Healdsburg is a favorite spot for travelers to call home when visiting Sonoma County wine country. Hotel options are plentiful and intriguing, ranging from practical suites with full kitchens to hip lodgings in the heart of downtown. But newcomer, The Ruse Healdsburg, is wooing guests in a way no other property in the area has ever done before — offering a one-of-a-kind collection of amenities to guests.
The Ruse, features just 11 rooms. Formerly known as the Honor Mansion, the luxury boutique inn changed ownership in 2020, and underwent a head-to-toe renovation. From the street it looks like a classic bed and breakfast, but venture to the backyard and you quickly realize there’s more than meets the eye.
Beyond the heated pool and hot tub is an 18-hole putting green referred to as The Corkscrew. Created by The Ruse’s sister property, Mayacama Golf Club and Nicklaus Design , even if you’ve never picked up a golf club, the course packs a certain wow factor.
A pair of bocce courts flank the putting green, but it’s the half-dozen pickleball courts that really catch guests by surprise. Tapping into the fastest-growing sport in the United States, The Ruse give guests a unique way to stay active when vacationing in wine country. Whether you choose to pick up a paddle or sharpen your putting skills, all the equipment you could need is provided by the property.
Guests of The Ruse also have access to a variety of amenities offered at sister property Mayacama, including coveted tee times at the private golf course and treatments at the spa. The property concierge takes care of all of the details.
A majority of the accommodations at The Ruse are located in the property’s main house, however there are also four Greenside Suites in freestanding, almost cottage-like structures overlooking the putting green. I stayed in Greenside Suite 4.
The room was spacious with a calm and sophisticated feel. Along with a king canopy bed and comfy sofa, there was a gas fireplace that ignited with the flip of a switch, desk, and a fun closet nook that offered enough space to get dressed and hang clothes, along with a refrigerator, Nespresso coffee machine, and an electric tea kettle.
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The bathroom featured a double vanity, soaking tub, and two-person shower. Toiletries are provided in eco-friendly refillable bottles.
Boasting a dining table with room for four people, the patio seemed nearly as big as the room itself. Along with a good view of the putting green, it provided easy access to the pool and hot tub.
There is no restaurant onsite, but The Ruse is less than a 5-minute drive to downtown Healdsburg and its dozens of restaurants, wine tasting rooms, and shops. However, a two-course breakfast is included with every stay. Served in the poolside pavilion, the morning of my stay the menu included a Budda bowl with assorted fresh fruit and yogurt, and a fried egg with avocado, roasted ham, olive tapenade and field greens on a toasted brioche. Coffee, tea, and fresh-squeezed orange juice was also available.
Within a 30-minute-or-so-drive of The Ruse you can reach hundreds of wineries.
Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport is less than 10-miles away; San Francisco International Airport is about an 80-mile drive.
Rates for a Greenside Suite start at $695; there is also a $30 daily resort fee that covers parking and Wi-Fi. You can book your stay directly on the hotel website, or through a hotel booking site such as Booking.com or Hotels.com.
Review and photos by San Francisco Bay Area travel writer and television correspondent Dana Rebmann. Her stay was organized by The Ruse, but as always her thoughts and opinions are her own.
