Exterior

Reviews of Benbow Historic Inn

4 out of 5
Benbow Historic Inn
445 Lake Benbow Dr, Garberville, CA

Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Rating 10 - Excellent. 290 out of 529 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 155 out of 529 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 51 out of 529 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 23 out of 529 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 10 out of 529 reviews" "

9.0/10

Cleanliness

9.0/10

Staff & service

8.4/10

Amenities

8.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

8.4/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Jacob

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Absolutely exceptional stay here! My wife & I couldn’t be happier with the service from the team here at Benbow Historic Inn. Down to earth people where you’re greeted with a smile and a kind greeting. 11/10, when we travel America again for the redwoods, we will definitely be staying here for a 2nd time. Thank you! Cheers, Jacob & Paige.
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on May 26, 2024
Thank you, Jacob & Paige, for staying with us! We are so happy you had such a wonderful stay. We look forward to your return. Thank you for taking the time to give us such a great review.

10/10 Excellent

Kamonh, Magnolia

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Wonderful stay! Love the historical and story of the hotel and how they preserve the originality of it.
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on May 26, 2024
Thank you, Kamonh, for staying with us. We are happy you had such a great stay, and we hope you will come back again when you are back in the area.

10/10 Excellent

Allan Marc

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Enjoyed the stay and view! Recommend to stay again!
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on May 26, 2024
Thank you, Allan Marc, for staying with us and taking the time to give us a stellar review. We hope to see you again when you are back in the area. We appreciate your business.

10/10 Excellent

Alicia

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Gorgeous inside and out. Very relaxing.
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on May 24, 2024
Thank you, Alicia, for choosing the Benbow Inn for your lodging needs. We are happy you had such a great stay, and we hope to see you again. We appreciate your business.

10/10 Excellent

Sonja

Greatest
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on May 24, 2024
Thank you, Sonja, for staying with us and giving us such a great review. We hope you will come back to see us when you return to the area.

10/10 Excellent

John

Traveled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, amenities
Beautiful Historic Inn
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on May 20, 2024
Thank you, John, for choosing the Benbow Inn. We appreciate your business, and we hope you will come back to see us. Thank you for taking the time to give us a great review.

10/10 Excellent

Sandi

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful property. Friendly staff and love our quiet room.
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on May 15, 2024
Thank you, Sandi, for staying with us! We are happy you had such a pleasant stay. Please come back to see us again. Your business is much appreciated.

10/10 Excellent

Jeremy

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This historic property has always been a loved get away over the past few years
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on May 12, 2024
Thank you, Jeremy, for staying with us again. We are always happy to have you here. We look forward to your next stay with us. Thank you for such a stellar review of our property!

8/10 Good

Steve, Columbia

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Historic, yet comfortable, close to the redwoods yet very refined.
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on May 12, 2024
Thank you, Steve, for choosing the Benbow Historic Inn for your lodging needs. We are happy you had a great stay. We hope to see you on a return trip to the Benbow area.

8/10 Good

Mariela

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
VERY NICE PLACE
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on May 12, 2024
Thank you, Mariela, for staying with us and taking the time to give us a review. We are happy you had a good stay, and we hope you will return to see us sometime in the future.

8/10 Good

Pamela

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Really interesting property. Lovely grounds. Very historic. Staff was mostly good.
Stayed 1 night in May 2024
Response from Jill Macdonald, owner on May 4, 2024
Thank you Pamela for taking the time to write a review. Our goal is service plus one, so I appreciate your comments as they make us strive to be better! Please visit us again soon!

10/10 Excellent

Steven

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
A wonderful experience. Soothing and comfy, but also has an elegance. Service up front is friendly and the dining room top notch.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Apr 28, 2024
Thank you, Steven, for staying with us and taking the time to give us such a stellar review. We really appreciate the 5 out of 5 score, and we will make sure the staff sees your comments. We hope to see you again when you return to the area. Your business is appreciated.

10/10 Excellent

Theresa

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Comfortable old world charm.
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Apr 27, 2024
Thank you for choosing us, Theresa. We are very happy you had such a great stay, and we hope to see you again on a return trip to the Benbow area!

10/10 Excellent

Theodore, Palm Coast

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great place to stay!
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Apr 20, 2024
Thank you, Theodore, for choosing the Benbow Historic Inn for your lodging needs. We appreciate your business. Please come back to see us when you return to the area!

10/10 Excellent

Matthew

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great historic property
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Apr 19, 2024
Thank you, Matthew, for staying with us and taking time out to give us such a great review. We appreciate your business, and we hope to see you again when you return to the Benbow area.

