The Stavrand Russian River Valley — Hotel in Guerneville

Our stay at The Stavrand was one of the best experiences we have ever had! My husband and I were immediately taken back by the beauty and sense of peace from the property, surrounded by various apple, quince, plum, and redwoods trees. Each concierge was so welcoming and helpful throughout our stay. I loved hearing about the different local wines during aperitif hour and had so much fun sitting by the fire roasting marshmallows and making s’mores. Everyone was so accommodating all around but the extended generosity and hospitality to our fur babies was something very special. Not only was there a comfy dog bed, bowls, treats, and doggy towel, but they were treated like VIPups during our dining experience. As I said, everyone was so welcoming and hospitable, but Cameron really went out of his way to make sure our experience was shared with our fur family. We love sharing the fun with our babies but it’s not always easy when we are interested in dining at the establishment’s restaurants. It’s usually one person gets food to go while the other waits with the dogs so they don’t disturb any other guests. I explained this to Cameron while dining alone for breakfast. He kindly insisted I invite my husband and pups to join me for breakfast in a private dining area where they could walk freely if they’d like. The small private room was adorable and so perfect! He turned the small heating lamp on to keep us warm and was so sweet to our pups. This was the first time my husband and I had ever been able to have a nice breakfast with our dogs with such ease. Thank you Cameron for all that you do and your continued generosity! Breakfast was delicious! The famous “patatas” are a must!! The potatoes were so tender and shredded so thinly, yet so crispy on the outside. My husband and I really appreciated the preparation of this dish.

Unfortunately, we weren’t able to have dinner at the restaurant since our stay was Sunday-Tuesday but I’m already planning our anniversary stay for 2026!

We can’t wait to go back! It was a peaceful bliss with the warmest welcome. Thank you to the entire Stavrand staff for showing our whole family...

The Stavrand is like a little villa tucked away among the redwoods. Spacious grounds that felt very private and cheery staff. It was in the perfect location for us, as we were interested in exploring the Sonoma coast and wine tasting in Russian River / Sebastopol.

We started our visit by checking out happy hour, where whiskey and chocolate had been set out. I had selected the Armstrong room #33, and it was overall wonderful. It could've had more seating, but I loved the gas fireplace, the bed was firm and very comfortable, and I appreciated that there was a mini fridge (we traveled with a baby). Note that this room is on the second story, and there are no elevators (which makes sense, but didn’t dawn on me when I booked it).

When we first arrived, the dinner menu looked enticing — there was wagyu steak and farfalle, but I had already booked reservations elsewhere. Note it is $125/pp. We hope to be back perhaps to try it.

During mornings, we headed to their dining hall— it is gorgeous. I love the black paneling, rustic lights, and small touches of decor. It felt COVID-safe as they spaced us out throughout the space. Food-wise, I was a little disappointed since the Stavrand is held out to be a 4-star hotel — if it was 3-star, I’d say the food was fine. My lox toast was burnt along the edges, and one of the days, we did not get a meal selection and were served yogurt bowls, with hard-boiled eggs, and croissants as the pastry of choice that morning. Having read there is a resident pastry chef, the croissants were nothing to write home about. Anyhow, we were always pleasantly placed by a fireplace and enjoyed eating our breakfast soaking in the quietness of the space. My husband was also surprised with dark chocolate that we were told was made in-house, so that was a food highlight.

Overall, we had a positive experience and would recommend the Stavrand to our friends. Despite some mixed feelings, it was generally a pleasant stay and we had a wonderful time...

This is a beautiful hotel, and the staff could not have been friendlier or more accommodating. But we do feel like it fell short of our expectations, given what we read online and the price point. Everything reads online that this is a "luxury hotel" and the price reflects that. I would set the expectation for more of a bed-and-breakfast feel, not just because of the layout but also the lack of amenities.

We stayed in the Belden house. The room was gorgeous, clean and the bed was comfortable. Even though we were on the top floor, noise does travel from other parts of the house. It wasn't terribly bothersome, but we did wake up to the commotion downstairs and babies crying a few times. The pool area is small but very pretty under the trees. There is no spa or sauna. Hot tub temp is very moderate. Pool was too chilly for my liking (in Sept) There is no full bar or bartender, and the restaurant is open for very limited hours and with very few options. Breakfast included actually means that three items are offered complementary and the rest will cost you. There is no room service. The hotel does not have beach access. The kayaks for use need to be transported to the river, either on your own car or by mounting a soft top. The river is about a 15min walk away which is pleasant. (We ended up doing this walk to-and-from town quite a bit.)

By far our favorite part was the garden and orchard. Beautiful and bountiful! We picked apples, pears and figs.

It is a lovely place, but again, I would adjust expectations for more of a homey bed-and-breakfast experience rather than a luxury hotel. We booked it for the weekend imagining relaxing mostly on-site and that was difficult. We wanted to love it, but at this price, we expected...