Benbow Hotel & Resort

Fish On in Benbow!

2009-03-23T15:37:00.000-07:00

Our guests, Al and Cecelia went fishing with our fishing guide Patrick Burns, on March 14th and they were kind enough to share pics of their awsome ctach! They told us they had a great time.
Steelhead fishing season will end March 31st. There's still time to book one of our Fishing Adventure Packages. The Eel at Benbow begining to clear. Fish On...Al and Cecelia!

Steelhead In Benbow

2009-03-20T15:31:00.000-07:00

As you can see, it's "Fish On!" on the Eel River. The Eel is blown-out from the recent rain, and we're expecting rain this weekend, but it's beginning to clear again...the steelhead will be running!
We had a wonderful group of guests for the NcNab Ridge Winemaker Dinner on Feb. 28th. It was a fantastic evening of food pairing. We had with some lucious wine with an awsome menu and everyone enjoyed meeting Rich Parducci, of McNab Ridge. Our next Winemaker Dinner will be Saturday, April 18th with Ceago Vinegarden biodynamic wines. Call for reservations.
Spring is here! Today is the Vernal Equinox and we are having a sunny warm day with temps in the low 70's. Typical spring weather with rain in the forcast tomorrow. The garden flowers and bulbs are in bloom. Come to Benbow soon.

New Winter Bistro Menu

2009-01-15T17:45:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

We are pleased to announce a new Winter Bistro Dinner Menu. Entrees from $16 to $21. Serving meats, fowl, seafood, vegetarian and vegan fare. Daily Chef specials. Weekly Wine Flight Specials. Wednesday Nights - pay half-price for any bottle of wine on our list. Dine in the cozy Hunt Room, or by the fireplace in the Benbow Lounge as shown in the photo.

Steelhead fishing season is January through March and we had ideal river conditions for fishing for steelhead last week. Drift boats launch directly west of the hotel. See photo. We need some rain now and will most likely get it next week. Check back for river conditions. We have a terrifice fishing package - check our hotel packages.

Come try our new Bistro menu...it's terrific comfort food!

2008-12-29T14:30:00.000-08:00

We had snow last week and this week we've got rain and it's warmed up. The Eel River has begun to flow and we will soon have steelhead on the move. The photo was taken Dec. 29th, showing the South Fork East Branch flowing into the South Fork of the Eel River. It's muddy right now, but if it begins to clear we will have some good fishing right here at Benbow. Check back for river conditions. Check the Packages page for our Fishing Guide Adventure.

We are winding down from Christmas and we enjoyed having so many guests stay for the holiday. We are now gearing up for our big New Year's Eve Gala and Dance. We will clear the lobby and make it a dancing floor, on Dec. 31st and a LIVE swing band will play 9PM to 1AM with a champagne toast at Midnight. We still have a few packages left...call and reserve. This is a great party! Happy New Year!

His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan Stays At Benbow

2008-07-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

The King of Jordan, His Majesty King Abdullah II, his brother, and his son, Prince Hashem arrived Thursday on a motorcycle tour of the North West Coast and stayed Thursday night at the historic benbow Hotel after touring the Avenue of The Giants and Redwood State Parks.

John and Teresa Porter, Owner and Managers of the Hotel officially welcomed the King upon arrial. Secuirty was tight and special precautions were taken to protect the Royal Family. This is another historic moment for the Benbow Hotel. We have hosted Presidents, Prime Ministers, Diplomats, Dignitaries and Hollywood Royalty, but this is our first King. We are honoring the King's request not to show certain photos of him, or of him on his Harley-Davidson, but these show the security at the hotel and the King's entourage departing. There was a lot of coordinating to do prior to arrival and the staff was very excited. The secret security teams were all great to deal with. "We are honored to have King Abdullah as our guest," said John Porter, " And we are pleased the Benbow Hotel was chosen as part of their North Coast tour."

Very exciting times here this week at Benbow!

2008-07-07T14:30:00.000-07:00

Summer is here and we had a wonderul Jazz In June with some terrific jazz musicians who entertained our guests on the hotel terrace. The experience of dining outside under the stars and listening to jazz is truly magical. If you missed Jazz In June, come for the Summer Jazz Series which begins August 17th. We have a terrific line-up and it's a wonderful venue.

