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Olema Druids Hall
Rating Details »
- Hours:
Mon. 9:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
- Price Range:
-
$$$$
7 reviews for Olema Druids Hall
A slice of paradise.
We stayed in the "Nest" room and had a fabulous experience.
Very attentive and unobtrusive service and a cute and carefully arranged breakfast, different every morning, prepared with local seasonal ingredients and pastry from Point Reyes' Bovine bakery (delicious almondy bear paw on top of everything).
We also really appreciated the backyard and the relaxed feel of the entire estate.
Will definitely recommend for a lovely getaway...
I spent such a wonderful weekend here a while back. It brings a smile on my face as I remember it. The area around Olema Druids Hall is simply stunning, and I felt so pampered and spoiled wherever I went. I had fresh oysters from an oyster farm down Sir Francis Drake, went horseback riding on a ranch in the other direction, and ate at lots of quaint little places. This is all bundled up with the fresh woodsy air that you can't get in a big city.
I stayed in the cottage in the back (runs $355-$445 a night), and got full service over the weekend. I was so relaxed here, I didn't want to leave the cottage to go look around outside, as beautiful as it was.
So in the morning, you are left with your breakfast in a picnic basket outside of your door. You're encouraged to pick it up before the deer and raccoons do, and inside of the basket are fresh baked goodies and other scrumptious breakfast foods. In the fridge you have fresh milk and cream from a local farm. I've never had fresh milk in the glass bottles and it tastes so much different, and the milkfat collects on the top. Weird. The entire cottage is fully furnished, so in the kitchen they have fresh granola mixed with their own dried fruits, which makes a yummy cereal. They also have lots of utensils and foodstuffs stocked up in case you want to stay in for the night.
They have some big chairs and a couch facing the fireplace, a TV with lots of channels, and a bookshelf stocked with books. I spent a night reading about the 60's counterculture and let my imagination roam. I ended the night with a nice soothing bath in their jacuzzi and hopped into bed.
Their bed is amazing. I've never slept in 300 thread count Egyptian cotton, with so much goose down floating around me. When I woke up the next morning, I was kind of delusional and thought that I had been sleeping in the clouds. What a wonderful way to wake up.
Overall my weekend here was simply over the top. I left with a much better appreciation for nature - the views around here are simply gorgeous. I was able to relax and unwind and just have some good shared time with the person I came here with. There aren't many moments in life where you can escape the hectic rush around you, but Olema Druids Hall is truly an exception. It's neat that real druids used to meet up here. The lady who checked us in gave us the grand tour, including all of the history. Oh how I wish I could spend another weekend here...
Few things make me feel more heaven-bound intoxicated than sitting atop a crest overlooking a bejeweled Pacific. Hiking oceanside is great therapy for me and often helps put life's little hiccups into perspective, so what better low-key way to recenter than a weekend in Olema?
On the one hand, I relish spending time in the countryside because of the way it makes me feel so very Anne of Green Gables (cue sound byte of dudes gagging), but on the other hand, my B&B experience thus far has been generally unpleasant: creaky twin size day beds, thin walls, the hostess-with-the-mostest million questions, the host absent of bedside manners, nubby garden of eden print 50-thread blankets, tell me again why I am dishing out $180/n to take cold showers, etc. That being said, I booked two nights at Olema Druids Hall--not to be confused with Olema Inn & Restaurant--with a fair amount of hesitation.
Druids Hall was described as unpretentiously luxurious, stunning, a private European estate and comes highly recommended by SF Mag, Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast. The building itself has quite a bit of interesting history (originally erected in 1885 as a meeting hall for the Druids Association and renovated since), as the Welcome Book placed in each room so beautifully reads.
Remarkably, the property's self-description is, for the most part, right on the money. It's a peaceful little slice of heaven. As advertised: invigorating water pressure, heated hardwood floors, down comforters, sumptuous 300+ thread count linens (no banal floral prints in sight!), plush bathrobes, Aveda toiletries, private phones with voicemail, wireless, cable TV, VCR player with movie library, breakfast comprised of organic, local goods...