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful. If you have to be indoors and watch TV, then this probably isn’t the best place for you. If you like beautiful scenery, enjoy the fresh air and cool people, then this is most definitely a kind spot.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Apr 10, 2024
Thank you, Mark, for staying with us and taking the time to give us such an outstanding review. We really appreciate your business, and we hope to see you when you return to the Benbow area.

10/10 Excellent

Claire, West Dover

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The Inn is gorgeous and the food delicious and staff were very nice! We will hopefully be coming back for another visit.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Mar 19, 2024
Thank you for staying with us, Claire, and taking the time to review our property. We would love to have you back again when you return to the area! We appreciate your business and hope to see you again.

10/10 Excellent

David, San Clemente

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
awesome wood burning fireplace in our room. Cool old hotel.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Feb 29, 2024
Thank you, David, for staying with us and taking the time to give us such a great review. We are happy you had such a great stay, and we hope to see you on a return trip to the area.

10/10 Excellent

Annette, SAN FRANCISCO

Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Mar 21, 2024
Thank you, Annette, for staying with us and taking the time to review our property. We appreciate your business, and we hope to see you again.

10/10 Excellent

Marcella

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Jan 24, 2024
Thank you, Marcella, for staying with us and taking the time to give us a stellar review. We really appreciate the 5 out of 5 score, and we hope to see you again when you return to the area.

10/10 Excellent

Mary

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Our stay at the Benbow Inn was wonderful. We had an issue getting our car to charge, and Ray went out of his way to help us. His customer service was really above and beyond, and he saved the day for us!
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Jan 18, 2024
Thank you, Mary, for staying with us and taking the time to give us such a stellar review. We will make sure Ray sees your comments. We are happy you had such a great stay, and we hope to see you again when you are in the Benbow area.

10/10 Excellent

Arthur

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Amazing place. Historic. Great food
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Jan 15, 2024
Thank you, Arthur, for staying with us and taking the time to give us such an outstanding review. We are very happy you had such a great stay, and we hope to see you again.

10/10 Excellent

patrick

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Jan 15, 2024
Thank you, Patrick, for staying with us and giving us such a stellar review. We really appreciate the 10/10 score. We hope to see you on a return trip to the area.

2/10 Terrible

Kristie

Business traveler
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
The heat never warmed up the room, it literally only moved 1.5 degrees over night. The shower water was luke warm, added to a cold room. Bed was terrible and the linens are outdated and thin. I was also disappointed to find no tv after reading under the entertainment section there was satellite so I assumed there would be a tv.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Jan 12, 2024
I'm sorry, Kristie, that you had such a horrible stay with us. Did you ask the front desk to move you to a different room? We do have many room types with television. Our Premium Kings, any Terrace rooms and all of our Founder's Suites have TV's. Most of the historic rooms have been kept historic, and since the hotel is nearing 100 years old many of the rooms do not have television.

10/10 Excellent

Ashley

Traveled with partner, Traveled with pets
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Staff was amazing. The room felt like a modern trip to the past!! And even got some tasty food 😋 It was honestly a wonderful way to spend an impromptu night off the road.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2024
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Jan 12, 2024
Thank you, Ashley, for staying with us and taking time out to give us such an outstanding review. We hope you will return when you are passing through the area again.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Jan 12, 2024
Thank you for staying with us! Please come back and see us when you are back in the area. We appreciate that you gave us such a great review.

10/10 Excellent

Art

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Jan 12, 2024
Thank you, Art, for staying with us and taking the time to review our property. We are happy you had such an outstanding stay. Thank you for taking the time to give us such a stellar review!

8/10 Good

Nurit

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
nice but too expensive
overall we enjoyed our stay because of the art and the historical value, but too expensive for what we received, and immense taxes at the end....
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Dec 23, 2023
Thank you, Nurit, for staying with us and taking time out to review our property. We are sorry you felt the room wasn't worth the money you paid for it, but we hope you will come back to see us when you are in the area. We have 22 room types here; perhaps a different room choice would suit you better next time.

10/10 Excellent

carol reese

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Wonderful
We stoped at the Benbow in because my husbands brother who passed away two yeas ago had worked there in1942. He told us of his many experiences there. The property was beautiful and very clean. Our room was very nice with a view of the river.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Dec 23, 2023
Thank you, Carol, for staying with us and taking the time to give us such a stellar review. We appreciate your business, and we are happy you had such a wonderful stay. Please come back to see us when you return to the Benbow area of Humboldt County.

