Gathering around an outdoor fire at night holds a special allure, but California boutique hotels and bed and breakfast inns add to the enchantment with romantic settings, incredible views, roasted s’mores, and more. We’ve compiled a list of inns around the state with some of the best outdoor fire pits to cozy up to.
Lodge at the Presidio
With San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge as a backdrop, the outdoor fire pit at the Lodge at the Presidio offers stunning views. The lodge is the closest hotel in San Francisco to the bridge. The fire pit is ideal for enjoying not only the views but the hotel’s evening wine and cheese reception. Served from 5-7 p.m. each night, the complimentary reception features locally sourced provisions along with wines from Sonoma and Napa. The beautifully renovated boutique hotel is housed in former U.S. barracks, which were originally built between 1895 and 1897.
Inn at Newport Ranch
The fire pit at the Inn at Newport Ranch is perched atop a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean with the wild beauty of coastal Mendocino County stretching in all directions. Seals bask on the rocks below, baby cattle graze on the rangelands, and ridgelines covered in majestic redwoods tower to the east. The kettle-style fire pit suspended from a trio of metal poles is sometimes used by Chef Adam Stacy to prepare open-fire dinners for guests. It’s also a stunning place to enjoy cocktails and a sense of rightness in the world while watching the sun sink into the vast Pacific.
Nick’s Cove and Cottages
The fire pit at Nick’s Cove and Cottages sits at the water’s edge of Tomales Bay with a sweeping view of the bay and the pier. Guests can nestle into Adirondack chairs to enjoy the warm glow of the flames and the starry skies.The chef at Nick’s Cove makes homemade s’mores kits that are perfect for roasting over the fire. The inn’s luxurious yet rustic waterfront cottages feature dreamy beds, wood burning stoves, deep claw foot tubs, and well-stocked honor bars. The adjacent restaurant and oyster bar serves up fabulous seafood.
Santa Ynez Inn
The fire pits at the Santa Ynez Inn provide enchanting places to unwind after a day of exploring the Santa Ynez Valley. Built beneath the trees, brick patios with fire pits or outdoor fireplaces are spread out across the inn’s expansive lawn with views of the town’s Western-style facades. The comfy patio chairs with side tables are ideal for cozying up to the fire with a glass of wine. The inn serves a complimentary social hour each evening featuring local wines paired with cheese and light bites. Beautifully renovated in 2017, the inn exudes understated luxury coupled with warm hospitality.
Gaige House+ Ryokan
In the Sonoma Valley hamlet of Glen Ellen, Gaige House + Ryokan is a tranquil Zen hideaway offering three inviting fire pits. Carved from natural stone, the fire pit on the Moon Deck features a smooth polished top and is just steps from the inn’s meditation room. On the Sun Deck, a sleek, rectangular fire pit overlooks the grounds below and is a popular gathering spot for guests to enjoy their coffee or a glass of wine. The inn’s luxurious Gaige Suite features its very own fire pit on a private deck with views of the surrounding hillsides.
Hotel Cerro
Each garden suite at Hotel Cerro in San Luis Obispo features a private patio with its very own fire bowl. Cozy, built-in patio seating surrounds each of the fire bowls, providing a relaxing space for enjoying a morning cup of coffee or sipping a glass of wine. The privacy of the patios adds to the delight. The patios also open up to the hotel’s edible gardens, where guests can enjoy an organic snack right off the plants. The newly-built boutique hotel offers sophisticated design and luxury in the heart of downtown San Luis Obispo.
Grand Reserve Inn
In Amador wine country, sweeping vineyard views from the fire pits at Grand Reserve Inn stretch far into the horizon. Built of stone, the two large curving fire pits stand at opposite ends of a wide patio located off the great room. At happy hour, guests can relax in rocking chairs by the fire and enjoy a glass of wine paired with a chef-crafted charcuterie board while the sun sets over the vineyard. Secluded on 40 acres of the Wilderotter Vineyard near Plymouth, the luxurious, Tuscan-inspired inn offers five spacious suites with gas fireplaces, private terraces, and luxe amenities.
