The quaint Melitta Station Inn. Photo by Andrew Collins.
Several of the many inns and hotels in Sonoma County that market strongly to the GLBT are running budget-friendly specials during the cooler months. Some of these deals are quite simple – at the charming Melitta Station, on the east side of Santa Rosa, pays your hotel tax (which amounts to a 12% discount) when you stay a minimum of two nights (Monday–Thursday) through February. The inviting six-room B&B serves guests an extensive family-style breakfast each morning – the cranberry-walnut strata is a specialty, making it an even better value.
At some properties, such as gay-owned Balalaika Guest Homes, standard rates are greatly reduced during the quieter (and, in the Russian River, wetter) winter months. This Monte Rio compound has rates starting at $99 on weekdays and $199 on weekends from October through April (versus $179/$249 the rest of the year). These well-outfitted cottages nestled amid the Russian River’s soaring redwoods are two stories, have two bedrooms and bathrooms, and full kitchens – they’re a terrific option for extended stays, or vacationing with a few friends, and they’re just a short drive from the gay bars and excellent restaurants of Guerneville.
Finally, in the foothills above the sophisticated Valley of the Moon village of Glen Ellen, the nearly century-old Glenelly Inn & Cottages offers a perfect package for gourmands, the “Food & Wine Pairing – Bliss in the Wine Country” deal, in conjunction with Mayo Family Winery. With this promotion, if you book a two-night midweek stay (Monday–Thursday), you receive a free food-and-wine pairing for two at Mayo’s Reserve Room, plus a complimentary bottle of wine (it’s a $120 value).
