Highland Dell

We stayed here for one night on a mini vacation to the wine country. I loved it. It’s in a lovely location– right across from a gravel beach area on the Russian river. We had a balcony– so lovely to look out over the river in the morning! We saw a boy catch quite a large fish out of the river– so there are lots of fish. The room was small, but pleasant and rustic. You can hear everything– and initially we were worried it would be loud at night, but everyone quieted down after 9pm– and it was super quiet and very nice. There is no in room fridge or safe or coffee maker– but there is coffee left out in hot pots downstairs, and there is hot water, and delicious Stash teas– all kinds (herbal and caffeinated). I believe you can take out kayaks from the hotel– we did not, but we heard another guest getting one.
Breakfast was a real treat. It was served from 8−10am– and there were cereals, breads, madelines, oatmeal, eggs, bacon and sausage– as well as milk and oj. I thought it was a superb breakfast. I really enjoyed it. They also put out fresh fruit– and my husband loved his morning apple.
Some people might have a problem with the fact that the sink in our room was a little slow to drain– but I didn’t think that was an issue. Also the sink was in the bedroom, not in the bathroom– again, not an issue for us. And the other reviewer is correct, there was no full length mirror– we had a small round mirror aboove the washstand. There was a TV– we didn’t use it. The wifi was excellent, and we did use that.

On a budget, my husband and I searched for a great spot to go on a mini vacay. We found this place on Groupon. After researching the are we decided to stay 2 nights here.
The owners were so helpful when we were planning; such a friendly couple.
We booked a room without a balcony view, BUT lucky for us we went during off season and the owner upgraded us to a balcony view upon checking in.
Pros:
Secluded enough to be relaxing.
Short drive to Guerneville where there’s tons of yummy places to eat.
Easily accessible to river beach.
Yummy small free breakfast options. Hot tea, coffee & Madeline’s were available be throughout the day in lobby. Comfy bed. Charming lobby.
Cons: Thins walls (but didn’t bother us much)
No full length mirrors.
Some reviews state that there were cobwebs & dust… Um! We are by a river in the mountains of course… That’s expected. It was pretty clean upon our arrival.
I absolutely enjoyed our stay. I’m definitely arranging for my parents to stay out there soon, they’d love it. Also heard small weddings are a huge hit up here, there is a lovely hall for that.

We’ve stayed here about 7 times now and still love it for what it is. I see all these bad reviews about small rooms (The place was built in 1906 it’s not the Hilton). Then people talking about spider webs and bugs. This place is literally built on the edge of the river. Whenever we stay there they are always cleaning and keeping the place up very nicely. I watched the lady clean our room one morning and by the evening the patio had a few cob webs again. This place is charming and you feel like you are stepping back in a different time. The people that run the place could not be more hospitable. The few times I had a problem them immediately took care of the problem. If you are looking for big rooms and double vanity bathrooms this is not the place. If you are looking to relax by the river and read a good book, or sit in the bar on the water and have a nice glass of wine this is the place!

