Settled in Requa, California, The Historic Requa Inn sits just north of the Klamath River, a few minutes away from the ocean. It has sixteen guest accommodations among its three properties—namely the Requa Inn, the Requa House, and the Requa Cottage—all of which overlook the river. The property owners, Janet and Marty Wortman, are members of the Yurok Tribe, the native people to the specific region of the West Coast. Known for its location, the inn is close to several entrances to the Redwoods National Park and other attractions such as the Trees of Mystery. The staff of the property try to emulate the unique culture and history of the area and enhance what the surrounding locale and its attractions already provide.
The Historic Requa Inn is located in Requa, California, and lies right on the north bank of the Klamath River. Established in 1914, it is built after a style some may call "utilitarian art." Painted white and constructed of wood, it has red and green trim and is covered in windows overlooking the property and the river beyond. Underneath the eaves of the inn, there is an abundance of hanging flowers in addition to flower gardens that abut the house all around it.
The lodging business has two more additional buildings on its property, which, along with the inn, host a total of sixteen guest accommodations. Fourteen of these accommodations are rooms in the inn. Each of these rooms is unique in its color scheme, furnishings, and decorations, reflecting an "old-timey feel," according to Hannah—a staff member at the inn. The various color themes on the walls of the units range from blue, green, yellow, white-washed, finished wood, and classic wallpaper, with matching furnishings and decorations. Some of the amenities included in these rooms include queen-sized and king-sized beds, private bathrooms, varied furniture to lounge and relax on, views of the river and the forests surrounding the property, bathtubs, walk-in showers, electric fireplaces, and more. The most popular of these accommodations are the Boat Creek and the Cathedral Trees rooms. As their names suggest, they both have views overlooking the river and trees outside. The remaining twelve rooms are called the Post Office, the Trillium Suite, the Rhododendron, the Dolason Prairie, The Emerald Ridge, the Stout Grove Suite, Carruthers Cove, the Yurok Loop, the Hidden Beach, the Fern Canyon, Hobbs Walls Room, and the Redwood Creek room. All of these also have views of the surrounding area.
The inn's grounds extend from the inn all the way down to the banks of the Klamath River. In this stretch of property, there are trees, an open field, and the river bank visitors can spend time exploring. Additionally, there is a gazebo that overlooks the river with chairs and a table. Hammocks, a firepit, a grill area, and an outdoor hot tub are also provided for guests on the property's ground. Inside the property, guests can spend time in the dining room-restaurant area, as well as a living room space. Various games and books are available in the lobby area should guests wish to borrow them. A small boutique gift shop also exists on the property that sells wine, coffee mugs, and other memorabilia.
The other two lodging accommodations on the property consist of the Requa House and the Requa Cottage. The first of these is located high up on Requa Hill, overlooking where the Klamath River meets the ocean. Some would argue that it has the best views of all of The Historic Requa Inn's accommodations. It is built in a wooden, cabin-style home and has an abundance of rather large windows providing views and letting in light. It is recommended as the most accommodating of the units for families or larger groups because it has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room with a fireplace, and a full kitchen. Additionally, it has a wrap-around porch with various furnishings and tables where guests can relax or spend time. The grounds of the house have multiple walking paths and a firepit area available for the patrons, as well as a private hot tub.
The Requa Cottage is settled in a grove of spruce trees and has a grass yard area complete with a picnic table and an outdoor firepit. It is two stories tall and painted a light green color with brown trim and a redwood front door. The downstairs consists of a full-sized kitchen, a living room, and a dining room with a fireplace, while the upstairs hosts a relatively large bedroom with a king-sized and a twin-sized bed in addition to a full-sized bathroom. From the bedroom, guests have access to a deck that overlooks the river below. Many of the furnishings in this cottage are hand-carved from redwood.
The Historic Requa Inn provides breakfast each morning for its patrons from 8 AM to 10 AM. Guests can choose an array of dishes from a standard breakfast menu that includes pancakes, bacon, eggs, potatoes, smoothies, yogurt, granola, oatmeal, and homemade cinnamon rolls—a dessert for which they are known. There is also a self-serve coffee and tea area guests can use throughout the day, at which the inn often sets out apples, oranges, and other fruits their patrons can grab to go. Should guests have any special dietary restrictions, the inn's staff try their best to accommodate these needs.
