Beautiful, Historic Guest Ranch with Modern Amenities

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Entire home

Comfortable, light filled living room with views of the surrounding mountains

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 8167 sq m

Popular amenities

Pool

Pet-friendly

Hot tub

Kitchen

Barbecue grill

Free WiFi

Explore the area

Santa Rosa, CA

Jack London State Historic Park3 min drive
Benziger Family Winery11 min drive
Sonoma Plaza24 min drive
San Francisco, CA (SFO-San Francisco Intl.)105 min drive

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Guest Room

1 Queen Bed

Master

1 King Bed

Sleeping Loft

4 Single Beds

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Master Bathroom

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio

Kitchen

Outdoor play area

Garden

Dining Area

About this property

The Ranch on Sonoma Mountain is an historic guest ranch situated outside the charming village of Glen Ellen in Sonoma County. Located on the slope of Sonoma Mountain with breathtaking views of the valley, the Ranch is unlike any other vacation rental in Sonoma, combining luxury accommodations with a farm stay experience. The Ranch on Sonoma Mountain is an ideal vacation destination for families or anyone interested in wine country living as it has been experienced by California families for over a century.

At the Ranch you have the opportunity to relax in 'the Cottage', a luxury, private 3-bedroom home with private wooden hot tub while enjoying all the Ranch has to offer, including a salt water pool with panoramic valley views, seasonal organic vegetable garden, orchard, blackberry and strawberry patches, chicken coop and more.

The Cottage at The Ranch on Sonoma Mountain was built in 1898 as the primary guest quarters for the popular Bruning's Summer Resort from the late 1800s to 1915. The Cottage is situated at the end of a private drive on twelve acres of rolling hills studded with oak trees, vineyard and orchards. Recently remodeled (with upgraded HVAC) and professionally decorated in a comfortable agrarian chic style, the Cottage has an open and bright floor plan, gourmet kitchen with Viking Range, three bedrooms (including an old-fashioned sleeping loft), and two full baths. Please note, the Cottage is a vintage, 120+ year old home located in an agrarian setting and is best suited for guests who enjoy indoor/outdoor living.

The Ranch is conveniently located approximately one and a half hours from San Francisco and is accessible from downtown Glen Ellen as well as from Highway 101 via Rohnert Park or Santa Rosa.

A Day at The Ranch on Sonoma Mountain:

In the morning, sip your coffee or tea outdoors while enjoying the abundant wildlife including rabbits, wild turkeys, quail and more. For breakfast, collect you own fresh eggs from our pasture raised chickens, pick wild blackberries and gather seasonal fruit from our orchard.

In the afternoon, grab some towels, pack some cold drinks in the red wagon and follow the gravel path to the pool. While you splash and play, enjoy panoramic views of the valley. On your way back to the cottage, gather pick fresh seasonal fruit for your dessert (blackberries, figs, French plums and rhubarb grow along the path).

In the evening, enjoy a glass of wine on our view deck or take a stroll up Sonoma Mountain Road and enjoy the many vineyards that surround us. For dinner, snip baby lettuce, pick heirloom tomatoes off the vine and gather other fresh vegetables and herbs from our abundant organic garden. Enjoy the sunset as you dine outdoors on our generous deck overlooking Sonoma Valley. Later, gather around the outdoor fire pit for marshmallow roasting. Before bed, enjoy a nip of Madeira and a biscotti on the view deck and savor the starry silence of life in wine country.

County Requirements for Vacation Rentals:
Quiet Hours: 10pm to 7am
Max Guests: 8
Max Vehicles: 3
TOT #1151N

Our rates and calendar are up to date so please check the Calendar section for availability.

Property manager

Kristin (Owner)

Premier Host

Amenities

Pool

Hot tub

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Pet-friendly

Pool

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 21

Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

Events

No events allowed

Pets

Pets allowed: dogs (limit 2 total)

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Quiet hours after 10pm per neighborhood ordinance.

Currently, no campfires allowed on the property, outside of gas fire pit.

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy

Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges

Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed

On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property

Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit

Property Registration Number 1151N

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Santa Rosa

Located in Santa Rosa, this cottage is near theme parks and in the mountains. Railroad Square Historic District and Petaluma Village Premium Outlets are worth checking out if shopping is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Sonoma Plaza and Trione-Annadel State Park. Sonoma County Fairgrounds and Depot Park Museum are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

Santa Rosa, CA

What's nearby

Jack London State Historic Park - 3 min drive
Benziger Family Winery - 11 min drive
Sonoma Golf Club - 18 min drive
Sonoma State University - 20 min drive
Sonoma Plaza - 24 min drive

Getting around

Santa Rosa Station - 29 min drive
Santa Rosa, CA (STS-Sonoma County) - 40 min drive

Restaurants

Donald & Maureen Green Music Center - 21 min drive
Cielito Coffee & Ice Cream - 19 min drive
Rancho Market & Deli - 15 min drive
Les Pascals - 12 min drive
Matanzas Creek Winery - 17 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Does Beautiful, Historic Guest Ranch with Modern Amenities have a pool?

Yes, this property has an outdoor pool.

Is Beautiful, Historic Guest Ranch with Modern Amenities pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total).

What time is check-in at Beautiful, Historic Guest Ranch with Modern Amenities?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Beautiful, Historic Guest Ranch with Modern Amenities?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Beautiful, Historic Guest Ranch with Modern Amenities located?

Situated in the mountains, this cottage is 1.1 mi (1.8 km) from Jack London State Historic Park and within 6 miles (10 km) of Sonoma Valley Regional Park and Jack London Village. Benziger Family Winery and Morton's Warm Springs are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Katie F.