Wildfires last month created smoky skies all over Northern California, but they have cleared for the most part. This photo looking northeast over the hotel terrace was taken this afternoon. Some fires are still buring south and east of us and if wind conditions shift from our normal on shore breeze, we get some light smoke, but not bad. Sadly, our local Chamber of Commerce had to cancel our Annual 4th of July Fireworks Show and Community Picnic this year due to Cal Fire's limited resources and high fire danger. However, that didn't stop us from having a great holiday weekend. We had our traditional family kids & pets bike parade at the RV Resort and guests enjoyed the swimming pool and golf course. Our guests soaked up the perfect weather which was clear, sunny skies and lots of sunshine. Everyone had a safe and fun weekend here in Benbow.

We have several wonderul exchange students working with us this summer from Russia. We continue to enjoy having these bright young people stay and work with us from all over the globe. We all laugh a lot as we try to learn their language and as they learn ours. The exchange is a wonderful, positive exerpience.

The weather today will be sunny and warm with temperatures in the high 90's. Work on your tan, go swimming, golfing, or hiking in the Redwoods...or, just relax. If you're looking for a great vacation spot come visit us.

2008-05-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

The Hotel and Resort gardens are bright with colorful May flowers. The grounds look great. We had a hot spell for 5 days with temperatures reaching 103 degrees, but now we have cooler temps and the flowers are thriving. Over the Memorial Day weekend the weather was cooler than normal, but many guests who stayed with us enjoyed the outdoors, veiwed the gardens, went hiking and played golf...or, just relaxed.
This weekend is the Summer Arts and Music festival at the Benbow Lake State Park, - Saturday, May 31 and Sunday June 1. There will be live music, food booths and many artisans will be showing and selling their crafts.
The Benbow Hotel is ready for the Summer Season and everyone on staff is looking forward to guests visiting from near and far who come every season and who come for the first time.
We are busy getting ready for our 3rd annual Jazz In June event which runs June 22nd thru June 29th. Wonderful jazz artists from all over the country come to play jazz outside on the terrace and it's a spectacular venue where you can dine and listen to great performances. Check out our event calendar for more information.
We hope to see you soon.

2008-05-02T13:01:00.000-07:00

Spring in Benbow brings blossoms, warm sunny days, and blooming gardens. This photo was taken on our Hotel Terrace.

Mother's day is comming and we have some special things going on that weekend. Saturday, May 10th we are having our Portalupi Winemaker Dinner, a Cookie Lee Jewelry show and on Sunday, May 11th we have a scrumptous Mother's Day Buffet planned. We will be seating for brunch from 9AM to 2:30. Call for reservations. If you need some gift ideas for Mom - take her out for a great meal or check out our hotel gift shop. We have Mimi Mouche and Holly Yashi Jewelry, plus beautiful beaded silk scarves and more.

The golf course was aerated almost 2 weeks ago and the greens have healed and it's in great shape. We are gearing-up for the summer season and hiring various postions at the Hotel and at the Resort and Golf Course. Maintenence crews are busy getting the grounds planted with flowers.

We host work/exchange students from countries all over the world. We will be welcoming students from Russia next week. We currently have students from Thailand and Moldavia. They are an absolute pleasure to have here. All of them are bright and curious to learn about our culture and hone their English skills. Our permanent staff also learns about their language and culture...the exchange is very positive. We look forward to meeting our new students and it's always sad to say farewell to them when they must head for home. The staff at Benbow looks forward to seeing you as our guest, soon.

2008-04-16T13:17:00.000-07:00

When the owners of the Benbow Hotel & Resort decided to open it's doors year-round, part of that commitment was to purchase and install a generator the would keep the Hotel operational 365 days a year, twenty-four-seven. This week a 125 Kilowatt generator and automatic transfer switch was fully installed and is now operational. Back in the 1920's the Benbow family needed to build a dam across the Eel River to power their hotel. Today, they would be surprised to know the Inn can be powered by a 4 ft. by 10 ft. generator and the automatic transfer switch can sense power loss and have the whole Hotel back up in 10 seconds. The photo shows John Porter, Owner/Managing Partner with Neil Harris, Chief Engineer for the Hotel & Resort in front of the generator which is located in a spot that does not spoil the curb appeal of the Historic Hotel. The unit was supplied by Cummins West and installed by Kneaper Electric. We're committed to staying open and provide our guests service even during the worst storms.

