A Perfect Base Camp for Exploring California’s Redwood Coast
If you’re thinking of a summer road trip to California’s Redwood Coast, The Redwood Riverwalk Hotel is an ideal base camp. Located right off Highway 101 in Fortuna—near the northern end of Humboldt County’s famed Avenue of the Giants—the hotel is centrally located to six wild and scenic rivers, miles of rugged coastline, and three massive parks comprising Redwood National & State Parks. Home to the world’s tallest trees, the parks are a World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve protecting nearly half of the planet’s old growth redwoods.
From the highway, The Redwood Riverwalk Hotel may look like your standard chain motel—and it once was—but step inside the lobby, the hotel’s independent spirit and connection to the local region is evident. The wooden frame of a vintage kayak hangs from the lobby ceiling. Murals in the lobby and throughout the hotel depict the region’s redwood forests, riparian corridors, lumber camps, and life of the Native American Weott tribe. The lobby’s wainscot is made from reclaimed redwood from a dismantled water tower north of Arcata—a reference to the region’s history and lumber industry. In a nod to the local dairies, a cow-hide print rug stretches across the lobby floor. A large stack of firewood is tucked beneath the front desk while a colorful collection of retro, plastic hotel key fobs are on display behind the desk. In the afternoons, the front desk may also feature a tempting plate of brownies.
Lobby 
Lobby 
Front desk at The Redwood Riverwalk Hotel
Just off the lobby, the hotel serves an impressive breakfast buffet each morning to fuel any redwood adventure. The spread includes yogurt, local jams and honey, fresh fruit, oatmeal, scrambled eggs, sausage, French toast, and even biscuits and gravy.
The hallway leading from the lobby to the indoor pool and guest rooms is lined with vintage fly fishing rods and reels and a collection of the owner’s grandfather’s hand tied flies. The inviting indoor pool—known as the swimming hole—is backed by Adirondack chairs and a mural of ancient redwoods.
Just around the corner from the pool, the hotel offers a grassy outdoor courtyard with picnic tables. At night, the courtyard is lit by string lights. It’s an enchanting place to relax with take-out from nearby restaurants (the Eel River Brewing Company is just a block away) while little ones run around.
For four-legged guests that need to stretch their legs, the hotel recently added a dedicated on-site, off-leash dog park. For longer excursions, the two-mile long Eel River levee trail is located just 200 feet from the hotel and provides a great walk with scenic views of the Eel River Valley.
The hotel offers 46 spacious guest rooms decorated in earth tones. As a former chain motel, the rooms have retained their standard configurations, but rooms include thoughtful touches that bump them into boutique hotel territory. The comfortable beds are triple-sheeted and the rooms include a long list of amenities: flat-screen televisions with HBO, desks with desk-level electrical outlets, hair dryers, coffee makers, microwaves, mini refrigerators, and irons and ironing boards. The baths feature bathtub and shower combos with fun, redwood print shower curtains, granite countertops, wood-framed mirrors, and eco-friendly, spa-grade bath amenities in refillable dispensers.
The Redwood Riverwalk Hotel is a certified GreenLeader Hotel. In addition to the eco-friendly, spa-grade bath amenities in refillable dispensers, its green practices include use of eco-friendly cleaners, LED lighting and lighting on sensors to reduce electricity usage, post-consumer recycled paper products or bio-degradable corn products, and in-room and hotel-wide recycling programs.
The Redwood Riverwalk Hotel
1859 Alamar Way
Fortuna, CA 95540-8535
707-725-5500
www.theredwoodhotel.com