HotelTonight – Glen Ellen, California Hotels Are Available
When you travel through Wine Country in California, you tend to lose yourself in thought. At least that's been my experience. As I drive through this part of the world from one set of meetings to another, I forget about a lot of the daily things that tend to weigh people down and stress people out. That's how beautiful this countryside is. That's also why I always look forward to heading that way whenever I can, even if it's a bit out of the way. One thing I've never been able to do, however, is take some time to explore any of the communities there. That's always been a bit of a regret for me, but it wasn't one I thought I'd ever be able to address. As it turns out, I was wrong. I got a call recently while driving through Wine Country that alerted me to a day of meetings being canceled. I was going to use the 24 hours I suddenly had to see a new place. I was going to explore Glen Ellen. I wasn't concerned about finding a Glen Ellen, California hotel room, as I travel with HotelTonight. I'd book a room when I was ready.
The Landscape
The first thing I noticed about Glen Ellen hit me before I even got to town. This is a community that's situated in a beautiful valley between Sonoma Mountain and the Mayacamas Mountains. It's leafy, green and features a lot of rolling hills like you'd see in other parts of Wine Country. Yes, there are vineyards everywhere along the road, and yes, there is that subtle feel of tranquility as you approach this little place. By the time I got to Glen Ellen, I was in the perfect state of mind to explore.
The Town
I was surprised at how small Glen Ellen was when I got out of my car. I found out later, after stopping for coffee and talking to some people, that it's home to fewer than 1,000 residents. The downtown area was about what I expected, in that it was obviously small, but it was also quaint and welcoming. The main drag featured a lot of small businesses that were owned by local families. I walked through a few of the shops and talked to people about what it's like to live there. It was a pleasurable way to spend an afternoon.
The Dining
For a community this small, I was taken aback at the number of dining options available. I wanted something nice, so I went to a place where everything is cooked with a wood-fire oven. I ordered the seared duck, and it was scrumptious. It was paired with some extremely fresh vegetables that were grown locally and with a glass of wine that originated from just up the road. I talked with a few of the patrons there, enjoyed another glass of wine and then happily paid the bill.
HotelTonight – Glen Ellen, California Hotels
It was just then that I realized that I had forgotten to book a Glen Ellen, California hotel room. I quickly opened the HotelTonight app on my phone and reserved a room within 30 seconds. The app found one for me based on my current location, so I only had a block or so to walk. I was ready to get some sleep, happy that I had seen one of these lovely communities.
