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Reviewed 20 October 2006

My wife and I spent three wonderful nights at the Post Ranch Inn during the second week of October, 2006. It was my fourth visit, her third. We found it as wonderful as we had during each of our prior visits, and can’t wait to return.

Others have more than adequately described the Inn, so I’ll limit my comments to observations on what has changed at the Inn, and to our experiences with the different types of rooms.

This visit was in a lower coast house. Previously, we’ve stayed in an upper coast house, and an ocean house. My visit alone was in a tree house.

I agree with those who’ve noticed footsteps from the upper lodging in the coast houses – it never bothered us, but it was noticeable. Otherwise, I found the lower lodging equal to the upper lodging in every way. The ocean house and tree house were certainly more private, but I can’t say that I strongly prefer any one of the lodging types over another – they’re just different, and enjoyable each in its own way.

Our last visit was in 2001 – and based on that visit I would have agreed with the criticisms of breakfast. On this visit, however, breakfast had changed dramatically for the better. It’s still not brunch at a Four Seasons, but it held its own. We had three or four hot entrees each morning – a couple of frittatas and at least one other item. One morning we had eggs benedict (one done classically, one done with avocado instead of ham). Another morning bread pudding was offered. The juice, pastry, bread and fruit offerings were terrific. So, although breakfast had been a weak point for the Inn in the past, it no longer is, in my view.

Dinner at Sierra Mar was terrific on each of the two nights we dined at the Inn. My sole complaint would be the chairs – they don’t stand up to two hour dinners. I’ll hope for different chairs next time (they could steal some from Cielo at the Ventana, where the chairs were much more comfortable).

Other than that minor quibble, our visit was flawless. We’ll be back. And the Post Ranch Inn remains my favorite hotel anywhere in the world.

Date of stay: September 2006
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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    • Cleanliness
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7  Thank OrrvilleRedRider
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 10 October 2006

We stayed for a weekend in September 2006. The property itself is absolutely stunning. It is cliffside over the sea, and it is extremely private. The walks are gorgeous, and it has so few rooms that it's like having the property all to yourself most of the time. The food was also fantastic, as was the chef, who gave a very enjoyable demonstration one day. I love that the menu changes daily so you can enjoy eating here every night. We also found the breakfast just fine, and the fires in the room, the bottles of wine, etc. were all great. The pool was gorgeous, as are the hot tubs, and it was an incredibly peaceful, relaxing place.

So why am I only giving it 3 stars? The biggest disappointment we had was that the rooms - as beautifully designed as the architecture is - were not designed very practically. We stayed in one of the butterfly rooms, which is part of a structure that has three rooms - upper, middle and lower. We were in the middle, and all evening and morning long, we could hear any sound at all from the upstairs unit. It was so poorly insulated that you would think that we had elephants stomping around in the upstairs unit. We didn't - I saw the very nice couple come out in the morning, and they were perfectly quiet and not boisterous at all. It was simply the incredibly poor insulation, which is actually the worst of any hotel at which we've ever stayed (I'm including Holiday Inns, etc.). We could simply hear every footstep. My husband could tell you when the couple came in, when anyone went to the bathroom, etc. - way more information than we wanted!

Am I just someone who's incredibly sensitive? No, I've stayed at numerous hotels all over the world, and this is the first one where I have ever had this problem. Also, one of the other guests who attended a cooking demonstration with me heard that we were in the middle butterfly room and made the same comment, telling me she would never stay in a room again unless it was either on top or standing alone. So I don't think it was just us.

I didn't complain, because there seemed little that the management could do about it. The place is designed the way it's designed, and it was no fault of the people above us. And we really did enjoy everything else. Even the beds have wonderful mattresses. But for $500+ a night, you really do expect to be able to sleep in and not hear every footstep!

The only other comments I would make is that the windows aren't terribly private in the rooms (you look straight into other rooms right across the way), and the spa massages were so-so. Of course, living in San Francisco and visiting Napa often, we may be very spoiled when it comes to massage. It did not compare to the spa services of a Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay, for example. We did not try Ventena Inn, which is right across the road, but will on a future visit just to compare. We did visit Ventena's grounds and believe that the grounds and restaurant of the PRI seem much nicer and more private. I note, however, that Ventena was having a wedding that weekend, so that may have had things more confused than they normally are.

I feel somewhat guilty giving this review to PRI, because the management really was nice, but I do think people ought to know about it and maybe there is some renovation they could to make it a little quieter. Would we go back? Yes, definitely, but never to a lower or middle room. I would urge visitors to hold out for an upper or standalone room. If you have one of those, I think it would be paradise.

