I will start by saying we are extremely picky and not easy to please. We love to come up to Highland Dell for a relaxing get away. This is by far the nicest place for the money in the Russian River area. It's got major history as you can see with the pictures all over the walls. Keeping up a place of this age is no easy chore and they do it well. I am not really a B&B kind of person I think they are small and creepy with someone watching over every little thing you do. This place is far from that. Ingrid and Herb make you feel at home and allow you plenty of space to enjoy your stay.
We have been to the Highland Dell about eight times now usually about twice a year for the last four years or so. Ingrid remembers us when we make a reservation every time. The rooms with the balcony that face the river are amazing and peaceful. I can sit out on the balcony all day and read a book and watch people float by on the river. The river is a rock throw from the room.
In the mornings they put out a great breakfast as part of your stay. Fresh fruit, Fresh Juice, Breads, Cereals, Yogurt and then some type of hot dish. We had an amazing Frittata and homemade mango salsa. The restaurant hasn't always been open when we have stayed an they still have the breakfast for you. We've had lunch and dinner at the restaurant and enjoyed it very much. The chicken Cordon-bleu and the Jaegerschnitzel are amazing.
We also took our English bulldog on this last stay with us and didn't get charged any kind of cleaning fee for a dog. (Which is rare these days with hotels). The owner has a couple very cute dogs so the place seems very dog friendly.
we had a party of six and made reservations on a friday night at 6:30, and when we got there the place was almost empty, I said to my wife this is not good. She said let's stay and give it a try, and glad we did. three of us had chicken cordon blue and two had filet mignon and one had the salmon, everything was spectacular, cooked to perfection, I asked our waiter why the place was empty and he said not to many people know about this place, if anyone is considering going here I would highly recommend it. I can't wait to go back.
Review Source:Recently some friends of mine hosted their wedding at the Highland Dell, and I stayed in one of the charming river front rooms. The hotel sits right at the banks of the Russian River, and has a beautiful view of the river and bridge. It's rustic European-German interiors feel cozy and welcoming. The friends and family of the wedding completely booked out all the hotel rooms, so it really felt like a home for all of us for the weekend. Herb and Ingrid are the owners, and they were super friendly and accommodating. The food they prepared for the wedding was PHENOMENAL as well. Monte Rio is also just a skip away from Guerneville if you want to take a day trip.
Review Source:After reading all the current reviews, I was looking forward to my weekend here to celebrate by Best Friend's Wedding. We were all disappointed to say the least. Where to begin... The people attending the wedding basically took over the hotel for the weekend so there were plenty of us and since that was the case, the male Owner agreed to have the bar open even though it is closed this time of year "until people stopped drinking".. After the wedding, we showed up at the bar, ready to continue the party about 9:00 p.m. Right before 10:00 p.m. the female worker (Owner I believe or she should be fired) proclaimed the bar would be closing at 10:00, regardless of how many of us where there, drinking because she wanted to go home. When the Bride's brother tried to talk to her and explain her husband told him differently, she got a major attitude with him. He stated fine, we will take the party to the 3rd floor which they rented for the night and her response... Well then we will charge for all the extra people... He did remind her that everyone in the bar also rented a room at the hotel for the night. Â Not that I want to go on and on because I read (skim) most of those reviews but I want people to be aware of how poor the service was/is here. I would recommend staying somewhere else in Monte Rio. The positive was the nice beds and fully bedding.
Oh ya' for those of you who travel with your dogs. They charge $20 per dog per day and there are only a few rooms that allow dogs. Luckily when I made the reservation I made it with the male Owner and was able to arrange to have my two dogs stay with us for the weekend. So it worked out to be an extra $80 dollars. The best part was when I left them for about 20 minutes, the female Owner called my Friends and stated my dogs were "scratching at the door and barking constantly". So I rushed to send a friend over to get the dogs, since I was busy getting the bride ready for her big moment! When my friend and husband arrived, the dogs were sleeping on the bed and there were no signs of any misbehaver. We could hear the dogs barking at the river but that is another thing.... Â So for all of you who travel often with your dogs (which we do and know of dogs) can only have to assume, she saw me leave without my dogs and make up a lie... I hate to say it but I have too especially how the weekend continued.
