The Carter House Inns and Restaurant 301 is located in Eureka, California. There are 35 suites available for reservation across the five buildings that make up the inns. Each building has a strong Victorian style. The Carter House itself is a reproduction of a mansion that was destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. The Carter House is the largest building of the inns, followed by the Hotel Carter, which is across the street. The hotel has the largest amount of rooms and also has a restaurant and bar that is open to the public. The area surrounding the inns is known primarily for the Victorian style of the other buildings in the area and the Redwood National and State Parks, which contain redwood trees known to be upwards of 1000 years old.
The Carter House Inns are situated at the north end of Eureka, California. There are five total buildings that make up the inns, all of which have a Victorian style. Two of the buildings, the Carter House and the Hotel Carter, are reproductions of Victorian architecture while the three cottages next to the Carter House were built in the early 1900s. All of the buildings are yellow on the outside with white accents, the only exception being the Carter House which has red accents instead. Inside the buildings, the Victorian theme continues in many of the rooms with some modern updates for convenience. Some of the rooms also contain a fireplace that guests can use at their leisure.
There are 35 suites across the five buildings that are available for patron reservation. Every suite throughout the inns comes equipped with a private bathroom, toiletries, and wireless internet. The Hotel Carter contains the most amount of rooms with 23 suites separated into four categories: Grand, Jr., King, and Really Nice suites. The Grand Suites are the largest that the hotel offers with a king-size bed, fireplace, and private sitting room. Most of the rooms are on the second and third floors of the hotel, with some rooms on the first floor. The first floor also contains the main reception for all of the inns as well as a restaurant, Restaurant 301.
The four-story Carter House offers suites in a similar way to the rooms offered at the Hotel Carter, with each suite being separated into the categories of Grand, Jr., and Really Nice. Some of the suites offered in the Carter House also have unique names, such as the Library Suite. The Library Suite is a larger two-bedroom suite that has a fireplace, sitting areas, a king-size bed, and a double bed. Suites in the Carter House are usually larger than the rooms offered in the Hotel Carter. The entire Carter House can also be reserved by groups searching for lodging. Next to the Carter House are three cottages that guests can book, Carter Cottage, Bell Cottage, and Annie's Cottage. Carter Cottage and Annie's Cottage are both the same size, with one room and a full kitchen with a living and dining area. Bell cottage is larger with three bedrooms.
Breakfast is offered to patrons staying in any of the suites, although they must walk a short distance to the hotel to have it. The hotel serves a continental breakfast that guests can eat in the main dining area of the hotel. Accommodations can be made upon request by those with dietary restrictions. In addition to offering breakfast to its patrons, the hotel also offers them a complimentary glass of wine. for each night that they stay at the property.
The city of Eureka is well known for its logging history as well as the old-fashioned style of many of the buildings towards the north end of the town. Donna, one of the managers of the Carter House Inns, says that one of the most unique aspects of the inns is that while some buildings have Victorian styling, the Carter House and its other buildings are one of three Victorian styled inns that lodge visitors in the area. Donna says that one of the goals of the property is to continue to preserve the history of the area through maintaining the architecture and theme of the inns. The Carter House and Hotel Carter are unique in that they are reproductions of older buildings that were built in the 1980s. Upon request at the front desk, guests can be led on a tour of the Carter House by a member of the staff.
When asked about the culture of the Carter House Inns, Donna says that she wants patrons to feel relaxed during their stay and satisfied with their room and the service other hotel staff offer. Both she and her staff strive to provide what she calls “old-world hospitality and charm” to every guest who visits. Many reviews of the property mention the satisfaction they had with the guest services and the cleanliness of the rooms. One visitor said, “The inn was clean, tidy, and efficient. All the staff were friendly and accommodating.” Reviews also mention Restaurant 301 and the bar located in the hotel. The restaurant is open every day for lunch and dinner with the bar opening each day at 3:00. Most of the food the restaurant serves is seafood and various cuts of meat.
The Carter House Inns and Restaurant 301 is open year-round and is often busiest in the summer, with visitors coming to the area to see the redwood forests and the nearby beaches. Many of the people who stay at the inns are older couples or travelers exploring. Many visitors to the inns travel to the area to explore the Redwood National and State Parks. The parks are about 45 minutes away from the property and include a variety of hiking and biking trails for visitors. In Eureka, there are also parks that offer similar hiking experiences, such as Sequoia Park. For those seeking experiences near the water, Samoa Beach is a short drive away from the inns, providing beach access as well as a boat launch and sand dunes further down the shore. The Samoa Drag Strip is also located close to the beach, hosting races between spring and summer.
The immediate area surrounding the inns is referred to as Old Town Eureka and contains many different shops and restaurants that embrace and display the Victorian style the city is known for. Every first Saturday of the month there is an event called Arts Alive, where live music is played in the streets and various shops will display artwork done by people in the region. There are also many murals that are spread throughout the Old Town portion of the town that visitors can find. For those looking for restaurants to eat at in the town, Donna recommends looking into Brick & Fire, an artisanal pizza restaurant; and Café Waterfront, which is within walking distance of the inns and serves a variety of dishes to guests.
The building now known as the Carter House was originally called the Murphey House. The Murphey House was completed in 1885 and stood in the town until 1906, when the San Francisco earthquake and fire would end up destroying the house. The plans for the house, however, survived and were found by Mark Carter in a Eureka thrift store in 1978. Mark was so impressed with the plans that he wanted to recreate the house, and set out to do so. The Carter House was built in 1982 with the intention of being the Carter’s family home, but it turned into a bed and breakfast quickly thereafter to help recuperate some of the high costs that went into constructing the house to the specifications of the plans which Mark had found.
As the Carter’s ran the Carter House, they looked to grow their business and open more inns for guests to stay at. This started with purchasing the building that is now the Hotel Carter and renovating the hotel to look like the Victorian-styled Carter House. The hotel quickly became the center of operations for the business. The Carters eventually purchased the old homes next to the Carter House to continue to expand, turning the homes into the Carter Cottage, Annie’s Cottage, and Bell Cottage.
301 L Street
Eureka, California 95501
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Mark Carter
