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Love the Name I booked this place for 2 reasons. First, the prices were incredibly reasonable, for Big Sur. (cabins starting at $135.)  And I loved the name! Ripplewood sounds like a little village in a fairytale! Even the sign with green tree and ripply wood, looked like a fairytale illustration. Historic! Plus, the place had history! Doris Fee and her Dad started building on the property, in the 1920's.  This old postcard shows the filling station and the dining room. Cabins were scattered about the property. Chevron Today You can still pump gas at the little Chevron station. Or use the restroom, with the outdoor entrance!  I should have stepped inside the gas station to have a peek. I couldn't exactly see through the windows, since they were covered with paper money, from all over the world. Main Building To the right of the Chevron, we found Ripplewood's original dining room. It now holds the office and a store with groceries and supplies.  You can see the stone chimney between the old building and an addition, that holds the cafe. Evidently the Big Sur Library, is somewhere in all of this. I somehow missed seeing it. Welcoming The sweet little building looked welcoming when we arrived around noon. There was a flamingo peering down from the shake shingle roof. The green door was propped open.  I entered with fingers crossed, hoping that we could check in early. The interior was cozy and cluttered. There were quite a few shoppers milling around. The old fireplace that once warmed the dining room, was hidden behind merchandise. I stepped up to the counter to inquire about our cabin and was given a firm reminder that check in was at 4. The woman wasn't nearly as welcoming as the building. 4:00 Don and I easily entertained ourselves exploring Big Sur for the next few hours. We returned at 4.  I checked in with the same woman behind the counter. She gave me a paper map of the property and told me the door was unlocked and the key was in the room. Our cabin was just up the hill, looking over Bill's Memorial Garden and the shop/cafe. 17 Cabins There were 17 cabins on the property. Some were lined up along the same dirt road that we faced.  Others were hidden away, overlooking the river. I wish we'd had a chance to explore the grounds. I read later that one of the cabins has part of an old train car, that was once used as a bridge. Cabin #17 This is how we saw our cabin as we headed up the drive from the store/cabin. It wasn't exactly "storybook quaint" from this angle, but the price was right. $185 for the whole upstairs.  The first floor was storage, so no noisy neighbors below. And we had a big parking space right next to the stairs! Much Cuter Actually the cabin looked much nicer from every other angle.
 The exterior was very well maintained. I loved the way it was tucked into the hillside. Spacious We stepped inside and grinned at our spacious home for one night! Knotty pine walls and a high ceiling.  There were new floors and some pleasant artwork on the walls.
There was no TV and no microwave. There was no internet and no phone or phone service, but there was a little fridge and coffee maker and a table and loveseat. And best of all, windows on 3 sides. We opened them all for a wonderful breeze. Porch! There was nothing fancy about the deck, but we were delighted to have one, along with a table and chairs and a pleasant breeze.  I had read that the traffic on Hwy 1 could be loud, but in October I hardly noticed. Old Doors I loved the white painted door, leading to the porch.
The bathroom also had a simple white door, with a lock and handle that took me back in time. Yay for a Bathroom! We were delighted to have a bathroom period! The night before we'd stayed at Deetjen's (for nearly double the price) and had to share a bathroom with other guests, across the hall.  The white painted boards, made the space feel bright and clean. The angled ceiling and open windows, made the bathroom feel more spacious and fresh. However the shower was comically cramped and I'm only 5'2". Sleeping Alcove The queen bed was snuggly tucked into an alcove. I loved having the open window at night.  The mattress and linens were actually quite nice and at least one of us got a table and lamp. That would be lucky me! Birthday Boy Which is pretty mean, because guess whose birthday it was?  This relaxed looking guy, really deserved a more luxurious hotel for his birthday! But Ripplewood was a lot nicer than his hospital room, where he'd celebrated his birthday, the year before. However, Don had okayed this choice. And we were better able to enjoy our simple and reasonable accommodations, because we were located perfectly. Our dinner plans were just a short drive away! Birthday Dinner at Nepenthe! This is why we didn't have much time to explore Ripplewood. Nepenthe takes no reservations, so we arrived at 4:45, determined to have a perfect evening.
And it was perfect! We relaxed and dined and snapped photos, for nearly 4 hours. Then we had only a 4 mile drive back to Ripplewood. We slept well in that cozy cabin! Breakfast We were in no rush in the morning. We made it down to Ripplewood's Cafe by 9:30.  The door to the cafe was open and welcoming. What fun to have open doors, with no bugs and humidity! Seating We were invited to sit anywhere. The table by the curtains looked cute.
We could have had the patio to ourselves. Main Dining Room The main room looked fun, with lots of wood and decorative photos and knickknacks.  I have no idea when this addition came along. The exterior of the old restaurant (now store) was now an interior wall.  What a shame that the old rock fireplace couldn't have been opened to this side. Dining Counter I love eating breakfast a counter. This one would have been fun, with a window into the kitchen.  But there were quite a few locals who seemed to be regulars. We didn't want to use up Fred or Joe's favorite stool. We took a nearby table. Waking Up Don looks pretty serious here. He was more lively after we had a few sips of coffee.  The locals were soon gone and we could have jumped up to the counter. But we were happy at our table. Oatmeal and Fruit Don ordered an omelet, but I was happy as can be with my oatmeal and fruit.  Our server was very concerned that they were out of raisins, but he brought me a mountain of strawberries. Before long another server came over with a cup of warmed blueberries to add to my little feast.
By the time we finished, the breakfast crowd had died down. These 2 happy guys had time to humor me, with a little camera posing. What nice guys! What's Notable? Don and I were headed out by 11. We drove off feeling pleasantly surprised by our comfortable stay at Ripplewood.  The cabin was comfy and quiet and its location on the property was convenient. The resort location and price, made our one night stay just right! Ripplewood is one of the oldest inns in Big Sur. It's also one of the cheapest. Being able to stay within a short drive of all these wonderful views, is one of the best perks! We'd stay again.
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Ninety Notable
Nights My New Year's Resolution for 2014 was to start documenting some of the memorable overnights I've had in some very odd and curious motels and hotels. Like the adventures in my Dining Blog, I have learned to enjoy the surprises that happen when you step out of the comfort zone, far away from the well-known chains. I began with a few entries recalling my very first home away from home memories from my youth. Then, I started sharing about some of the quirky and unforgettable motels, hotels and inns that my husband and I have discovered in recent years. The best part about this challenge was making some lists with Don and getting on the road in search of new overnight adventures. I gave myself a 2-year goal to write up 90 stories and the goal was met. Now we just keep on adding! Archives
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