The Woods Cottages & Cabins @ the Russian River

roses at russian river hotel
roses at the woods russian river inn
michael's roses at the woods spring bloom

The Woods, a Russian River Gay Hotel with “Clothing Optional” pool, is centrally located in downtown Guerneville. This one-of-a-kind hotel is situated between the tall, swaying redwood trees and the hypnotic flow of the splendid Russian River for the ideal getaway!

This Woods is Gay-owned and welcomes LGBTQ+ in our thoughtfully appointed Cottages & Cabins … the perfect answer for a rejuvenating, relaxing and slightly “spirited” escape to the Sonoma Wine Country.

The Woods is within walking distance to shops, restaurants, dancing and live entertainment. Enjoy wine tasting and tours along the Russian River Wine Road throughout the Russian River, Dry Creek and Alexander Valley appellations. Enjoy varietals including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Barbera, Merlot, Syrah, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon and a wide variety of dessert wines.

Please note: 
+ The Woods is an adult-hotel and not recommended for minors.
+ Our pool is heated seasonally by a solar cover (May through October) and is dependent on the weather. The Pool is open all year around.
+ We offer eight EV charging stations at no cost to our guests. They are 220 & 115 volt chargers and you will need to bring your cord for the hook up.
+  Our hotel has three pet-friendly rooms for well-behaved dogs.

pool at the woods is now heated
guest room at the woods cottages & cabins at the russian river in guerneville
BALCONY ROOMS
guest room kitchen at the woods cottages & cabins at the russian river in guerneville
COTTAGES
cabins - guest room at the woods cottages & cabins at the russian river in guerneville
CABINS
large guest room at the woods cottages & cabins at the russian river in guerneville
LARGE ROOMS
basic guest room at the woods cottages & cabins at the russian river in guerneville
BASIC ROOMS

The Woods offers cottages, free-standing guest cabins and multi-room suites with full kitchens, gas fireplaces, private balconies and stunning views of lush redwood forests. Additionally, each room features a 43″ to 49″ High Def Flat Screen TV.

We have one of the largest swimming pools in the area and it has full sun all day long. With an outdoor fireplace, stone fountains and romantically lighted landscaping, your stay at The Woods is guaranteed to make you forget the problems of the real world. (Please note that we do not heat the outdoor pool in the winter months.)

The Woods Cotttages & Cabins has a wireless Internet workstation available for guests in the lobby … and is an ideal venue for Russian River weddings, conferences and private parties.

Your hosts at this Russian River Hotel, Michael and Verna, are veterans of the local customer service industry with a familiarity of all the area has to offer in the way of recreation, adventure, wine tasting, dining, spa treatments and entertainment. They are happy to help you plan an exciting, memorable stay in the Russian River Valley.

spring bloom at the woods

Welcome to The Woods!

Spring Bloom

I booked one week and stayed 3 months ~ John, guest

I booked one week at The Woods Cottages & Cabins in Guerneville. I stayed 3 months. The staff made me feel like family, the pool community gave me camaraderie, and the property gave me the Gay Summer Camp experience I was hoping for. If you are an open-minded adult looking for a relaxed, body-positive, gay-forward Russian River stay with gardens, warm pool water, community, and room to be yourself, The Woods is special.

The Woods is LGBTQ+ welcoming, but the actual guest culture is very gay-forward and predominantly gay male, especially around the pool. That is part of what gives the property its identity. It is relaxed, friendly, open-minded, and rooted in the best of the Russian River gay retreat experience.

Over my stay, I experienced several different accommodations, which gave me a much broader view of the property than a typical short visit. I stayed in Cabin #18, which has a king bed, fridge, microwave, and one of my favorite balcony/patio views overlooking the rose garden and pool area. I also stayed in Deluxe Cabin D3, which has a full kitchen, catches the early morning sunrise, and overlooks the entire property. I am currently in a one-bedroom cottage with a full kitchen, living/dining area, and king bed.

The accommodations have classic Russian River cabin and cottage charm. They feel connected to the setting, with character, history, and a real sense of place. Most cabins involve stairs, while the cottages are ground level, so that is worth considering when choosing your room.

The grounds are one of the great pleasures of staying here. I arrived just before spring fully turned, and watching the property move into the summer season was genuinely beautiful. The mature rose bushes around the pool are stunning and fragrant, the hydrangeas add another layer of color, and this year there was a large garden dedicated to begonias, with dahlias placed throughout the property. The seasonal gardens change from year to year, which gives returning guests something new to enjoy.

The pool is the heart of the social experience. It is large, clothing optional, and in the warmer months the water has been consistently around 84 to 86 degrees. On weekends, there is upbeat/chill music by the pool, but this is not a loud party scene. The vibe is relaxed, social, respectful, and very easy to settle into.

This was my first clothing-optional pool experience, and what surprised me most was how normal, respectful, and refreshing it felt. Some guests are nude, some wear swim shorts, and some are working through their own comfort levels. Everyone seems to understand that people arrive with their own relationship to their body and their own pace. The overall environment is body-positive, friendly, and accepting.

The staff is a major reason I kept extending my stay. Michael, the General Manager, has been caring for the property for 25 years, and that continuity shows. Kim and Danielle are both a delight to see and bring real love to the guest experience. The staff are constantly cleaning, maintaining, helping, and caring for the property. There is pride here. You can feel it.

A few practical notes: there is free onsite parking, and there is an electrical outlet in the parking lot for an electric vehicle if you bring your own cord. Guests can bring their own wine and drinks, as long as they are in plastic around the pool area, and the property provides all the ice you need. Organic dark roast coffee is available around 9 a.m. for guests.

One unexpected favorite detail: the outdoor shower. Even with a full bathroom, I found myself using the outdoor shower almost every day. Hot water, fresh air, and the outside breeze. I had no idea an outdoor shower could become such a cool part of the daily rhythm, but it absolutely did.

The location is another advantage. From The Woods, Guerneville is genuinely walkable. Restaurants, bars, shopping, groceries, the river, and the redwoods are all within easy reach. I was able to park, settle in, and experience the town without everything becoming a logistical project.

The Woods is best for open-minded adults who want a relaxed, body-positive, social but low-pressure stay in the Russian River. It is welcoming to all genders and orientations, while also being very much a gay male-forward property in the best Russian River way. If you are looking for community, kindness, gardens, warm pool water, a clothing-optional pool, and room to exhale, this is absolutely your place.

I would recommend The Woods without hesitation to the right traveler. I came for a week and kept choosing to stay.

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