The Historic Requa Inn staff —which consists of the owners Janet and Marty Wortman and the two innkeepers Joey Keller and Hannah Estey—want their guests to feel at home. To emulate this feeling, they strive to create an atmosphere that is comfortable, relaxing, and safe. Some of the ways they do this is by trying to provide warm lighting, comfortable furniture, and good music playing. However, Hannah says that this desired atmosphere is primarily created by the property's location and the inn itself. She describes the inn as being "a historic building with life and soul" and the surrounding area as a "beautiful location." As such, the staff and the owners try to "enhance what the scenery already offers" so that their guests staying at The Historic Requa Inn might have an enjoyable experience.
At the same time, the staff of the property prides themselves on their customer service, knowing that the surrounding area and the premises can't do all the work for them. Hannah talks about how the innkeepers and the owners always try to show a friendly face and be conversational. Starting at breakfast, the staff frequently interact with their guests throughout the day, whether they are checking in or checking out, need help to figure out what they want to do in the area, or are just sitting in one of the common areas and want to chat. They also strive to upkeep the property's premises and provide an aura of cleanliness, which the owners often see to personally. One guest who stayed at the inn said, "Beautiful old inn in a spectacular setting next to the river. They have an incredible staff who are very knowledgeable about the area." Some of the inn's most important policies include the restriction of pets and eating in the guest rooms. Both of these are mainly due to the fact that they don't want any of their antique or old furnishings to get damaged. But these policies also serve to help the staff better upkeep the cleanliness of the accommodations.
A unique aspect of The Historic Requa Inn that Hannah mentions is the personality of the place. She says that "every room is different, every room has its own personality. This place has a ton of personality." Perhaps one of the things that lend to this personality is the history of the building and its location. The inn itself is located on ancient Yurok tribal land, a demographic that the owners are part of themselves. Because of this connection to their heritage and the locale, Janet and Marty try to fill the house with the history of the area and the culture rooted there. Hannah mentions that they are very proud of what they have been able to turn The Historic Requa Inn into.
The typical demographic of the guests who stay at the inn are couples, who Hannah says come "from everywhere." This demographic is due in part to the fact that most of the rooms best accommodate two people. However, The Historic Requa Inn will often host large groups or families as well. A returning organization that frequently rents out the majority of the inn rooms is the Save the Redwoods Organization. The inn is also a popular venue for weddings because of the grounds of the property and the relatively large dining area—which can accommodate up to forty people. The inn has even been known to cater to these various groups and events should guests need it.
According to Hannah, The Historic Requa Inn is known for being a destination unto itself. Guests often mention the views of the river and surrounding woods it offers, the food they serve, and the customer service they provide. However, she says that perhaps the thing they are most known for is their location. There is a comprehensive list of activities to do and attractions to see in the surrounding area, especially recreational ones. One guest review, which perhaps reflects this, reads, "the cottage has an incredible view of the river, was cozy, clean, and in a wonderful location for exploring both the ocean and redwood forests." Some activities nearby include hiking, fishing or canoeing on the river, sightseeing, dining, and more. The inn is close to several entrances to the Redwoods National Park—a popular place for visitors of the area. Hannah recommends guests participate in the Trees of Mystery, a guided hike through the Redwoods that includes a tram ride above the treetops. Guests wishing to explore the river and learn more about the area's history might try a riverboat tour available from the Yurok Tribe in one of their hand-carved canoes.
Several dining places are also nearby where guests can go and eat. Some of these that the staff of The Historic Requa Inn recommends is the Steelhead Lodge, the Chart Room, and Enoteca. The first is located just ten minutes south of the inn and serves barbecue-style food. The remaining two are both located in Crescent City, the Chart Room being a sea-food place and the Enoteca being a bar-style diner.
The Requa area has a relatively extensive history. The town of Requa itself has been around since the 1800s. It was founded on the Klamath River and served as a fishing hub because of its central location to both the ocean and the river. In the late 1800s, it became more popular as the first hotel was built in the area to serve the abundance of fish canneries in business there. Nowadays, the town has been described as being a "sleepy village in the Redwood National Park." However, before the city of Requa was ever established, the Yurok Tribe people had lived in the area for centuries—making the Requa area one of the oldest places that has been continuously inhabited in California.
The Historic Requa Inn has been around for more than 100 years. Constructed in 1914, the inn has served as a lodging place for visitors of the area for many years. The current owners of the property—Janet & Marty Wortman—have owned it for twelve years, after purchasing it in 2009. One of the unique things the owners have in common with the region's history is they are members of the Yurok people. Because of this heritage, they are very proud to be able to share with their guests the hospitality and history of their people. Hannah, an innkeeper at The Historic Requa Inn, tells how Janet and Marty are very excited to share the inn with their children and grandchildren and eventually pass it on to them.
451 Requa Road
Klamath, California 95548
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Janet & Marty