We got married at Highland Dell on June 6, 2015. I don’t think I can do justice to how incredible Herb and Ingrid were but I’m going to give it a shot: We really wanted to avoid what we think of as «the wedding industrial complex» — all the frills and price hikes imposed by so many wedding venues… the wedding coordinator and cutesy this and that.
— We wanted a beautiful location The fully renovated historic lodge is perched on the banks of the Russian River. There is swimming/​boating/​lounging/​hiking nearby, and with a wedding party of about 100 we were married right across the river in the meadow. That’s part of a city park and Herb rented the meadow for us, ordered all the chairs (we paid only for the cost of rental, all the setup was included in the one very reasonable venue fee), set it up beautifully on the day of the ceremony, provided a PA system, took it all down afterward.
— We wanted a place where we could bring our own very personal ideas of what we wanted our reception and party to be. Herb listened and he and Ingrid and their staff helped make it exactly what we wanted. We brought in hand made centerpieces made of animal bones in bell jars. No problem! We chose two signature cocktails that would be on the house until dinner. H&I had them all made up on the bar (there is a gorgeous old full bar).
— We wanted a delicious buffet for a reasonable price. Poof! We got one. These guys cater the meal so we didn’t have to bring in another caterer. The food was excellent. We used one of Herb and Ingrid’s wines and we brought in one wine and the champagne on our own and paid a corkage fee. There was never any pressure at all to choose their wines. All those guys wanted was for us to be satisfied.
— We wanted an arch or gazebo of some kind to decorate with flowers for the ceremony but didn’t really feel like renting one. No problem! Herb had one. He let us use it. He and his staff transported it over to the meadow on the back of a flatbed beautifully decorated and brought it back in time for the reception, setting it up in the doorway.
— We wanted to dance like maniacs til the wee hours to a DJ we brought in. No problem! Highland Dell brings in musical acts and has a fantastic sound system available to wedding parties. We had rented all the rooms (a required commitment for a wedding) and could make as much giddy happy noise as we wanted.
— Oh, there is a lovely breakfast buffet included for all the guests at the hotel.
Herb and Ingrid are both very laid back people. Laid back and insanely efficient. Herb used to cater massive corporate events in Germany. But he’s a laid back motorcycle enthusiast with a quiet appreciation for life. Combine those things and you get the perfect hosts.
I can’t say enough good things about them or this venue. Our wedding was 100% stress free. My husband and I wanted a ceremony and reception that felt like US. And this one did. Herb Ingrid and the whole staff were always quietly available for any questions. No fuss. No muss. No frills. (If you want frills, however, no problem. Bring on the frills! But this place won’t make you feel like you are being nudged down frill alley…)
OK. That’s my review. 5+++++.

Pluses: Beautiful old building, prettily renovated throughout. Clean. Beautiful natural setting. Comfy beds and linens. Generous buffet breakfast. Nice deck off of dining room overlooking river.
Minuses: Small room, no closet, clothes rack, or fridge, counter-​less sink in room only – not in bathroom. One small towel rack, nowhere to hang robe/​clothes while bathing. Shower with only one spray setting: VERY sharp. Only one bedside lamp between two beds. Carpets in room small outdoor-​type runners on laminate floor. Intermittent wifi and they don’t give you the password on paper – makes repeated sign-​ins inconvenient. Although October weather was lovely, dock had already been taken up, and no chairs/​benches to hang out by river.

I was super excited to come here for a night to celebrate me and my husband’s first year wedding anniversary. We wanted to do something low key and relax somewhere beautiful. I read pretty good reviews so I couldn’t wait.
We waited a little over 5 minutes before anyone came to the front to check us in. Once we get to our room, I was shocked how tiny it was. Smallest room I’ve ever seen in any place I’ve stayed. It’s basically the bed, two nightstands, and the TV in the corner. No room anywhere else. The sink is not in the bathroom but in the room, which was odd and a little annoying. We got a room with a balcony. Could not enjoy the balcony really because there was a huge, nasty, scaring looking spider out there (not their fault, but I’m just saying). Kind of lame that they didn’t have a fridge in the room too. The AC was broken, the bed was not that comfortable and the you can hear everything through the walls.
We were not impressed with the menu for dinner so we went somewhere else. We had breakfast in the morning. It was your typical buffet. As I was eating my pancakes, I discovered a bug that was literally cooked into the pancake. I instantly lost my appetite and we checked out.
I hate giving one star reviews, but I couldn’t think of anything about our stay that I actually enjoyed, other than each other’s company. We won’t be going back.

Just had dinner at The Highland Dell. Had a fantastic time. Day was beautiful, had a cocktail to start with calamari, wonderful. Our server was fantastic, my wife is a huge fan of good bleu cheese, she wanted to try it before having it in her salad. They let her try it, not what she wanted, had the Caesar and it was perfect. The entrees, all three were fantastic. Stop by and try for yourself.

Attended a big birthday party last Saturday nite with100 plus people, we loved it. TheHighland Dell was very spacious and comfortable for all of us; a beautiful building overlooking Monte Rio beach with a real nice bar. Proprietors Herb and Ingrid were great hosts. There was a band and a dance floor still plenty of space in the room. We had some of the best German food I’ve ever eaten, all prepared by Herb: we had Pork Shank (over the top) two types of Spaetzle, red cabbage, two types of potato salad, roast chicken, home made Bratwurst, and desert, all made by Herb. great venue for events…

Big thanks to Herb for showing us such a pleasant afternoon, great view, great great Bloody Mary, great choice, we will definitely be back!

