Big Sur: Skip the hotel, book a Treebones yurt

As you curve along Hwy. 1 up the Big Sur coast, you can’t help but indulge in the fantasy of having your own piece of oceanfront property. While that dream only comes true for a few, the unique Treebones Resort, hidden at the south end of Big Sur, can give you the illusion of living on a private estate overlooking the Pacific, at least for a few moonlit nights.

Deal: Treebones Resort rents yurts built on a rugged hillside high above the surf. These yurts are furnished with queen-sized beds, decks with Adirondack chairs and vanity sinks, but they do not have private baths, TVs or phones. The shared bathrooms and shower house are a short walk from the yurts. Nightly rates for 2007, which include a self-serve waffle breakfast with coffee and orange juice, cost from $145 per double for a mountain-view yurt up to $270 for four people in an ocean-view yurt with a gas-burning fireplace, excluding all taxes. The views from the property are so spectacular, though, you don’t need to stay in an oceanfront yurt just to savor the setting. All guests have access to the heated, ocean-view swimming pool and hot tub.

Have you stayed at Treebones Resort? Or do you know a better place to stay on the Big Sur coast? Share your travel tips in the Comments section below.

When: Book a yurt as far in advance as possible, especially if you want an ocean view.

Caveat: A minimum 2-night stay is required from April through October and on weekends year-round.

Why Go: Staying in a yurt is a quixotic experience, and the views of the surf crashing below are breathtaking.

Why Not: If you’d rather stay in a place with solid walls and private baths, and yet still save money, the Big Sur Lodge inside Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park has standard rooms starting from $208.85 including taxes (starting in October, that drops to $153.60/night). The nonprofit Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn maintains an eclectic collection of 1930s-era lodgings, where rooms with shared bathrooms and double beds start at $95/night, excluding taxes.

Critique: All of the lodgings on the Big Sur coast are expensive. Personally speaking, I enjoyed staying in an oceanfront yurt at Treebones Resort last year. But I don’t think I’ll go back again, due to the fact that there was a lot of ambient noise during my stay. The yurt’s thin walls were no defense against neighbors shouting late at night or a housekeeper playing a stereo loudly as he cleaned up. For $200/night, I’d prefer to stay somewhere with more peace and privacy.

Connect/Disconnect: There’s no cell-phone reception or Internet access at Treebones Resort or Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn. At Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, there’s an AT&T Wi-Fi hot spot that works within 150-200 ft. of the store. It typically costs $7.95 per 24 hours of unlimited use. If you already subscribe to AT&T high-speed Internet services at home, you may pay less.

Contact: Treebones Resort, (877) 424-4787
Big Sur Lodge, (800) 424-4787
Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn, (831) 667-2377

Related Los Angeles Times links:
In Big Sur, Treebones Resort offers simple beauty
Northern California: Mansion vs. hotel
San Francisco: Hike to rustic Marin mountain cabin

– Sara Benson, L.A. Times Travel Deal Detective

[Photo credit: Courtesy of Treebones Resort]

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, July 25, 2007 at 7:36 am by Sara Benson and is filed under California, Northern California, San Luis Obispo. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a comment, or trackback from your own site.