“A RETRO-CHIC HIDEOUT – The Andiron’s 1950s cabins are something out of the ordinary along the sleepy rural stretch south of Mendocino. Peek inside and you’ll see that the inn’s new owners have redecorated each of the 11 redwood rooms with quirky rummage-sale finds. (Our favorite: No. 5, done up in “library chic” and called Read) Half the rooms have kitchenettes and wood-burning stoves; all have decks looking down the grassy hill to a fringe of cypress trees and the ocean beyond.”
— Sunset Magazine 

“The Andiron is a dream come true. It encapsulates everything we were looking for in the ultimate Mendocino vacation. We spent six incredible nights there – or actually “Here” (cabin #3).

The secret ingredient of The Andiron – its owners Scott and Madeline. They make you feel so at home and at ease. Although I’m sure we pestered them with a zillion questions, they were always very friendly and informative. Their aesthetic sensibilities are manifest in every nook and cranny of the inn. Their eco-friendly consciousness – utilizing retro/sustainable furniture and fixtures add to the charm of your stay. They also had great environmentally friendly bed and bath products (EO). The wood scent that permeates the cabins remained with us even upon our return.

The Andiron is good for people, the environment, and pets. Our chihuahuas had a blast racing around the meadowy property. They give The Andiron a “Four Paws Up” review!

Happy hour is NOT to be missed – nice selection of local wine, beer, and house-made sangria to compliment the most delicious quesadillas and tamales. The “morning toast” is also a “must” featuring fresh baked bread (I believe from Fort Bragg Bakery).

The Andiron is super quiet and peaceful. Never do you feel on top of other guests as at many B & B’s and hotels. Everyone staying at The Andiron seems to be on the same mellow wavelength. Be and let be. Whatever you do, DO NOT miss the hot tub experience. You’ll never want to get out!”
— Mr. T’s Mohawk J, Pasadena, CA

“LOVE!! Love love love!!! Husband and I stayed here the night before my birthday. Allow me to set the scene: We had booked the room for a quick birthday stop on the way home from what was suppose to be a chill vacation up to Eugene OR to visit friends and meet their new baby. One day in, my husband got SEVERE (severe.) kidney stones (one was 9 mm, no joke). We spent the next 2 days in and out of the ER, with him getting emergency surgery and neither of us getting much sleep. We would have skipped the Andiron, but he was feeling okay and was well loaded on painkillers, so we decided to go for it. On Monday I drove a full 11 hours to get there.

We arrived after hours, and they had left an envelope with my name, the key, and a little welcome packet. It was so sweet. We opened the door to our room (#4, there, map themed) and it was softly lit, with jazz [40s swing actually] playing and a cozy (fake) fire.

It was SO. FREAKING. CUTE.

Instant love. I am silly for traveling, and couldn’t stop leafing through the various books and games. We went out for dinner in Mendocino (the Patterson place will serve you the best Guinness you’ve ever had, btw), then came back to our dreamy cozy little room. The walls are so cool! The wood is beautiful! I LOOOOOVE that they use great smelling pumps of shampoo/conditioner/soap, instead of throwing the half or unused bottles away every day like some Wastey McWasterson hotels. The bed was so insanely comfortable. The coffee they leave for you (from the Thanksgiving roastery in Mendocino) was delicious. I stayed in bed for a while in the morning and checked out the Viewmaster, and stared dreamily at the maps and travel posters on the wall.

We want to stay here and try every single room! It was that amazing! We didn’t get to try the hot tub, because we would have passed out from exhaustion, but next time. We will bring our doggies next time too. I can’t wait to go again. We didn’t get a chance to meet the owners, but if they read this: you are doing such an amazing job with that place! Thank you for a wonderful experience!”
— Elyse, Oakland, CA

“My husband and I absolutely love this heavenly place (we’ve been twice and plan to go again and again).