Another example of the rudeness -- On my 1st night at the hotel, I was informed that the woman worker wanted to go home for dinner and was waiting for someone in our party to check in. I explained she was in the parking lot and did not think about it anymore but then the woman caught another friend and stated the same thing. We ended up calling our other friend just to find out the hotel had the incorrect check in day. When I informed the worker that the reservation was for Saturday and not Friday... What was her response? Well we have a 2 night min. I asked if she wanted to speak to my Friend who was on the phone and she basically ignored me.
Well to wrap up the experience, there were several people who checked out early because of their experiences with this female... This had to why people were not required to stay their two night min. but there were no apologies and of course she was no were to be seen, thank goodness!
We just stayed at Highland Dell with our best friends again, actually had the place to ourselves on Sunday and Monday, my friends were going to go out to get a cup of coffee during the afternoon but Herb wouldn't let them go he made them a pot in just a few minutes. Â He also opened the bar just to make us one or two afternoon cocktails. Â So everything is still pretty much the same there, Â great.
Review Source:We held a special event at the Highland Dell and I have to say it is one of the nicest venues at the Russian River.The Highland Dell has a spacious and lovely interior with a large deck overlooking the river, a quaint fully-stocked bar and well-trained and knowledgeable staff.
Our event started off with a delicious and varied selection of appetisers in the bar. The dining room was beautifully set, and I enjoyed the Highland Dell chicken and the others at my table were well-pleased with their dinner. Since our event was followed byentertainment, we really appreciated that it came right on time. The accoustics are excellent and they are rightfully proud of their pro-quality sound system. They provided the sound guy for a really reasonable fee.
The owners were a huge help in the planning and an absolute delight to work with, and I hope I have an opportunity to do nother event at the Highland Dell! Danke schoen!
Unfortunately, my bf and I stayed here during off season. Â Therefore, we didn't get the pleasure of experiencing the German restaurant. Â However, we enjoyed our stay with the exception of one small problem.
Let me further explain and get my only gripe out of the way. Â This hotel has been renovated and is one of the nicer places near the Russian River in the Monte Rio area from what we've seen. Â However, our room had no controlled thermostat! Â It was great our room was heated but excessively! Â During the night, we resorted to opening side windows which didn't alleviate the problem. Â We had to open the French doors facing the river balcony which finally cooled the room down significantly. Â We placed the guest book over the vent in the floor too. Â This was a bit annoying, since we came here late at night to sleep. Â By then, the room was already heated well. Â For future references, we will keep the windows open after checking in and leaving.
Now, the good stuff: Â The friendly man at the front desk who seemed to manage or own the hotel was extremely kind and friendly to us at check in and check out. Â There is a continental breakfast and good coffee with real cream in the lobby in the morning. Â Our room was a light olive green with a rustic texture on the walls. Everything was clean and comfy. Â If you're looking to watch TV here, the tube will have to do. Â Both TV's in the lounge area of the room and bedroom were of a kitchen TV size but neither of us cared. Â The balcony, view of the river and conversation over fine wine was of more interest to us.
The prices to stay here are also very reasonable for what they deliver. Â We look forward to returning during season when the restaurant is open!
The staff at this quaint and cosy lodge make it one of the nicest places I have ever stayed in. Herb went above and beyond the means of friendliness. He gave us information about nearby vineyards and walking trails, suggesting things for us to do that would make our trip enjoyable to OUR needs and likes. The rooms are clean and snug with a lovely view overlooking the Russian River and it's surrounding forests. It's tranquil setting ensured that we left the lodge the following morning feeling refreshed and relaxed after a lovely riverside breakfast. We'll definitely be returning.
Review Source:My husband and I were planning to get married at an outdoor venue across the river from the Highland Dell and thought we would be safe from the rain given that it was June. Â When the weather forcast called for more and more rain, we had to come up with a Plan B the day before the wedding. Â My mom contacted Herb at the Highland Dell and he literally saved the day! Â He allowed us to have the reception in the gorgeous dining room, and even let our caterer come in and take over the kitchen. Â Given that we had about a half an hour to plan the table arrangements, service plans, etc... Herb quickly and easily helped me to come up with the best setup for our needs. Â He and his wife Ingrid were so helpful and professional, and worked with our vendors for a flawless wedding reception.
