Hollyhock Country House

Diamond in the ruff! I was so delighted with our stay I wanted to say something so others can make an informed decision to stay or not. This is a 94 year old farm house. The original hardwood floors have a wonder sound , the bed was comfy, and the porch cat was a very pleasant greeter. The owner, a world traveler originally from NY, has filled this home with her travels and collections over the past 30 years. She is also an artist, first noticing this as you pull down the long drive and see the quilt work pattern painted garage doors. The inside has some lovely works that she has painted. The enclosed sunroom where our breakfast was provided was lovely. From the fresh fruit to homemade pasties, bread and to die for apple turnovers was a delight to have. The house was spotless. The rooms had character and the owner was so knowledgable and friendly. Wifi is available and if you need TV there is one in the sitting room. If you want a sterile sparse place with a blow dryer attached to the bathroom wall and a TV in your room this is not for you. Did I mention they allow one night reservations which most in town do not and the cost was less then half of what you will find anywhere in the area. Allow yourself to experience something special with an older charm of its own. Every place you look you will discover something new in the house. We will go back and for someone looking for this type of experience, we would recommend it to you too.

All B&B are as charming as their owner - this is a charming B&B I picked this place based on Hotels.com reviews. I was happy I stayed here. There was not a sign that I could see but Google Maps directions got me here and the address number is clear from the road. The barn you see as you drive up the driveway is very colorful so you will know you have arrived at the right place. There are only two rooms available so you will never be crowded. The home is very charming and comfortable. I slept like a baby in the double/queen bed (not sure which it was.) Lucille was easy to talk with and was so well traveled that she and I could share many great stories. If you like to be pampered like a fancy resort this is clearly not the place for you. This is a B&B and is like staying at the home of a friend. I will most certainly return.

Surprising and interesting stay We were greeted warmly by Lucille and what an interesting lady she is. We would definitely return, if only to sit and chat to her. The house is old, full of character and decorated with quirky nick nacks and items revived by Lucille. It is also spotlessly clean. The guest room itself is small but comfortable. Our breakfast was delicious homemade pastries and plenty of them, along with fresh orange juice and tea and coffee. Location is along a quiet road, a short drive to Sonoma Plaza.

Sonoma's Surprising Find First, we were enthralled with Lucille, the Inn Keeper. Our room was ready earlier than the 2pm check-in. Lucille was welcoming and friendly, but we didn't have much time to talk because we had to get ready for an afternoon event. We booked the Hollyhock since it was the only place that did not require a 2-night minimum AND didn't cost well-over $200/night. We read a few reviews, so we knew this wasn't an overpriced wine-country inn. We expected not to be dazzled by the property, so our expectations were low. While the house is dated and a few things could be fixed, it works. The room was comfortable with a queen bed and clean. The bathroom doesn't have a shower, but during our travels to Europe and Asia, we've encountered many places that did not have showers. One of us is highly allergic to cats, but the first floor of the house is cat-free and we were not affected at all, nor did we smell the odors "tillylamp" complained about. If you're looking for a 5-star/5-diamond property, this is not for you. If you're looking for comfortable, charming, European-style accommodations with a lovely inn keeper, then consider Hollyhock and use the money you save on wine tours and great restaurants in the area. By the way, Gundlach Bundschu winery is right across the street. We slept like babies. The night was so quiet. No sounds of compressors, barking dogs or traffic. When Lucille asked if we wanted a continental breakfast prior to our early departure, we were a bit hesitant because of negative reviews, BUT those reviews are unsubstantiated. We enjoyed our freshly brewed coffee, oj and fresh pastries in the sun room. More importantly, we loved our conversation with Lucille about our lives in the Bay Area and travels through Asia and Europe. Lucille is a delight.

Stay anywhere but here The problem I am facing when starting this review is WHERE do I begin?? The entrance to this ramshackle dump should have alerted me immediately, an old faded sign stuck on a chain link fence announces your unfortunate arrival, overgrown with weeds and extremely unkempt with a pothole filled "driveway" which isn't a driveway at all merely a dirt track. I was instructed to park the car anywhere I liked as we were the only guests. (Surprise surprise) There are NO parking facilities at all, you abandon your car in the side of a field, ok for 4wd vehicles but I was concerned for my rental. Broken steps lead up to a FILTHY tired looking bungalow with peeling paint, uneven porch boards and just a general feeling of neglect. Inside the house it's DARK, floor boards screech at ever footstep, no private bath, dirty kitchen with crap all over the place. Our room was tiny, filled with junk, poky and the whole house stinks of rancid cats piss. This all washes over the head of the owner who informed me at almost 3pm the "room" wasn't ready, gladly we took off and spent the next few hours searching for alternative accommodation but to no avail. We killed time before we went back to the dump at 9pm, took sleeping tablets and got up and left at 5am while it was still dark, no way would we be having ANY breakfast in this place. I was angry beyond belief that anyone would DARE to charge people for staying in this dirty, untidy hovel, quite honestly the kennels I put the dogs in are better. If there is no other accommodation available to you only this place then sleep in your car.