Union Hill Inn

I cannot say enough about how incredible Union Hill Inn is. Absolutely everything about this venue and their staff is incredible.
As a venue, this place offers an immense amount of flexibility to your needs. The chapel, of course, offers an incredible place for your wedding ceremony. It’s by far the show-​stopper, and getting married in there was everything I hoped for. What I didn’t expect was how much I would love and become attached to every other place on the property. We spent a good amount of time in the Dairy Barn. We had our rehearsal dinner in there (about 25 people, very comfortably), breakfast/​brunch on Saturday and Sunday, and a post-​reception party after our wedding. It was the perfect hang out for us all weekend long. The reception hall was gorgeous and easy to navigate. And the rooms! Everyone that got to stay on the property absolutely loved their room. The décor and charm in each little place really makes this place special.
The staff here at Union Hill are nothing less than extraordinary. Each person was incredibly kind, thoughtful and helpful. They all clearly take tremendous pride in the property. It shows in the way they care for it and those that visit. The breakfasts provided by the Inn were scrumptious!
If there was one thing that I could add to make the weekend even better it would be a clear outline of do’s, don’ts and guidelines. There is so much to this property that you can easily overlook something spectacular. Barbara and Don give their guests a ton of freedom throughout the weekend, and really don’t come around too much. We were weary of using something we shouldn’t or violating a policy we were unaware of. Perhaps this really worked to their benefit as we in turn treated the property as we would our own. This is, after all, their home and it should be treated as such.
A few tidbits:
The property is dog friendly! We brought our pup and he had a great time. Barbara & Don have a dog onsite (Ginger) who is very friendly.
Make sure to provide your vendors and guests with very clear directions on how to get to the property and exactly where on it to meet you. It can be very daunting if it is their first time there.
Bring your walking shoes! The property is large, and even with golf carts, you will do quite a bit of roaming.
Hire a Day of Coordinator. See note above about large property! Having someone that knew this place intimately (Terri Neher of Events Extraordinaire in my case) made the entire weekend so easy!
Thank you UHI for the most incredible weekend of our lives.

Union Hill is the Best. Sparkling clean grounds, lovely chapel, and beautiful hall. Very, Very Professional…

I am writing this from a vendors perspective only. We worked a wedding here with our photo booth and this place does not rank real high on convenience to the vendor. We had to park on a very narrow loosely packed dirt driveway to unload our gear, we backed into the space after the wedding coordinator directed us to. We had to haul our gear past a parked car and a very large generator only to find there were a few small step ups on the walkway and then a narrow path to the patio where we were to set up. Once we hand hauled 80% of our gear because our hand trucks bogged down in the loose soil, we started to set up on a patio that the cement surface was full of loose cement and very large cracks. It for sure has the makings of a beautiful venue but I really feel the owners need to put a little money back into the property. With about 30 minutes left on our contracted time we were asked to move our trailer so the wedding coordinator could leave! Well in total darkness my husband could not back the trailer back up into the space without help (I was running the booth alone) so he moved it elsewhere, only to have them ask us to move again because the caterer needed to leave, so he moved it again, by the time we finished he had to put it in head first and we had to hand load 100% of our gear in about 10 trips (normally 2 trips each with carts) so to say the least I would never return here.

My husband and I got married at Union Hill in February and couldn’t be happier! I’d seen a picture of the chapel on Pinterest years ago and absolutely fell in love with it. I tried to keep my expectations low when we finally saw the property in person, and was blown away. It is just as gorgeous as it looks in the pictures! Barbara and Don were so warm and helpful and I am amazed at their ability to run the inn and all the business operations on their own.
In addition to the chapel and reception hall, there is SO MUCH going for this property. We had about 25 family members stay at the inn with us, enjoyed brunch on both Saturday and Sunday of the wedding weekend, and to top it off, they recently added a bonfire area with great seating and blankets on hand if it gets chilly. Unfortunately the weather didn’t hold out long enough for us to enjoy most of the outdoor spaces.
Especially when considering prices in the Bay Area for other wedding venues, Union Hill is an incredible choice! We were so happy with our weekend there and the guests are still talking about how beautiful it was, even in spite of the rain we got.
PRO TIP: Union Hill is booked out for 2 years, so for brides that don’t want to have their wedding so far out, start following their Facebook page. They post cancellations there, so if you follow their page, you’ll receive alerts when they post anything. If you see a cancellation that works for you, call and/​or email as fast as you can! That’s how we got our date. :)

