Every so typically, a resort comes alongside that makes you surprise why you’d ever hassle reserving a flight to Europe when a weekend getaway to Bodega is all you want. That’s The Lodge at Bodega Bay, a coastal retreat that lately snagged the title of #1 Hotel within the World from Condé Nast Traveler readers.
Just an hour and a half north of San Francisco, it’s shut sufficient for a fast escape however feels such as you’ve slipped into a wholly completely different tempo of life.
A Setting You’ll Daydream About
Part of the lodge’s allure is its location—perched proper by Doran Beach, with the Pacific virtually lapping at its doorstep. You can stroll straight out of your room to the sand in minutes, which is strictly what we did for a lazy afternoon of wave-watching and toe-digging.
Just past, the Bird Walk Coastal Access Trail gives a breezy 1.5-mile loop by means of wetlands the place Great Blue Herons and different birds placed on a present. The lodge manages to really feel secluded, however you’re nonetheless minutes from Bodega’s saltwater taffy outlets, fish shacks, and climbing trails.
Dining That Keeps You Close to Home
You don’t actually need to depart the property for good meals, both. The lodge’s restaurant, Drake’s, pulls double obligation: elegant eating room for a particular night time out and laid-back Fireside Lounge for evenings by the out of doors hearth pits. I can nonetheless style the enormous bowl of Tomales Bay manila clams we devoured one night time—briny, garlicky perfection.
Breakfasts have been a slower affair within the bar eating room, the place informal felt good. No matter the place you sit, the service is heat and the meals is spot-on.
Slow Days, Sweet Nights
What I cherished most about The Lodge at Bodega Bay is how straightforward it was to easily keep put. Each day unfolded with built-in rituals: morning meditation classes with a steaming mug of scorching cider, nature walks that exposed extra herons and gulls than I might rely, evenings capped with s’mores kits by the hearth. There’s a spa on-site, too, the place the Sonoma Coastal Massage has grow to be a visitor favourite. And in case your thought of unwinding entails a scorching tub with panoramic views of the bay, you’re in luck.
By sundown, these hearth pits scattered throughout the property grew to become the place to be, marshmallow stick in a single hand, glass of native Pinot within the different.
Rooms Made for Lingering
And then there are the rooms. Ours felt extra like a comfy sanctuary than a normal resort keep: a hearth for cold coastal nights, a Nespresso machine to maintain my husband caffeinated and completely satisfied, and a welcome bottle of Cabernet that set the tone completely. The décor leaned heat and understated, letting the true present—these sweeping views of the bay—take heart stage. It’s the form of room the place you begin rationalizing what number of weekends you possibly can escape right here in a 12 months.