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Sea Ranch Lodge
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
20 reviews for Sea Ranch Lodge
[This is mostly a review of the Lodge, not the restaurant.]
The Sea Ranch Lodge is an all-around terrific place to stay. I was there for four nights in September, and although the staff wasn't good about returning phone calls while I was booking my reservations (they were supposed to get back to me with answers to some questions; I always had to call *them* back), they were wonderfully accommodating when I was there! A few samples of this great service:
- I arrived very late my first night. There was a plate of fruit, cheese, honeycomb, and almonds waiting for me, along with a little note. And a bottle of wine. So lovely, after a long, foggy drive.
- I noticed that another room had a window seat, and asked if I could have a room with one. They showed me two additional rooms and let me choose. They were also *incredibly* nice about it.
- The main staff person (Mary? Sara? I can't remember her name--rrgh) made a point of learning my name, and greeted me every time I passed by. We chatted every morning, and she was always very concerned with whether I was comfortable, if I needed anything, etc.
Other great things about this place:
- The large, tasty breakfasts (two different specials every day) that are included with the cost of your room.
- Decent coffee! And I'm picky.
- Starting at the Lodge, there's a trail that goes north along the blufftop for about eight miles. It takes you past several beaches, as well as a little marine preserve that was full of seals. It felt very safe and very private. I went on a four-hour hike one weekday afternoon and saw three other people total.
The only downside I can think of is that the walls are a little thin. And the corned beef hash was burned one morning. I'm struggling to think of something else, but I can't. Really. Oh yeah--the wireless Internet connection was really precarious. That's it. You should go. It's totally worth it--and the prices are actually not bad Sunday through Wednesday nights, if you can swing a weekday trip.
Re: the restaurant, I only had dinner there one night. I was a little surprised to receive *fries* with my steak, but whatever. Dinner was decent for the price, maybe slightly overpriced. But the BREAD PUDDING WAS PHENOMENAL. I mean, seriously. This stuff was amazing. It was ridiculous. If they're serving it, you've got to try it.
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This review is for the restaurant.
This was my second time here from a driving trip my friends and I do occasionally. I remembered the first time we ate here, we thought the food was spectacular, but this time it wasn't quite as good. Did the chef change? Or was it because we were starving last time and this time we were still quite full from a late breakfast?
Anyhow, we got the albacore tuna sandwich, fish tacos, and grilled trout. All three dishes looked great, but none of us were impressed with the flavors. The albacore I got was bland and overcooked (dry) and the side salad didn't have much flavor either. The sandwich tasted pretty good once I took all the fish out. Grilled trout looked pretty cool: it was the whole fish, pre-gutted, de-boned, and flavored and grilled whole. It's too bad it didn't taste as good as it looked.
Service was great, friendly and attentive staff. The views were spectacular. I'm sure we'll be back here again on our next drive, and I'm hoping the food will be up to par with the rest of what the place has to offer.
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Drop what you're doing right now and book a night or two at the Sea Ranch Lodge. Seriously. Stop reading this review. Really. You can finish it after you book your room. Your room's booked? Good. Okay, you can finish reading now.
I stayed one night at the Sea Ranch Lodge to celebrate my beloved's 50th birthday. It was blissful.
We arrived at Sea Ranch after a stunning drive up Hwy. 1 one hour before our check-in time. No problem. They checked us directly in after giving homemade dog treats to me for my Lab who was joining us.
And here's the first way the lodge won my heart. They don't just let dogs stay there begrudgingly, they are NICE to your dog. They like your dog. And that makes me like them right back. Rooms come with a dog bed, dog bowls, and biodegradable poop bags.
Our room was sparse and home-like. Completely unlike a commercial chain hotel with loud, generic prints and mass-produced furniture. They provide gourmet coffee and tea in your room, spa quality lotions and shampoos, dual leather club chairs that recline, and down comforters. We had an ocean view.