Union Hill is MAGICAL! Our son married his beautiful bride May of 2015! The possibilities are endless for a most memorable weekend ~ we enjoyed every single moment. Our guests were blown away by every inch of this amazing property. Barbara, Don and staff truly love what they do and it just shines through. They have thought of everything to make your weekend as perfect as can be. There was always someone quietly around to help with any request we had. The wedding weekend was a huge success ~ a memorable, magical, joy filled success! Yes, there was a devastating fire 10 days before the wedding weekend… it didn’t stop the magic of Union Hill Inn! We love Union Hill Inn!

I had my wedding here this last December of 2014. What an amazing place Barbara and Don and their staff have created!
Many of the cottages have antique décor, and a certain shabby sheek-​ness. (so it might not be for everyone.) This just adds to the magic and ambiance of the entire place. The grounds are absolutely beautiful with many weeping willow trees scattered about. Makes for some amazing wedding photos! The Chapel, the dairy barn and the bridal cottage were by far my favorite spots.
Don’t let other posts scare you… communicating with Barbara via email can be a little frustrating at times, as she mainly replies in quick, sentences, but If you are patient and take the time to ask the right questions, and take the time to go up and meet her, and see the grounds, it is 100% worth it! Barbara is a busy lady, as this place is usually booked up WAY in advanced. This is a small town and family run business so no icky corporation to deal with. Barbara and Don are extremely warm and loving and made us feel like family. I am so happy I chose to have my wedding at Union Hill Inn. Thank you Barbara and Don!!!

I had my wedding here in June of 2014. What a dream it was!!! All of my guests gushed over the property and the chapel. It was everything I could of ever dreamed!
If you are looking for a warm loving host/​inn keeper. you wont find it in Barbara. She is very busy and she doesn’t hide it. Some of the rooms are a little… ummmm… how can i say this nicely? umm. rustic… ummm distressed? dusty and dingy. but all in all… awesome place. their cooks are amazing. Sunday’s brunch was the best i have ever had!!!
I would wait another 2 years to get married here…

Anthony Melchiorri, if you’re reading this: Please help Union Hill Inn!!! This inn and wedding venue is the perfect candidate for Hotel Impossible.
From what I saw online, UHI was my favorite wedding venue, and I was rooting for this to be the place where we’d seal our vows. We set out to love UHI. We came a looong way to see the venue, and I was crushed when not only did we not like it, but we kind of hated it. :/​
Like so many others, my fiancé and I fell in love with images of the chapel, which is beautiful in person but, sadly, is Union Hill Inn’s only redeeming quality.
So, what’s wrong with Union Hill Inn???
— Simply put, the property appears to be neglected. It is extremely unkempt and outdated! Messy landscaping, overgrown weeds, dingy furnishings indoor and out, kitschy/​cheap décor, questionable bed linens…
I couldn’t imagine getting ready for my wedding day, donning a white gown, and sitting on any of the furniture, much less sleeping in any of those beds for the weekend. I honestly would be embarrassed to invite family to travel to my wedding and then ask them to stay on the property.
— Union Hill Inn does not provide a property manager to help you and your guests throughout the weekend with maintenance repairs, unless it’s «an emergency». When you rent the venue for your 55 hours of exclusive use, you’re on your own. A toilet clogs? You plunge it. A lightbulb goes out? You replace it. As a bride, those are the last things I’d want to think about on my wedding weekend!!! And with the shabby state of things at UHI, there was NO WAY I could agree to that!
— Multiple construction/​reno projects. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. When we visited, they were expanding one of the suites– Great. But they were also putting money into building an amphitheater and a hops garden. Meanwhile, so many things on property are in disrepair! I couldn’t help but think they were investing their money to add things when what they should be doing is repairing what they have! And, as bride, a MAJOR red flag was that they couldn’t guarantee the state of the property for the date of my wedding. They couldn’t (and wouldn’t) guarantee that there wouldn’t be multiple in-​progress construction projects when we arrived for the wedding.
— The inn itself is like a dream… but not a good one. More like a nightmare. You know, the kind where you’re navigating an interior, and doors seem to lead to hallways that lead to a room that lead to a staircase that lead to another room that lead to another hallway… «Aaaah! Wake uuuup!»
— The proximity to the main road. Now this is something they can’t fix, and with the size of the property, UHI has the potential to be a real wedding oasis. With improvements to the property, this venue can be absolutely AMAZING. Sonora is absolutely charming and this area is incredibly unique.
I was astonished to see all of these glaringly negative features when we visited, because weddings at UHI have appeared in major magazines and they seemed to be gorgeous events. The truth is, there are some cool photo ops on the property, and it just goes to show how good photography can make miracles happen.
We visited UHI in February of 2014. Yes, a year ago. So why I am writing this review now? Since delving into wedding planning, I’ve realized just how important reviews are, especially since I’m planning a destination wedding and can’t always see things/​meet with vendors in person. Hopefully this review will help you make the right decision, but my real goal with this review is to reach the owner of UHI who can heed comments like this and make changes for the better! It really does have tremendous potential!!!