We even held a brunch at the Highland Dell the morning after the wedding and it was basically the breakfast that is included in the room rate, and it was delicious! Â We had it set up as a buffet and there was something for everyone. Â Our guests were not shy with going up for seconds, and the staff just kept the food coming!!!
I would highly recommend the HIghlnd Dell for a party of any kind. Â The dining room has huge glass doors that open to a beautiful deck overlooking the river for a fantastic Russian River experience.
We got married last weekend at the Highland Dell and had a wonderful experience! We felt that many of the venues we looked at either do a ton of weddings and have it down, but feel sterile and impersonal, or are beautiful and unique but don't know what they are doing. The Highland Dell had the best of both. They have the experience they need to ask the right questions and make sure things went smoothly, and offered a wonderful experience that made our wedding feel special. We had about 70 adults and 15 kids and that felt like a good number of people. Anything too much bigger than that might feel crowded.
The owners, Herb and Ingrid are really wonderful to work with and went above and beyond to help us feel prepared and relaxed. Herb even arranged for an alternative venue for our ceremony in case we got rained out, but was always confident it would be beautiful (and it was). The servers were all pleasant and capable. At the end of the evening, one of the waiters even offered our drunk guests a ride home!
One thing to keep in mind is that Herb and Ingrid will do everything they can to make your event wonderful, but they are not wedding planners. If you have some specific ideas about what the chairs should look like, or when you want to toast or do the cake cutting, you need to make sure you have someone managing all of that. I failed to do so, and kind of missed the right moment for our toast.
We were looking for a "get-away" weekend for our friends and family that didn't require a plane ride. We found that in Monte Rio. It is a very small town that doesn't have fancy amenities or shopping. We liked that you could walk everywhere and the town had a range of accommodations from rental homes (be wary of the big yellow house) to small Inns. There is no fancy food or gourmet bistros, but you can get all of that a few miles down the road in Guerneville. What you will get is a picturesque setting next to the Russian River with great access to the Sonoma Coast and wine country. We are already planning our anniversary getaway to Monte Rio.
We cant say enough about what a great experience we had and would recommend the Highland Dell to anyone with the right sized wedding, or anyone who wants to get away for the weekend.
We got married on Sept. 30th, and booked the entire venue (13rooms for family/close friends and family) for 3 days including our wedding day reception for 120 people. I can't say enough about this place and highly recommend this venue for a destination wedding or any event if you want it hosted by great people in a stunning location with excellent food and outstanding service. Check out photos on their website.
The people:
From the time of booking the owners Herb and Ingrid were friendly, professional, flexible and helped us with multiple aspects of the wedding weekend including a champagne reception at our ceremony site and a beach barbecue the day after the wedding. Thanks Herb and Ingrid for your hospitality and relaxed fun attitude! It was wonderful to have such hands-on owners involved in making our whole weekend so memorable. Â
The location and venue:
The lodge is charming and dining room has gorgeous high ceilings with large beams and french doors opening onto a deck overlooking Russian river. Our guests found accommodation in various cabins in the area. Highland Dell felt intimate but spacious for 120 people as there is a bar area, dining room and large deck.
The food:
Food was excellent ... Variety of appetizers, Prime rib or grilled salmon sit-down meal was complimented by lots of our guests. Beef Wellington appetizers are TO DIE FOR!!!
Overall we loved it and thank Herb and Ingrid for a flawlessly organized and executed weekend!
If I could give zero stars I would.  We TRIED eating here but  instead we stood at the hostess area while everyone looked right through us.  A party walked in behind us and got spoken to and we were still ignored.  It was hard to miss us we were right in front of the podium and had a beautiful pregnant friend with us. They were busy so at first we gave them the benefit of the doubt and waited.  After 20 minutes of not even being acknowledged we walked out and went to the Village Inn down the street where we were sat with cocktails immediately.
Review Source:This has to be the WORST hotel I could ever imagine staying in. Â The room was small, cramped, and completely charm-free. Â Nothing on the walls. Â No furniture except the bed and the TV stand (19" TV with bad quality.) Â The bathroom was so small they had to put the sink in the room. Â And the sink was hard to use because of a badly located shelf directly overhead. Â We checked out another room and it was even uglier and drearier, if such a thing was possible
Even worse than the room was the noise. Â The live music was load and went until 10:30. Â We could hear every note and drumbeat in our room. Â The noise from the lobby was terrible, and we could near every lobby conversation, plus kids running around the lobby at 11pm.
