The Harbor House Inn

Truly wonderful stay. This is such a special place. Very grateful to the staff. They do a spectacular job! The meals were so tasty. Dreaming of coming back. The beach is also really wonderful. Private and peaceful. Perfect for reading and relaxation.

*This review is solely about the restaurant* Harbor House Inn was a shockingly bad dining experience for my husband and me, and a significant let down after I had been excitedly reliving my experience three years ago and telling him all about it. We booked the vegetarian tasting menu well ahead of time, the staff confirmed our booking, and our server for the night started by verifying that we were doing the vegetarian tasting menu, mentioning that it was an "easy peasy" restriction to accommodate. The first three courses were not particularly interesting; Chef Matthew Kammerer seemed to overload the light vegetables on the dish with too much brine and salt, to which they could not hold up. Three courses in, as they were introducing the fourth course, the server casually mentioned that one of the components of the course was dashi broth, an item that uses a base of bonito (dried fish) flakes. I thought I had misheard her and asked her to confirm whether the dashi was vegetarian. After checking with the kitchen, she returned to tell us that not only were my suspicions correct, but that three other courses that night would have a dashi base, and the kitchen would not be able to omit them from the dishes. This was absolutely shocking to us, as we naïvely assumed that a 2 star Michelin chef would understand what it means to offer a vegetarian menu. Chef Matthew Kammerer unfortunately does not seem to have this knowledge. When I reminded the server that they had known we were vegetarian at the time of booking, she said that vegetarians usually will "choose to make an exception" and consume fish-based dishes during the meal, and then proceeded to explain to me "how much fish" went into the broth. The obliviousness of her remark showed that the staff did not understand that they were simply not serving a vegetarian menu, despite saying that they could. That was also when we learned that our second course had also contained dashi (they may have mentioned it when serving but I didn't pick up on it that time). As awful as this experience was - a 6 hour round trip for nothing - Harbor House staff's terrible service was probably the cherry on the fishy cake. Servers simply did not care that we had just been let down due to their errors, and there were no managers around to help us rectify the situation except... the chef. Who understandably was not going to be able to leave the kitchen when a full service was going on. The server assured us that management / the chef would personally be in contact with us to address the situation, but after eight days, we have yet to hear from Harbor House. I It's unclear why the cooking or the environment here merits a single star, let alone two.

I had lunch at the Harbor House inn with one of my friends, and it was a wonderful experience. The restaurant and a**osphere is absolutely stunning. The food was delicious, I would love to go back for dinner one day. All of the staff were very friendly and accommodating.

Do not soend a minute here. The grounds are run down. The “cottages” are tiny, ikea sofas, etc. no food available for lunch or dinner — closest available 20 minutes away. All rooms are close to the road so teuck noise most of the night. At $1500 a night, tjis experience was beyond appalling.

After our subpar experience at The Heritage House the prior day, we were wary about our upcoming time at The Harbor House Inn - perhaps the Mendocino area just doesn't have a great property that has wonderful views, gracious service and fine dining? It certainly did not start off on a good note. We had originally booked Madrone, their top category cottage that looks amazing (at least from glancing at the pictures online.) Unfortunately, there was a booking mishap and they double booked Madrone. A few days before our scheduled arrival date, the GM (Ashley) personally called to inform me about their error, and offered to comp our stay in their Seaview Cottage (which is the second highest category room, along with Oceansong.) He was profusely apologetic and also arranged for champagne, a nice gift basket and a personally written card welcoming us to their property and again apologizing for their mistake. What was also impressive was the fact that many of the staff members (including the front desk lady) was aware of the mistake, and went to great lengths to express their regret that we did not get what we originally hoped for. This is unlike The Heritage House, where everyone seemed to have the "it's not my personal mistake and not my problem" attitude for their service mishaps. While we would have preferred to stay in (and pay for) Madrone, the 1 bedroom Seaview Cottage was no slouch. It wasn't supremely roomy, but the room was warm and homely without being too rustic or "flowery" in decor (as is the case with many small bed & breakfast properties - you know what I'm talking about.) In fact, it was quite contemporary and modern without feeling "cold." The Suite featured a double-sided electronic fireplace that can heat both the bedroom and living room, and dramatic views of the ocean and small islands dotting the coastline. A few drawbacks - one sink, bed comforter/sheets that were cheap and very heavy, really high bed (you REALLY have to climb up to get into it), a small and tight shower, and - as was the case with Heritage House - the toilet in the bathroom was not in a dedicated/separate area from the sink and shower, which we always find to be inconvenient. It was a tad less roomy than our Suite at the Heritage House, but we'd take the Seaview Cottage every time, all the time. Harbor House Inn's grounds are similarly gorgeous - the landscaping was beautifully arranged and well manicured, with pretty flowers scattered throughout. And a short walk down the cliffs (not too strenuous, trust me) to the beach led to amazing scenery - multiple caves (including one on an island), a secluded and pretty cove in calm waters, and no trash in sight. We wouldn't have minded having a picnic here if we were to stay here next time; it's that picturesque and tranquil of a place. We had dinner at their Michelin star restaurant (and well deserved, IMO) that served amazing, Japanese-inspired fare that focuses on local ingredients, including things like Sea Urch

