HIGHLANDS RESORT
14000 Woodland Drive, (PO Box 346) Guerneville, CA 95446

• Go direct to website: highlandsresort.com
• Room Rates: $60-195; Number of Rooms: 16
• Reservations: 707-869-0333
• Email: muffins@HighlandsResort.com
• Innkeepers: Kenneth and Lynette McLean

DESCRIPTION
Highlands Resort is a ‘straight-friendly’ gay resort… well LGBT actually. Located in the exceptionally gay friendly town of Guerneville, the resort is only a four block walk to gay bars, restaurants and shops. The resort is a collection of cabins and rooms built during the early 1930’s. Gay since 1979, the resort also offers clothing optional sunbathing,

During the summer months the resort is reminiscent of a ‘sleep away camp’ for adults and during the winter a great location to base a full assault on the local wineries. Casually comfortable, we try to bring people together. Most cell phones don’t work here and we limit internet access to high-speed connections in the lodge (free, of course). Many guests return yearly to visit with friends they have made during previous stays.

The main lodge is the hub of the resort. A large, warmly inviting place with comfortable chairs, lending library and reception area, this is where guests gather for breakfast, pick-up messages, make arrangements with the Wine Concierge for customized self-guided wine tours, and pick-up or watch a movie in the evening. The lodge is often filled with the sounds of jazz, classical, and Broadway music as guests tickle the ivories of the beautiful baby grand piano that is kept tuned for their enjoyment.

The resort is placed above the town on nearly three acres of gently sloping hillside with groves of mature redwoods, and both manicured and wild gardens. Today’s guests reap the benefits of the thoughtful planning of the resort in the 1930s that artfully placed each cabin to take full advantage of morning sun and just the right amount of afternoon shade.

The Highlands’ experience is best described as casually relaxed comfort. Concierge services provide information on customized self-guided wine tours, reservations for guided winery tours, hiking, biking and boating excursions, dinner reservations, and anything else a guest could need help with.

CUISINE
A light continental breakfast is served in the main lodge for all guests each morning. During the week, homemade granola is on the menu but on weekend mornings the tantalizing scent of the resort’s fresh baked muffins waft through the lodge. Signature favorites are: Pumpkin with White Chocolate and Almonds, Orange & Bittersweet Chocolate and Pineapple Upside Down muffins. The muffins are so memorable that the resort’s primary contact e-mail address is Muffins@HighlandsResort.com.

ACCOMMODATIONS
The resort has 16 guest accommodations for guests to choose from, including individual cabins, private rooms and suites. Many of the cabins have recently been remodeled (down to the foundation!) and guests can choose from large two person showers and oversized soaking tubs. Most cabins and suites have gas fireplaces and either kitchenettes or wet bars. Comfortable pillow-top beds ensure a good night’s rest.

Freedom from Technology! Ok, so we think it’s a good thing to spend time talking, reading, and playing games (board/cards – no mind games) with those we love. Thus, no TV’s, phones, radios or wireless internet. We hope you’ll find that your vacation expands and you are more relaxed. We have caved a bit and there is a lovely TV in the Lodge where you can catch up on the latest news or watch a movie. We have a high speed internet (cable) connection for your laptop in the Lodge as well. Since most cell phones don’t get reception here we take messages for you. (pssst….. the Pool Suite and the Garden Suite both have tv/dvd)

AWARDS AND ASSOCIATIONS
Russian River Inns, Russian River Chamber of Commerce, Russian River Wine Road, EcoRing Green Lodging Program

SPECIAL FEATURES

• The resort has been offering guests the opportunity to get an ‘all over’ tan since 1980 as both pool and hot tub are clothing-optional areas. Large lawns for relaxing and flower filled borders for color and beauty surround the pool and add to the resort charm. The outdoor pool is the largest in the area, and is open for swimming and lounging. During the summer months the pool is heated. The pool area is landscaped with redwood trees, providing privacy to the east while allowing full sun on the pool during the day. The hot tub is in a woodland setting with a clear and spectacular view of the evening stars and constellations.

• Since 1989, the resort has teamed with Touch of Heaven Massage Therapy to provide guests with the most professional and exceptional massage experience in the area. During the summer, guests often opt for outdoor massage in the center of an ancient circle of redwood trees. Cloth panels that wave in the breeze assure privacy. The view from the massage table looking up at the tops of the towering trees adds serenity and beauty to an already ‘heavenly’ experience. Therapists have completed more than 700 hours of training and are able to work with guests who are experiencing a wide variety of health concerns including AIDS and HIV.

• The resort is operated in an environmentally friendly manner. Outdoor ambient lighting is being replaced with lighting designed to minimize light ‘pollution’ and to enhance the night sky for stargazing. All the bath fixtures are designed to conserve water and many environmentally conscious guests opt to participate in water conservation by using towels for more than one day. Over the past seven years, the resort has reduced water usage by nearly 50%.