The thermostat in the room was not actually connected to anything since the building had central AC, and we suffered from the heat. Â There was no possibility of opening the windows since there was so much noise from the street directly below. Â The owner had the temperature set high so we roasted until I roamed the building, found the central controls, and made my own adjustments. Â
Even though they list themselves as a B&B, the breakfast was boring, not much better than a motel lobby breakfast.
Bottom line, we checked out after one night of our two-night stay and would never consider  going back even if it was free.
My wife and I walked into the dining room and were immediately impressed by the high ceilings and open deck looking out onto the river. We arrived for a sunset dinner. The place has atmosphere, the servers were attentive and friendly, but the food and the wine, not so great. Their brochure featured German food, but the menu had little of what is on the brochure.
My first clue on the mediocrity of the food was opening the bread basket and seeing dinner rolls straight from the local supermarket. I ordered an New York strip steak medium rare. What arrived was medium well and chock full of gristle. Fortunately, I like that stuff, but my wife was very turned off. If I don't factor in quality, I guess I'd say the price is okay.
Interesting place. It's very charming from the outside. We stayed at a resort across the river and it definitely looks like a cool place to dine at.
However, though they claim themselves to be a German restaurant, there are about 2-3 German cuisine items on the menu.
I ordered the schnitzel, which was nothing to write home about. It was a nice piece of pan fried pork, but in no way comparable to what a German schnitzel should taste like.
My husband had the fillet mignon, which was fantastic, but funny how that was the one good thing in a German restaurant.
I of course went there cause I saw they had apple strudel on the menu.
We got there at 5pm, which is exactly when they open for dinner and were the first and only ones there. Apparently they 'ran out of strudel.'
Very strange; just say you don't really have it. That was a disappointment.
So I would say try it if you are looking for a good steak; but I wouldn't advise going there for their German dishes, or the lack of them I should say.
Quick summary: Really friendly staff, bland but decent food.
To be fair, they had just been slammed by the Memorial Day crowd the night before, and were out of every single German dish - to the point that many locals asked if they had changed menus - so we didn't get to try what I assume are their core dishes.
The great risk in rural areas like this is to find restaurants serving Denny's quality food at fine dining prices. The Highland Dell wasn't that by any means - but it also wasn't terrific. Solid, good food, but not a great value.
That said: The staff was friendly and attentive. The waitress made sure we left with a winery map and suggested some strategies for selecting from the thirteen million wineries in the area. No complaints at all about the staff.
One of the highlights from our visit to Guerneville. Â Food was fantastic; service friendly and comfortable, view really nice. Â We were very surprised by this little gem on the water. Â We had homemade sausage, saurkraut, and potato pancakes and a homemade streudel for desert. Â I've never been big into German food, but food handmade with care, attention and skill is always a refreshing treat. Â We also went to Applewood on our visit - food was excellent there as well, but at twice the price. Â A definite go-back.
Review Source:Shocked, actually. We had brunch. It was a all-you-can-eat steamtable thingy. Â I really wanted to like it. But it was so very bad.
Dried pig carcass, mystery gravy, grit-wurst, potatoes in water and a bad coleslaw.
How can they can they make bad potatoes??
My brunch buds said this was the worst place they had been in ten years.
We left confused - the place was busy. I almost asked them to hire me as chef- but the owner is the chef it seemed.
Beautiful building, great location - would be great for drinks (bottled)
The Highland Dell is a great place to stay. My wife and I stayed there back a couple years ago, and we enjoyed our stay. We are going back there for New Years Eve, 2011, and I understand they have a great dinner deal ! We loved the place and the surrounding area. It's a great place to stay to go see Sonoma County. I love the rustic feel of the place.
The only reason I gave 4 stars and not 5 is that the rooms were a little small - the room we had was nice and comfortable, but felt a little cramped. Other than that, it was 5 stars. Â It is a class act.
A gem of a hotel tucked away on the Russian River. The folks who own it are lovely, I felt like they were welcoming us into their home. The rooms are simple and beautifully kept (and clean! always important). We went during the week and loved how quiet it was. Also very reasonably priced.