I read through the other reviews and have to agree with all of the previous raves: the room decor is darling/fun/creative, the vibe is warm and friendly, the owners are way cool, the staff is lovely, the beds are super comfy, the hot tub is amazing (an ancient oak tree entwined with a million tiny white lights shelters it, I mean *come on*, how do you beat that?), the happy hour is crazy wonderful with beautiful snacks and local libations, the other guests are an eclectic mix of interesting folks, games & movies & books galore for the borrowing (free), and the setting is stunning. There is so much to rave about here that I could go on and on!

If you’re like us and don’t really respond to the duck-in-a-bonnet cutesy of many B & B’s, and you’re looking for an authentic experience, not some generic Hyatt or Holiday Inn, then I’ll bet that The Andiron will be right up your alley. Go!

Oh, the morning toast bar! Did anyone mention that? I was there on a holiday so I’m not sure if they always do it but in addition to coffee and tea in the morning, we were served complimentary artisan breads with various nut butters and jams. Wonderfully different and just what we wanted. I’m telling you, this place is a treasure.

See you there!”
— Mookie, Berkeley, CA

“Coolest place I’ve stayed at since visiting the shady dell in bisbee, AZ. Husband and I just got married and decided to head north for a few days. Upon a good friend’s recommendation (thanks Joey G!) I booked the Andiron and was not disappointed. Loved our cabin and Nicole made some great recommendations. Wait, did I mention how awesome our cabin was?? It had a telescope and a vintage view-master!! And a very nice deck (perfect for sunning yourself if you are lucky and there is no fog like we were)! Make sure to check out the secret beach. And did I mention they are pet-friendly AND have a hot tub. Can’t wait to visit again.”
— Yvette, San Francisco, CA

“Other reviewer’s did extremely well to explain the wonderful detail to this great place. The staff is so helpful as well as willingness to make you cozy and enjoy your stay.

I am a mid-century nut and had two requirements: mid-century and pet friendly. My dog is well behaved and goes most everywhere with us. I chose the THERE room from the look of it. When we arrived, I was surprised to find personalized welcome notes for us including a goodie package for our dog Beetlejuice with a biscuit, poop bags, pet blanket and towel. I loved the room lighting and gold tones, it made everything worth the curvy drive from Oakland.

Our stay was great and we definitely didn’t want to leave.

Pros: Pet Friendly, unique design and decor, great window views, awesome lobby activities, private back deck seating, personalized care.

Cons: None.”
— Vanessa, Bay Area, CA

“The Andiron is fantastic! We just returned from a wonderful, restful weekend there. The only down side was that my partner got ill on the ride up and so we spent much of the time in the cabin, but I’m hard pressed to think of a better place to convalesce…nice views, the pitter patter of rain on the roof, the many DVDs on loan from their huge collection, a fireplace, the overall coziness factor….really, this place is a gem.

When we were booking our cabin, I was having trouble deciding on a room- from the website, they all looked so cute and quirky in their own way. I was also expecting the room to be on the small side or overly theme-y but au contraire- we stayed in the Here room and it was lovely! Super tastefully decorated, clean, and spacious (quite a bit larger than the photos online would suggest). Having a little kitchenette was great, as was the deck.

And the hot tub nestled in back was lovely and private. In fact, aside from a lovely happy hour with nice wines and homemade nibbles, we hardly saw nor heard anyone else the entire time we were there.

As bed and breakfast/inn connoisseurs, this one really ranks up there for us. If you’re not into the frou-frouness of most inns/b & b type places but like the overall idea of staying in an independently-run place, the Andiron is a great bet. And the owners couldn’t be friendlier (like so friendly after a few minutes of chit chat, Madeline was offering to bring chicken soup to my partner!)”
— Deborah, San Francisco, CA

“I can’t give the Andiron, Scott, and Madeline enough stars. I was really excited about staying there, thanks to the great website, and the Andiron exceed my very high expectations.

We stayed in the Play and Make rooms — these are just behind the office/lobby, but there was no noise. The rooms were a steal and incredibly fun — in one room we had paint by numbers on the wall, knitting materials, rubber stamps, paper, artsy stuff, and in the other board games and other fun little touches. The decor is adorable and practical at the same time. Madeline has a definite eye for decor and art. Really impressive.

