I was in Anderson Valley recently for a story I did on modern cabins & cottages. It was mid-November and the drive into the valley was ridiculously beautiful. Trees were ablaze with fall color, their leaves blanketing the roadside and swirling into the air as cars sped past. Once in the valley, the vineyards were just as vibrant. I pulled over at Navarro Vineyards — a favorite picnic spot of mine — and snapped a few shots:

Before heading to the Mendocino coast, I stopped at one of the properties I wanted to profile, the Boonville Hotel. The 100+ year-old refurbished wood building is a charmer, but it was the seven garden cottages that I was there to capture. These smart “wine country” modern bungalows are dotted throughout a relaxing, lush garden that reflects the pure beauty of the Anderson Valley.

The cottage rooms surround a central courtyard that’s strung with lights and filled with outdoor seating, a fire pit, BBQ, vegetable garden and at least two bars.

I got a chance to check out a few of the cottages. Each is a cozy hideaway with an atmosphere that quickly makes you forget you have a phone. I felt restored just by being there an hour. It was especially hard to tear myself away from the Front Room cottage with its secluded patio and hulking stone fireplace. But the coup de grâce was a large shower whose metal + glass door swings open to a private outdoor deck with clawfoot tub. Take a peek and see if you can make it through the winter without fleeing to Boonville for a weekend.

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