Review Source:The "Highland Dell Lodge" overlooks the Russian River surrounded by towering ancient redwoods in beautiful Sonoma County. Located in Monte Rio, the lodge is about 20 miles (40 minutes) from downtown Santa Rosa on Hwy 116. The "Highland" is the only lodge and resort of its kind in the Bay Area that offers both lodging as well as German and American cuisine in its most spacious restaurant.
The owners Herb and Ingrid Loose are originally from Luebeck, Germany and they completely remodeled the historic Lodge back in 2007.
Originally built in 1906, the "Highland Dell" has a long history that goes back to when the Russian River resort area was a destination for many of San Francisco's wealthiest families.
The rooms at the lodge are tastefully done and range in price from $99.00 to $259.00 per night.
German food has now returned to the Russian River! For over 30 years Randy Neumann and his family had owned the nearby "Cazanoma Lodge" and they served thousands of German dinners to their many satisfied customers. About 10 years ago the "Cazanoma" was sold and is known today as the "CazSonoma Inn". The German theme here is no more. Â During the '80's and '90's "Little Bavaria" in Guerneville (not to be confused with the now closed "Little Bavaria" in Novato) was also a great place for a German meal on The River. It sadly was washed away in a flood and never reopened. When Herb and Ingrid took over "Highland Dell" I was happy to see my favorite cuisine once again available in the area.
The "Highland Dell" restaurant has large windows that overlook The River and it is a very peaceful and relaxing setting. Their menu is both German and American.
German specialties here include old favorites like "Sauerbraten", "Jaegerschnitzel" and a "Bavarian Sausage Platter" that comes with an interesting "pineapple Sauerkraut". The "Hungarian Turkey Paprika" is another favorite here. Herb also offers "Schwabentopf". This is a German (Swabian) version of Swiss style "Geschnetzeltes" and consists of fried pork medallions with mushrooms, onions and bacon in a traditional sauce with cheese "Spaetzle" (Swabian style noodles). This is not diet food people! You don't "eat German" because you are trying to watch calories! It's OK once in a while to enjoy yourself isn't it??
During the week "Highland" has a "Locals Night" where they offer a "prix fixe" menu at very reasonable prices.
During their "high season" (Spring and Summer) they also have a Sunday "Bavarian Beer Garden Buffet" from 12:00 Noon to 7PM. This is an "all you can eat" buffet for only $16.50 and includes favorites like "Schweinshaxen" which is a crispy grilled pork shank as well as their "Bratwurst" sausage special that comes with all kinds of delicious German side options like Bavarian style "Kohlsalat" (coleslaw), German vinaigrette potato salad, fried German potato pancakes or "Spaetzle". And for desert try some homemade "Apfelstrudel".
For the past three years the "Highland" has celebrated "Oktoberfest" in a big way. Every year this has been a total sell out. Get your reservations in early if you are going to attend. Groups of tables are completely sold out and Herb even brings in another Chef directly from Germany to help out with all the extra work in the kitchen. A Bavarian style Oktoberfest band  comes in to play for dancing and drinking. They also offer a special Oktoberfest menu during this two day festival.
By the way, the lodge also offers all kinds of other musical entertainment of the American variety (rock, blues, jazz) every weekend. So for a romantic weekend on the Russian River you might just want to try "Highland Dell". It has CLASS with a capital "C".
We had our wedding at the Highland Dell this past memorial day weekend and we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful location. The view from the hotel of the river is lovely and their dining hall ceiling is unbelievable. The food was really good - our guests continue to comment on it. The food pricing was great. Ingrid and Herb were were gracious and attentive. A highly recommended place to host your wedding or event!
Review Source:Came here on our first night in Monte Rio. Â Was hungry and wasn't sure what was nearby that would be open for dinner on a Sunday night. Â All they had was an all-you-can-eat buffet for $16.95 on Sundays. Â (No ordering from the regular menu.) Â Oh well, guess we'll try it out! Â We had arrived 30 minutes before they ended the buffet (which ends at 7:00pm). Â
Cream of Broccoli Soup - We all agreed that it didn't taste very "broccoli-like". Â It was good but had an overwhelming amount of garlic (good though)... so much garlic that I thought we had garlic bread on the table! Â The scent of the garlic was so strong that you could smell it from the soup just sitting in the middle of the table! Â We dunked the plain bread into the soup... and that made it seem like we were eating garlic bread. =) Â Yum.
