Inns of Mendocino Review: Boutique B&Bs by the Coast
The best places to stay in Mendocino are the three Inns of Mendocino run by Four Sisters Inns. They’re a collection of boutique, sophisticated bed and breakfasts in downtown Mendocino.
All the Inns of Mendocino are upscale and thoughtfully designed. Each one has a slightly different style, designed specifically for the location!
We had a luxurious stay at the Packard House where we enjoyed daily breakfast delivered to our door, proximity to downtown Mendocino and the ocean, and high-end amenities.
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Inns of Mendocino
Packard House
Packard House has six total rooms, which includes the detached cottage on the property. We stayed in the Deluxe Queen Room here and had such a lovely time!
This is the most affordable of the three Inns of Mendocino since it is located a bit further from the coast compared to the other two locations.
Blue Door Inn
Blue Door Inn is the main hotel of the Inns of Mendocino. It has five gorgeous rooms with warm colors and cozy decor.
Of the three Inns of Mendocino, Blue Door Inn is the highest-end for the most upscale and luxurious stay. One of the rooms here even has a beautiful ocean view!
JD House
JD House is the largest inn with eight bright and airy rooms. It has a sophisticated nautical design with whites and teals throughout each room.
JD House has the most rooms with ocean views of all the Inns of Mendocino. Some even have large decks to relax while you watch the waves roll in.
Location
The three Inns of Mendocino are located throughout downtown Mendocino, all of which are within walking distance of the gorgeous Mendocino coast. They are all conveniently located so you don’t need to drive to get anywhere in the downtown area. We loved being able to walk everywhere during our stay!
JD House and Blue Door Inn are just a couple of short blocks from the coastline that touches Mendocino Bay in the south. If you’re looking for the best ocean views from your room, then the JD House is your best option.
The Packard House is on a quiet street just a few doors down from the famous Mendocino Art Center. It’s just about a 5-minute walk to the grocery store, shops, and restaurants are about a 10-minute walk to the coastline on the west side (where the arch is!).
Check-in
No matter which Inns of Mendocino location you book, everyone checks in at Blue Door Inn. Check-in was quick and easy! I got a quick explanation of some of the amenities, which include the daily breakfast and wind and cheese hour (more on those later).
Check-in time is when you should let them know about any special requests, including dietary restrictions/preferences for the included breakfast. I did not know this and wasn’t asked, so wasn’t able to eat one of the breakfasts since it had meat in it. Don’t make the same mistake as me — tell them your requests upon check-in!
Once you check in, you’ll get your keys and can head to your room if you’re staying at Blue Door Inn, or drive over to JD House or Packard House if you’re staying at one of those Inns of Mendocino.
Grab a cookie and some coffee from the front room on your way out of Blue Door Inn! They had orange and rosemary cookies when I was there, which were delicious.
Property
The Inns of Mendocino are large houses that have been converted into inns. They’re gorgeously renovated with modern, upscale furniture and decor.
The “lobby” of each property is more like a relaxing living room with comfortable sofas, chairs, tables, and games!
Packard House has three common rooms on the first floor that are all open to each other: a beautiful living room, a dining room with a long dining table, and a smaller room with more seating.
Neither Packard House nor JD House have a check-in area or employees. The Blue Door Inn front desk closes around 6pm. You are given two keys: one for your room and one for the front door of the Inns of Mendocino location you are staying at.
Rooms
Each room at the Inns of Mendocino is completely unique! Some are larger than others with full couches and seating areas, while others are more cozy and intimate.
If available, I highly recommend a room with a soaking tub for the most luxurious stay. Gorgeous ocean views are of course recommended — those rooms are on the more expensive side though.
The rooms at the Inns of Mendocino are all beautiful and worth the stay. Whichever location and room you choose will be perfect!
Deluxe Queen at Packard House
There is only one queen room at Packard House and that is the one we stayed in! It has a lovely soaking tub and a fireplace. The floor plan is fully open, aside from a door to the toilet. It’s best for a couple on a romantic getaway.
The room is on the top (second) floor of the Packard House so you won’t have any upstairs noise. The windows look out to a grassy courtyard and unique building — look for crows and ravens hanging out on the building!
It was so cozy to take a hot bath after a day in the cold weather and have the fireplace on during the chilly nights.
This room is small and there isn’t a ton of room for luggage, so pack light or book one of the larger rooms if you need more space to spread out.
Other Rooms at Packard House
Grand King: Largest king room at Packard House on the ground floor with a fireplace, soaking tub, and semi-private patio with chairs.
