This was our second visit to Ripplewood cabin 4. Our first was 10 years ago and it's pretty much exactly the same only this time we had a baby with us. It's the perfect place to get away, no phone, no television, no computer. We just sat by the fire or out on the deck and spent some quiet time together. It was lovely. They bring you firewood every day, so you don't have to go buy any. The store at River Inn up the street has a nice selection of vegan food and groceries. The Ripplewood store has a nice wine selection and some basic amenities. We used the kitchen quite a lot and it was reasonably well equipped. We will definitely be back again and again.

We only stayed for one night in cabin 6 (http://www.ripplewoodresort.com/cabin6.htm) on a trip heading south down Highway 1, but we wish it had been for more. The cabin was down by the river, which we could see and hear flowing. It really is in a beautiful setting in amongst the tall redwoods which rustle peacefully in the breeze.

The cabin was spotless, with a bed in the main room and a full kitchen including oven. The only downside was a nasty smell in the cabin which seemed to emanate from the kitchen when we arrived, but which we got used to :-S It was a little chilly at night, but we were here in March!

If you don't fancy cooking, there is a restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch on-site, and other restaurants available for dinner a short drive away - but as we didn't go to any, we can't make any recommendations!

Have been travelling to California for years but have never stayed in Big Sur due to the fact that it is pricey. You can generally get a cheap room in Monterey.

But, it was Christmas and we wanted to spend 1-2 nights in Big Sur. We
did not call ahead but instead just dropped in and asked if they had anything. Slim pickings as we wanted a cabin for 2 nights and all they
had was a single cabin 3 days in the future. We took it.

We stopped at the general store across the street at 3 PM to get our Key. You must pay in advance and there is a 72 hour cancellation policy.

We stayed in Cabin 4. Cabins 1-9 are the ones down by the river and are the ones that you want. The others are close to the highway and aren't anything special. You can see a map picture of the cabin layout
on Ripplewood's web site. Very handy.

I only saw the inside of our cabin but I assume they're all very similar. Very clean. Basic. Our's had a fireplace and a deck and was right on the river. They supply you with enough firewood for one day and we used ours during the evening and again the next morning. We had
a furnace with a thermostat that worked well as it was cold out at night. The bathroom was almost all new and the kitchen area was great. All in all it was a very nice quiet place to chill out. I wish we could have gotten a second night.

What you don't have is a telephone, wireless, or even a TV. That's fine with us but just wanted to be sure you know.

For dinner we drove north on Highway 1 about 3/10's of a mile and had Dinner at the River Inn. Very nice. Full service bar, nice place for all meals, and does have wireless internet and a fireplace where you can sit and relax. Recommended.

Negatives: Nothing. We paid $150 including tax for our cabin which is a lot for us but it was worth it. Once you drive down the road off the highway to the cabins you are in a huge redwood grove and the river ran right behind our cabin.

Highly recommended.

We stayed in cabin #1 which had two queen beds, one in the bedroom and the other in the living area. Both were comfortable and had nice linens. The bathroom was very dark and cramped (walk-through setup). The kitchen had minimal supplies which was fine for drinks, sandwiches, snacks, etc. but there was no coffeemaker, so bring your own or plan to do without. Wood and kindling were supplied which could be used in the fireplace or the outdoor fire pit.

The setting was nice with lots of trees and the deck overlooked the small river and campgrounds on the other side. The cabin wasn’t insulated so it was stuffy during the day and cold at night. There wasn’t a lot of traffic on the highway at night, but we could still hear it from inside the cabin. We could also hear some of the campers just talking – I guess the sound travels well across the river. There’s really no privacy inside the cabin either. You could hear every sound made from the bedroom to living area, and in fact could see into the bathroom through the paneling from the kitchen.

It wasn’t really a bad place to stay, but I think we’ll try somewhere else next time.