs of Mendocino Headlands State Park, just a mile away.

Mendocino, California: New England Look-Alike on Scenic Pacific Headlands

In the mid-19th century, Mendocino rose to prominence as a redwood-logging hub along California's northern coast, attracting a number of lumberjacks from New England. These West Coast pioneers brought East Coast architecture with them, building their new homes in the Victorian and saltbox styles. The town has such a New England look that it stood in for a Maine fishing village during the filming of the TV series Murder, She Wrote. For a peek at some of these picturesque old buildings, head to the Ford House, which serves as the official Visitor Information Center of Mendocino Village, and the Kelley House Museum, which preserves 19th-century photographs and furniture in a house built in 1861.

In the 1950s, when it was in danger of becoming a ghost town, Mendocino was thrust back into the spotlight thanks to painter Bill Zacha’s Mendocino Art Center. Still open today, the art center has taken advantage of its scenic setting along the town’s coastline, which has been the inspiration for several watercolor and oil canvases. A quick stroll south will bring you to one such scenic spot, Mendocino Headlands State Park, where waves crash along carving arches, grottoes, and stony bluffs.

Other Details

Victorian Room

• One double bed
• Standard occupancy: 2
• Maximum occupancy: 2

Luxury Garden Room

• One king bed or two double beds
• Standard occupancy: 2
• Maximum occupancy: 4
• Adding occupants above standard: $20 per night for each additional guest 13 or older; kids 12 or younger stay free

Hotel Policies

• Check in: 4 p.m.
• Check out: 12 p.m.
• Parking: free
• Smoking policy: no smoking inside the property.
• Pet policy: please contact property for pet restrictions and fees.
• Accessibility: please contact property for handicap accessibility requests or options.
• Room upgrades: upgrades may be available during booking or at check-in for an additional cost.