13 Oct 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Amazing property

We had a great weekend stay. Loved picking fruit and veggies from the garden and relaxing in the hot tub. Gorgeous views! There was an issue with the septic system (someone before us had flushed wipes--don't do that!) and they handled it immediately and gave us a bottle of bubbly for our trouble. Highly recommend this place!

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Laura F.

10 Oct 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Girl’s Trip Birthday Weekend

Every year a group of us (6 women; ages 34-44) get together in October to celebrate 3 Oct birthdays and overall friendship. The host responded to questions prior to booking and throughout the lead up to our stay. We arrived after dark and roads are very winding, narrow, and hilly (use caution). Upon arrival the host had a bouquet of fresh flowers with a welcome card (as well as a book with everything house related). We visited both Napa and Sonoma wineries and the drive was completely manageable to all our locations. The house was perfect. Plenty of out door amenities, sitting areas, fire places and BEAUTIFUL VIEW!! The house is a bit older (in the fact that the walls are SUPER thin) and you can hear everything if you are in either of the mail level bedrooms. Suggest brining nose canceling devices/sound machine...however it was still a perfect stay!! Would absolutely recommend staying here to anyone.

Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Marie D., Dover, DE

20 Sept 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Sonoma Mountain Paradise

We booked this home with friends to celebrate my husband's 50th birthday and staying here at this little slice of heaven was by far the highlight of our entire wine country trip! The cottage is even more beautiful than the photos and the property itself just blew us away- we all said outloud "we're so lucky to get to stay here!" We had so many fun things planned but actually cancelled a few things just so we could spend more time at this home. There are more areas than you can count to lounge, relax, celebrate and just enjoy... we enjoyed the hot tub at least twice a day, the fire table sofa area was our favorite at sunset and we had breakfast every morning at the chic barn-house using fresh eggs & all the fruits, veggies & herbs we could carry from the amazing gardens right there on the property. We So appreciated all of the high end appliances and well-stocked kitchen for all the meals we cooked there. Communication with Kristin was so easy and helpful. We cannot wait to someday return to this incredible place!

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Alyx L., San Rafael

4 Sept 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Birthday weekend getaway

Truly wonderful and relaxing stay at the Ranch. The cottage is cute, clean and has all the amenities we needed. There’s something for everyone. We hope to come back. Thank you!

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Laura G., San Francisco, CA

22 Aug 2023

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful views, great location, charming home, excellent amenities!

We had such an amazing & lovely time staying at this ranch! It was even nicer and more charming than I expected. The views from the deck are expansive and gorgeous! There are ample charming places to sit and read or relax, or enjoy the sunset with a glass of wine, or eat a meal outdoors with your family or friends. The house was very clean and very well appointed (plenty of towels, good cookware, nice comfy furniture and millions of pillows, games, coffee table books, books by historic local author Jack London, etc). The kids loved the pool and the zip-line. We all loved going to gather eggs for breakfast from the chicken coup. The blackberries you pass on the way to the pool are honestly the sweetest I have ever tasted (and we picked enough to make ourselves a delicious pie!). The hot tub I only used on the last night, and regretted it, as it it a lovely wooden hot tub under the stars... I should have used it every night! This is one place that we will certainly be returning to... a very special little home on a lovely piece of land! Thank you for making our stay so peaceful and memorable!

Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2023

About the host

Hosted by Kristin (Owner)

I am a 6th generation California native, raised on the San Francisco Peninsula. We purchased the ranch when our children were toddlers and spent time there whenever possible. As they grew older, we found it arrange weekend getaways to Sonoma. This led us to decide to share The Ranch with you on VRBO.

Why they chose this property

It was love at first sight, really. Historic property, 12 fenced acres, two homes, barn, orchard, vineyard, pool, seasonal creek, valley views, oak trees and more. It was a project for sure but that too, drew us in. I have always had a passion for historic restoration and viewed this property as an opportunity to be a steward of an important piece of California history.

Also, our eldest son was nearly two years old at the time we purchased the property. We wanted him, and our second son who soon followed, to grow up loving the land and having the same kind of freedom we both had as a children to roam and explore. At the Ranch, children and grown ups alike have the opportunity to develop a sense of self sufficiency in nature by climbing trees, building forts, collecting eggs and picking the food they will cook eat for their meals.

What makes this property unique

The Ranch has been inhabited by Californians and our native predecessors for thousands of years. Based on stone artifacts found around the property, the land on which the Ranch now sits was likely a camp for the Costal Miwok Indians.

The Ranch on Sonoma Mountain (then 160 acres) was purchased by C.H.W. Bruning, a German immigrant, on June 17, 1876 for $4000. The property was owned by various members of the Bruning family, who sold or divided it until separate parcels over the years until we purchased the original home site in 2007. Around 1910, the Ranch shared a property line with Jack London's Beauty Ranch, as can be seen on maps on display today at Jack London State Park.

The Brunings operated a summer resort called either Waldrue or Brunings Summer Resort from the late 1900s until 1915. Guests traveled by train to Glen Ellen and were then transported via horse and buggy up the mountain. Wives and children would often come for the week while husbands would often travel from the City just for the weekend. Guest accommodations included dozens of platform tents dotting the landscape and a cottage, what we now call The Cottage on Sonoma Mountain. Dining and entertainment was offered in the main house which still stands near Sonoma Mountain Road. Guests can view the original guest book from Bruning's Summer Resort during their stay.

Prunes were the primary crop through the prohibition. One French prune tree remains from the original prune orchard. During this time the Brunings also tried their hand at poultry farming and raised white leghorn chickens. In 1946, the Brunings installed a concrete pool which served the triple purpose of recreation, fire protection and irrigation source. The pool allowed the Brunings to plant grape vines for the first time, the same gamay vines that grow today. Rumor has it that one year the family shipped the harvest to Chicago by train where the grapes were sold to Al Capone!