Potato & Dill Salad - Good! Â The dill wasn't overpowering.
Red Cabbage Cole Slaw - EWWW! Â Worst cole slaw I've ever tasted! Â It was just strange... can't describe the flavor. Â But maybe this is how Germans like their slaw?
Braised Pork Shank - I had high hopes for this giant hunk of meat on a bone. Â Bleh. Â It was tough and hard. Â I thought that I would send something flying across the room as I tried to cut it with a knife. Â Geez... last time I checked... "braised" meant to slowly cook until the meat is falling off the bone! Â The shank was so narrow that I couldn't even dig the marrow out of the bone. Â Damn... wished I had a chopstick or something to poke it with. =( Â The shank came with a mushroom demi glace. Â Now that sauce was pretty damn good! Â I poured it all over the potatoes... it made everything taste better.
BBQ Chicken - Good... should have had more of this instead of the meat.
Spaetzle - Well, it was the first time that I had tried this... so I have nothing to compare it to. Â I found it doughy. Â My hubby loved it... he finished all of his! Â But then again, he loves pasta. Â The others seemed to like the spaetzle as well.
Apple Turnovers - I don't like cooked fruit but I love to eat the crusts... their crust was sooo delicious... very gooey from all the apple juices and yet still crispy on the outside. Â Good amount of cinnamon. Â I stole most of the crust and let the poor hubby eat the apple crap. Â My sister didn't like cooked apples either but also enjoyed the crust too!
Ambiance and service was nice. Â The dining room was very large, roomy, sunny, airy and open (look up at the intricate wood work). Â Outside, there's plenty of tables for dining riverside. Â The server came often to refill our waters and chatted with us. Â He was a pretty cool guy. Â Told us that the place was owned by a husband and wife team, etc.
I'd come back and give them another chance to redeem themselves over the "braised" pork shank. Â The server told us that they have a Monday night special where you can get a 3 course meal for $9.99. Â That seemed like a sweet deal. Â Maybe next time.
Stayed over Valentine's weekend. Â Ingrid greeted us and made us feel right at home. Â We had room 316, which I believe HAS to be the best room in the house (top floor, large room, with an antique wood burning stove, large bathroom, couch, chairs, and private top floor balcony overlooking the Russian river). We missed the special Valentine's dinner, but we had dinner the next night and I can honestly say it was the best meal I've had in a long, long time (Chicken Cordon Bleu, good wine, and Creme Brulee for dessert. Â I was really stuffed).
Anyway, great location, and wonderful service. Â Here is the kicker...we had to get on the road at 7am, and since breakfast was not ready yet, Janice (one of the great staff) made us sit and have coffee, offered us some fruit and pastries to go, and basically wouldn't let us leave until we had something in our bellies. Â That's service, for you!
Saturday night, weekend out of town for my birthday.  A few choices out in the middle of nowhere so we turn to Yelp.  Highland Dell has some good reviews and it sounds different.  We check the menu online and off we go.  The restaurant is part of the hotel and was decorated for Christmas and looked lovely.  There was a fireplace blazing when we first walked in, nice!  The restaurant and bar was warm and cozy, there were only  a few people there our whole stay which was odd for a Saturday night, but maybe not for off season.  Our waiter Peter was good and attentive without being overly in our face.  When we ordered our drinks and food he seemed to give an honest opinion of what he likes and would recommend.  I had the Hungarian paprika turkey and it was quite tastey but believe it or not too salty... and I am a salt fiend so I was surprised by that.  The boyfriend had the Penne primavera and added shrim, YUM! It was a big hit for both of us and the portion was huge.  Overall this was a great place to have a nice relaxing dinner.  We liked that it wasn't busy and the warm feeling all around.  The prices were good too.
Review Source:Oktoberfest was incredible! There were two times, and I went on the Friday night and of course didn't realize how popular it was and failed to get reservations. However, the staff was so accommodating that they found seats for us at 8:30 at night. It was very traditional and even though I didn't know the other people at the table, we all became friends shortly and enjoyed each others company.
