Harmon Guest House

This contextual new inn slips into the Healdsburg scene as a fresh surprise with an understated California vibe, yet seems as if it’s always naturally been there. Elevated yet accessible, the unfussy inn is attuned to an unfilled niche and the evolving needs of the popular town. Harmon Guest House is a simply sophisticated spot celebrating natural materials and honoring the local and the handmade.

Paired with Hotel Healdsburg and h2hotel, the three inns have been developed and are run by the same team in an ongoing creative collaboration with DBA. The newest guest house sits on a narrow lot just to the north of h2hotel, not far from the town plaza, bringing additional sustainable accommodations plus a needed parking resource.

The modern, organic design of Harmon Guest House entices with a transparent lobby and a dramatic sunlit stair tower that lures people in and away from the elevator. The building highlights and celebrates natural and durable materials throughout, showcasing their beauty without need for adornment—the striking polished concrete lobby floor, textured concrete walls, rich weathering steel, and reclaimed redwood sun-shading that provides a stunning exterior texture. The check-in desk is crafted from one giant fallen eucalyptus tree. Glassy bridges and seating nooks with leafy views throughout the hotel continue the natural, open feel.

For this thoughtfully curated hotel, Piazza and DBA undertook a series of collaborations with artisans and suppliers to support local makers and create an environment that truly reflects its place. 

The 39 efficient rooms—including six suites—are grouped in intimate pods at the front and rear of the site. Between, a central courtyard brings in light and air, and glassed-in bridges connect the rooms across the court. Each guest room enjoys private outdoor space by way of a balcony or patio, and each has a view out toward either the main street and town square or the swimming pool and surrounding trees.

The upper level of the community-oriented hotel features an indoor-outdoor rooftop lounge, the only publicly accessible roof deck in town. As part of its design and construction, the guest house is contributing to the further restoration of Foss Creek, which runs through the town. The property spans the creek, with a custom footbridge crossing over to a creekside park with preserved and protected trees and native plantings.

Guest parking is provided via valet-served parking lifts in a super-efficient, out-of-sight garage entered from Healdsburg Avenue. The garage also accommodates a fleet of shared bicycles as well as secure bicycle parking for guests, and the building facade includes a built-in bus-stop with a sheltered waiting bench.