Their charming rural walking paths are lovely, as is the night sky. It's so dark you can see every single star. Or maybe it just felt that way. Their beach is deserted most the time. The whole place, Sea Ranch, the lodge -- all of it -- feels so secluded and peaceful.
We ate dinner at the Lodge that night and were completely pleased with the service, food and wine. We had delicious oysters on the half shell, scallops, lamb. Everything was great. Pricey, but it was nice to just have to walk feet to our room and there's not a lot else to eat in Sea Ranch. The view from the restaurant is gorgeous although its often wrapped in fog.
And the perfect end to our stay? Breakfast is included. Not "Here's a croissant and instant coffee if you can make it downstairs between 6:30 and 8:30." You go down to the restaurant by 11. Order whatever you want off the menu. Start with fresh fruit and the best banana nut muffin ever. And go on your merry way. No charge.
I think a birthday trip -- maybe even a monthly trip -- to Sea Ranch Lodge could very well become a tradition for us. I can't wait to go back.
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My husband and I spent a long weekend here and had a wonderful time. It is 1 -1.5 hours south of Mendocino which makes it easier and quicker to get to from the Bay Area. It is absolutely gorgeous! It is very secluded; there is nothing else in the small town except for the lodge. The nearest town is only 10 minutes away if you need it, which was nice. The room was great, the price was reasonable, and the service was outstanding! The restaurant has amazing views and a menu with reasonable options as well as fine dining options. I am so glad we found this place and anticipate taking many more long weekends here!
I took my boyfriend away for the weekend on his birthday, and to a secluded part of Northern California where the coastal trails are beautiful and easy to walk, with lots of sandy beaches and Monterey Pines, and where the lights don't shine so brightly in the evenings so we can see what Nature intended for us in the black of night.
I remember Sea Ranch from a short trip with my friend and her family one weekend long ago in high school. I remember fondly the cliffs, crashing waves and the salty air.
When we arrived, the Lodge was warm and well-appointed, with some of the most lovely staff on hand to help out with restaurant reservations or local details.
The entire Lodge is built to complement the natural beauty of its surroundings, and the cabin-like rooms have lush bedding and upgraded toiletries. Without a gas or wood burning fireplace, it seemed rather bare, but we were pretty happy with simply the wind rapping against the windowpanes and the blanket of stars in the evening after we returned from dinner at the main lodge. No television or radio necessary here.
During the days, we hiked along the beach trails and viewed some of the most dense kelp forests I've seen off of our coastline.
Our room faced a rocky cliff outcropping, foam topped waves lapping against the rocks, and gorgeous sunsets.
Complimentary breakfast included.
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What a getaway!
Here are the top 5 reasons I give this SRL 5 stars:
1. they don't just take dogs, they treat the dog like royalty. bed, bone, the whole bit.
2. a stone's throw from the city...you can shut down your laptop at 5pm and be sipping a cocktail at the Lodge by 8pm watching the sunset.
3. great rooms. the bed is really comfortable (think Westin Heavenly Bed) with the sound of waves crashing outside your window and a cool breeze. If you can't sleep good here, then you should see a doctor or enter "sleeping pills" into your search bar.
4. close to Lake Sonoma...do the drive from the Lodge to Lake Sonoma...do it!...it is long and windy, but when you end up at the Lake Sonoma lookout it is pretty damn breathtaking. you forget where you live, what day it is, how much gas costs, everything.
5. breakfast included. I woke up...had a great cup of coffee in my room and then sauntered into the Lodge dining room for my included breakfast. They start with a generous fruit plate made up of a variety of nature's goodness, then give you a few dishes to choose from to start your day. I went big and ordered the French Toast which was the best choice I could have made.
I will go back again and again.
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I was THIS close to staying in the city for 2 nights on our trip to CA 3 weeks ago. I had booked a room at the Clift and after reading on Yelp! about all the posers that frequent the place, I decided to pass. You know what? I see enough posers everyday walking around at home. Whatever. And since we only had 5 days out there, I really wanted, needed to unplug, if you know what I mean. So I booked a room at the Bodega Bay Lodge.