Where to start. Sorry for the long description but hope this helps all.
First off, even though I’m raised in the Bay Area the Russian River was something I wasn’t too familiar with. Fast forward to 2013 when I proposed to my now wife, it met every requirement in my book. We wanted something outside the hustle and bustle, friends and family to spend a weekend together, and a low key environment in a beautiful setting. We luckily checked out the Highland Dell and met Herb whom got us. That means a lot in my book. We didn’t want a stuffy wedding and he got that. The whole idea of a perfect wedding was about the event and the company you keep and not have to pay for something we wouldn’t get to enjoy. What I mean by that is a wedding can be gone in a blink of an eye. We rented the whole hotel, neighboring «big yellow house» and all my friends and family stayed the whole weekend within (mostly) walking distance. We maxed out at 150 so a wedding of 70 – 80 you could feasibly all stay within walking distance.
So you get a place for all family and friends within short distance on the beautiful Russian River. Score right? Not only that but Herb and his wife Ingrid are just generally awesome people. Everything from beginning to end they made sure we had a great time. Furthermore, EVERYTHING was taken care of but if you wanted to be anal you could be (we weren’t). No wedding planner needed! Again, this area isn’t stuffy nor would I want it to be. What they know and know well is how to throw a great party and allow for it TO BE a great party. Awesome food, check. Full bar, check (important to consider as you don’t need to buy all your booze beforehand). Beautiful setting, check. In fact, everything is flexible and doesn’t make you feel like you are getting bent over in «wedding costs». Anyone planning one knows what I mean as the second the word wedding is mentioned the cost triples.
I could go on and on, but everyone at my wedding was blown away how we captured the fun and not the factory other weddings are. If you care about the people celebrating the love for a weekend and want to cut out «get in and get out» wedding venues, I implore you to check this venue out. The most important things are the memories and the Highland enabled this. No 10 o clock cutoff and people getting shuttled to respective hotels miles away. I spent my whole weekend bonding with my favorite people and everyone at the Highland enabled all the unspoken awesomeness that made it flawless.

Stay here! It was just what we were looking for… A peaceful getaway. Beautiful scenery. The nicest staff (got there around 8:30pm on friday after the restaurant already closed for the evening and couple staff stayed to whip us up a great meal and cocktails). The hotel has charm… ya maybe the bathroom isn’t granite with modern fixtures, but we stayed in the jacuzzi suite and loved our 3^rd floor balcony view of the river. Bed was comfy and they provide a great breakfast included with stay. We also had fun doing a pub crawl with all the great breweries in the area but couldn’t wait to get back to enjoy our room.

I purchased a voucher for a 2 day stay here through Amazon local. Amazon local is great and I will get my money back.
When I called to reserve a 2 day stay a couple weeks ago, I asked about disabled accommodations and was told they only had one accessible room and it was booked. After further discussion I was told that they would put me in a first floor room.
After a wonderful long drive through Sonoma County we arrived at the hotel to have the owner attempt to put me in a second floor room. When I told her that I was unable to climb stairs and had been promised a first floor room, she informed me that they had already filled all the rooms on the first floor and that there really was nothing she could do. She then spent several minutes on the phone selling someone on what a great place the hotel is, how it had been updated recently, and how the mattresses had been replaced a couple years ago after some rains.
While she was on the call, I looked at the upcoming local event guides they had laid out to discover they were for 2012.
After she finished the call, she attempted to call her husband and finally offered to let us stay for 3 nights some other weekend as the only thing she could do.
Supposedly they do some things well. Serving disabled customers apparently is not one of those things.

My wife and I got married at the Highland Dell recently and the experience was fantastic. As mentioned in other reviews they have setting up weddings down to an art-​form. The location and hotel are beautiful and there are a number of great rental houses we used for all of our out-​of-​town guests.
They were able to suggest a number of great vendors (specific shout out to Wisteria Florists here) who made the whole day a breeze. Both their prices, along with those of the vendors they suggested, were a breath of fresh air after looking at the pricing from others that seem to double when rings are involved in the event.
Basically if you want a smaller, low-​key wedding, in a stunning location, with the minimum of fuss this is the place to be. Herb and Ingrid are great and can walk you through the whole process.

