Media Reviews and Traveler Blog Quotes

Applewood Inn Restaurant Restaurant Guerneville CA Reviews Gayot March 2007 "Set your GPS for this backwoods dinner destination. It’s actually not hard to find, just over the river from the town of Guerneville, but it feels off the map, tucked into the secluded and peaceful Applewood Inn. The upstairs dining room makes a romantic venue, with cozy fireplaces and a solarium overlooking a trickling fountain and courtyard below. The cuisine melds French influences with California sensibilities, as borne out by the crab-packed profiterole paired with refreshing citrus salad, or the buckwheat crêpe, a delightfully square pocket with earthy duck innards with a sprig of micro greens. A beef filet with chanterelles, shallot confit, and endive please, though accompanying gnocchi seem superfluous. Better still: halibut with braised artichoke and wild mushroom ragoût. Happy endings include a sunburst of crème brûlée with cranberry or a simple chocolate ganache crêpe. Rather than chance a foggy drive on the windy road back to civilization, plan ahead and book a room at the inn---otherwise, you’ll envy those strolling off under the stars for a nightcap."

Zagat ( 24, 21, 21 ) "This rustic Tuscan-style romantic bed and breakfast inn with a restaurant and a rock fireplace tucked in the redwoods near Guerneville doesn’t get the hype of the Healdsburg stars, but it’s worth going out of the way for; all the elements are right, from the breathtaking setting and individualized attention each diner receives to the carefully crafted regional fare and terrific local wine list – what a delightful getaway spot for foodies."

Michelin Guide ( 2 forks ) "The Applewood Inn tucks into wooded backdrops a mile from Guerneville. This Wine Country B&B also welcomes guests for dinner in it’s barn-like dining room, complete with a vaulted and beamed ceiling and a soaring stone fireplace at either end of the room. Interpreted with French techniques and Italian accents, the California cuisine here fills the a la carte menu with the likes of seared foie gras with pain d’epice (spiced bread) French toast and red wine cherries and grilled filet of beef with a fricassee of trumpet royal mushrooms. Lighter fare highlights the bistro menu, offered Tuesday though Thursday. If you want to make a weekend of it, 19 individually decorated rooms are outfitted with such amenities as Italian linens, down comforters and WI-FI internet access.

Luxury Life & Style Magazine “Applewood Inn has mastered the art of wine country hospitality; spotlessly clean, with huge bathrooms, comfy robes, inviting fireplaces and sinfully soft sheets, it’s also quiet and unpretentious. Surrounded by redwood trees and with its own superb restaurant on-premise, the inn might tempt one to simply stay for the entire weekend with a good book and a better pinot for some company.”

Press Democrat – 3 stars “The Applewood Inn is a beautiful setting and Chef Brian Anderson creates beautiful dishes…Anderson’s Sauteed Halibut reaches perfection… The wine list holds some excellent bargains and some rather hard-to-get wines… If you’re a fan of good service, you’ll love it at Applewood. To sum up: Applewood has had many chefs over the years. Its current chef is the best yet, and his cooking is not to be missed."

San Diego Magazine "A hot destination for wine aficionados... The inn sets a marvelous table with an award winning wine list."

Passport Magazine “In Guerneville, head to the astounding Applewood where the fabulous food alternates between California and Italy, the wine list is divine . . . The rooms in their historic villa and several newer buildings are pretty fab too; you’ll think you’ve landed at an Italian villa in the middle of Northern California.

Wine Enthusiast “Rooms are spacious and luxurious to the point of sheer hedonism. The inn’s restaurant is a marvel. Almost anything off the menu is authentically Northern Italian meets-Sonoma and delicious, from the rack of lamb and Ribeye steak to the gnocchi. The wine list is a particular joy.”

Robb Report “A charming country inn hidden among the redwoods delivers five-star Amenities and an acclaimed California Provencal-style restaurant”

Food & Wine Magazine “Applewood Inn & Restaurant is an oasis of luxe just a short drive from the awe-inspiring Armstrong Redwoods State Reserve.”

Sunset Magazine - Named one of the West's Best Small Inns - “Dishes area a blend - very Northern California, very delicious - of organic, gourmet, innovative, and homey, served in a barnlike (a fancy clean barn, that is) dining room.”

Appellation Magazine “The 35 Chardonnays, 37 Pinot Noirs, 40 Zinfandels and dozens of Cabernets, Merlots and other varietals and blends make Applewood a good choice for those with a serious interest in Sonoma County Wines.”

Country Home Magazine “For relaxed country dining at its best, head to the cozy Applewood Inn restaurant in Sonoma County.”

Wine Enthusiast Magazine “Applewood Inn…sets a standard for small wine country inns.”

Gourmet Magazine “It’s their discerning eyes for both attic treasures and newfangled comforts that make Applewood both laid-back and luxurious.”

Conde Nast Traveler “This retreat is ideally suited for the wine country.”

Reno Air Approach “Calling the Applewood Inn “lodging” is like calling champagne a fizzy beverage.”

RECOMMENDED BY TRIP ADVISOR: "The Applewood Inn is so comfortable and quiet, in the Redwoods. Attention to detail in the room is amazing, with pressed antique linen tablecloth, premium sheets and pillows, fireplace and comfortable furniture. There was a double shower in a huge bathroom, plush robes and oversized bath towels. The rooms are spotlessly clean, as is the rest of the Inn. You feel like you are in your own private villa. The deck outside the room was private and had it's own fountain, where I could sit in a lounge chair in the sun and relax, while looking at the redwood trees. The staff can not do enough for you. The best service you will ever get anywhere. They are so friendly. I feel so welcome at the Applewood Inn. I can't wait to return."