Brewery Gulch Inn: Romance and Generosity by the Sea

Brewery Gulch Inn

A pirates’ hideaway? A scalawag’s den? A speak-easy from Prohibition days? You would never guess by its rough-and-ready moniker that this romantic escape overlooking turquoise seas is a four-star luxury lodge, with not a scalawag in sight.

Sequestered off Highway One on the Mendocino coastline, this 10-room Northern California gem reigns over the Pacific. Just a solitary building on three acres, the pleasures are plentiful. Claim a cushioned patio chair and be mesmerized for hours by waves pummeling ancient rock formations. Access hiking trails and secret gardens. Grab a pair of binoculars and go bird watching in one of the country’s richest bird watching regions.

The Visionary Behind Brewery Gulch Inn

Extrovert Guy Pacurar used to be the executive director of a non-profit in San Diego. When he decided on a second career as an innkeeper, he passed over twenty-five properties until he saw the lodge. Then, he said to himself, “This is it!”

Once acquiring the keys to his kingdom enterprise, he transformed the digs with modern furnishings, paint and carpeting, artwork, plants and flowers. Today, you cannot see the building from the highway, but once you spot the old water tower you know to turn up the hill. By the way, you’ll find old water towers all over Mendocino as they were used heavily in the 19th century.

About the Inn

The Arts & Crafts-style, ten-room abode is shingled with rescued local redwood, blending with nature’s surroundings. Surprises exist around every corner. The private hiking path features ponds with water lilies and wild gardens. There is a massage tent, a large firepit encircled by Adirondack chairs, and another bucolic Eden, ideal for re-discovering that treasured novel. A driftwood star is fastened above the front door welcoming all to make a wish.

As you step inside the Great Room lobby, you know in your gut this place is welcoming and kind. The heart of the lodge here is the floor-to-ceiling, wood-burning fireplace. It’s a generous space with check-in on the right, a gift nook with locally made goods on the left. A tall bookcase holds over 700 DVDs, board games, books, and magazines. Craftsman-style dining tables with high-backed chairs hug the walls. Towards the back, a chestnut leather couch with matching chairs and an oak coffee table, invite conversation. Giant Scrabble boards top occasional tables, waiting for players to strike up a game.

Vertical windows and giant glass doors draw your eyes outwards to pine trees and ocean vistas. The pale walls and soothing modern art fulfill a warm and simple contemporary design scheme. Rooms carry names of local places like Smuggler’s Cove and birds such as Osprey and Raven.

My daughter and I are assigned to the Heron room where every detail exudes peacefulness and generosity. Moss green walls mimic hues of the bearded lichen branches outside the window. A pair of leather club chairs grace the fireplace. Topping the bed is a bag of chocolate nibs by a local chocolatier.

Daily Dining Delights

Come daybreak, breakfast beckons. While other B&Bs may offer a single entrée, guests can pick items from a menu curated by the new in-house chef Stephen Smith. We drool over dishes such as “Green Eggs and Ham,” biscuits and gravy, and flapjacks. Fresh-squeezed orange juice, grapefruit juice, and a mango-lime lassi are options that make it difficult to choose. On the buffet sideboard, slices of banana bread tempt anyone with a sweet tooth.

A complimentary Happy Hour at 5:30 features beer and wines from Fathers and Daughters Cellars (from Guy’s winery).

Every night the inn offers a light supper. Prior to the pandemic, it was a buffet, but now, guests pick up their own hand-carved wooden tray of deliciousness with a hot dish, vegetable, and dessert. Think of this as a giant bento box. My daughter and I swoon over the buffalo meat pot pie, with carrots and mashed potatoes, and a chocolate mousse for dessert. The next night we savor polenta topped with sausage, a Caesar salad, and homemade tiramisu. All-day beverages such as sparkling water, both hot and iced tea and coffee ensure a well-hydrated stay.

Impeccable Service

Finally, the service is impeccable and the knowledge base reliable. Where to go for a hot tub soak? Sweetwater Inn and Spa, stresses Guy. Where to find beach glass? The Little River beach says his wife, Sarah. What about a forest hike? Across the street, points Kurt, the front desk associate.

Next time you head to Mendocino, search for the water tower with the inn’s name painted in white. You won’t find a brewery, but you will find beauty, bliss, and bounty.