Every inviting detail from the conscientious pre-check-in call, to leaving the room lights on so we wouldn't fumble into a dark room, to the greeting letter, to the fresh cut stargazers, to the tangerines aesthetically placed in a ceramic bowl, even to the towels, felt warm. Personalized. They tell a story of a good-natured, mild-mannered owner, Victoria, and her discerning taste which adds character to the historic property.
And then. I noticed a ladybug. Cute.
And then. I noticed three ladybugs. Raised eyebrow.
Four.
Five.
Six.
Twenty...one of them thinks she's Marion Jones and is going all one flew over the cuckoo's nest around the fixture.
At this point, I'm terrified like Alice Nelson is of mice, clutching myself in an elevated fetal position.
Well apparently, ladybugs seem to have made themselves quite comfortable in the little town of Olema and its B&Bs. So if you can cope with a family of ladybugs for a couple nights, then ODH is for sure one of the best in its class.
As for me, I'll be seeking counseling to overcome my fear of mass quantities of ladybugs because I'd like to go back someday.
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Sometimes at night I fantasize about getting to go back to the Druids Hall. It is far and away, the most comfortable, relaxing, charm oozing inn I've ever stayed in. The staff are extremely helpful and sweet, the property is quiet and beautiful, and the rooms are unique and comfortable.
We booked last minute so we ended up staying in two different rooms. Our first night was in the main building, in the Sutro room (named and decorated after the Sutro baths). The room had two queen feather beds and a huge bathroom with a clawfoot tub. The two beds were a bit unnecessary, and actually left me wondering who would come to such a romantic place with someone they didn't share a bed with. It doesn't seem like somewhere you'd travel with kids.
Our second night was in the cottage--basically the size of a small house and complete with a full kitchen, fireplace, and massive tub with jets. I left wondering if I could replicate this setup in a future home.
All of the rooms come with an excellent breakfast.
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This place is beautiful very close to the earthquake park with damage from the 1906 quake and Samuel P Taylor park with gorgeous Redwoods.
The rooms are nice and clean and well stocked. The amenities (Shampoo, soap, etc.) were nice.
I thought the $235 a night in the "nest" which is in the main building was a little pricey for off season.
Olema is sleepy town with the local bar that starting shutting down at 8:30 on Friday night.
All in all very romantic, quiet and relaxing.
Finally! A truly relaxing destination with small town charm, lots of trees, clean air and a home that has all the great amenities of a 5-star hotel.
We arrived here late on a Friday evening for a long weekend of nothing but R&R. We booked the bedroom which is on the main floor of the house. Not knowing anything about the property before we arrived we were pleasantly surprised that we ended up with what I consider to be the best room in the house!
The size was perfect, the amazing wood floors were heated (beware, don't leave your suitcase on the floor while the heat is on...my makeup almost melted), luxurious soaking tub, amazing sheets, comfy bed...I could go on forever.
BUT, the best part of the whole deal was that from approx. 10pm each evening until 9am the next morning we got exclusive use of the living room and kitchenette area. We lit a fire, read books, drank juice and had toast...all at 1am. Unfortunately I think the loud crackling of the fire didn't please the guests upstairs. Oopsy!
In case you're wondering there are three rooms in the house (ranging in price from $175 to over $400 per night) and a cute little detached cottage in the backyard.
If you're thinking of a wedding or other event here, you should know that when I spoke to the manager of the property, they're not too keen on large groups renting the house or any events on the premises. I can understand how disruptive it would be, but it's kind of a bummer because the place is so cute.
I will absolutely return to this lovely little hidden nook near Pt. Reyes again very soon. The staff was delightful and made our stay one that we'll always remember.
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This is one of those posts that I almost don't want to do because I don't want the specialness of this place to be diluted by rave reviews. But the fact of the matter is that the Olema Druid's Hall is fantastic. Inexpensive? Not in the least. But if you can find the money in your budget, this is luxury to the hilt. Super secluded and private, every room that we have stayed in feels like there is no one else in the place. Highly, highly recommended.
The hall sleeps 12-15 in all, and I have dreams of being able to rent the entire place out some day with a group of friends.
