Old Thyme Inn

I have stayed in B&B facilities in a good many countries. I have enjoyed in particular those where you feel a welcome guest in a home with a real sense of family. Even better are those which impart the local culture, but there are few in California with a sense of permanence and place that I would recommend to friends from abroad. The Old Thyme Inn, built in 1898 in historic Half Moon Bay, is its own destination. This is a quiet place where accommodation is not an afterthought but a purpose. Everywhere you look, it is obvious, this place was developed with decades of dedication, a continuous and abiding love of work, hospitality without intrusion, and kindness without fawning. From the coffee to the soap, from the herb garden to the dining music, from the table books to the depth of local information, from the beds to the plentiful artwork, there is an attention to detail here that makes it an outstanding accommodation, each feature thoughtfully executed for its specific purpose, not to impress but to please. Do enjoy your stay there. We really did.

The room was charming, the bed was very comfortable. The room was tidy but not particularly clean. The breakfast was outstanding!!

My husband and I stayed at the inn for one night on our LA-San Francisco road trip, and I can't rave enough about it. Old Thyme Inn is your quintessential B&B--lovely, welcoming hosts; gorgeous, over-stuffed beds; fresh, delicious breakfasts; and everything else you could hope for in a B&B. If we're ever back on that part of the coast, I guarantee we'll be making a return visit. What an absolute pleasure. We liked it so much that we didn't even go out for dinner--brought some sushi back to the room and luxuriated in the relaxing atmosphere :)

Old Thyme Inn is superbly managed and run. Nice location on HMB's main drag. A great B&B (close to S.F. too!) Excellent breakfasts!! Recommend highly - very charming place. We could hear the guests shuffling above us from our first floor room late at night - only negative.

We stopped in at the Old Thyme in for two nights during our road trip in Northern California. We were very pleased with our stay and the courtesy of our hosts. Rooms were as asvertised and very comfortable. The location was quiet and close to the restaurants. Our hostss has compiled a big book of menus so we could make informed choices on where to dine. They also provided some insights based upon their experiences. A very confortable and appealing inn - we will stay there again! Mike & Deb from SCV

Very nice. Quiet. It was our first B&B experience and I think we'll do it again. Great location for enjoying Half Moon Bay.

This was our 2nd visit to this B and B and we would go again, it was very nice.

This is a very nice little bed and breakfast in Half Moon Bay. If you're looking for a nice getaway over a weekend, this guest house is conveniently located in Main street. It was very clean, quiet and overall very enjoyable.

Our honeymoon at the Old Thyme Inn was absolutely wonderful. The breakfast was delicious every morning, and the room we stayed in was so cozy and romantic. We would definitely recommend staying at this Inn. The only issue we ran into was that our toilet was having problems flushing when we first arrived, but the problem was quickly amended.

This is a charming inn right downtown in Half Moon Bay. I liked being close to shops and restaurants and Old Thyme is a great location for those who like to walk the town. The room was charming at first glance, however, the carpet was soiled and in need of cleaning or replacement. I had notified the inn that my sister and I had planned a special trip to celebrate our mother's 89th birthday. I was very unhappy to see that they had not prepared for the three of us. We had to ask for additional towels and robe. They also provided us a rollaway bed that was very uncomfortable. The mattress was lumpy and needed to be replaced. For the price of $275 for a room, I expect quality accommodations.

