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Review: Little River Inn on the Mendocino Coast

Welcome to the edge of the world at Little River Inn!  

The Little River Inn is a classic coastal resort tucked amongst the redwoods in Mendocino County, California, offering sweeping ocean views, world-class dining and over 80 years of family hospitality.

Hotel Overview:

Little River Inn is owned and operated by 5th generation innkeeper Cally Dym and for more than 80 years, the Little River Inn has been welcoming guests to experience the beauty of the Mendocino Coast. 


The original house on the property was built in 1853 by Cally’s great-great-grandfather Silas Coombs, and in 1939, her grandfather Ole turned it into an inn.  This year in 2021, the family-run inn celebrates 82 years of providing the best hospitality on the Mendocino Coast to all guests. 

The Little River Inn is located right off Shoreline Highway 1 and commands a spectacular setting overlooking the Pacific Ocean and is one of the oldest lodgings on this stretch of amazing Northern California coastline.


There are many different rooms at the Little River Inn ranging from rooms with gas fireplaces, wood fireplaces, ocean views, cottages and there truly is something for everyone here.

Each room here has an incredible view of the ocean and many rooms feature fireplaces, wet bars, jacuzzis, steam showers, and private hot tubs.  


There is also a golf course, spa and tennis courts located on the property, as well as an amazing restaurant and Ole's Whale Watch Bar.  
During our most recent stay here and due to Covid-19 restrictions, breakfast was only available as takeout or delivery (great food and delivery service!). 


Dinner was available as takeout or in-person outdoor dining and we got to experience the fine dining cuisine at a welcome dinner, as part of a Mendocino Family Travel Weekend, refer to disclosure at the end of the article.




For our recent stay here, we were in an Ocean View Deluxe Room with Two Queen Beds in Room 167.  The room offered a gas fireplace, soaking tub and ample amount of space for our family of four.



The bathroom had a shower, soaking tub and ceramic tile featured throughout.



The spacious balcony featured two rocking chairs and spectacular ocean views.



You can see more about this room (and all of the other rooms) at the link here.

I would highly recommend the Little River Inn for your next family trip to the Northern California Coast, as it the perfect place to stay to explore everything Mendocino County has to offer.  

And if you don't want to leave the resort I wouldn't blame you, as everything you would need for a relaxing vacation is here - from breakfast, dinner, and drinks; to golf, tennis and an on-site spa; to hiking around the property or strolling down to Van Damme State Beach to enjoy more hiking and a day at the beach.  The Little River Inn truly has something to offer for everyone and is the perfect family resort on the Mendocino Coast.


Disclosure: Special thanks to the Little River Inn, as our two-night stay was hosted courtesy of Little River Inn as part of a Mendocino Family Travel Weekend.  As always, all opinions are my own.