Deluxe King: King room on the second floor with a soaking tub and angled ocean views.
King Guestroom: Cozy king room with a fireplace, a tub/shower combo, and a seating area.
King Cottage: Detached cottage on the property with a ground-floor private entrance, a fireplace, and an outdoor area.
Rooms at Blue Door Inn
Grand King + View: Large king room on the second floor with incredible ocean views, a cozy seating area, and a fireplace.
Grand King: Spacious king room on the second floor with a fireplace, soaking tub, seating area, and angled ocean views.
King Guestroom: Cozy king room on the second floor with a seating area and a fireplace.
Deluxe Queen: Queen room on the first floor with a soaking tub, seating area below bay windows, and angled ocean views.
Queen Guestroom: Cozy queen room on the first floor with a fireplace.
Rooms at JD House
Grand King + View: Large king room on the second floor with gorgeous ocean views, a fireplace, soaking tub, and a deck with chairs.
Deluxe Queen + View: Queen room on the second floor with gorgeous ocean views, soaking tub, seating area, and a grand private deck with chairs.
Queen Suite + View: Large queen room on the first floor with angled ocean views, soaking tub, seating area, and a semi-private patio.
King Guestroom: King room on the second floor with a large shower.
Kit’s Cabin: Rustic queen room on the first floor with a lovely seating area.
Queen Guestroom: Cozy queen room on the first floor with a fireplace and seating area.
Breakfast
All three Inns of Mendocino provide a delicious chef-crafted breakfast delivered to your room each morning between 8:30 and 9:30am!
Breakfast includes a hot dish, pastry, freshly squeezed orange juice, and a thermos of hot coffee. It comes in an insulated basket to keep everything warm. Each room also has trays so you can eat your breakfast in bed!
The first morning we got polenta with cheese curds and a fried egg, chai chia pudding, and a chive biscuit. The second morning we got biscuits and gravy (which I couldn’t eat since it had sausage), chia pudding, and pecan coffee cake.
This isn’t your typical continental breakfast — it was fresh and truly delicious. It was one of my favorite parts of the stay!
Amenities
In-room Amenities
Each room at the Inns of Mendocino has a coffee and tea maker with a variety of sugar packets, coffee pods, and tea pods. A large pitcher of water is also provided and refreshed daily by housekeeping.
There are high-end toiletries for your use, which include shampoo, conditioner, body wash, face wash bars, and lotion. They also have nice bathrobes to wrap yourself in after a hot shower (or bath if your room has one!).
One unique amenity they have is a clothing steamer! That is not something I’ve seen often.
Hotel Amenities
Blue Door Inn has freshly baked cookies and a coffee/tea station available for all guests of the Inns of Mendocino. Just pop into the lobby and help yourself!
They also have an afternoon wine and cheese hour that happens daily around 4pm at Blue Door Inn, but again, is open for all guests at the three Inns of Mendocino.
The common areas of each inn also have games, like chess, clue, and scrabble.
Things to Do Nearby
Get Dinner at Patterson’s Pub
This Irish pub has great fish and chips; even better beer; and a large outdoor area with string lights, heaters, and a movie that was filmed in Mendocino (Summer of 42) projecting on a large screen.
Mendocino Headlands State Park
The absolute best thing to do in Mendocino is spend time at the state park, which stretches along the entire coast surrounding downtown Mendocino.
Although it is walking distance from all of the Inns of Mendocino, I recommend hopping in your car to explore the entire coastline!
Try Mushroom Ice Cream at Frankie’s
I know it sounds weird, but the mushroom ice cream at Frankie’s amazing! Frankie’s is a pizza place, but they are most known for their ice cream. It doesn’t have a strong mushroom flavor whatsoever — it’s difficult to describe, but you just need to try it!
They also have a chai flavor which I’ve been told is the best, but they rotate their flavors daily and chai wasn’t available the two days we went.
Get a Massage at Nahara Healing Arts
We stopped in at Nahara Healing Arts on our last morning so we weren’t able to get massages, but I did buy an artisan botanical chocolate bar from their shop!
They offer a wide range of treatments, from Swedish massage to fire cupping and almost everything in between. You can also get a variety of different facials and body treatments.
If you’re in Mendocino for a romantic getaway, try a couples massage or facial!
Not interested in massages or spa treatments? They also have yoga classes multiple times a week if you want to start your day with some sun salutations (all mats and props are provided)!
More Places to Stay in Mendocino
Other Four Sisters Inns Locations
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Orange County
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