We don't mind rustic, funky or unique and have stayed in a variety of places over the years. However, we did not expect rustic to mean dillapidated, falling apart and animal feces everywhere, including the picnic/barbecue areas. We were not made to feel welcome by Sally. Rather, we felt as if we were being scolded on more than one occasion - including when guests began passing the food at breakfast 10 minutes before 9 AM (scheduled time). We used the barbecue, which is in poor shape (We had to scrounge parts from other grills on the property to make a "working" grill.) The grill was fully contained and elevated, yet before we had finished our meal, Sally was knocking on the door, insisting that we hose down the grill - as if we had done something wrong. (That is the only to describe how we all felt.)

We stayed in the Willow room, which has the shower in the kitchen/bedroom. There were no wands to close the blinds, and my husband had to work very hard to get them to close (partially) - so we were never sure if someone outside or parked next to our door could see in. We were so freaked out by the end of the night, that we left as quickly as we could the following morning.

We just returned from three nights at Howard Creek Ranch. It is a wonderful, unique, one-of-a-kind place. From the moment you arrive you are in the mood to do nothing but relax. Everyone that works there is warm, wonderful, and helpful. We ate dinner on the beach, watching the sunset, every night we were there. It is an easy walk from the property to the beach. The breakfasts were great, in both quantity and quality. We stayed in two different rooms, each with its quirks and charms. The gardens were lush and beautiful, and you can do a great walk through an enchanted redwood forest without ever leaving the property. This is a great place, and we are already planning our next trip. If you are expecting the Hilton, you will be disappointed, but if you want a lovely, rustic, B&B in an incredible location at a very affordable price, this place can't be beat.

When my husband saw the web-site, he thought it would be a quaint place to stop along our drive up HWY 1, but I was so freaked out by the time we drove away that I would not leave his side. It might have been the fact that there was no one there to greet us when we arrived at dusk or that the place looked very different (not in a positive way) from the brochure and web-site or it may have been that there was no way to lock your room without someone having the ability to open it with a key. By the time the lights went out once we put our luggage in our room, I was ready to leave. I should have guessed something was amiss when there was a flashlight attached to our room keys. The caretaker showed up quickly and said that the power was out in the whole area, so good luck finding some place with power. As we pulled out of the long drive way, there was a truck stopped partially blocking the path. Maybe this was a coincidence, but there was power just 3 miles away. We drove the distance to stay at a Travelodge in Fort Bragg. Maybe I have seen too many scarry movies, but I certainly was freaked out by this brief experience!

We loved the beautiful gardens, deserted,private Beach, the solitude, the wonderful breakfast, and the beautiful room and private balcony. If you stop and listen-all you can hear is the cheerful sounds of the birds, the sound of the waves crashing on the rocks, and the silence is so relaxing and unusual. We cant wait to go back, and will definetely stay there again! The hosts, Sally and Sonny, were sweet.