House on a cliff?
 

My partner turns 40 in february 08 and he would love to spend that weekend on the definitive "house on a cliff" in california :-)

i am hoping to get some very sage input into where that house/B&B might be (given the time of the year) and how i might go about booking it.

many thanks!

The Ritz at Laguna Nigel is on a spectacular cliff. Does that count?

Some neat places in Mendocino that might be more what you have in mind.

Look at Mendocino for B&Bs close to a "cliff," with wonderful views.

A friend of mine was raving about Greenville House in Elk, near Mendocino - incredible views, on a cliff, private hot tub on the cliff.

iamq, raves about Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur and I can see why..stunning!

postranchinn.com

TahitiTarns took the words right out of my mouth. The Ocean Houses at Post Ranch are the definitive "house on a cliff".

Another suggestion would be The Sea Ranch about 30 miles north of Jenner and just south of Gualala on the Sonoma coast. The Lodge is built right above the ocean. There are numerous rental houses that are right on the bluff as well. Try Rams Head Realty for a good variety.

I second Post Ranch Inn. I stayed there this past year, in an ocean house, and it was among the most memorable hotel experiences of my life!

thanks so much for these prompt and very helpful responses! some follow up questions...

seasweetie, i couldnt find greenville house on the web/google. would you happen to have any contact information?

all, the post ranch inn looks incredible - but financially daunting :-( how are the chepaer accomodations (e.g., butterfly rooms)? also, how much do the meals set you back?

i'll keep looking in mendocino...

You can go with a butterfly room at Post Ranch as long as its a top floor room. You won't have the noise of those above you on the top floor. I stayed in a top floor butterfly room at the last minute. It couldn't have been nicer.

okay, i am sold on the post ranch inn - it looks spectacular.

though i don't think we can afford the ocean room :-( i was wondering if anyone had any recommendations regarding the tree house versus the upper coast room (almost double in price)...

also, what will the weather be like in mid-february?

thanks!

Good luck, Sen. Post House Inn is one of my dreams, but I'm not going until I can afford an Ocean View! ;-)

I did find that inn that Seasweetie was talking about, though.
http://www.greenwoodpierinn.com

What about the central coast, Cambria? I've rented a home from this site and got an ocean view. Search by 'area' then try the "Seacliff" or "marine terrace".

http://cambriavacationrentals.com/index.html

Good choice. The upper coast rooms have an ocean view. The tree house rooms do not, but rather are built in the redwood forest areas across the lane from the ocean and coast houses. Some have views of the mountains through the trees. The tree houses are stand alone units. The coast rooms are upper/lower duplexes.

Listen, even the "mountain view" unit is worth the money. All you have to do is walk across the lane and hop in the amazing hot tub for a delicious view of the water!

Definitely go with the upper coast over the tree house room at Post Ranch.
They are booked up year round. The weather is hit or miss in Feb.
Make sure your seated at the restaurant Sierra Mar prior to sunset so you can enjoy the incredible view of the sunset.
Another great spot with an ocean view for dinner is the Highlands Inn which is around 40 minutes north of Post Ranch. Its may seem like a long drive but its worth it.

thanks for all the great advice!

alas, i think we can only afford the Tree House, which is what we are going with. we'll pray for an upgrade :-)

is it silly to go (and spend so much!) in feb? i heard it can rain a lot....

The last time we went to PRI was in mid February and the weather was spectacular. Clear skies, not a cloud anywhere, daytime temps pushing 70. Have a great trip and let us know how it went.

iamq, thanks! i noticed on another post that you recommended Innocneti or Grimes. I heard that the tree house called Morondi has ocean views as well. Any thoughts?

more generally, i am just curious about what justifies the rates at this property. any musings would be helpful :-)

For future reference should you want to go up north.
This place is Fabulous!
http://www.greenwoodpierinn.com/

Take a look at the views from the Cliffhouse and North and South Castle.

R5