Cottages of Napa Valley
Guests of the Cottages of Napa Valley can enjoy their very own private wine country cottage and a wood-burning chiminea on a private patio. The patio chimineas are nestled under mature trees and stocked daily with complimentary firewood. S’mores baskets are available for purchase for guests with cravings for melting chocolate and marshmallows. Steeped in charm, the inn’s eight historic cottages were recently renovated with modern luxury in mind. The cottages feature vaulted ceilings, luxurious beds, gas fireplaces, HDTV, and fully-equipped kitchenettes.
Eden Vale Inn
Overlooking a quiet pond in the Sierra Foothills near Placerville, the fire pit at Eden Vale Inn is an idyllic spot for roasting s’mores over a wood fire and gazing at the stars overhead. The fire pit was built by an artisan metal worker.Glowing lights hidden beneath of the outer steel rim add to the enchantment.A sublime retreat, the inn features beautifully-appointed rooms with luxurious baths, fireplaces, and outdoor soaking tubs.The inn is surrounded of acres of gardens with hammocks strung beneath wooden arbors draped with grape vines.
Inn at Moonlight Beach
Designed on the principles of feng shui, the gardens encircling the Inn at Moonlight Beach each offer their own bit of enchantment. But the citrus garden, with its outdoor fire pit and cozy seating, is the most alluring at night. Guests can pruchase s’mores kits and gather around the fire to roast marshmallow treats under the moonlight. For guests who want a little more privacy, the inn also offers mini burners for roasting s’mores on the guests’ own private deck. The inn is the world’s first WELL™ certified hotel, harmoniously blending modern luxury with wellness in every detail.
Highlands Ranch Resort
Just minutes from the southwest entrance to Lassen Volcanic National Park, Highlands Ranch Resort sits on 175 acres at the edge of a bucolic meadow.Stone paths from the resort’s cottages and lodge lead an outdoor fire pit overlooking the expanse of meadow against a backdrop of snowcapped peaks. Bright red Adirondack chairs guests beckon guests to cozy up to the fire to watch the sunset and the blaze of stars illuminate the skies overhead. The resort features seven newly constructed cottages with heated tile floors, gas fireplaces, luxurious linens, and a chef-prepared breakfast each morning.
Gables Wine Country Inn
In Sonoma County, the Gables Wine Country Inn is lucky enough to have two fire pits. One is built on the edge of a grassy lawn amid a ring of majestic redwood trees. The other stands beneath a covered pavilion overlooking the inn’s vineyard. Both fire pits are ideal for relaxing with a glass of wine and enjoying the surrounding natural beauty. Nestled on three-and-a-half acres, the inn is a Gothic Victorian that was built in 1877. Each of the eight elegant guest rooms features 12-foot ceilings, luxurious beds, and private bathrooms with claw-foot tubs.
Milliken Creek Inn
Hidden along the banks of the Napa River, the newly-renovated Milliken Creek Inn features several new fire pits for guests. The largest of the fire pits is located just off the lobby on the main deck overlooking the idyllic river and the inn’s expansive grounds. Two new fire pits are nestled near the property’s koi ponds. In addition, four of the inn’s guest rooms now offer their own fire pits on private outdoor decks. The inn provides complimentary s’mores kits for guests to make their own melty-chocolate marshmallow treats over the fire. The luxurious inn offers sophisticated service and style in a tranquil setting.
Rest, A Boutique Hotel
In the courtyard of Rest, A Boutique Hotel, the fire pit is a popular gathering spot for guests all hours of the day and night. Each evening, the inn offers complimentary s’mores kits with charming, handwritten notes. Owner Tracey Berkner says that guests are sometimes too full from dinner to enjoy their evening s’mores so they roast them in the morning for breakfast. Built in 2016 with a nod to the history of the region, the contemporary boutique hotel is nestled in the small, Gold-Rush era town of Plymouth and is an ideal base for exploring the wines of Amador County.