Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Heritage House Resort and what's the 1949 + 2018 reopening history?
Heritage House Resort is at 5200 N Highway 1 in Little River, on the south Mendocino Coast 8 miles south of Mendocino Village and 142 miles north of San Francisco. The property opened 1949 by L.D. Dennen as a cliff-edge Mendocino Coast inn built around the historic 1877 Pullen-Stickney farmhouse. The property became famous as the film location for the 1978 Alan Alda + Ellen Burstyn romantic comedy "Same Time, Next Year" (4 Academy Award nominations including Best Actress Burstyn). The property operated continuously 1949-2008, closed in 2008 during the Great Recession, and reopened 2018 after a comprehensive 10-year restoration by Salt House Hospitality. 66 guest rooms across the original 1877 farmhouse + 1949 cliff-edge cottages + restored cliff-side cottages + new construction. 37 acres of cliff-edge property.
How far is Heritage House Resort from SFO + OAK + Sonoma County Airport + Little River Airport?
SFO 3:30-4:00 via US-101 + CA-128 (scenic Anderson Valley AVA approach) OR US-101 + CA-253 (faster Ukiah-Mendocino approach 3:00-3:30). OAK 3:15-3:45 via Carquinez Bridge. SJC 4:00-4:30. STS Sonoma County Airport 2:00-2:30 (the closest commercial airport to Mendocino Coast). Little River Airport (LLR) 5 minutes - the small lighthouse-adjacent airport for private aviation (King Air, Citation Mustang, Phenom 100). For West Coast tech leadership offsites or multi-property Mendocino Coast trips, STS is the strongly-preferred commercial arrival (beats SFO transfer by 90+ minutes).
What's the "Same Time, Next Year" film location heritage?
Heritage House Resort is one of California's most-iconic film-location properties - the inn where the 1978 Alan Alda + Ellen Burstyn romantic comedy "Same Time, Next Year" was filmed. The film follows George and Doris (a married accountant + married homemaker) meeting at Heritage House one weekend per year for 26 years (1951-1977), documenting the social changes of postwar America. The film won 4 Academy Award nominations (Best Actress Burstyn + Best Cinematography + Best Original Song + Best Adapted Screenplay). The property's cliff-edge cottages + Pullen-Stickney 1877 farmhouse + cliff overlook with Pacific Ocean views are all preserved in the 2018 restoration.
What's the chauffeur retainer pattern for an Anderson Valley AVA wine country day from Heritage House?
Heritage House's location at Little River (30 mi west of Anderson Valley AVA via CA-128) makes it the natural cliff-edge base for Anderson Valley wine country touring. Anderson Valley is one of California's most-respected cool-climate AVAs for pinot noir + chardonnay + alsatian varietals. Standard 10am-5:30pm retainer: morning Roederer Estate (Champagne Louis Roederer Cristal house California outpost - Anderson Valley sparkling wine flagship) + Goldeneye + Husch Vineyards (1971 oldest Anderson Valley) + Navarro Vineyards (most-iconic family-owned), lunch at The Bewildered Pig Philo, afternoon Toulouse + Long Meadow Ranch + Drew Family Cellars, 4:30pm chauffeur back.
Is Heritage House good for Mendocino Village walking?
Heritage House Resort is one of the most-romantic California cliff-edge properties + a natural Mendocino Village exploration base. 37 acres of cliff-edge property with private trails to the Pacific Ocean overlook. Mendocino Village is 15-min chauffeur north on CA-1 (8 miles - the historic 1850s lumber town with restored Victorian architecture preserved as a National Historic Preservation District). Walking patterns: Headlands State Park (cliff-edge state park with Pacific Ocean overlook + Mendocino Headlands lighthouse + driftwood beach), MacCallum House Inn (1882), Mendocino Hotel (1878 restored), Patterson's Pub (since 1973), Trillium Cafe (Mendocino fine dining), Mendocino Art Center (1959), Kelley House Museum (1861), Russian Gulch State Park (10 min north, 36-ft waterfall hike).
Can we book a wedding at Heritage House Resort?
Yes - Heritage House Resort hosts intimate-to-medium Mendocino Coast weddings (40-150 guests). Venues: Cliff Overlook outdoor ceremony (100-150 guests with Pacific Ocean horizon backdrop), Pullen-Stickney Farmhouse Garden ceremony (intimate 40-80 guests in 1877 heritage garden), Main Lodge Ballroom indoor reception (60-100 seated), Restaurant private dining (40-60 rehearsal). Most-popular pattern: cliff-edge sunset ceremony 6:00-6:30pm timed for Pacific Ocean sunset, cocktail hour on Cliff House terrace, reception in Main Lodge with floor-to-ceiling Pacific views.
How far in advance should we book the chauffeur for Heritage House?
Standard 2-3 night romantic weekend: 6-8 weeks weekday, 8-10 weeks Saturday. 4-5 night extended Mendocino Coast + multi-property: 8-10 weeks. Wedding weekend (40-150 guest blocks): 9-12 months due to property hotel inventory + cliff-edge ceremony scheduling + multi-vehicle Black SUV teams from SF Bay (3:30-4:00 transfer each way). Special-occasion Saturdays (Valentine's Day, anniversary) 6-8 weeks ahead. Film-location anniversary visits ("Same Time, Next Year" romance pilgrimages) book ahead for February (the film's opening scene) + October-November (the film's fall visits).