Seagull Inn Bed and Breakfast — Hotel in Fort Bragg

I want this to be as honest as possible, so in full disclosure Ian and Kim, the owners and proprietors of the Seagull Inn, are my landlords in Ukiah, CA (which is about an hour inland from Mendocino). That being said, if I didn't have anything nice to say, trust that I just wouldn't say anything at all. They didn't ask me to write a review and I don't think they were expecting one.

So here it goes:

tldr: Staff are friendly, welcoming, and helpful. The Inn is beautiful, clean, homey (in the best way), and close to everything. And the breakfasts are a delicious treat. Only critical feedback is the water temp in the shower is a bit finicky.

Long version:

I showed up kind of late on Friday evening (highly recommend driving through the Anderson Valley and up the coast during the sunset). Ian, the owner and proprietor, was there to greet me. I've known Ian for about a year, this was my first time visiting him on the coast and there was something a little extra about him. He's the same caring, attentive Ian, but on the coast he exudes a presence and calm that are infec...inspiring. He seems more at home on the coast, and after spending a weekend in Mendocino I can understand why. As he shows me to my room, he tells me about the history of the Inn, the local vineyard responsible for the complimentary wine I get for staying two nights, and the local artist whose beautiful framed paintings of the coastline decorate my walls. It's obvious that Ian cares about this place in all its senses and makes this part of the experience for his guests.

I get to my room, the Sea Urchin. It's on the small side, but it makes excellent use of the space both from a practical and aesthetic perspective. The room is big enough for a (I think queen) bed, a small closet for hanging clothes, a cool antique desk, chairs and a bathroom (standing shower but no tub). The last hotel I stayed at was the Fairmont in San Francisco, and while fanciness occasionally appeals to me, I much prefer something like the Sea Urchin. It has character and is way more interesting without losing much in terms of luxury (except maybe for the tub). It's worth noting that I did stay here alone.

The thing is, I didn't end up spending much time in my room. In fact, I probably should have spent MORE time in my room, especially sleeping. Instead, I was out exploring the town and the greater Mendocino Coast. The Inn is exceptionally well located, being less than a block away from the main road (Lansing) but still somewhat off the beaten path.

If you come, here are things I recommend: the bookstore is fantastic, the trail that curls around the peninsula is stunning for walking and running, Patterson's Pub for Brother Thelonious on tap and a top notch Rueben, and finally coffee at the Waiting Room (adjacent to Cafe Bougelais),where you can get a quadruple espresso (which are apparently already double shots...so 8 shots!?) for super cheap.

All and all, an...

My wife and I had planned to stay two nights at this property but left after only one night.  The lodging we selected was called "The Barn" and we picked it for the privacy and safety we felt it offered during Covid times.  Unfortunately, this selection was a mistake and we knew it almost immediately.  The maintenance seems to have been abandoned and things are breaking down and need painted or repaired throughout the small building.  The steps up to the door are rotting, the chairs on the deck outside were so weakened by age we were afraid to sit in them, there were holes in the loft area which you could see through to the outside and we had to fill with kleenex, the front door and some of the furniture desperately needed painting and there seemed to be water stains on the one wall.  The furniture has covers on many of the pieces which are clearly not the original.  There is literally no where to unpack clothes and so we had to spread out in the main area.  Be advised that the only parking is on the road in front of the property.  The pictures on their website are generally accurate but they don't reflect the lack of maintenance since they were taken.  In addition to these frustrations the situation was worsened by the terrible drought in the area and the request by the Inn to limit toilet flushes and take 5 minute showers using only one towel - my wife has long hair and she cannot even wash her hair in five mins - of course this was only shared the day before arrival.  The one thing you expect at a B&B is a fantastic breakfast.  Ours consisted of two blueberry muffins, a fruit cup and two tiny things of yogurt (like 1 oz max) along with coffee and tea - it was OK but certainly not up to the standards of most B&Bs we've enjoyed.

Lastly, this town feels old and sleepy/boring and not vibrant at all... if that is what you want great, but it isn't what we look for in a beach town.  I rarely post negative reviews on this level, but feel it is appropriate and hoping to save someone else from the same mistake. I went and (re) looked at their reviews and was surprised by the 4.8 rating, but then on deeper analysis someone else had the same complaints as I cite here with the "Barn" and the management stated they would fix it but sadly they have not. I cannot speak to the other rooms at the Inn as they may be just fine, but this one isn't what it could or should be and needs attention.

Thankfully and appropriately the owner refunded our money for the early departure and further apologized for our dissatisfaction.  He said he is going to do some work on the "barn" soon and I encouraged him to take it off his inventory until he had completed them as it would hurt his...

Although the innkeepers are extremely nice and friendly, and the overall location is wonderful, our experience in the "Shed" was terrible. The shed is a separate, very small structure next to the house. Of course the buildings are historic and therefore old, but we never expected the room to be in such bad shape: intensely musty, dirty stained carpet, bugs, saggy bed, and absolutely no ventilation. ||The Shed was very, very musty and stinky--and yet all the windows were permanently bolted shut. (Is it even legal to nail windows shut?) We had to leave the door open to try to air the room out whenever we entered, but the musty, mildew type smell was pervasive and constant. To say it was gross is an understatement. There was even some mildew on the shells on the wall of the bathroom. ||It was also disgusting that there were bugs all over the place--especially in corners of the room and the bathroom. Initially I thought they were rat droppings, but think they were pill bugs and spiders. They didn't even clean corners of the room before arrival--so dirt and bugs were already there, and then more came during our stay. ||The carpet was so old and stained and didn't even lie flat. They put floppy throw rugs over parts of the carpet--I guess to try to hide it. I tried not to walk on it bare footed because it gave me the creeps. But it was the terrible smell that made it almost impossible to be in the room for any time. Unfortunately, even the bed was quite saggy! It is very soft and you dip into it (we are normal size humans)...and the only two pillows given weren't great. So sleeping wasn't easy with the sagging, the bugs, and the smell.||It is sad and unacceptable that the owners are ignoring the state of this room. In our opinion, the Shed is unfit for guests. We were totally creeped out and almost left early, but we wanted to enjoy the beauty of Mendocino. I think that some of the other rooms in the house have been upgraded/updated, but the Shed is in desperate need of attention, fumigation, new carpet & cleaning. ||The breakfast was OK, but mostly a large pastry (or similar) and coffee, and a tiny juice. They give about a tablespoon of yogurt (literally) and a bit of cut fruit. But this is hardly the kind of breakfast we've gotten at other B&B's and they only have certain rigid time slots for getting your food. The front garden is pretty, but the back patio and sides are also in need of serious maintenance--an arbor was falling over, the plastic tables and chairs were dirty and had cobwebs, and there was junk lying around. Again, the innkeepers are very kind, and perhaps some of the other rooms are worthy of a visit, but stay clear of the Shed until they fix...