Trade Working-From-Home for Working-from-Dream-Destinations at these California Boutique Hotels
Freed from the shackles of the office, workers are discovering that working from home can mean working from anywhere with a WiFi connection. Many of us can now exchange the drab walls of our make-shift home offices for views in beautiful destinations. Small boutique hotels in California fit the bill quite well with private, well-equipped work spaces in an array of appealing settings ranging from the beach to wine country to the mountains. A few are also offering special rates for digital nomads, including daytime bookings to use rooms for work at rates far below the average rate for an overnight stay.
White Swan Inn
If your work-from-home conditions are less-than-ideal, workday stays at the White Swan Inn in San Francisco’s Nob Hill neighborhood might be the perfect solution. With rates starting from $89 for a 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. stay (and more options available), this quiet boutique hotel offers private work spaces with many extras. You can choose to set-up shop in the conference room, the library with its French doors and private patio, or any of the guest rooms, all of which have private bathrooms, fireplaces, microwaves, and mini-refrigerators. The innkeepers will keep you stocked with beverages all day along and can even help with arranging meal services. To find your prefect remote work space, email the front desk or book online.
The Ballard Inn and Gathering Table
Nestled among the bucolic vineyards and horse ranches of the Santa Ynez Valley, the small, family-owned Ballard Inn and Gathering Table offers a relaxed home office away from home. Wake up to fresh coffee and a full breakfast served on the inn’s broad, wrap-around porch before jumping onto your first video call. A variety of spaces can serve as your remote office, including the inn’s 15 quiet guest rooms (some with private balconies and fireplaces) the living room with its inviting fireplace and modern farmhouse décor, or the inn’s outdoor spaces. When it’s time to log off for the day, unwind with complimentary wine and cheese before a delicious dinner at the inn’s on-site restaurant, The Gathering Table. More restaurants and wineries just a short jaunt away.
Seven Gables Inn
Cool off with a view from your new remote office at the Seven Gables Inn in Pacific Grove. A grand Victorian perched on the edge of the Monterey Bay, each of the inn’s 25 guest rooms offer stunning ocean views and opulent furnishings along with fast internet and plenty of outlets for plugging in devices. Outside, you’ll find cool ocean breezes and an 18-mile recreation trail for walking, running, and biking along the scenic coastline. It’s a setting that is certain to make your co-workers envious. The inn serves a complimentary breakfast in the oceanfront dining room, pours local wines during its afternoon wine and cheese reception, and offers turndown service with house-made cookies and milk to finish the day.
Hotel Cerro
At the stylish new Hotel Cerro in San Luis Obispo, you can easily mix remote work and school with vacation. The guest rooms’ in-room work stations have views of the hotel’s edible gardens and the lounge chairs on the rooftop pool deck are an idyllic alternative to your make-shift desk chair at home. The thoughtfully designed guest rooms feature luxurious linens, free WiFi, lots of USB charging ports, in-room pour-over coffee, mini-fridges with complimentary beverages, and complimentary refillable water bottles. Take recess to the next level by catching a wave at a nearby beach or exploring the coastal mountains. The hotel is offering discounted rates Sunday through Thursday, with a late check out so you can keep zooming throughout the day.
Santa Ynez Inn
Set up your remote office at the Santa Ynez Inn and enjoy all the luxurious amenities of the hotel along with walkable access to restaurants and wineries in the heart of the Santa Ynez wine country. Each of the inn’s 20 opulent guest rooms are equipped for remote work with spacious desks and personal sound systems. Some of the rooms also offer fireplaces with lounge chairs for kicking back while taking calls and private balconies or patios for moving your office outside. After you’ve finished work for the day, head down to the parlor for the inn’s complimentary wine hour. You can also relax in the hot tub or beside the outdoor fire pits. Before turning in for the night, enjoy the inn’s seasonal dessert offering or enjoy a night cap in the library.
1906 Lodge
In-room desks, private balconies, a tranquil garden setting, and a quiet location just steps from the glittering sands at Coronado Beach make 1906 Lodge an idyllic destination for remote work. Start your day with a complimentary breakfast served in the courtyard garden with beautiful blooms, trickling fountains, and ocean breezes. The inn offers a variety of outdoor spaces in addition to the guest rooms for setting up shop. Some of the nearby parks even offer free WiFi hotspots. For a break, hop on a free loaner bike to cruise the island or grab a beach chair and settle in on the sand. The inn’s complimentary happy hour provides wine and savory bites. A block away, restaurants and shops beckon with outdoor dining and retail therapy. Afterwards, stroll the beach for glorious sunsets.
Brewery Gulch Inn
Overlooking Smuggler’s Cove on the rugged Mendocino coast, the Brewery Gulch Inn is a spectacular Art-and-Crafts-style lodge with stunning ocean views and private decks. Inside, the rooms wrap guests in a cocoon of comfort with high-quality Italian linens, feather beds, and fireplaces with cozy seating areas. The rooms are also furnished with in-room desks and comfortable desk chairs, handy electrical outlets, and fast WiFi. You can also take your laptop out to the sunny deck overlooking the ocean or cozy up on the leather couches next to the great room’s four-sided glass and steel fireplace. The inn serves a made-to-order gourmet breakfast each morning and treats guests to a wine hour with a light dinner buffet that rivals the quality of Mendocino’s best restaurants.
McCaffrey House Bed & Breakfast Inn
Nestled amid towering pines in the Sierras, the McCaffrey House Bed & Breakfast Inn offers peaceful forest views from every room, fresh alpine air, and endless options for outdoor recreation. Many of the rooms feature writing desks placed in large bay windows overlooking the forest, where a multitude of birds and other wildlife will attempt to distract you. Many of the rooms have French doors that open to private balconies or patios with outdoor seating for moving your office outside. All of the rooms feature cozy fire stoves and extensive amenities including flat screen TVs, iPod docking stations, luxurious linens and robes. Some of the rooms are also pet-friendly. The inn serves a full breakfast each morning, tea and cookies in the afternoon, and complimentary wine and cheese by the fire each evening.
Hofsas House
Work from the beach with the Hofsas House’s new extended stay promotions. The charming, family-run, pet-friendly hotel in Carmel-by-the-Sea offers two-bedroom suites complete with kitchenettes, fireplaces, balconies with ocean views, high-speed internet, and free use of the hotel’s meeting room. And during those mandatory work breaks, you can take a dip in the pool, heat up in the sauna, or wriggle your toes in the white sand beach just blocks away. The hotel is currently offering 15% off stays of five or more nights. The offer is subject to availability, cannot be combined with any other promotions, and is not applicable to existing reservations. To reserve your change of home office scenery, call 831-624-2745.