Had a great time! This is a old historic hotel which is clean simple and family run. If you are looking for contemporary lodgings it is not. If your looking for charm, relaxation and an immersion into a bygone era with a nice view and good German food you might choose this place. Nice river bend view with access to kayaking and canoeing lends the Highlands Inn a nice place for your family as well as a casual and intimate wayside. Just put your feet up and order the bratworst braised cabbage and a good pilsner loose the stress and drama and just enjoy!

My family from Los Angeles came up to visit and I thought it would be fun to spend a night in a new city on my two days off. I found this hotel through Groupon, fell in love, and immediately booked a night. The day before, I called to confirm my reservation and the woman I spoke to told me in a condescending and angry tone that «Booking through Groupon has nothing to do with us, you have to buy the Groupon then call us to reserve a night.» I asked her if she had any rooms available and there were none so in my last minute rush I had to book another hotel in another city and plan a two day trip in a last minute rush. I knew it was too late to cancel through Groupon since they require 4 days prior your reservation so I figure if I can reserve a different night I would do that, since the Groupon was already bought.
After coming back from my mini vacation, I called the hotel and spoke to the owner. He told me that they waited until 11pm for me to show up but I was told that I didn’t even have a reservation. I asked if I could use the money towards another night and that I would even pay full price but he told me no because he lost money from the deal and from paying a worker to wait for me. I lost money because I paid for a night at the hotel and didn’t get to stay there. So I can’t rate or say anything about the hotel because I didn’t even get to see it but my experience dealing with everyone was pretty awful. I wish I got the name of the woman who I spoke to on the phone because she didn’t even bother double checking with the manager or seeing if my name was in the system before telling me false information. It’s such a shame because it does seem like a nice hotel but I probably won’t stay here in the future because this whole situation left a bitter taste in my mouth.

My husband and I got married at the Highland Dell in September. Our reception was held in the restaurant area, but our ceremony was outside in the meadow across the river. Since it was September, we did not have a plan B for weather. Needless to say, it poured on Friday evening and into Saturday afternoon. Herb was amazing. He looked high and low for an alternate venue, making calls, and helping us think outside the box. Fortunately, the rain cleared at noon, and we were able to go ahead with all of our original plans.
Aside from last minute troubleshooting, Herb and Ingrid were fantastic to work with. They were responsive to emails and calls, and more than happy to have us up for a weekend to field all of our questions.
Since they are also a restaurant, they handled all of the catering and drinks. It was great to have an all-​in-​one venue. The food was delicious, there was plenty of it, and they were willing to work with all of our menu special requests. Vegetarian options were important to us, and the Highland Dell delivered.
The Highland Dell has hosted many weddings, and you can tell. Their system is dialed. I completely trusted Herb and Ingrid with all of my day-​of details. Not only are they efficient and dependable, but they are also affordable.
If you are looking for a Russian River wedding venue, definitely consider the Highland Dell.

My fiancé and I were really close to choosing the Highland Dell as our wedding venue, and while we ultimately decided not to, I would still recommend Herb and the Highland Dell for anyone who wants to have an affordable wedding in the Russian River area!
The place is beautiful inside with a lovely view of the river. Herb was extremely accommodating and showed us a few of the rooms which were charming and clean. Having the option to sleep the majority of our wedding party on site would be a huge bonus, and I would imagine everyone would be comfortable and happy.
Another bonus to having a wedding here would be that you can stay up til 1am! This is a pretty big deal considering most places make you shut down at 10pm or sooner.
Herb was also willing to work within my budget (which is extremely tight), so major points for that. If you have your heart set getting married on the Russian River, definitely take a look!

