PLEASE NOTE, THIS POST MAY INCLUDE AFFILIATE LINKS, MEANING THAT IF YOU CLICK ON A LINK AND MAKE A PURCHASE, I’LL RECEIVE A SMALL COMMISION. THIS WILL COME AT NO COST TO YOU.
Coffee in hand, I step out onto the balcony. It’s our last morning staying at Olema House, and I don’t want to waste a single moment. I expel a small gasp. Deer are roaming below, munching on the lush green manicured lawn. After taking a sip of my hotel coffee, I slowly step closer to the railing. The deer are too busy feasting to care about the multiple guests making a show of them. This California trip has been filled with great mornings, but this is my favorite. In fact, this scene now ranks as one of my most beautiful, peaceful travel mornings.
Location
There are no National Park lodges or hotels in Point Reyes National Seashore. Although it’s only a little over an hour’s drive from Napa or San Francisco, we only had one day to explore Point Reyes and wanted to maximize our time. Our best option was to stay close to Point Reyes’ entrance. Shannon looked for a place that allowed us to use hotel points and was close enough to enter the park at opening. The best choice was staying at Olema House. In the main scheme of our National Parks and Ballparks quest, it was just a place to stay, but it ended up being much more. In addition to the National Park site, the area has an abundance of hiking trails and beaches to explore. Olema House has an on-site restaurant and small food market, but you will need a car to drive to other restaurants, the gas station, beaches, and trails.
Common Area
The boutique hotel screamed Northern California the moment we parked in the parking lot.
While Shannon checked in with the friendly staff, I wandered the common area. Wonderfully designed sitting areas flowed through the main area. Natural materials mixed with chairs you wouldn’t dare sit in after a day getting dirty on hiking trails, until you showered. There are shelves lined with vintage binoculars for guests to borrow during their stay.
A small set of wooden stairs led to a lower sitting room. A large stone fireplace keeps guests warm on chilly nights. Sliding doors opened out onto the immaculately landscaped backyard. A station offering guests complimentary coffee, tea, and water sits along a wall.
The Room
Now a hotel novelty, we are delighted whenever we open a hotel door with an actual, physical key. There are two types of hotel room entrance moments. The one where you immediately dump your stuff in a corner and start making plans for where you are going to eat, or drink, or any other activity that requires you to leave your room. The other moment is when you step into a room and feel instantly dazzled. You don’t move, needing a moment to take it all in. Staying at Olema House was the latter. People always ask how we can afford to travel so much. Shannon is savvy with travel points. Accommodation costs add up quickly. Using points helps. For this trip, we stayed at various low cost Hyatt or IHG hotels. Some were great, others were okay, so we are stunned by this boutique hotel room. It’s obvious that an immense amount of love was put into the room’s details. The room is large and bright, with impressive natural wood accents. There is a bottle of lavender spray to apply to our pillows before sleep. At the entrance, there is a complimentary glass bottle of water and a bottle of the hotel’s own wine. Then there is the balcony, with a magnificent view of the grounds.
The bathroom is immaculately clean with a roomy bathtub. The
bed feels like a cozy, caring hug.
The hotel has only one ADA room. Our room was on the second floor. There is no elevator, so we had to carry our luggage up and down the stairs. Having carry-on only luggage came in clutch.
The Grounds
In the early mornings, I roamed the grounds. Seating is scattered around the lawn, giving guests a chance to relax and indulge in quiet contemplation.
On my walk, I stumble upon a sculpture surrounded by lavender. At the edge of the grounds, I sit by the gentle, babbling creek. Now awake, the rest of the hotel’s guests grab a cup of coffee or tea and watch the visiting wildlife.
In the evening, the hotel’s fire pit and soft glowing lights illuminated the landscape. After a day of adventuring at Point Reyes National Seashore, we appreciated our bottle of wine while watching the dancing flames.
Food
Though staying at Olema House includes morning beverages, breakfast food is not included. The restaurant, Due West Tavern, opens for dinner during the week and for lunch and dinner on the weekends. You can purchase snacks and pastries at the adjacent Market in the morning. If you are heading to the National Park, I highly recommend grabbing a breakfast pastry at Bovine Bakery in Point Reyes Station.
With a check-in day packed with activities and driving, it was nice to have dinner at a restaurant only steps away from our room. Our dinner was fresh and tasty. The atmosphere was cheerful, casual, and relaxed. It was nice not having to drive anywhere for dinner. Saving time gave us extra time on enjoy our balcony.
Conclusion
Our only regret about staying at Olema House was that we only booked two nights. The main goal was to visit Point Reyes National Seashore, then move on to the next National Park site. The immersive nature set a peaceful tone. The extra hospitality touches make you feel welcomed and valued. Someone isn’t just trying to fill rooms. They actually care about the guest experience. There are plenty of destinations we would love to return to, but only a few hotels we would specifically go out of our way to stay at again. Olema House makes the list.
Leave a Reply