[Resource Id: innkeeperresponse, Set: reviews]
Hello Guests from December 2010, First, thank you for the kind words about our convenient downtown location and the Inn's charm. We take all feedback seriously, and sincerely regret that we did not meet your expectations. We were especially concerned that the Thyme Room, when you arrived, may not have met our stringent standards for cleanliness. When we reviewed your comments with our staff, they pointed out that about a week before your visit a rust spot appeared in a very obvious place on the rug. Somebody apparently placed something wet and made of iron in that spot, and it made a stain that we have not been able to remove. And believe me, our staff knows a lot of tricks for removing stains. Other than that, the rug in that room appeared to be clean. Just to make sure, we steam cleaned that rug the week following your visit. We performed a very unscientific test on the roll-away bed --we lay down upon it and asked ourselves if we'd like to sleep on it. As a result, a new bed is on order and should be here any day. Thanks for pointing that out to us as well. We remember that you made mention when booking of your mother's birthday and the special treat that you and your sister planned for her at Old Thyme Inn. Clearly, we were not performing to our usual standards the afternoon of your arrival, and we suspect that our oversight may have been responsible for a less than stellar visit by you and your family. As a result of your comments, we have implemented a program focusing on special requests such as yours, so that they don't get lost in the cracks, as this one appears to have. Special requests and additional guests in a room now are highlighted on the reservation checkin card as well on our desk calendar and our staff housekeeping report. Please accept once again our sincere apology, and we hope that someday you'll consider coming to visit us again. Until next thyme... Rick & Kathy

- Rick (Innkeeper)

We only spent one night but had a wonderful time. The room was beautiful, and the bath and shower were luxurious. We got to have breakfast in our room and it was delicious. I would definitely stay again.

We especially appreciated the gardens and the gracious host!

I had the most amazing weekend at the Old Thyme Inn. Rick and Kathy were so hospitable and made us feel so at home! They were so welcoming, the rooms were clean and well-kept, the bed was amazingly soft, and the food was so scrumptious. Thank you so much for an amazing stay!

It's all that you would expect from a B&B and more. Great view of the garden from the upstairs Oregano room. We were pampered with bath salts and herbal shampoo & conditioner and soaps. The personal service was outstanding. The innkeeper made sure that our champagne that we brought was chilled and set up in our room when we came back from dinner. The full breakfasts were scrumptious, with a sprig of fresh herb garnishing our plate. It was a great way to celebrate our anniversary.

The inkeepers are the best nice helpfull and know the area

This was our second trip to Half Moon Bay and I wish we would have stayed here the first time. The rooms are great, the garden is delightful, the location is perfect, and the breakfasts are fantastic. Can't wait to stay here again!

The Inn sitter, Janet, made me feel so welcome. Her attention to details, dinner recommendations and divine breakfast (at my schedule) made me feel so special. More kindness than I get at home in my busy household. I will return whenever I'm in Half Moon Bay. She earned a guest for life!

Our 1st stay at a Bed & Breakfast and we must say Old Thyme Inn was a perfect example. The atmosphere was wonderful, environment was beautiful, breakfast food was excellent, and the customer service was out of this world! It felt as if I was home and met some wonderful people. If you are not a social person, then a Bed & Breakfast is definitely not for you. We look forward to another stay with Old Thyme, and would not mind brining our 3 little ones if allowed?!

We enjoyed our stay however short. Janet the innkeeper was very nice and helpful to us as new visitors to the area and reccommended an exceptional restuarant.

My husband and I celebrated our wedding anniversary at the Old Thyme Inn. We stayed in the Garden room. We were so impressed at the accommodations; the tour given to us upon arrival, the cleanliness of the entire establishment, the kindness and helpfulness of the staff, the food, everything! We would definitely stay there again if the opportunity ever rises again.

A beautiful place to stay. A short walk to downtown. A long walk (or a short drive) to the ocean. Beautiful rooms and very comfortable beds. The breakfast was delicious. The innkeepers are very hospitable. Thank you for a wonderful getaway. We'll be back!! Paul and Nora

My husband and I stayed one night at the Old Thyme Inn and enjoyed our stay. The innkeepers met us upon arrival and showed us around the house and the gardens. The rooms were what we expected only because we had viewed the pictures prior to arrival; however, the bed was luxurious and we really enjoyed the double spa in our bathroom. The prize has to go to the breakfast. Filing, gourmet, and herbs from the garden are used in the dishes and as a garnish.