2008-03-17T16:48:00.000-07:00

We are having typical March weather, showers and sunshine. The last rain did not blow-out the Eel River. Steelhead fishing is still good. These photos were taken at the South Fork of the Eel River and Sprowel Creek today. Anglers are wading out into the riffles and some are launching drift boats and finding luck there and at Sylvandales. Check back for more fishing and river conditions.

Are you wearing green? Today is St. Patrick's Day and...as the luck of the Irish would have it...our Executive Chef has prepared a wonderful Irish dinner special with Corned Beef, Caraway Smoked Bacon Cabbage, and New Buttered Potatoes.

We are having spring-like weather and the trees are exploding with fragrant blossoms. Our golf course and hillsides are lush green and golfers are out there getting their swing in shape for the season.

Here's a fun factoid...Did you know that Humboldt County is ground zero for Big Foot? Many North Coast States claim they are, but the story of a hominid-like creature living in the Redwood forests and the name "Big Foot" was coined by the Times-Standard newspaper of Eureka California, almost 50 years ago. The famous Patterson-Gimlin film of a Big Foot sighting was shot in Bluff Creek, here in Humboldt County. The existence of Big Foot is hotly debated by experts. Most of our guests are here to relax and enjoy the many amenities Benbow has to offer, but some visitors come to see and walk among the Redwoods and decide for themselves. Are you a believer?

2008-03-17T16:45:00.001-07:00

2008-03-05T14:47:00.000-08:00

The Eel River is prime fishing again this week. The river has cleared beautifully and anglers are out in drift boats near Sylvandales and the Miranda Bridge. We have fantastic spring-like weather right now and steelhead are running. These photos were taken this morning south of Benbow. Check back for fishing and river conditions.

Benbow Hotel has it's Murder Mystery this weekend. There will be a full house and mayhem lurking about. This is one of our most fun and popular events. The next one will be November 21 & 22.

We are now hiring for the Summer season for the Hotel, the RV Resort and Golf Course. We are looking to fill many different postitions. Send us your resume, or drop one off at the front desk.

The bar/lounge has come up with a new specialty drink menu. Try a "Sasquach In The Mist", or an

"RV Wallbanger".

Our Master Gardner is busy. We've ordered annuals to plant and the rose garden is beginning to bud. The Terrace will soon have thick, fragrant pink blossoms on the crab apple trees. Any time of the year...is a good time to visit Benbow.

2008-02-27T12:13:00.000-08:00

The last rain storm blew-out the Eel River for steelhead fishing for a few days, but it's clearing quickly now and promises to be good fishing by tomorrow and all through next week. Anglers...check back...for photos and conditions.

Great news for The Benbow Hotel. For the 16th consecutive year the Benbow Inn received the prestigious AAA Four Diamond Award rating for 2008. Only one lodging has been honored this year with a Four Diamond Award, making the Benbow Inn the only full-service Four Diamond property in Humboldt County. John Porter, Innkeeper, is seen here accepting the award from AAA area Manager, Judy McKinley. We are very pleased and proud to receive this honor.

We're getting spring-like weather right now. The trees are begining to bud, and the hills are lush green. This is a beautiful time to stay at Benbow.

2008-02-18T11:26:00.000-08:00

Fishing conditions on the Eel were prime and the weather was spring-like this weekend. We heard from Patrick Burns, of Kikn'Back Guides, quote: "I fished the Eel today with two friends and had a great day. With a combination of catching fish, running some white water and great weather it made for an excellent day here in Southern Humboldt." These photos confirm they had a good time. We're expecting some rain this week and we hope it won't blow-out the Eel River too much. We will post river conditions and photos so check back.

2008-02-15T13:43:00.000-08:00

For all you Anglers out there....the South Fork of the Eel River is prime fishing right now! These photos were taken this morning on the South Fork of the Eel near Tooby Park showing a driftboat and one South of Benbow Dam off Sprowel Creek. They are catching steelhead near Sylvandale's. We have several anglers staying at the Benbow RV Resort reporting good luck near Piercy. We spoke this morning to Patrick Burns of Kikn'Back Guide Service, he said he's fishing the South Fork of the Eel River tomorrow. Good luck out there. For a terrific article on Eel River steelhead fishing, see the back issue of Salmon & Steelhead Journal - Winter 2006. Check back here for updated fishing and river condtions. If you're catching fish...comment...let us know.

