- Restaurants |
- Nightlife |
- Shopping |
- Movies |
- All
Thistle Dew Inn
2 reviews for Thistle Dew Inn
After searching for the perfect getaway place to stay in Sonoma (http://www.sonomabb.com/), I decided on the Thistle Dew Inn. A few factors that I considered were location, cost, amenities, and breakfast description.
1. Location - As Google Maps and the Inn website suggest, its prime location of just one block away from Sonoma Plaza makes staying there a great convenience. Highly-rated restaurants (according to Yelp!) and little shops galore. Not to mention the numerous tasting rooms sprinkled around the Plaza.
2. Cost - For a person who still spends like a cheap college student and splurges only for special occasions, I would say it was affordable, given that I was willing to spend some dough for a special boy (hi, Jason!). Also, there is no two-night minimum, like some other places have, which is perfect for a short weekend getaway.
3. Amenities - This is where I found the Thistle Dew Inn to stand out from the rest. I loved how the Inn bicycles were free for us to use! When we inquired about that once we got there, Jan (one of the innkeepers who was very nice) showed us where the bikes were kept and gave us a map to the bike paths. It was seriously that simple! Jan also told us about the complimentary wine tasting card that could be used at any of the surrounding 20+ wineries. So then, you can put the money you would have spent on wine-tasting toward a bottle of wine to drink later that night... just a tip.
4. Breakfast - The bed part is just half of the package. I'm sure all places provide a lovely bed. The breakfast though, that's major. The guest comments on the Thistle Dew Inn website revealed that the breakfast was really something. Let me tell you, it was! We had some apple puree with whipped cream and cranberries atop, before being served some of the best pancakes (& cute sausage patties) I've ever had! Fresh and fluffy--but not too fluffy--lemon, poppyseed pancakes. It was definitely a great way to start the day.
5. Everything else - Making a reservation was easy. Jan, the innkeeper I corresponded with, was extremely helpful in answering all my questions. Our room (The Rose Garden) was intimate and warm. The sheets were very soft and the pillows & mattress were up to par in comfort.
Not much else to report since everything either met or exceeded my expectations. I highly recommend the Thistle Dew Inn!
People thought this was:
- Useful (3)
- Cool (2)
Yeah... not so much.
Sometimes I want a really *nice* room and I know I have to pay for it. Other times, I'm looking to save a few bucks, in which case I know things will be sub-par. But here, I chose Thistle Dew (which we dubbed Thistle Don't) because they were one of the few places who had a vacancy for the weekend we were to attend a wedding in Sonoma. They were less expensive than a couple of other places, but at $245/night, I hardly considered it a "cheap" room.
Here are my issues with this sad little B&B:
First off, walking through the front door was like walking into your Grandma's dumpy old house. No offense grandma, but it was uncomfortable at best. We "registered" in their tiny 70's kitchen, amidst a counter full of bills and orange rinds. Call me crazy, but not the kind of warm, welcoming B&B environment I'm used to (or want.) But whatever.. I"m not here to spend time in these peoples house. Let's move on to the room, shall we?
Now, sometimes "old fashioned" is quaint. Other times, it's just plain laziness and clear that the owners haven't redecorated or updated since they bought the place because they are trying to save as much money as possible. Thistle Don't falls into the latter category. Now I can put up with and disregard bad art and old furniture, but *please*, I beg you, GET NEW MATTRESSES AND PILLOWS for Christ's sake! The sink-hole in our mattress was out of control, and my back was oh-so-sad. Nothing a nice hot soak wouldn't solve, though...
Which brings me to my other gripe with the room... the jacuzzi tub, which seemed oh-so-inviting online. And it would have been great, could we have used it past 10pm. But since we didn't get home before that hour either night, and since we actually read the yellowing signs next to the tub that read "due to loud motor noise, you may not use the jets after 10pm", we didn't get to enjoy that little perk.
What we did get, however, was blasted out of our beds at 7am the next morning, when the neighbors decided to use theirs. 'Loud motor noise' was an understatement. We thought the Space Shuttle was taking off next door. Unfortunately, Jan hasn't updated their quaint little signs to include not using the jacuzzi jets in the morning as well as at night. And no, we couldn't use the outdoor Jacuzzi either, because that is off limits after 10pm as well.
They do have one thing going for them, however, and that is the location... which is also the only reason they can sustain the prices they charge. They are right off the main square, and 1/2 block away from some great little restaurants... especially for breakfast. Now, I'm sure the breakfast at Thistle Don't was great, but we didn't make it there either morning because frankly, only having until 9am (9:30 on Sundays) to get my tired ass up and out of the room on my weekend away, is just not worth the effort.
Especially after being woken up by the Space Shuttle.
People thought this was:
- Useful (1)