I have to admit I haven't always enjoyed our stays at certain B&Bs. I hate sharing a bathroom with strangers or staying in a "charming" (cramped) room in some “off-the-beaten-path” (far from anything) home. But I could literally move into Old Thyme Inn and be perfectly happy. The rooms are a delight, spacious and beautifully appointed. Each has a private bath. And the beds are so wonderful that when my wife and I got home from our first trip there, we searched far and wide to try to find some kind of bedding that could reproduce the sleeping experience we enjoyed at the Inn (we 've never found it). My only complaint is the food --- there's not enough of it. Breakfast is heavenly! Despite the many excellent restaurants within walking distance, we would gladly return to the Inn for lunch and dinner but they don't serve those meals. Perhaps that's why they call it a bed and breakfast... The Inn is located on one of the most charming Main Streets in America, only a few blocks from one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. When you aren't poking among the many neat little shops on Main Street, you'll be strolling the bike path along the cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, or along the beach directly below. The house is a beautiful, turn-of-the-century masterpiece lovingly maintained by the innkeepers. And while we're talking about them, they couldn't be nicer people or more solicitous of a guest’s comfort. Not to mention fascinating. She's a painter and he's a voice actor, among their other pursuits, and both must be skilled gardeners because the landscaping is gorgeous. Would we go back again? We have, many times, and will continue to do so. We are frequent travelers and Old Thyme Inn has earned our highest recommendation. • Liked — The Innkeepers; the rooms, the food, the location. • Disliked — Can't seem to find anything like it on the East Coast. Darn!

"Hospitality". A quaint, almost old school notion. One, nevertheless, always hoped for, but seldom delivered. Officially defined as a noun, (“person", "place" or "thing”, right?), we all encounter it in endless advertising shouts. As a professional photographer, I travel with some frequency and have often found that particular “noun” to be just a “thing”. More like a 2D description of "possible future service”; it thrives in glossy brochures, but not often enough in our world. “Hospitality”, (the 3D/iMAX version!), would clearly be a Verb as it represents the delivery of commitments; a series of promises-in-motion, governing every minute of every guest’s stay. Well and truly delivered, it can so effectively set the stage for return visits...and those magic referrals. My Webster defines it as “…the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly, generous way”. I’ve had the good fortune of visiting the quaint seaside village of Half Moon Bay, CA., and staying at the charming Old Thyme Inn several times. Evident to me after my first meeting with Innkeepers, Rick & Kathy Ellis, Webster must have had folks just like those two pros in mind when he penned that definition. It precisely describes my every visit: Promises kept.

this was our first time at a B&B and what an outstanding experience. From the beautiful rooms, to the gourmet breakfasts, to the lush garden, it will be hard to top this experience.

We've stayed at alot of B&B's so perhaps our expectations are very high. Old Thyme Inn was very nice but we maybe expected more. It was difficult to take a shower in a bathtub with a hand shower.

This was our first trip to Half Moon Bay and we wanted to make it a perfect experience. After spending a great deal of time investigating all of the B&B’s and reading the reviews for the Half Moon Bay area, we decided on the Old Thyme Inn, and are we glad that we did! Kathy and Rick are exceptional hosts. We were greeted upon our arrival and shown all the niceties of this extraordinary Victorian Inn. We were shown to our room and a explanation of all the luxuries that it included. The room was over-the-top with every detail taken into consideration. Wine and cheese was graciously served in the parlor at 5:00pm. Rick was very happy to make us a reservation at one of the best restaurants in town (Pasta Moon) and offer any assistance that we needed. Breakfast was entirely homemade, extremely delicious and served in our room. While the Garden Room is the most expensive room available, it is well worth the price. With a private entrance, featherbed, French linens, and fresh flowers it is extremely romantic. I have stayed in many hotels in the US and Europe and even at the price of the Garden Room it fully exceeded any 5 star accommodations that I have experienced. You won’t be disappointed!

Living in san fransisco its nice to have a place close to home like this....y girlfriend and I had a very romantic time here. The whirlpool tub, and fireplace in the room really added to the wonderful atmoshere that surrounds Half moon find....Old Thyme Inn is a great find!

I stayed here for two nights during a driving vacation. This was my first time at a b&b (have since stayed at one other) and REALLY enjoyed it.

I stayed there for my honeymoon and it was wonderful. I would recommend it to anyone without reservation.

My husband stayed at the Old Thyme Inn and we absolutly loved it! It doesn't compare to other B&B's, I would go back (and plan to) in a heartbeat! Highly recommended!