Redwood Forest Hotel in Northern California Is Giving Pure Fairytale Enchantment

The more money I spend on fancy hotel trips, the less I want the standard hotel experience - I think that's reasonable, right? I can get a decently nice suite basically anywhere for a hundred or so bucks a night. If I'm really going to go all out and treat myself, I want something that no other hotel in the world can give me.

If you're the type who longs for a unique fantasy forest getaway, I think this NorCal hotel perfectly fits the bill. Nestled away near the redwood forests of Northern California, this beautiful boutique inn is less of a traditional hotel and more of a real-life fairytale oasis.

OK, maybe I'm too easily won over by fairytale-like forestscapes, but @peterowenfilms ' plug for the enchanting Front Porch Inn stole my heart immediately. I'm already a sucker for redwood forests, and when I saw the hidden outdoor spa areas and hobbit-esque cabins the inn had to offer, I could tell that this was my kinda place.

Related: Boutique Hotel Superfan's List of the Four 'Cleanest Theme Hotels' Is Summer Vacation Material

If I'm being real, I think it was that beautiful outdoor copper soaking tub that sealed the deal for me. It reminded me of a gorgeous outdoor onsen I once visited at a quiet mountainside inn north of Kyoto, Japan . There's nothing quite like relaxing in a big outdoor tub in peace and quiet with nothing to distract you from the untouched natural forest scenery sprawling out around you in all directions. If the Front Porch Inn can offer that same experience - and it looks like it does - I'm sold!

The Front Porch Inn

The Front Porch Inn is located in the small coastal town of Arcata in Humboldt County, California, a half hour's drive south of Redwood National Park and about a two-hour drive from the Oregon state border. Though it looks like it's hidden away in the heart of a deep forest, it's actually in a suburban forest "oasis" a short walk away from hip Arcata neighborhoods full of fun restaurants, breweries, and shops.

"It is in an odd part of town, but once you enter the private, gated property, it feels like you are in another country!" @natraehawk vouched in the video's comments. "Very cool place. Just stayed there this year."

The Front Door Inn has a small, eclectic collection of studio suites and lodges, crafted from reclaimed old-growth redwood, surrounding a private courtyard that has those hidden baths, copper soaking tubs, and cedar sauna available to all guests. Though the Front Door Inn doesn't appear to have a dining facility on the premises, the suites all come with kitchens stocked with basic cooking supplies, and as previously mentioned, local neighborhood restaurants lie just a few blocks away.

All of their accommodations have fun, funky themes reflecting both Arcata's natural beauty and the region's laid-back, NorCal vibe. There are rustic, woodsy accommodations like "The Cabin" (seen in Peter Owens' video), funky retro suites like "The Zen Den" and "Elysium," and my personal favorite, "Base Camp": a colorful, camp-themed room with wall-to-wall murals and a giant, fairy light-lined tent over the bed instead of a traditional canopy!

Best of all, the pricing really isn't crazy by boutique hotel standards. The cozier studio suites start at around $250 a night, while the larger lodges, which have multiple queen beds and can easily sleep groups of around 4-6, start at around $400 - $433 a night, depending on seasonal rates.

This place is giving forest fairytale enchantment on the (relatively) cheap, and I'm here for it. If I venture out to see the California Redwoods , the Front Porch Inn is going to the top of my list for accommodations. Check it out for yourself if you're in that neck of the woods!

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