The food was incredible and it was an honor to have the guest 5 star Chef from Germany in the kitchen. While I personally dislike potatoes the German style of parsley potatoes which are cooked to perfection. Â While I was too late for the cucumber salad, we tried another salad with asparagus wrapped in thin ham - wow!. The sauce on the schnitzel was incredible and pure heaven. The roladen (spelling not sure) was incredible and who would ever think that skirt steak and pickles would taste so delicious and melt in your mouth. The food left me wanting more and had I not have the flu, I would have been there the following weekend.
The entertainment was very entertaining and it was exciting to watch all the German dancers and it just gave you a feeling of community and a bond amongst the strangers as in Germany.
I have never had a bad meal at the Highland and recommend it to all visitors who come to Sonoma County. And yes, next year I will remember to make reservations, but I found being a last minute diner that they were more than accommodating with us.
See you next year at the Oktoberfest!
Everyone else (so far) writes about what a great hotel the Highland Dell is (which is reasonably true) but the dinner was so fantastic for us, that the hotel stay stood out less. Â I had the Beef Short Ribs sauteed in wine with asparagus. Â The ambiance, service, and cuisine would have pulled down a 24-point score in Zagat. Â Other members at the table enjoyed the spatzle, schwabentopf, cordon bleu, and sauerbraten, & deservedly so. Â The food is nearly as good as the Bistro de Copains in Occidental, though priced as a better value. Â I'll be back with more friends and loved ones.
Review Source:One year ago we held our reception here. It was beautiful. This year we went back to celebrate our anniversary. The Highland Dell was just as amazing. We had a great room, wonderful food, and friendly help.
The complimentary breakfast is quite good, with everything you could want. Plus, an amazing view of the river and redwoods.
The beds are seriously comfortable. I debated asking where they got their duvets and covers because it was so comfy.
All-in-all, I am even more impressed with the Highland Dell than I thought I could be. Wonderful place.
Highland Dell is one of the nicest places to stay in the Russian River area. Â The rooms are absolutely beautiful and the beds are the most comfortable beds I've ever slept in! Â The staff are also exceptionally nice - they are patient, knowledgeable and make your stay seamless.
The restaurant and bar are also excellent.  The decor and overall feel is open and bright, with hardwood floor throughout.  I was really impressed by the décor, the staff and the overall ambiance of the restaurant. The food is also 5 stars! Their meals range from steaks to authentic German dishes - you won't go home hungry.
Overall, I love this hotel and restaurant. Â I stay there every time I go to the Russian River and plan to never stop. Â You really will have a wonderful stay at Highland Dell - I highly recommend it!
The place is totally unreal. We have been there three times and each time was better than the first. The first time the place was being remodeled and it was still killer.
The main guy there, I think his name is Herb, is awesome. He bought me a shot and told me crazy things in German.
All joking aside, the service was perfect.
My wife and I stayed here for two nights over the past weekend while attending a nearby wedding. Â The place is not fancy or pretentious, and overall, the experience was very good.
We had probably one of the smallest rooms at the hotel, which was situated toward the southwest corner of the building, near the street, on the first floor. Â At first we feared street noise and noise from the people in the room directly above ours, but these turned out to be non-issues (but could be for others). Â Although the room was quite small, it was adequate for our needs, although it would have been nice to have a better place to hang our clothes besides four pegs on the wall (there was no closet). Â Also, the tiny sink in the room was made even more difficult to use by the wide glass shelf on the wall directly over it, making it hard to put your head anywhere near the sink. Â The bed was very comfortable, and overall the room was clean and in good condition.
The lobby is very comfortable to sit in, and the bar is very nice, too. Â I also enjoyed sitting on the large deck overlooking the river to read the newspaper or a book, and to eat the buffet-style breakfast that's included with the room. Â The breakfast offerings included a nice frittata (open-face omelet), fresh watermelon and delicious, not-too-sweet chocolate-chip cookies.
The hotel service was very good, and we took advantage of the free use of the canoe each morning before we headed out for the day. Â It was so peaceful and relaxing to paddle up the river and back down. Â The flow was almost nonexistent, making it easy to navigate the river, although there were quite a few shallow spots and submerged logs to be watchful for.