I dug a little deeper here on Yelp! and when I read the reviews of the lodge and the foghorn that goes off every 10 minutes, I decided to bag that too. My husband is a light sleeper and there is no way he would have made it there.
I was a little worried that I wouldn't be able to find something else that we would really like. The last time we had been that far north in CA was to Jenner, and that was a decade and a half ago. We had stayed at the Timber Cove Inn and it was a horror show. DO NOT GO THERE. I mean it.
Then, I saw that fellow yelpers seemed to love Sea Ranch. We decided to go there, and I am so glad we did!
The wooden-sided contemporary lodge is perched on a bluff overlooking the deep dark Pacific Ocean, on the west side of Highway One. We had stayed at Ventana in Big Sur several years ago, and that is on the east side of the road. It makes a difference.
We drove up the driveway, and were immediately struck by a supercool, lifesize bronze sculpture of a ten speed bike, leaning against a post by the front door, and a row of adirondacks chair on the porch behind it.. The lodge is surrounded by tress and lovely gardens, with more adirondack chairs dotting the property.
We walked in and were greeted immediately, and got a tour of the main building, which housed the restaurant, gift shop, reading room with telescope and fireplace, and bar. All the rooms in the building had magnificent views of the ocean, as far as the eye could see.
I had booked room no. 10 for us. It was on the second floor (there are only 2 floors and maybe 25-30 rooms in total?), and it was very spacious. It had a king bed, soft pile wall-to-wall carpeting, lofted ceilings, warm knotty pine walls and a built-in, el-shaped daybed in the corner of the room, that looked out on unobstructed western and northern views. Simply spectacular! There was a beautiful throw and lots of toss pillows on it, to encourage lounging. There was also a comfortable leather recliner that faced the windows, which was very convenient, since the lodge offers wi-fi to their guests, and my husband is obsessed with blogging (and he isn't the only one in the house who is either -- yeesh). The windows had screens and opened easily so we could enjoy the fresh air and breezes throughout our room -- no need for A/C or a white noise machine to get to sleep!
The bed was absolutely comfortable, double-sheeted with white cotton linens and cushy down pillows. There were robes and an ironing board in the closet, a large dresser w/mirror to stash your stuff and a coffeemaker with organic coffee in the bathroom. The bathroom was basic but extremely clean, with a single sink, and a tub/shower combo. Water pressure was very good.
We were told that when we checked in that there were 8 miles of walking trails along the cliff, with beach access at certain points. We did not get a chance to tour them, but lots of other guests did -- we could see them from the daybed in our room! We did go out to the edge of the lodge property and peered over the edge. The cliff has been formed in such a way that it narrows at a point, and there are 2 smaller inlets with caves and rocks in what appears to be shallower water. We stopped to look down and I saw some white thing on one of the rocks. Then it started to move. What IS that thing? It was a seal taking a nap!
We ran and got our binoculars and came back and saw an entire seal colony, all bobbing their heads above the water's surface in unison until a wave would come, when they would all duck under! I have never seen anything like it. There were at east 200 of them. They were all together in the cove, and also out in deeper waters. Amazing! I knew this was whale-watching territory, but their season ends in May, so it was a wonderful surprise.
More nature: huge turkey vultures, cormorants and seagulls flew overhead. Barn swallows and goldfinches dipped and undulated in the tall grasses. A raccoon came and snacked in the herb garden by yet another grouping of chairs outside. And all the while, everywhere you looked was ocean, and everything you heard was ocean.
I can't WAIT to go back!
N.B. Two things: 1) it was a cool 60 degrees there in the middle of June, so be sure to check the weather before you go -- you may need polarfleece; and 2) your food options are limited because of the relatively remote locale, but the restaurant on the property is very good and offers magnificent breakfasts!
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The restaurant here is expensive, but really good.
