Rainbow Inn On Strawberry Creek

I cannot recommend the Rainbow Inn highly enough. I’ve stayed at 5* hotels around the world and yet this hidden gem is among the best places I’ve ever visited. John Simpson, the owner and host, is a celebrated travel photographer, whose stunning experiences adorn the walls. He’s also an excellent chef and the king of hospitality. His tranquil spirit and eye for décor flood the inn with memories waiting to be made and I guarantee you will find yourself dreaming of moments spent at the place in Idyllwild during dull meetings and uninspired moments at your workplace for months after your visit. The inn is perfect for those spare few days when you just need to get away from it all and recharge batteries. I’m leaving again and can’t wait to return…

Beautiful area, excellent service, delicious breakfast. Will definitely be staying again. Thank you John.

We spent New Year’s weekend in Idyllwild. We arrived at the Rainbow Inn and were pleasantly surprised by its’ convenient location (walking distance to town center) and the beautiful interior. We were warmly greeted by John and felt welcomed right away. Our room was clean and cozy and tastefully decorated. There is a big selection of dvds and games available to use and we spent a great time hanging out in the comfortable guest lounge. John cooked an amazing breakfast both mornings of our stay! We very much enjoyed our weekend getaway and can’t wait to return soon! Thank you John!

The room was cozy. TV, DVD player, books, comfortable bed, bathroom with fridge, coffee maker. Lounge area was a nice quiet place to hang out. Breakfast was better than I expected. We were a short 8 minute walk to village center. Will definitely be back.

Perfect weekend getaway. You want to get away to relax… this is the place. You want excellent customer service… look no more. Breakfast was fantastic. I can’t say enough good things about John and the Rainbow Inn on Strawberry Creek. It’s clean, the grounds are beautiful and peaceful. Close to town. Can’t wait to return!

We spent the weekend at Rainbow Inn. Got there a little late due to traffic, but John greeted us by name immediately. He showed us around the Inn and to our room. A great greeting with warm hospitality. The ambiance and cleanliness is what I noticed first (of course). The décor is charming, rustic and ‘lodge-​like’. Lots of windows. John is a professional photographer and his photos adorn the inn and it’s rooms.
The outside grounds are huge with plenty of private places to sit. The main patio is large with lots of seating areas. Very clean. Nice patio lights go on at dark.
Our room was immaculate, fireplace and whirlpool bath. Great intentions — but didn’t use it. The bed was very comfy with nice linens. There is no room cleaning service, but you just don’t need it here. Nice closet space and place to put ‘drawer’ items.
The breakfasts? It’s obvious that John takes great pride in his culinary skills. Generous portions. One morning had stuffed french toast, and the next morning an egg shuffle. Absolutely delicious. Fresh coffee brewed early each morning. The «main» living room is nice and cozy. We can’t wait to go back. Next time, won’t leave on a Friday at 3:00 PM. We lost a whole day in Idyllwild or just relaxing at the inn.
This is a wonderful place to stay for peace and quiet. John, the inn keeper seems to be available for your every need. Very gracious and unobtrusive. He is ‘detailed’ oriented and obviously takes pride in what he does. You’re gonna love it!!!
Try Gastronome for dinner.. . excellent fresh fish. Fabulous! Café Aroma for great Italian food. Funky place, but good food.
The worst thing about writing this review is that every review on Rainbow Inn is a «five star» and I’m just worried we won’t be able to get a reservation next time we want to go. Wow, what a problem to have, uh?

The rainbow Inn was amazing. It totally exceeded our expectations. The rooms were immaculate and homey. The inn was quite charming actually. John, the owner was personable and more than helpful. He definitely took great pride in the Inn. He cooked up an incredible breakfast (eggs Benedict, fresh fruit and yogurt, coffee cake, juice and coffee. Though, he was happy to accommodate any dietary needs. The grounds are beautiful and close to town. We will definitely go back. In fact we are already planning another visit. We highly recommend it to anyone visiting Idyllwild.

Rented 2 rooms for elderly grandmothers while our family was camping/​rock climbing. Great experience, all wonderful — rooms, breakfast, surroundings. John, the owner, also gave grandmas a ride to the Nature Center while we were away. Right now booking for another weekend :)

We can’t thank John enough for his superb hospitality — it was so easy to feel at home. Warm, inviting, every detail arranged and considered. He’s created an interior-​designer caliber environment of comfort and style. We loved our accommodations, every need was anticipated, met and in most cases, exceeded. Amenities in our bedroom and bathroom, including plush towels and more. Breakfast was upscale– restaurant quality delicious, generous portions, we didn’t need lunch. John has really done his B&B right. It is, no doubt, THE place to stay in Idyllwild. And, the location is central to everything and in a quiet residential neighborhood. We look forward to returning. A fabulous value.

