My new husband and I just returned from a two night “mini”-moon at Stevenswood. We were very pleasantly surprised with the overall experience. I wouldn’t so much describe Stevenswood as a “Resort” so much as a sort of posh bed and breakfast.
Travelers should note that the place is TINY. As in 10 total guest rooms tiny. So don’t come expecting a big hotel. Instead, expect to feel like a guest in someone’s home, expect the person at the front desk to know your first name (and your pet’s name!), and expect to feel like you sort of have the run of the place. The resort was full, but the only time my husband and I really came into contact with other guests was at breakfast - the rest of the time we felt like the only people staying there!
As a result of the place only having 10 guest rooms, the whole operation is quite small. The fitness center is just a few (as in three) cardio machines and some weights - but when you are the only person using the room, why would you need anything else? There are two spas right next to each other, separated by a wood fence for privacy. They are both quiet and feel secluded… small yes, but again, the chance of running into another hotel guest seems quite minimal. The grounds are also small, but they are lovely and well maintained and back up into a pretty forest. We saw deer and tons of birds while wondering around outside. The ocean views are fairly limited - but I think the woodsy feel is far more charming.
Another detail I loved was the abundance of fireplaces. Each guest room has one, the dining room has one, and there is at least one on the back deck. There is nothing quite as nice as the combination of cool coastal air and a nice toasty fire. Hubby and I made sure to build one every chance we got. 
Also - the breakfast was delicious! (You MUST try the quiche and and the Challa french toast) Unlike the dinner menu, the breakfast is the same everyday - so don’t expect to be surprised with the chef’s latest creation at breakfast. But do expect a very tasty meal that will fill you up before your morning walk along the bluffs. The dinner was wonderful and I found the chef’s combination of ingredients to be quite delightful and unexpected (Celery root soup with cocoa nibs? Awesome!) All and all the food was absolutely wonderful.
One downside to Stevenswood is that once you make a reservation, you can’t change it… I thought this was very odd at first. However I now understand - they only have 10 rooms in the ENTIRE place. So it makes sense that they can’t just have people calling and canceling. Their business is too small to absorb that sort of uncertainty. Luckily, although they won’t let you change your reservation, they are very accommodating and will try to work with you if something comes up. For instance, our cat got very ill the day we were supposed to head to Stevenswood. When we called to cancel the room (and were told that we couldn’t just cancel) Michael offered to try to re-sell the room so that we wouldn’t be charged, he also offered to let us bring our sick kitty with us, so that we could still have our mini-honeymoon and not have to leave our “baby” behind. We opted to bring the cat with us and it worked out perfectly! It’s not very often that you find hotel-type places that will allow you to bring cats - but Michael explained that he was a pet owner too and could easily relate to our apprehension about leaving her behind. This was definitely a nice “human” touch that you’d never find at a big hotel.
The only other semi-negative is that I thought the massages in the spa were a bit of a let down. Maybe it’s because the rest of our stay was so wonderful, but I definitely didn’t feel that the couple’s massage, that hubby and I paid a small fortune for, quite measured up to our expectations. Oh well.
CelebrateWeWill
Oct 2, 2008