I really appreciate the eco-friendly approach and care that Scott and Madeline have taken with that — they don’t use teeny throwaway shampoo bottles, but equip your room with high-end eco-friendly goodies. They don’t clean your rooms unless requested (and are perfectly happy to do so if you request). There are recycling bins outside each cabin. That sort of consciousness just makes you feel better about having a decadent weekend away!

We arrived on a Friday and settled into happy hour between 5 and 6. Scott had made a delicious fondue with fresh vegetables and other goodies. I can’t really call it a wine “tasting” because the Scott kept generously refilling my glass! There were great local wines as well as local beers… It was a fun time sitting around in comfy, cute surroundings, meeting other guests, and letting our dogs mingle!

The one down side, for pet-owners, is that dogs cannot be left in the room alone. Initially I was worried about this, but actually it worked out just fine because the dogs are welcome at happy hour (as long as they are friendly) and our dog was perfectly comfortable waiting in the car when we went out to dinner or elsewhere — it just doesn’t get that hot in Mendocino.

Thanks to the informative packet in our room we found the “secret beach” which was a wonderful tranquil space on a sunny Saturday morning. Saturday’s happy hour lived up to Friday’s with Madeline’s creations — variations on 50s hor d’oeuvres using fresh locally grown vegetables.

This is now our go-to place in Mendocino — we would recommend for couples, friends, or hiring out the whole place for a group celebration. I would say that it works for all ages — my parents (in their 50s) also accompanied us and had a wonderful time. I think that older generations would also enjoy staying at the Andiron. There was also a family staying there and the little girl seemed to be having a ball — so I would recommend this for families with children, too!”
— Lindsay, Berkeley, CA

“The magic of this place are the owners, they love what they are doing, and it shows. There are about a dozen small cabins, mostly “duplex” style. Our cabin was nicely redone in a retro/hipster style that is a theme here. The room was comfortable and warm… they had the lights on and heat going when we arrived. There is a deck with Adirondack chairs and a charcoal grill that would be just right on a warm day (not so much in January).

We usually don’t do “happy hours”, but this one was one of the highlights… wine, beer and snacks (fondue if you’re lucky) next to a crackling woodstove, patting a mellow greyhound and having a great conversation with interesting people. A good warm up before dinner. We would definitely go back. I would also recommend having dinner at Le Petite Rive just down the road… fantastic!”
— Steve, Foster City, CA

“Let me just start by saying we had a fantastic time! The care and detail that make the environment cozy and fun was over the top great. We stayed in the “write” room. As a writer this was a dream come true – included an old fashioned typewriter, thesaurus, dictionary, wonderful framed pages from famous classic novels throughout – and much more!

We got in late and took a hot-tub in the cozy forest (open 24 hrs; look for the lights in the trees!), enjoyed a wonderful snack / wine and beers during happy hour, and had the opportunity to meet the owners (Scott and his wife) who were very cool and accommodating.

A great place to stay – we’ll be back!!! –Sita, Jan 2010″
— Daniel, San Francisco, CA

“This place needs a 6th star! The BF surprised me with a weekend here and it was perfect. Cozy, quirky, mid-century mod furnishings, terrifically lovely owners & staff. They think of everything: good soap, fluffy towels, free dvd library and popcorn, grills, oh, and a happy hour with fondue (!), local beer, wine and some delicious Mendocino mustard. They had tons of recommendations but we spent most of our time passed out in the super comfy bed. We don’t have pets but it is pet friendly! (They have two lovely greyhounds you can pet if you want to pretend you have one). Highly, Highly recommended. ”
— Sita, San Francisco, CA

“…This place rocks!!! My husband and I stayed here for New Years Eve and had a fabulous time. After a long drive we were pleasantly surprised to find our cabin fully lit, music playing, and fireplace on, complete with a personal greeting card and a doggie essentials basket. We stayed in “Nurture”, a cute reasonably priced cabin with killer vintage decor, electric fireplace, cute bathroom with small tub and even a fridge for goodies. The hot tub is tucked away in the trees could not have been more perfect. They even have a selection of board games to check out which was a nice touch. I cannot say enough good things about this place! We will definitely be back!”
— Ari, Forestville, CA