We spent 3 glorious nights here and loved every aspect of it. - Even before our arrival, both the hotel team and restaurant team reached out for our preferences and any help we may need; - There was one thing which we didn't expect but turned out to be out-of-this-world good - their breakfast. On our first morning we had this breakfast (from the same kitchen as the 2 Michelin star restaurant) that was unlike anything we have ever tasted before. The flavours were so complex and delicious that all we could think of was breakfast the following morning. We were not disappointed - it was eggs and mushrooms in congee - again, the most delicious thing ever. Our third morning's breakfast was also amazing - definitely Asian influences here and there. The breakfasts are included in our stay - it's worth staying here just to eat their breakfasts! - We had dinner here on our first night and it was memorable. The attention to detail, the service and of course the food were all unparalleled. - The team here is fabulous. The General Manager Mr. Ashley Luna is amazing! We asked him for ideas of what to do in the area and he sent this incredible 5-page comprehensive list of fabulous hiking trails, farms with goats and cheese tastings, great wineries nearby, and of course lots of fantastic restaurants - so vital in helping us plan our trip. We also had some requests prior to arrival and during our stay and each and every time, Mr. Luna was most helpful and responsive. Our biggest thanks to him. - Other team members were all amazing - their warmth, friendliness, and attention to detail really touched us. There's Nancy who greeted us warmly upon check in. For the next few days, every time we bump into her, she remembered our names and took the time to chat with us even though she was very busy and had a million things to take care of. She told us the enchanting history of the hotel, lots of fun tidbits on what to do and where to go - Nancy was experienced not just with the hotel but also this area. There's Amber who made us feel so welcomed and helped us with things big and small. We bumped into Adrianne on a hiking trail (she was off that morning and hiking for fun!) - she told us a lot about the trail we were on, interesting things to look out for, etc. - it was like having our own special hiking guide! Mr. Ashley Luna + his incredible team made our stay incredibly memorable, thank you.

We were looking forward to our stay at Harbor House Inn especially because we heard how wonderful the restaurant is. Little did we know that they do not prioritize reserving tables for guests so we were unapologetically out of luck and almost all the better restaurants were closed on the two days that we stayed. This information would of been helpful when booking . The cottage we were given is right next to the highway and you can hear cars zooming by day and night. The bathroom in the cottage is horrible. The listing for the room claims a deep soaking tub. If I had that bathroom in my home I wouldn’t invite guests to stay. The very dated bathtub (think your first low rent apar**ent) was chipped and the fixtures were slightly rusted and covered with lime scale. They need to reevaluate their definition of deep soaking. Pieces of the sink tap were missing and there were dead bugs or mold (didn’t want to get to close to make positive ID) on the ceiling. The breakfast was delicious and the view from the grounds and I assume everyone else’s cottage is stunning. When I did mention that I thought the bathroom was disgusting they apologized and gave me a 100 credit off the almost 1400 bill. I did not complain until the end of our second day as my husband never likes to complain and we were out exploring all day! They should never charge what they charge for the Edgewood Cottage. Perhaps the others are nicer. I have no desire to return and find out for myself.

My husband and I stayed at The Harbor House for three nights in late May. We actually went in a little blind to the property, so had not seen many photos and didn't exactly know what to expect - we had selected to stay there so we could make sure to get a reservation at the restaurant. We were so excited upon our arrival - we loved how off the grid the Inn felt. We received a warm welcome from the staff and absolutely loved our cottage. We had many favorite things about the Inn, some of which include the gorgeous garden & views, spending time reading our books around the campfire and the delicious breakfasts each morning. The Harbor House paid attention to detail - I love how they incorporated the work of local artists in with their food experience. The restaurant was an amazing experience, we loved the freshness and earthiness of the menu. The Harbor House is the perfect blend of luxury while keeping it chill and relaxed and not too tightly wound. We can't wait to come back for another visit.

This section of the northern CA coastline provides extraordinary scenery and there is no doubt that HH is perched high above a jaw-dropping vantage point. It's a tall order to compete with the view and HH falls short both in accommodations and cuisine. I spent the evening in Oceansong, one of two preferred cottages with direct, unobstructed vistas and an outdoor deck. The separate sitting area is absurdly compact with an uninviting Lilliputian-like sofa. A wine cooler is used as an end table. The bedroom is a bit more generous, but heat is provided by a two-way gas fireplace which may suddenly ignite in the middle of the night when the temperature drops. There is no heat in the bathroom which made for a very uncomfortable showering experience with the low water pressure. The shower stall was plastic and old. There was a noticeable slope in the bathroom floor that was perceptible enough to add undue cautiousness to ambulation. Chronically-dripping bathtub faucet. No "C" symbol on the cold water sink faucet handle. No robes were provided. At this price point, these accommodations fall far short of other luxury properties in CA. Dining in the lodge offers a challenging affair operationally, visually and from a satiation standpoint. The staff has adopted an almost comical Thom Browne-esque uniform: ultra-short, above-the-ankle tight blue jeans, brown brogues, no socks, and a blue blazer at least one size too small placing maximum strain on the jacket button hole. With the perimeter of the room consisting of a hardwood floor, this team of servers parades an endless series of dishes around the room clomping like a heard of wildebeest. Trolleys are occasionally rolled up table side but not to perform any preparation or plating, but simply to present the next item prior to plating back in the kitchen. This annoyingly repetitious ceremony is performed at table after table as if by an uber chic group of ventriloquist dummies. If you don't like the flavor profile of intense sea umami married with smoke, this restaurant is not for you. This creates a "one note samba" tasting experience. The Dungeness crab dish was stellar and a needed respite from the intense smoke elements. Almost all of the dishes, aside from the squab, required facility with chop sticks. And, oddly, random dishes were brought to the table by kitchen staff with dirty aprons even though there was no shortage of wait staff for the group of 16 diners that evening. Retiring to my cottage post-dinner, the turn-down service had left a forlorn assor**ent of dried apple slices, stale goureges, and tasteless cookies. Morning breakfast was delivered without a heat capturing cover, resulting in cold toast and bacon. The steamed eggs had retained their heat and were excellent. The power inexplicably went out at 8:30 am and I checked out, quickly putting HH in the rear view mirror.