Date of stay: September 2006
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Value
    • Location
    • Check-in / front desk
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
    • Service
    • Business service (e.g., internet access)
15  Thank jlhbragg
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 9 October 2006

The Post Ranch Inn is on the top of every travel list and it was easy to see why after our one night stay there.
Although it's not cheap, we felt like it was worth every penny. The service was excellent and incredibly efficient. Our room -- one of the cheapest sadly and facing the mountain and away from the ocean -- was still fantastic: relatively modern, large with a panaromic view of the forest/mountains, with a fireplace and jacuzzi/tub.
The two outdoor infinity hot tubs were fantastic and offered unimpeded views of the Pacific. Although pretty played out and widely duplicated, it was still a cool visual spectacle to sit in a hot tub which appeared to cascade over the cliff into the ocean!
In contrast, the swimming pool -- reachable either by going through the reception and past the parking lot or by a much more pleasant 15 minute walk through the woods -- seemed sterile, secluded and a little lonely. The yoga yurt located just behind also seemed a little out of place.
Sierra Mar, the hotel restaurant, sits on the edge of a cliff and also has spectacular views of the Pacific. Unless it's summer or you have night vision goggles, though, it's better at breakfast. This also extended to the food, where breakfast was a deluxe continental deal plus excellent egg dishes, e.g. frittatas. Dinner, on the other hand, smacked of the Asian-French confusion that can be the darkside of Californian cooking (c'mon, outside of a cooking school restaurant, how often do you see deepfried shredded wonton skin and a hoisin glaze on a steak anymore??)
We also felt pampered by some of the unexpected touches, e.g. a complimentary and very full mini-bar, random benches dotted along the property for introspective sitting and bottled water located at strategic locations along the trails. This reminded us of the level of service and attention to detail you would see in an Aman or Four Seasons resort in Asia.
Overall, this was a fantastic hotel and worth every penny. This is the first time I've been moved to write a review. As a point of comparison, we also spent two nights at the Ventanna Inn, which definitely paled in comparison.

Date of stay: September 2006
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Value
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    • Cleanliness
    • Service
    • Business service (e.g., internet access)
5  Thank Yogaboy
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 7 October 2006

My VERY new husband & I ended up booking an elopement package at the Post Ranch Inn after a near-brush with the Ventana Inn across the street. Our wedding coordinator & officiant, Soaring Starkey, went out of her way to take care of every detail. She send a succinct list of questions to get the ball rolling & the marriage license application, and once those were taken care of, it was smooth sailing. She made sure our special day came together in an organic, relaxed and perfect way.

We stayed at the South Coast House. Two bedrooms, two bathrooms, stunning views, secluded setting. Full kitchen stocked with fruit, waters, nuts, chips, chocolate, wine, tea, coffee, etc -- all included in the price of the room. We took advantage of the small fleet of Lexus convertibles available to guests and took a drive to Pfeiffer Beach, just north of the hotel down an not-very-well-marked road that the chef at Big Sur Bakery, Phillip, recommended. BTW - you MUST eat at Big Sur Bakery. Fantastic food, rustic yet upscale dining room, amazingly friendly and attentive staff--everything a dining couple could want.

On the grounds of Post Ranch: free-roaming herds of deer & bunches of turkeys. Water available in little wooden boxes along the walking trails so that guests were never far from comfort. There were basking pools, secluded benches, hammocks for two.

The breakfasts at Sierra Mar (included) were excellent - the frittata and heirloom tomato salads were fantastic. My sweetie enjoyed the little baked goods and the granola quite a bit as well.

I could go on about the little touches: champagne, wine, tea, coffee available upon arrival at reception...the champagne split & special floral arrangement in the room as part of the elopement package...the "congratulations" each staff member we met offered to us...the ride home from dinner with our little wedding cake tucked into a basket, because the tasting menu left us unable to enjoy the cake that evening...the way every telephone message was printed out on a card for us...

And then there's the nature. The morning I was in the shower with the sliding glass door to outside and a deer cruised by not 13 feet from where I stood (somewhat surprised, albeit.) The smell of cedar and lavendar and clean, clean, clean air! The sound of birds and squirrels and then the absence of "city" sounds. Enchanting.

Post Ranch Inn indeed was the perfect place in which to take our marriage vows. Peaceful, powerful & yet calming and spritual. We plan to go back for our 1st annivesary.

Worth every cent.

Date of stay: September 2006
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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    • Cleanliness
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12  Thank MrsGorman
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Reviewed 5 October 2006

This resort is an amazing experience. We have stayed in luxury hotels before (Fairmonts and Ritz) and the Ranch is no comparison. From the moment you arrive, you realize that the environment and grounds at the ranch are just as important as the accomodations themselves. We stayed in a treehouse (Burns) for 4 nights in April for our anniversary. This is a couple's romantic paradise. No children allowed. While we did not have an ocean view, we loved our experience in the trees. The staff was amazing. Friendly, available, yet unintrusive. You are greeted with wine while you check in and are driven to your "house". A wood burning fireplace is standard in each room and it is a wonderful thing to relax with at the end of the day. Then, magically, it is cleaned and re-built for you again the next day. All of the accomodations are warm and rich; fluffy beds, large baths, satellite radio, but no TVs! They want you to unplug and thank goodness for it. We had two spa treatments each and they were wonderful. They'll treat you in the spa or in your house. The complimentary breakfast each morning is gourmet and will keep you satisfied until dinner. The room is stocked with a small fridge full of complimentary snacks and beverages. We spent many an afternoon at the basking pool, soaking in its warmth, looking out off of the cliff and into the ocean. The views were spectacular, like you are on the edge of the earth. It is very expensive, but we definitely felt it was worth it! We will be back again! P.S. We have also stayed at their sister resort in Hana, Maui. It was just as wonderful.

Date of stay: April 2006
  • Trip type: Travelled as a couple
    • Value
    • Location
    • Check-in / front desk
    • Rooms
    • Cleanliness
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6  Thank NokiCat
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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