This place is amazing. Comfortable, cozy, clean, relaxing, etc. Jon is probably the nicest person my finace and I have ever met. He genuinely cares about his guests’ happiness. We have decided to get married there because it feels like a home away from home for us. We know it will be an amazing wedding.

HELLO NARNIA!!!
This place is a Winter Wonderland! This is our first time staying here and this will now be the place we will book for future trips to Idyllwild. The atmosphere, décor, rooms, and property are so warm, exquisite, and welcoming. John is a wonderful and kind host, who is genuinely welcoming and keeps his inn very well furnished and heavenly. Exploring this place is truly fun… all the outdoor seating and relaxation areas, as well as the huge indoor cozy lounging and dining areas, including nice fireplaces. We were lucky enough to stay here while the holiday décor was up, and it really adds great charm to this bed and breakfast (not that it is in need of any more charm!). The bedrooms are secluded and private enough due to the thick walls and space. Beautiful views from every window of the estate, we were also lucky enough to be here during the snow storm!
We plan on returning before the end of this winter season and are already super excited for another tranquil and magical getaway.
Oh yes, and we will be having our wedding here one day, of course!!!

So cute and charming and the rooms are very nice! My fiancé and I met John over the weekend to look into having our wedding at Rainbow Inn. Prior to coming up he was very helpful and responsive through email, then when we toured the inn he was very friendly and had great suggestions and we loved the inn. We have officially booked this venue for our wedding next May and we are very excited to work with John and introduce our friends and family to this beautiful inn and the charming town of Idyllwild!

We spent 2 nights at Rainbow Inn to celebrate our 30^th anniversary and we had a wonderful time. I would give it 10 stars if I could. The rooms are beautifully decorated and extremely clean, the scenery is peaceful and John was absolutely FANTASTIC, not only as host but as a very talented cook too. We will be back!!!

I was a bit skeptical since practically all the Trip Advisor and Unilocal reviews are 5 stars, but the Rainbow Inn definitely comes through. John makes a great breakfast, and the location is great for Idyllwild. I stayed 2 nights in June and will be back.

Second visit to Idyllwild, first for the Rainbow Inn. Jon greeted us by name upon arrival and this was an early indication of how hospitable he would be during our two day visit. The inn is located conveniently near the center of town (within walking distance) and is really quite nice. It has a nice central area on the second floor for relaxing (also the room where breakfast is served) and there are approx 5 – 6 room options. We chose one of the smaller rooms, but it was still plenty big for two. The bed was very comfortable, a TV was included just in case you need it, nice size shower, Wi-​Fi, and central heat. In addition, they have a nice selection of games/​videos if you want to stay in for the evening. Breakfast was served each morning at 900… everyone staying at the Inn sat at a large table in the common area mentioned earlier. The food was very good both days and included plenty of coffee and good conversation. Overall, I would highly recommend this B&B during your next visit… you will be very happy with the stay and the good value.

We stayed here in the Swan Suite and had a great time. The fireplace and jacuzzi bathtub were perfect! Lon and John were great hosts… we definitely will be back and highly recommend Rainbow Inn!

We stayed at this B&B with our 8 month old baby, and it couldn’t have been nicer. John, the host, was very friendly, helpful, and very accommodating. The breakfasts were delicious, the location was great (walk about 5 minutes to town), and the rooms were spacious, clean, and welcoming.

Great B&B. Great rooms, AMAZING staff and close to everything. Really loved our time here.

WONDERFUL
I surprised my husband with this trip. I was fortunate to pick the BEST bed and breakfast in this magical town. I selected the Swan Lake room because it had a fireplace and a jaccuzzi tub. The accommodations were 5 stars. The town is so charming. I have never been to a place where everyone loves their city.

A great B & B isn’t as common as you may think, but Rainbow Inn truly earns the title of the Best B & B ever. Lon in a great host, the rooms are beyond comfortable, the food is more than you’d expect, and the setting in Idyllwild makes it all perfect. A secluded location with the added benefit of a very short walk that puts you in the center of town, where there’s plenty to do and see. Who could ask for anything more?
This was our 4^th stay and we’ll be back!