Spruce Canyon is an amazing place. My husband and I spent six days there on a trip I took to check locations for a novel about Berkeley. I chose Spruce Canyon for its location, within walking distance of the university and all points around Cal. Spruce Canyon is a large open space, with a wonderful queen sized bed, several sofas, chairs, a table, beautiful oriental rugs, and a kitchen to die for with all the equipment you would need to set up serious gourmet housekeeping. The bathroom is amazing: offering the best shower I have ever taken and a wonderful Japanese soaking tub with surges of water when desired. Television, CD Player, Wi-Fi, and Radio all work well.

I have just described the usual amenities you would look for in a B and B. But there is so much more. When we arrived, we realized that Ana, knowing about my novel, had already provided us with books on Berkeley, on its history, on the fire of 1992, and on the California hills. Her book collection alone is worth visiting.

It's difficult to describe how beautifully her collections work. Ana, a kind and generous host, has provided her own extensive collections of cooking ware, ceramics, gongs and musical instruments, and a Zen sandbox. Baby Buddhas nestle in the tree outside the back door. The back door brings me to the garden, filled with amazing plants and statuary. The garden is lush, peaceful, and evocative. I spent much time there looking at plants and garden decorations, while waiting for the deer to arrive. I always found something new and wonderful to look at.

Everything Ana has collected is organized with great wit and charm. I am not a person who collects in this way; my own house is pretty spare, even minimal, in its furnishings. But Ana's space filled me with delight. It is clean and airy and full of charm. It makes a visitor feels welcome, as if she were an intimate friend privileged to be part of such an interesting and beautiful site.

Ana provides granola from Chez Panisse, coffee from Peet's, the best tasting plums I have ever eaten, and two-fer's for the Botanical Gardens, local theaters, and the Science Hall. She is friendly and helpful, without being the slightest bit intrusive. She strikes the perfect balance between privacy and helpfulness.

Spruce Canyon is a few blocks away from the Rose Garden, a ten-minute walk from Peets and the Gourmet Ghetto, and a twenty-minute walk form the campus. On street parking is always available, and Ana gently advises you the best places to park and not to park on the street. She is a most thoughtful guide to life in Berkeley. I recommend Spruce Canyon most highly. It is a very special place.