Remember, the Benbow Hotel is open all year now and offers a terrific $90 winter rate. We have a fine restaurant and bar lounge. If you're staying with us and here to fish, we'll pack a box lunch for you upon request.

Our weather is sublime! The last two days has teased us with some spring-like sunshine with clear blue skies. The golf course looks great right now and golfers are out there warming up and getting their swing in shape for the coming season.

The Hotel and Restaurant was brimming with romance last night for Valentine's Day. Benbow has long been known for great romantic gettaways and now that we're open, we've been busy all week hosting lovers coming here to celebrate. We are expecting more sweethearts this weekend.

2008-02-11T11:52:00.000-08:00

Attention all Anglers!

Fishing is good right now and they are catching steelhead 1/2 mile south of Benbow on the upper section of the South Fork of the Eel River. The river has cleared and it is prime fishing out there. These photos were taken this morning. Boats are setting out at the boat launch just south of the Benbow Hotel. The condtions are prime!

Weather should be good all week.

2008-02-05T12:20:00.000-08:00

It's sunny and clear today...we've had 2 beautiful sunny days and we can see the hills still have snow at higher elevations. The water level of the East Branch and South Fork of the Eel River is slowly dropping, but it's still swift and too muddy for steelhead fishing. (Anglers - check back for Eel River fishing conditions.) The golf course had some hearty golfers out on the greens yesterday - they were itching to play in the sunshine even with cooler temps.

The Seghesio Winemaker Dinner last Saturday night was a big success. We had some very happy guests. Our next one features Breggo Cellars on Saturday, April 26th.

This Friday we are hosting our annual Humboldt "County Wide" Chamber of Commerce Mixer here at the Hotel in the Lobby from 6pm to 8pm. The Hotel will be buzzing with social activity for a few hours - this is always a fun event. Our hotel guests are encouraged to join in. The Restaurant will be open and serving dinner. Call for reservations if you wish to dine 1 800 355-3301.

This time of year, we work on special projects that we can't get to during the busy, high summer season. Administration is upgrading our on-line reservation process, Housekeeping is doing deep-cleaning, Maintenence is working outside on electrical lines and the installation of our new generator. In early January high winds during a storm blew down Redwood trees that knocked out our power for 2-3 days. The maintenence crew fired up our new generator and for it's first test, it worked great! Now it's being permanently installed and it can power the whole hotel. So, you can count on Benbow having power year round.

2008-02-01T16:05:00.000-08:00

The rain is melting the snow today, but the runoff has the East Branch and South Fork of the Eel River roaring against it's banks. The river is very swift and muddy right now and you can hear the rushing waters push against the historic stone bridge. Many of our guests have told us they like to relax by the lobby fire with a glass of wine and just watch the rain fall on the Redwood hillsides and listen to the river flow.

Today we're expecting many of our guests to arrive for our Seghesio Winemaker dinner on Saturday night. Our Executive Chef is busy preparing the final menu details, wine parings are being tasted, tested and finalized. These kind of events are creative and fun for our Wine Program Director and for our culinary team. We are looking forward to it!

For you Steelhead anglers, check back, we'll post Eel River conditions and notes on Steelhead - if they're catching them.

2008-01-29T16:51:00.000-08:00

It snowed this morning and it's been snowing on the hills around Benbow for the past 2 days; it's beautiful to see. Steelhead fishing was good last week on the South Fork of the Eel River, we had a group of fly anglers stay with us at the hotel and they said they had good luck.

Sample Blog Post

2008-01-14T11:33:00.000-08:00

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From romantic lodging and exquisite fine dining at our world-class Tudor-style hotel, to family lodging and pool-side fun at our RV resort, to scenic golf in our 9-hole course, we have it all. Plus, the beautiful Benbow Valley is within easy driving distance to the Wine Country, Mendocino County and San Francisco Bay Area.

Just minutes away from the breathtaking vistas of the Lost Coast and majestic old growth redwood forests along the Avenue of the Giants, the Benbow Hotel & Resort is the perfect place to find total relaxation.