Imperial Hotel

Alyssa was wonderful about getting back to us and emailing when we had trouble connecting before arrival. Since the biggest cottage was empty, she upgraded us for free. We came for Knight foundry and visited the main hotel too, though the restaurant and bar were closed for a January break. The hotel is a historic two-story brick building. Our dog-friendly cottage was fabulous: a comfy king bed, good in-room coffee with real cream, a huge jacuzzi tub for two, a little gas fireplace heater, a living area with a couch and coffee table, and plants in every room. There were umbrellas by the entry for rain. Outside, the grassy yard has a low fence where a non-jumping pup can romp. They also provided a small-to-medium dog bed, a bowl that came in handy since I forgot ours, and a jar with a dog cookie. Alyssa left a welcome note and a few nice extras. The Imperial Hotel cottages deserve six stars out of five for hospitality.

The Pinkerton room was just right, with a huge bedroom and bathroom and a deep jetted tub. Mornings on the shared porch with fresh croissants were lovely. We'll definitely stay again.

The elevator was out of service, so keep that in mind. Even so, this historic hotel has a lot of charm and comfortable, freshly updated rooms with thoughtful appointments. It's right in the Amador wine AVA. Although the restaurant had to close its operations, there's a cool bar and a few food options that were surprisingly delicious. The bolognese especially was excellent, like grandma's sauce and pasta. Stay here if you're in the area, the Inn is charming and comfortable.

It was pretty quiet during our midweek stay, and fairly pleasant overall. I would have liked a refrigerator in the room, and also at least one chance to speak with someone in person instead of only communicating by email.