10/10 Excellent

Barbara

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2023
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Dec 23, 2023
Thank you, Barbara, for staying with us and giving us such a great review. We really appreciate the 5 out of 5 score! We hope to see you again on a return trip to the area.

10/10 Excellent

Patrick

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Anniversary stay in swanky boutique hotel
This is a well-maintained historic property now branded as a boutique hotel (when built in 1926, a resort for the rich and famous). Upgraded over the years, and has a really good restaurant and bar on-site. A bit pricey, and the added fees for tourism tax, fire district, etc. on top of sales tax was a little surprising (added almost $100.00 per night to the bill for a $350.00 room). Worth it for a special occasion, and it's located in the heart of the Coast Redwoods (groves a few miles north and south, and adjacent to the Julia Morgan grove - but check for entry status in fall and winter). Julia Morgan, btw, is a justly famous architect from the first half of the 20th C., and there's a house she designed in the grove. All in all a delightful stay. If you have time, and can mange, grab a pizza at the Lost Frenchman cafe in Redway 5+ minutes away. Definitely the best pizza my wife and I have ever eaten, hands down. Also fun exploring small nre=earby towns for shops and such.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Nov 15, 2023
Thank you, Patrick, for staying with us and taking time out of your day to give us an awesome 10 out of 10 review score! We appreciate your business, and we are happy you had such a great stay during your special occasion. Come back to see us when you are back in the Benbow area.

8/10 Good

Richard

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Nov 29, 2023
Thank you, Richard, for choosing the Benbow Historic Inn for your lodging needs. We know you have many choices. We appreciate your business, and we hope to see you again when you return to the area. Thank you for taking the time to give our hotel a great review.

10/10 Excellent

Natasha

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Rimantic
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Oct 28, 2023
Thank you, Natasha, for staying with us and taking the time to give us this stellar review. We really appreciate your business, and we hope to see you on a return trip to the area.

10/10 Excellent

Lisa

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Nov 15, 2023
Thank you, Lisa, for staying with us and giving us an awesome 5 out of 5 score for our hotel. We really appreciate it, and we hope to see you again when you return to the area.

10/10 Excellent

Ejan E

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Charming!
Just beautiful hotel and nature all around. Everyone was pleasant. Looked like a Swiss castle nestled in the Alps. Filled with history. It has a special magic all its own. Charming.
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023
Response from Christina, Front Desk Manager on Oct 9, 2023
Thank you, Ejan, for staying with us and taking time out to gie us such an outstanding review. We really appreciate the 10 out of 10 score, and we hope you will come back to see us when you are back in the Benbow area. We are happy you had such a great stay.

10/10 Excellent

Dawn

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Gem of a find
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023
Response from Christina, Front Office Manager on Sep 30, 2023
Thank you, Dawn, for such an outstanding review of our property. We really appreciate it. We are happy you had such a great stay, and we hope you will come back to see us when you return to the area.

10/10 Excellent

James

Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is an historic old hotel but they have kept it in excellent condition while preserving the character. There is a beautiful outdoor area for dining either at the bar or dining room. The grounds were also beautiful and a great place to relax. We also appreciated the easy access to the Avenue of the Giants.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
Response from Christina, Front Office Manager on Sep 24, 2023
Thank you, James, for staying with us and taking time out to give us an outstanding review. We are happy you had such a great stay, and we hope to see you again on a return trip to the area.

10/10 Excellent

FARAH

Traveled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023
Response from Christina, Front Office Manager on Sep 5, 2023
Thank you, Farah, for the outstanding review of our property! We are happy that you had such a great stay, and we hope to see you again in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Ed

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Loved all the wood paneling, wallpaper, carpets, tapestries. The layout was wonderful and we enjoyed the artifacts in the various rooms. Surprisingly reasonable prices on food and drinks. It felt nice to be there moments after getting off 101!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023
Response from Christina, Front Office Manager on Aug 19, 2023
Thank you, Ed, for staying with us and taking time out to give us an outstanding review. We appreciate your business, and we hope to see you again on a return trip to the area.

10/10 Excellent

Rockney

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Finally, after 50 years.
It’s a wonderful old hotel. I’ve wanted to stay there for 50 years and I finally got to. I was not disappointed. Great food, great grounds to walk around, and a great experience. We loved it.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023
Response from Christina, Front Office Manager on Aug 17, 2023
Thank you, Rockney, for staying with us and giving us an awesome 10 out of 10 review! We really appreciate your business, and we are happy you had such a great stay. Come back to see us again soon. Fifty years is too long to wait!

