In December my husband’s company had their annual holiday party just over the Golden Gate Bridge in beautiful Tiburon. Rather than drive home a little tipsy, we decided to accept a discounted rate on a night at the Water’s Edge, a beautiful Joie de Vivre boutique hotel right in the heart of Tiburon.

Tiburon is a sleepy little berg, just 10 miles/20 minutes away from San Francisco. The views from pretty much everywhere are stunning, and the ferry ride to the City (which you can catch just a block from the hotel) is one of my favorite budget tourist attractions.

A Big Room, a Bigger Bathroom

The Water’s Edge has an understated, soothing atmosphere. The decor is a lot of clean lines and neutral colors — no competing with the view right outside the window.

Our room, on the second floor at the front of the Water’s Edge, was enormous, and had a small balcony overlooking over the street. In most locations you’d think this would be the noisiest room in the place,  but in quiet Tiburon in the super quiet month of December, it was perfect.

The bedding was sumptuous — hello feather bed and crisp but soft cotton sheets! — without being fussy. There were a few understated pictures on the walls, but most of the surfaces were uncluttered. Rather than seeming empty, you got an impression of calm, open space.

That space included a gigantic bathroom, one of my favorite hotel features.  This one was made to feel even more spacious because of the slab sink counter. Not having cabinets under the sink would be a pain at home, but in a hotel it felt clean and uncluttered. And hallelujah, there was actually enough light and a good mirror for me to put on makeup!

In keeping with the minimalist approach, there were a couple of small, framed vintage beach photos on the wall. This kind of intimate, tasteful detail is a signature of the style of the Water’s Edge.

Sweet Service

The woman at the front desk was gracious and helpful, making sure I knew about the complimentary wine in the afternoon (oh, I knew alrighty) and breakfast in the morning. Pretty standard for a well trained front desk clerk. But then, 10 minutes after we got into the room, she called to make sure we had everything we need.

It was a really impressive surprise. I didn’t even know what to say, except for thank you.

Of course, she knew that I write for Uptake.com, so as usual I had to sneak around and see how the staff treats “regular” non-hotel reviewer folk.

This was made easy by the open architecture of the hotel lobby and staircase. When I was in the hallway, I could everything she said to every person at the front desk, and every call she made, without being seen.

Verdict? Nicest front desk clerk ever, or at least an excellent actress who really likes people.

Breakfast Almost in Bed

We didn’t get too loaded at the holiday party — the entire managment/ownership team was there! Still, it was nice to wake up and have a full continental breakfast spread waiting in the hallway: coffee, tea, juice, pastries, cereal, yogurt, and fruit.

Even though we weren’t hungover, we still went back for seconds on coffee and danish. Because we could and it was good!

Other Nice Amenities

• Spa robe
• Iron (very helpful when getting ready for your husband’s work party!)
• free wifi
• a computer workstation in the lobby, for quick email checking
• all day tea service

The Neighborhood

On summer weekends, one of the brunch hottest spots in the entire Bay Area is Sam’s Anchor Cafe, located right next door to the Water’s Edge. When it’s sunny, it’s nearly impossible to get a seat on the deck with a view of the City. Definitely an iconic local spot for a meal, any time of day or year!

Be warned: there is very little street parking in the neighborhood. There is a central paid lot about 100 feet away. Parking is included with the room, but be ready for a slight hassle of a walk if, for instance, your husband leaves his dress shoes in the car, and convinces you to go get them because he’d feel “dumb” wearing his white Adidas with his suit (you know, in case he met anyone from work).

The Surprise

As we were leaving our room to check out, I looked down the hall, out an open door and saw the Pacific. We’d forgotten about the gorgeous deck right there at the hotel! It’s open to all guests, and has nice chairs and tables for you to relax and watch the sun rise, set, or sparkle over Angel Island and views of the City.

Next time I’ll definitely put on my spa robe, get my morning coffee and complimentary newspaper, and hang out on the deck, soaking up that San Francisco Bay magic!