“LOVE LOVE LOVE this place!!! My boyfriend and I went for the New Year. Based on the website, we decided to stay here for a couple of days. This place ROCKS! As we walked in, Madeline (the owner) was there to welcome us, as well as their awesome dogs, Scout and Daisy. We had the “MAKE” room, which had an arts and crafts/retro theme. (I tried to knit, made origami animals and the bf painted on the wall) There was a small fridge, a TV with a DVD player (they have an awesome collection of DVDs in the office to check out), and a porch. We were also a 30 second walk from the hot tub. (More on that later…) I also appreciated the booklet of things to know and things to do in the area, as we had never been to Mendocino before. Happy hour (I guess its only on the weekends, we were there Friday and Saturday night) was awesome, they had fondue and local beer, wines, etc. The owners were there to chat and make everyone who showed up at happy hour feel like old friends, which I really liked. Our second night, after happy hour (cheese, crackers, veggies and dip, organic(?) pork balls-on-a-stick, and liquor!) we soaked in the hot tub in the forest under the stars. Life was good!

We were so sad to leave, but I’m sure we’ll be back! It was a great value for what we paid and the owners (and their dogs) are wonderful. Hopefully next time, they will have their chickens…and maybe a goat or two:) Oh, and if you stay here, ask Scott and Madeline about geo-caching!!!”
— Char, Sacramento, CA

“This was the PLACE… Our travel-savvy daughter and son-in-law recommended the Andiron highly a few weeks ago. They know our style and that we love atmosphere, ability to take our poochie, our nostalgia, and our casual and comfortable priorities…This was the PLACE…

We were so relaxed and satisfied with our choice. The owners are wonderful and so helpful with everything. The grounds are just beautiful and it felt like we were out in the country, not just minutes away from mendocino and fort bragg with their incredible choices for food , wine, and nature. We actually never ate out (except for a great breakfast in Ft. Bragg)…..Trader Joe’s mac and cheese never tasted so good in front of a fire and old movie (they have thousands of DVDs which you can watch) in our cabin….with the rain creating amazing atmosphere outside….Our doggie was happy due to an entire day of hiking on beaches and trails all around the area.

Happy hour with local wines and beer and a great big delicious cheese fondue allowed us to meet and greet all the other guests and their doggies.

All in all, one terrific weekend…..only 2+ hrs from novato and seemed like a different world. We will be back……”
— Boobers, Novato, CA

“We randomly fell upon this amazing getaway and wow, were we lucky! We wanted to do something special for Christmas, Mendocino is close enough to the bay area and the Andiron went all out for Christmas: As per their typical weekend festivities, they had a happy hour that was of course Christmas themed – free Tom and Jerry’s, Mulled Wine, Apple Cider and many other great treats. They found out we were Vegan and even took the time and effort to make sure we had goodies to be enjoyed! After mingling with the guests, we found out our cabin neighbors had a liking for Scrabble – lucky for us, this Inn had every board game you could imagine (eclectic DVD collection as well)! We spent our X-mas night getting our scrabble on and drinking fine wine with out new found friends. Additionally, we emailed the owners ahead of time and their staff was so kind to direct us to restaurants open on Christmas. The beds were unbelievably comfortable and the rooms were trendy and fun. To top it all off we got to got to relish in a hot tub amidst the woods on a chilly night! All this for such an affordable price. You HAVE TO VISIT this place, it will rock your world, guaranteed!!!”
— Leslie, Oakland, CA

“Our cabin had a paint-by-number mural on the wall! Need I say more? OK, I will: After perusing tons of B&B sites, I stumbled on the Andiron’s website and knew immediately that we were going to stay there. Everything was exactly as the site described (which is so often not the case in other Mendocino lodging locales). The vintage decor and the owner’s personal touch really sets this place apart. The location is perfect — just outside the city of Mendocino and close to Van Damme beach and state park. The grounds are beautiful; very serene and quiet. There is a hot tub on the property (in the woods!) and the amazingly huge hot tub towels are an added bonus. At their weekend happy hour they serve local wines, beers, and some really tasty appetizers. The owners are lovely people who really put a lot of thought into everything they do. I just can’t say enough good things…we will absolutely stay there again!”
— Liz, San Francisco, CA

“This place exceeded our expectations in so many ways. After checking out several pet friendly lodging options and reading reviews, we reserved a cabin (Nature & Nurture) at the Andiron for one night during Halloween weekend. The pictures posted on the website do not do the cabins justice. We absolutely fell in love with our cabin which was beautifully furnished with unique, vintage charm. The rooms had a great warm and inviting feel so we felt right at home.