10/10 Excellent

Arthur, Santa Barbara

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Overall, exquisite! Welcoming, friendly staff. Lovely antiques, well cared for. Delicious food and drink. Delightful, engaging dinner entertainment on the lawn. Beautifully appointed bedroom, with sherry to welcome us. Certainly worth a long drive.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
Response from Christina, Front Office Manager on Aug 13, 2023
Thank you, Arthur, for staying with us and taking the time to give us a spectacular review. We really appreciate the 5 out of 5 scores, and we hope to see you again when you return to the area.

6/10 Okay

Vivek

Traveled with group
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities
The grounds were very nice. The room was very dusty. The bunk bed and sofa bed was very uncomfortable and made lot of noise when turning in the bed.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Response from Christina, Front Office Manager on Aug 2, 2023
Thank you, Vivek, for staying with us and taking the time to review our property. We will show your comments to our head housekeeper so they can remedy this situation. We will also look into replacing the mattresses on the bunk beds and sofa bed in the room you were in. Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We hope you will return to see us when you are back in the Benbow area.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Traveled with family
Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The bathroom had a few dirty spots that grossed me out, otherwise fine. Restaurant was nice.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Response from Christina, Front Office Manager on Jul 25, 2023
Thank you for staying with us and taking the time to give us a review. We will share your comments with our head housekeeper so they can check all the bathrooms. We are glad you enjoyed our on-site restaurant. Please come back to see us when you return to the area.

10/10 Excellent

Debra

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Response from Christina, Front Office Manager on Jul 25, 2023
Thank you, Debra, for the awesome 10 out of 10 scores you gave us! We really appreciate it, and we hope to see you again on a return trip to the Benbow area.

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023
Response from Christina, Front Office Manager on Jul 24, 2023
Thank you for staying with us and taking the time to give us a review. We appreciate your business, and we hope to see you again.

8/10 Good

Peter

Traveled with partner, Traveled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Historic setting is great. Hotel is beautiful. I dont think it's appropriate to upcharge disabled guests. Disabled rooms should go for the same cost as any other customer who wants the basic room. It's not the fault of the guest that you're only disabled room is bigger.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Response from Christina, Front Office Manager on Jul 17, 2023
Thank you, Peter, for staying with us and taking the time to review our property. Our website clearly states which of our rooms our ADA accessible. We did not upcharge a disabled guest as you claim. We have 65 rooms, and just 3 are ADA rooms. They happen to be three of our Founder's Suites. You booked a Deluxe Queen room through Expedia, which is not ADA accessible. I contacted you in May to let you know the room you booked was not ADA accessible, and you were agreeable to a 75 upgrade fee for the ADA suite. The difference in price between the Deluxe Queen room and the suite you were in is 225 plus taxes/fees. We charged you just 75, which you agreed to on May 8th. I'm sorry you did not book the room type you needed, but we did our best to accommodate you and charged you a very nominal upgrade fee that you were agreeable to well before your arrival date.

6/10 Okay

Michelle

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
I read the room had a TV but it didn’t. Tried to get ice for the room but it never came. It’s a beautiful hotel but could use some upgrades . Glad to get to stay a night at the historic hotel but probably wouldn’t go back.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Response from Christina, Front Office Manager on Jul 17, 2023
Thank you, Michelle, for staying at our hotel and taking the time to review our property. Most of our rooms in our historic building do not have television. I can't see what room type you booked from this review. I'm sorry the ice was not delivered to your room. We have a bellman that usually takes care of such deliveries. For future referrence, ice can always be picked up at the front desk and also at our bar. We hope to see you again on a return trip to the area.

8/10 Good

Leah

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Response from Christina, Front Office Manager on Jul 31, 2023
Thank you, Leah, for staying with us and taking the time to review our property. We are happy you had such a good stay, and we hope to see you again when you return to the area.

10/10 Excellent

Dale

Traveled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Unique place to stay. Loved the bar area. The dining was good too. Like the quietness of it.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023
Response from Christina, Front Office Manager on Jul 4, 2023
Thank you, Dale, for staying with us and taking time to review our property. We really appreciate the awesome 5 out of 5 score, and we hope you will come back to see us when you return to this area.

10/10 Excellent

Hazel

Lovely room, grounds and dinner!
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Response from Christina, Front Office Manager on Jul 3, 2023
Thank you, Hazel, for staying with us and taking the time to review our property. We are happy you had such a great stay, and we hope to see you again when you return to the Benbow area.