The fried oysters here were the best I've ever had. Crispy and creamy at the same time in an oregano oil and dipping sauce that were both outstanding.
My wife had salmon that was absolutely top notch. Perfectly cooked and served with an incredible risotto. The shrimp and fava bean plate I had was very good, but a little on the chewy side.
Service was a little sketchy, but friendly nonetheless.
If you want a romantic and scenic dinner in NW Sonoma County, you can't do better than this.
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sighhhh...what a relaxing lodge.This place is great for a romantic getaway. Stunning views, fantastic restaurant. This is the most reasonably priced ocean view room I've seen in awhile. This is a place I would love to go back to and keep giving business...the staff is so nice!
p.s. who uses the word 'posers' anymore?
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The food at the Sea Ranch Lodge restaurant is not very good and is overpriced. The view is fantastic, and there are no other restaurants within miles, so you pretty much have to eat there if you stay there.
I had seared scallops with asparagus risotto last night. The scallops were very rare, and the risotto was wet and crunchy. Ick.
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
-
7/8/2007
I'm writing my review from the Sea Ranch Lodge, snuggled in my cozy bed, watching the fog slowly… Read more »
This is a review for their restaurant.
We didn't have a reservation so they offered us the sun room seating. It was very warm and the sun was shining in my eyes, so I recommend sitting in a corner or closer to the wall (instead of the glass) if you're seated there.
The service was excellent! Our server had great recommendations for drinks (the ruby red martini was delicious!) and when the drink was brought, it had something floating in it, so she promptly brought it back to the bar for them to fix it.
We tried their 5 course tasting which was $60 each. They allowed us to order 1 set to share between the 2 of us. Since we were in the sun room/bar, they started us out with a tasty appetizing snack mix. The little something salty helped to settle my growling stomach. The presentation of the food was beautiful and the food was also delcious. The tasting portions are relatively small but we had 5 different plates so it was filling enough. I have to compliment the lamb dish, I'm usually scared of lamb because of the potential for being gamey but this had no inkling of "game", it was just beautifully done.
The view was beautiful (even with the sun) and the food and service was excellent.
Only weird thing is the restrooms are a long walk away and you have to go through the bar, up a couple set of stairs and it's pretty tucked away. At least they have good signs.
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4.5-star view, three-star service, 2.5-star food = three stars, overall.
Important: The address above will not help you find this place, as the Lodge is not in Gualala. Sea Ranch Lodge is off of Highway 1 at mile marker 50.59 in Sonoma County. It is about nine miles south of Gualala, which is in Mendocino County.
Ok, now that you can find this place, you might as well go so that you can enjoy the magnificent view of the Pacific Coast. Think Skates on the Bay (big windows on the water) and add amazing coastline.
I would suggest that you go only for a drink and dessert, but one might need to get appetizers in order to snag a table in the dining room proper, rather than being seated at the bar.
We were at the Lodge for Mother's Day brunch: prix fixe for $38; kids prix fixe at $19; kids menu at $5.95. The food invariably looked pretty (edible flower petals on every entre plate!) and tasted average. By way of example, the amuse bouche was a fig stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped with prosciutto. It had clearly been refrigerated for hours and not allowed to warm sufficiently: goat cheese was unpleasantly firm, prosciutto was somewhat leathery (and cut too thick besides).
So, I'd recommend that you plan your food intake so as to achieve maximum access to the view while eating minimum food.
Okay food that is a little over priced. The views here are awesome as well as the ambiance. The service has always been great and enjoyable. I think if you are planning on checking this place out it is well worth it but maybe opt for the sun room (best views) for a drink and appetizer.
Summary: Nice views and poor quality beer and cuisine pretentiously served at high prices. (But if you're hungry, this is it for miles.)
In the middle of nowhere on route 1 (pay no attention to Yelp's map) a fantastic view awaits you at a restaurant positioned brilliantly on a cliff. You'll be escorted to your seat with a lovely view in a nice dining room by friendly and professional staff. You'll be excited at the possibility of a good meal, but there the charade ends.
