You Won’t See Horses at Dawn Ranch—But You Will Find Denim Daybeds and Redwood Tubs

From dreamy decor to top-notch amenities, Domino’s Wish You Were Here series is your first-class ticket to the most design-driven getaways around the world. Whether you’re looking to steal away for a few days or just steal a few ideas for back home (we encourage both, for the record), check out where we’re checking in.

During a tour of the recently opened zen hideaway Dawn Ranch in Northern California, the hotel’s general manager paused to answer an alarm on his phone. “Oh, that’s my gratitude alarm,” he declared, before announcing to the small crowd what he was thankful for in that moment.

How does a person choose just one thing to be grateful for in a place like this? You could start with the hotel’s natural architecture, aka the canopy of decades-old redwoods that shade the 15-acre property’s century-old cabins. But then what about the rooms themselves, cozy nooks that have all been given a wash of Farrow & Ball’s Pointing, a creamy shade specifically chosen for the way its red undertone looks against the trees through the windows? 

The truth is, there’s lots to be thankful for here in Guerneville, a funky town right along the Russian River—you can jump into it from a dock on the ranch—and this new property tops the list. Throughout the years, it’s been a family resort, a gay men’s resort, and, most recently, a wedding venue. Now it’s a chic escape where you go to turn off your morning alarm—and turn on your gratitude one. 

The public areas and rooms, which range from cabins to cottages (yurts are also available) are the handiwork of Bridgeton Studio in collaboration with Brian Smith, who scoured the Round Top Antiques Fair for Brutalist coffee tables and a turn-of-the-century French pastry cabinet, which now frames the main dining room. Fireplaces covered in floor-to-ceiling sage tile appear in some rooms, and Bear mattresses get the Matouk treatment. (I topped mine with a Higher Dose infrared mat, another perk.) Utility denim covers the daybeds, and empty vases come with scissors for afternoon flower-cutting adventures. 

In the bathrooms, flagstone floors mingle with Clé zellige tile, full-size Le Labo toiletries, and unlacquered brass faucets meant to age gracefully over time. Remember, nothing is forced here. 

And then there’s the spa, formerly the proprietor’s home, where pine paneling plays nice with checkerboard marble floors and a cushy olive velvet Maiden Home sofa. But the redwood tubs on the patio are where you’ll actually spend your afternoon lazing in a customized broth of dried herbs mixed by Heidi, the spa director. And it’s there, staring up at those majestic redwoods, that you’ll realize how grateful you truly are to be exactly where you are, in that moment.