"Extraordinary Views, Excellent Amenities" The Inn Above Tide Tip by vaustin08

We had already booked a hotel for our anniversary trip to the Bay Area when I happened upon the site for Inn Above Tide. Even though their online reservations showed no availability for the time of our trip, I sent an e-mail stating how much I wanted to stay on the water in Sausalito and their beautiful Inn looked like a dream location. The next day, I received a response that there was an opening for exactly the room we wanted with not just one balcony, but two. We were ecstatic that the staff at Inn Above Tide made our anniversary trip even more special. On arrival we were even more pleased when we found a chilled bottle of wine, a rose, and note for our anniversary.

I normally am not that excited about hotels since we tend to stay in select B&Bs and sometimes nice hotels. But this Inn was exquisite for our anniversary trip. The ambiance upon entering is that of a small, European boutique hotel with excellent, friendly front desk service. There is a parking fee of approximately $18 daily for parking in a lot across from the hotel. But our rental car was valeted quickly every day for our trek to Sonoma, Muir Woods and Monterey and Carmel.

There is a small but pleasant dining area on the main level with views of the bay where an expanded Continental breakfast including fresh fruit, quiche, pastries, boiled eggs, bagels, cerals, hot tea, coffee, juice, is available every morning if you choose not to have it delivered to your room. There is also a complimentary wine and cheese reception from 5 to 7 pm in the evening. There are spa services available and the concierge is readily available to arrange tickets to events and restaurant reservations.

The 29 rooms and suites are small and intimate, but fully packed with every amenity imaginable, including their wonderful McRoskey Airflex beds handmade in the Bay area, beautifully appointed baths with Bvlgari bath products, plush robes and slippers (the slippers you can take home with you), remote fireplaces and flat screen tvs with over 800 movies available to check out at the front desk, a safe and honor bar, turn down service with chocolates, fresh gardenia flower in the bathroom every day, not to mention the extraordinary views from the balcony of Bay, Angel Island and San Francisco.

Inn Above Tide is within walking distance of everything wonderful in Sausalito -- the ferry is just outside the front door, along with some wonderful restaurants, Angelinos for great Italian and Scomas for waterfront dining and seafood. Sausalito galleries and shopping or strolling along the marina of the Sausalito Yacht Club is still within a mile of Inn Above Tide.

Even though Inn Above Tide was more expensive lodging than we were planning for this trip, Inn Above Tide was worth every penny and will remain at the top of my list of favorite low key, but posh and comfortable Inns with subperb service, and the one of the few that I want to make return visits any time I am in the Bay Area.

Unique Qualities: Views of San Franciso, Angel Island the the Bay Area are paramount. The surrounding Sausalito area is like a bucolic European sea-side village.

Address: 30 El Portal, Sausalito, California, 94965, United States
Comparison: more expensive than average
Directions: Sausalito
Phone: 415.332.9535
Price: US$180 and up
Theme: Inn
Website: http://www.innabovetide.com