We were warmly greeted by the owners Scott and Madeline when we checked in. I have to say, they’re doing a wonderful job of managing the Inn since assuming ownership in Summer 2009; cabins have been redecorated and you can tell there’s been add’l renovations / improvements made to the rooms. Most, if not all of the supplies/amenities are eco-friendly. We were delighted by the personal touches they added upon our arrival; e.g. music was playing in our cabin, since we stayed during Halloween weekend we had a pumpkin, carving kit and Halloween candy waiting for us and our pets had welcome kits which included towels, sheets, doggie bags and biscuits. They even host a weekend happy hour! We can’t wait til our next visit!”
— Ann, San Jose, CA

“It’s fitting that my debut yelp review is also The Andirons first[on Yelp] — we loved this place so much I finally decided to create an account to offer my praise. After a multi-hour search for a last minute B&B I came across an intriguing tho clunky website for the “Pacific Mist Inn.” Having spent so much time searching we learned it was best to just call and ask about availability rather those nose around rather dreary websites. The woman who answered quickly asked what website we were looking at. Turns out there was a new one for the now rechristened “Andiron.” Within about a minute we knew we were going there. All the stuffy, floral formality of other places was replaced with a kitschy charm that reeked of fun. Sure enough, we had a wonderful stay. From our endless joy in “Nurture” with it’s 50’s decor and cozy warmth (we arrived late night to a sweet welcome package and preheated room with music playing for us!), the enchanting tree draped hot tub, the friendly proprietor, and the pair of elegant greyhounds who greeted us in the office–I can heartily recommend a stay at The Andiron. We’ll certainly visit again. Thanks!”
— Joey, Oakland CA

“…All I gotta say is . . . GO! Unlike most places on the coast that sport seagull and ocean paintings, this is like a trip into the past. However, this past includes great amenities (I fell in love with the “travel wipes” for taking off make-up), great wildlife spotting (silly pear-eating deer), and helpful, friendly staff. And it’s dog friendly! Our Edgar had his own towel, sheet, potty bags, and doggy biscuit. Seriously, it doesn’t get better than this.”
— Sue, Aaron, & Edgar, Concord, CA

“…My girlfriend and I took a trip to Mendocino for the first time and had a great time. Our stay at The Andiron was very enjoyable. We had a private cabin with an oceanview from our patio. The room had a full kitchen and fireplace. Scott and Madeline were friendly and gave us great advice on restaurants and activities to do while staying in Mendocino. We also enjoyed chatting with them during happy hour next to the fireplace, of course accompanied by their two beautiful and sweet greyhounds, Daisy and Scout. Oh did I mention the spa in the woods, how relaxing was that?”
— Coachclark, Sacramento

“…A huge part of our enjoyment of our June weekend in Mendocino was staying at The Andiron. We stayed in the Curious cabin. The cabin felt very private and romantic and we loved the fireplace, kitchen, and the deck and lounge chairs looking out onto the Pacific Coast Highway and the ocean between the trees. One of our favorite parts was the secluded hot tub tucked back in the trees. Best of all, the cabins are very affordable.

The Innkeepers, Scott & Madeline, were one of the most gracious and hospitable hosts I have ever met. They gave us so many great local tips on a secret beach, hike to a blow hole, great restaurants for seeing the sunset, etc. And their weekend happy hour with drinks and appetizers was a perfect way to relax after an afternoon of hiking or biking.

I can’t wait to visit Mendocino again and there is no question that I would stay there again.”
— EllieJean, Sacramento