The Inn at Newport Ranch

Beautiful rooms and location. Everyone was really relaxed and friendly. Views of nature were incredible. I was a little skeptical of an ATV tour but it was actually a real highlight. Otis was a great storyteller and knew a lot of details about the local ecosystem.

We stayed in the Grove Suite which was absolutely gorgeous and just topped off how beautiful the property was. Our breakfast was fresh and our server Terena was very helpful and lovely to speak with about the area. Otherwise, the stay was lackluster and extremely disappointing for our family. Not only did they leave us COMPLETELY alone on the property without being able to reach anyone from 6:30pm until the next morning, but were not apologetic when it was brought to their attention. Which is especially problematic when you are 20 mins from the closest town and you're having problems with the grill provided. They continued to treat us like we were not welcome there and did nothing to turn our experience around or attempt to give us better treatment. It become obvious that they rely on their property, not service, regarding the guest experience. All this stress definitely did not allow us to properly relax, leaving us to feel like we stayed at an air bnb where you're on your own, not a 4-star hotel.

There’s a ton of obvious reasons to recommend the Inn at Newport Ranch (stunning views, beautiful rooms, expansive grounds), but the reason I’m writing this review — and this is the first time I’ve ever bothered to leave a review of any hotel — is that the staff here is hands-down the most talented and capable group of people I’ve ever had the joy of receiving hospitality from. I’ll start with the food: every meal was fresh, innovative, and perfectly prepared. Most of the ingredients are grown on-site, with everything else procured locally, and the kitchen staff knows how to make the ingredients shine. Even the lettuce was memorable, and lettuce isn’t good at being memorable. B&B breakfasts are usually forgettable, but here they’re distinct and exuberant: steamed eggs with a hint of soy sauce, wood-fired king mushrooms, house-made jams and jellies, soft almond tarts, dizzyingly fresh sourdough, salted butter served at the perfect temperature. Dinners were even better. Expertly prepared fresh sablefish straight from the boat, locally raised lamb chops, a strawberry tart made from fruit grown just yards away. There’s no conventional bar or dedicated bartender, but even the cocktails were five-star quality. My martini was cold as ice (a good martini is the best measurement of a good bar), and the speciality cocktails were perfectly balanced. As good as the food was, the service was even better. Our server for most meals, a young man whose name I sadly can’t recall, was either professionally trained in hospitality or had a preternatural talent for it, if not both. He noticed every detail, and brought a sense of casual, homestyle friendliness to the table even while maintaining a crisp fine-dining atmosphere. It was impressive to watch, and it's the kind of attention to detail that seems to have disappeared in the post-Covid hospitality world. But the highlight of my stay — and the reason I’ll come back — was the stellar tours of the grounds and garden given by Otis and his spouse Felicia (I hope I've recalled their names correctly). My partner and I wandered into the garden as Felicia was working, and she dropped everything to teach us about the plants, the design of the garden, and the different culinary and medicinal preparations of what she was growing. It was all a genuine work of art, and it was so lovely to hear directly from the person who was growing some of the best produce I've ever eaten. 

The next day, our last day at the Inn, we took Otis’s 2-hour ATV tour of the grounds. It was easily the best and most memorable tour I’ve ever taken in all my travels. Like his wife, Otis grew up nearby and has deep, rich knowledge of the plants, history, and culture of the area. I was stunned at how much he knew about the culture, history, and life ways of the Yuki people who once called Newport home, and he had impressive stories to tell about the more recent logging and industrial history of the area. He also knew that I'd been under the weather

Can’t say enough about the Inn at Newport Ranch. We stayed in the Captains Quarters which was the most beautiful accommodation there could possibly be on the Mendocino coast. The food and staff were superb. The highlight was the UTV tour of the property and Otis as our guide. He was extremely knowledgeable about all things nature and history. His wife Felecia, the gardener, was delightful as well and made our stay all the more special. 10/10!

We could not imagine being more spoiled for our anniversary than we were by the entire staff at The Inn at Newport Ranch! The accommodations were first class as was the staff, food and activities offered. Blair, Mercedes, and Shanoa were 100% on top of reservations for everything we requested, and didn't even know we needed or wanted. We also loved Mark, Cameron and Otis. We cannot recommend this property enough and look forward to our next visit.

Amazing stay. Property is beautiful and offers tons of incredible activities. We loved the UTV tour, hiking, running, and the rail bikes. Would love to come back and do a longer UTV foraging tour and the horseback riding (if you’re more experienced you can go trot/canter on the beach). Food was all locally sourced and great. Staff was wonderful.