My wife and I just got married here, and this place will forever bring a smile to us.
I’m still on my wedding bliss phase, so I would rather be staring at my wife then at this computer, so this will be short and sweet.
Ingrid, Herb and the ENTIRE staff are just amazing. The type that says ‘Yes — we will make it happen’.
We had our meet and greet, ceremony, reception and rented out every room for families and friends. Everyone loved everything. And isn’t that what a wedding should be about — love?!
Kudos Highland Dell — you have return customers FOR LIFE.

My wife and I chose the Highland Dell to host our wedding reception, as well as provide rooms for our guests. The place is lovely and worked great, and Herb was fantastic to work with. I would strongly recommend him and the Highland Dell for handling your reception.
First of all, the place was the best deal around. We had 80 guests, and we got married in mid-​July – right in the middle of high season. Other places we went to either had outrageous site fees or else had so many restrictions that we just weren’t interested. I have to admit, we chose the Highland Dell originally partly because we were just keen to be on the Russian River and didn’t have many other choices. But it ended up being a good deal, certainly by Sonoma standards. Moreover, the dining hall of the lodge has a great view of the river and mountains, and the high ceilings and rafters gave the whole evening a really charming feeling. (Plus, he was cool with us bringing in some outside décor.)
We also decided to save money by going with Highland Dell’s kitchen rather than an outside caterer. Again, this wasn’t something we were thrilled to do; yet, the food Herb served was excellent. The fish was freshly flown in, the duck was delicious, and the greens were all super fresh – and again, it was less expensive than outside caterers. He also allowed us to bring in some of our own cocktail hour appetizers and desserts, which was nice of him, and he made a few late night pizzas available so that folks had something to sop up the booze. And on the booze front – it’s great that Herb charges by the wine bottle as you go, rather than forcing you to order in advance not knowing how much you’re going to drink. That’s really helpful. Also, having a full bar was great – it’s nice to have a solid cocktail for cocktail hour.
Herb also booked the riverfront meadow in which we had the ceremony and provided the chairs for it – again, at a price way less than outside event rentals would have. Herb was patient with us and helped me coordinate with the band we hired. The fact that he has a stage, PA, and sound board already in the dining hall made having a band WAY easier. And best of all – he let us have amplified music until 1am. Seems like every other place in the area had a 10pm cutoff – who the heck finishes partying at 10pm? Not Herb. He goes late. And he was able to get a buffet breakfast out by 10am the next morning for us to hold a brunch – which he arranged for us sort of at the last minute.
All told, it was a pleasure through and through, and it made our wedding that much more enjoyable because Herb had a good attitude and was easy to work with. You’d be surprised by how charming it is. It’s not for everyone – certainly wouldn’t be easy to have more than 90 guests, and it’s not extravagant; the rooms are fairly simple. Also, you should certainly keep in mind that Herb and his wife own and run the place; they’re real people, and you’ll want to deal with them as your partners in this thing – if you want to order people around, you might be better off with a place that’s run that way. As long as you’re good with that, then the Highland Dell is a great place for that special occasion. My wife and I will surely be back!

Unfortunately, my bf and I stayed here during off season. Therefore, we didn’t get the pleasure of experiencing the German restaurant. However, we enjoyed our stay with the exception of one small problem.
Let me further explain and get my only gripe out of the way. This hotel has been renovated and is one of the nicer places near the Russian River in the Monte Rio area from what we’ve seen. However, our room had no controlled thermostat! It was great our room was heated but excessively! During the night, we resorted to opening side windows which didn’t alleviate the problem. We had to open the French doors facing the river balcony which finally cooled the room down significantly. We placed the guest book over the vent in the floor too. This was a bit annoying, since we came here late at night to sleep. By then, the room was already heated well. For future references, we will keep the windows open after checking in and leaving.
Now, the good stuff: The friendly man at the front desk who seemed to manage or own the hotel was extremely kind and friendly to us at check in and check out. There is a continental breakfast and good coffee with real cream in the lobby in the morning. Our room was a light olive green with a rustic texture on the walls. Everything was clean and comfy. If you’re looking to watch TV here, the tube will have to do. Both TV’s in the lounge area of the room and bedroom were of a kitchen TV size but neither of us cared. The balcony, view of the river and conversation over fine wine was of more interest to us.
The prices to stay here are also very reasonable for what they deliver. We look forward to returning during season when the restaurant is open!