My girlfriend and I came in for dinner quite hungry after a long drive on the 1. We noticed oysters on the menu available in several different variations. We asked for Rockefeller and the chef turned it down. The barbeque'd oysters weren't half bad, nor was the bottled lavender soda, but that was about it for the meal. The local draft beer flight presented three bland, overcarbonated, bitter and hopefully forgettable selections. My girlfriend's wrapped petrale sole was bland and on a too-heavy risotto. I got the crab special and was served a small, bony crab smeared with a spicy but otherwise flavorless paste whose other primary characteristic was its red dye that suffused my hands for hours. Inexplicably, the crab was served on top a bed of overcooked linguine, through which I had to sift for the inevitable shards of crab shell so as not to impale myself when eating the pasta. What kind of sadist chef is brooding in their kitchen? The waitress had a plastic smile on, was not accommodating at all, and didn't come around much.
I'd do it again if I were starving, but that's pretty much it.
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this place is awesome. it is right off highway 1, perched on the bluffs over the pacific, with outstanding views of the oceans. i think just about every room has a view. we stayed in room 19. it has a private courtyard with a hot tub and a cozy fireplace! we brought our dogs (booker and frankenstein) and i think they were ready to move in! the staff sat out two comfy dog beds for them, complete with treats and water! between that, the the room the run around on the beach, they were heaven.
of course, people will dig the view. and the delicious breakfast included in the price at the restaurant attached to the lodge. the food is made from local meats and produce. we also had dinner at the lodge, and i would give the restaurant at least 4 stars by itself.
the only reason i don't give this place 5 stars is that it can be a little pricey.
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This place makes me happy. We stayed here on a Sunday night and our one night stay made me feel like a 2-3 night stay in terms of how relaxed I felt after. It was serene, quiet, rustic and luxurious all at once. Great path along the ocean that is super for a morning run. They are extremely dog friendly - put a whole little 'kit' together for the furry guy - bowls, sheets, dog bed, dog treat. Nice amenities in the room and the bed was comfortable. The restaurant was very good as well. They include breakfast with your stay and they really do it up. They are slightly on the outdated side (come on guys - do you really need to put pink carnations on the tables??) but it sounds like they are redoing the place and putting in cottages and such. I look forward to going back. Great escape from the city.
Sea Ranch is a wonderful romantic escape. It is a bit austere (no pictures on the walls in the bedroom, no TVs - at least not in our room), but somehow it works with the whole mood of the place. We had in-room massages that were great. There were a few details that made the place seem dated, but in general it all work with the minimalist eco-friendly vib. We did the romantic package and the in-room gifts were good and it seemed like you got a good deal for your money at the restaurant.
The restaurant was fantastic. The food was amazing, the views spectacular, and the service was extremely helpful and friendly. We ate both a dinner and breakfast and they were both great.
If you want secluded and peaceful, this is it. There are beautiful views and wonderful beach and beach cliff walks. There is also a golf course as part of the very large complex. If you want to read a few books (or finish writing your book), go for beautiful walks, eat at a great restaurant - this is the place. However there isn't a town nearby and one day and one night of this type of serenity was plenty for my wife and I.
Only had dinner here, staying in a house rental just a walk through the field away as a special treat. LOVED the food, the view and the ambience and service, until they dropped the ball. I remember the soup was really good! Everything would have been perfect, except the waiter forgot to bring the glass of wine my mother-in-law ordered. 20 went to 15%, 5 went to 4.
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My family and & I had an amazing birthday dinner in their restaurant, which was fabulous! Our server was polite, funny and efficient. Food was great, although menu was short & sweet. Complimentary slice of birthday cake with candles was nice. View was unbelievable and we even spotted a few migrating whales, what a night!
Overpriced food that is just ok. The view is great but that can't trump bad food and so-so service.
