My husband and I celebrated our 7 year wedding anniversary at the Chanler. We generally stay in bed and breakfasts but an opportunity presented itself to stay at the Chanler instead and we took it.

What I loved most about the Chanler is its bed and breakfast feel. There are only 20 rooms which keeps it cozy and each room is decorated in a different theme. We stayed in the Victorian room and loved it. The hallways and lobby are decorated as well with old furniture and lots of cozy seating nooks to curl up and read or take a nap. The hotel was only half full the first night and 2/3 full the second night but we hardly saw or heard anyone at all which was exactly what we were looking for.

Upon arrival the valet offered to park our car (included, not extra) but we declined. Old fashioned, I guess. :-) When we checked in we each received a glass of champagne and it was delicious. The girl that checked us in took us for a tour of the house, first to the lounge/restaurant and then upstairs to our room. She even carried my heavy bags up the stairs for me, poor thing. :-)

The room:
When we entered the room, the staff had a classical cd playing and that really set the mood for the entire weekend. Other reviewers have reported that the rooms are small. I would say that the room is a bit oddly shaped, more narrow and long than square, but we did not feel cramped with just the two of us. The high ceilings definitely make the room feel larger. There is a good size closet to hang coats and clothing when you first walk in. Immediately following is the very spacious bathroom with the jacuzzi tub. To the left is a gas fireplace and an old-fashioned sofa to snuggle up in. I'm sure the sofa has a more fancy name but I don't know it. Just past the sofa is some furniture for storing clothes and a very impressive queen bed. The room also has a very small wet bar including a refrigerator and a sink.The only disappointing thing about the room was the size of the television. It was tiny...24" maybe. We didnt watch it much but nowadays used to something a bit larger.

Going back to the bathroom....the jacuzzi tub is the show stealer in this room. My husband and I took wonderful, relaxing baths both nights we were there. The products, which are Molton Brown, are really nice and the eucalyptus bubble bath was to die for. It left our skin smelling wonderful and soooo very soft. There is also a separate shower with many shower heads, although you needed a degree to figure out how to use it. The room also had a wonderful antique piece of furniture for storing toiletries and a nice chair to sit on when needed.Oh, and lest I forget the heated floors! One tip on the floors...turn them on about 20 minutes beforehand because they take a while to heat up. The only thing that was odd about the bathroom was there really was nowhere to put our towels.

Food:
When we got to our room, they had provided complimentary cookies from the onsite restaurant called The Spiced Pear. The cookies were sugar dipped in chocolate and were really good. Each morning a full breakfast was included in the dining room. There are 7 or so different items to choose from and coffee, juice are also included. If you like French Toast theirs is REALLY good. The dining room overlooks the ocean and the sun pours in during the morning hours. It really is quite beautiful and relaxing. On our first night we decided to have dinner in the lounge at the hotel. The free appetizer provided is white truffel popcorn and it's REALLy good. For dinner, both my husband and I got the Kobe beef hamburger and it was the best burger I've ever eaten. But at $26 each it should have been!! So just beware that if you choose to eat your dinner onsite the cost is up there. Needless to say, the next night we ate somewhere else. :-) I should also mention that on Friday night, which was the night of the $26 burger, there was a live jazz band playing, again setting the ambiance for a really romantic weekend.

Amenities
Given the cost of the hotel, we were a bit surprised that some of the normal stuff we'd expect isn't there. There is no gym, no outdoor hot tub and no pool. On the other hand, the hotel is ON the cliff walk and one can swim to their hearts content in the ocean during the warmer months. So I guess given all that an exercise room and a pool are not needed. I don't know...still waffling about that.

Overrall, the Chanler is a splurge for sure, especially for my husband and I who are very middle-class. We definitely got a taste of "the good life" and I have to say it wasn't half bad. haha. I would recommend the Chanler most for couples who are looking for a romantic getaway or celebrating a special occasion like we were. It was so nice to be pampered...and did I mention that jacuzzi tub?......