Our only complaint involved the restaurant. Â While the food was pretty good, the service was erratic. Â My wife had ordered a salad as her main course, and I ordered the sauerbraten. Â The waitress brought the salad and told me the meat would be right out. Â Ten minutes later, the sauerbraten finally arrived, barely warm. Â
Obviously, the meat had been sitting in the kitchen waiting to be brought out while the waitress attended to other matters, most of which by my observation didn't seem all that important. Â I have no idea why these two plates could not be brought out together in the first place. Â I mean, after all, sauerbraten is already prepared, and merely had to be put on the plate. Â How hard could it be to coordinate this with a salad?
While the owners try to pass this place off as a "gourmet" restaurant, this kind of service, and other details (like the butter served in little individual plastic packets like you find in a diner) contribute to a dining experience more like what you'd find at Denny's.
As a hotel, I'd definitely stay at the Highland Dell again. Â The prices were also reasonable. Â But I'd probably search elsewhere for my dinner arrangements.
We were staying in Guerneville and wanted to go out to a special restaurant to celebrate a birthday. Â Highland Dell was the only place that was within a 15 minute drive, open on a Monday, could accommodate 10 people, and was kid friendly, and I am glad they were because our dinner turned out to be a crowd pleaser.
The dining room is large with high ceilings and the tables and chairs are comfortable. Â There are enormous doors that roll open to let in the cool evening breeze that gives the restaurant good, fresh air. Â We chose to eat indoors but outdoor seating is available and not quite as fancy but still pleasant. Â Regardless indoors or outdoors, there are nice views. Â The staff is very pleasant and cordial, and they provided two cute European wooden highchairs for the kids.
Within our large group we tried many dishes. Â The cream of vegetable soup was amazing and surprisingly not drowned in heavy cream, the calamari was a tad dry, and the sausage kebab sampler was delicious but overdone in a tomato sauce. Â All of the entree meats were very flavorful, the sauerbrachen with mushroom sauce tender and delightful, the jaegerschnitzel thin and soft, and the mahi-mahi was uniquely breaded in a potato cake. Â The sides were on the right track to yumminess but (I cant believe I am going to write this) could have use a little more butter! Â They had a couple German beers on tap including a Franzeskaner, Spaten, Warsteiner, and a good selection of wines. Â We did not order dessert but a strawberry shortcake floated by me and it was generously portioned, probably enough for two people to share.
My all time favorite German restaurant is Speisekammer in Alameda, and if Speisekammer is a 10 I would say Highland Dell is a 7 because it is not as juicy nor hearty. Â But for its price and location and view, it was way better than the alternatives around here: they served nice fare than just burgers or quesadillas yet they were not pretentious or too expensive. Â I would eat here again.
I liked this place. Â Es errinere mich gern auf meine Erfahrunen in Deutschland! Â Located on the Western Edge of Western Civilization, this place exuded "German elegance". Â The property, situated right on the Russian River, Â was recently renovated to a top shelf condition. Â The warm wood floor, the open seating layout with exposed (recycled?) wood ceiling beams... Made for a nice environment. Â
Our wait staff was nice, and quite west county, however not sure if she fit the restaurant. Â Nice but kinda off. Â If you are looking for authentic Southern German cuisine, you must come here and induldge your barbaric dinner desires and eat the German sausage plate... Â hmmm
Not cheap but not overly priced either... Â I'll be going back for "seconds"...
We were spending a weekend in Guerneville and went to dinner at Highland Dell on a cold and went Friday night. Â The Dining Room is huge, tasteful and very comfortable. Â There were only three dinner parties there the entire evening, but the service and attitude of everyone was very hospitable. Â A minor negative on certain aspects of the food (plain veggies, mushy pasta, etc.) but overall it was a fine experience and we look forward to going there again.
Review Source:The place is still relatively fresh from its recent remodel. Just stayed here for two nights. The room was great. If possible try to get a room on the back side of the inn as the ones on the front are close to the street. The continental breakfast is far from special. Also, we have tried brunch and dinner here. The service is a bit off, but the friendliness of the staff makes up for it. Several German items on the menu that are tasty. There is also a full bar which is quite nice. Well worth a stay if your planning a trip to the area.
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