Just had our wedding. It was worth the wait. People were literally speechless. I wouldn’t look too much into the negative reviews. We had ours with not the best weather and it was still amazing. The staff from barbara and don to the groundskeepers (Eddy??), Kelly, and the cooks were kind and generous people. If you give a little kindness to them you get a lot back. I won’t go into all of the details of how amazing this place is, you just need to do a tour. Thank you guys for everything!!! It was beyond our expectations.

Without question the nicest bed-​and-​breakfast I’ve ever been to. The food was great the service was great the venue was amazing. The attention to detail is second to none

The Union Hill Inn is perfect if you «ONLY» want a Bed and Breakfast or picturesque opportunities for your wedding! However, this may be a feat in itself considering my phone calls were never returned. And I am the mother of the groom.
Once you actually «FIND» the place which is not marked from the road, you are pretty much on your own. No signs directing you and in our case, no management to be found even after the grounds keepers promised to round her (Barbara) up, so you are left to bumble around the property. We were late for the rehearsal due to waiting to pay upon check in, per Barbara’s instructions. We later were told to «find the owners and pay later». REALLY, what professional establishment expects to be chased down to be paid?
Rooms/​cottages not attached to the main dwelling are unfinished, unkempt, makeshift and certainly not worth the $ 179 a night. A complete field day for Code violations, water burns and insect or varmint disease.
If you have a problem, you can’t find anyone to help you, so if you are like us and have sewer gas seeping through the pipes all weekend, you are on your own to gag over the stench and hope the hairspray from the bride/​bridesmaids updos will cover it.
With the exception of the room you occupy, there are no garbage cans to be found, which makes it quite frustrating considering this is a «Bring it yourself» venue offering no services but breakfast!
The Grooms Coop flooded due to an exploding water heater, which was attended to promptly. SHOCK, the owners came out of hiding, not for long though, leaving the groomsmen to stay in that dwelling with wet floors. Luckily the door was hung improperly, it sat 6 inches off the floor so along with the mosquitoes, air was able to flow freely through. No other accommodations or refunds were offered and for a bonus, they forgot to turn the gas and pilot lights back on leaving many of those in the wedding party without showers… REAL NICE!
I do understand that «Things happen», however, this place is truly not ready to be «Housing» people in their out buildings and being that they are, should definitely NOT be charging what they do, and it’s nothing you can expect, you just encounter it when you are already in the thick of it and you can’t turn back.
It may have been a bit more tolerable if the owners, (who are the on site managers as well) were a bit more hospitable and available. Just not the case!
We were given the choice in our initial meeting to either pay by Credit Card and a service charge of $ 30 would be added or check/​cash and no fee. Surprisingly Barbara WAS VERY available on Check out day and when we tried to pay by check the amount was $ 30 higher. Upon questioning the amount, Barbara, abruptly announced «Checks are not the same as cash»… HMMM, I guess she doesn’t want much money flowing through her bank account.
All in all, for those Brides To Be in search of the perfect venue, this place looks great in the photos provided, and that’s it! It’s a horrible hassle, the owners are rude and truly make you feel like you are putting them out,(even in signing a contract with them) and unless you use a Wedding Coordinator which they approve of, you can’t use their facility. They want you to only go through or to that person for all questions and issues, which doesn’t help in the times that person isn’t on site, which is quite often, and they aren’t the property managers. The owners simply don’t want to be bothered, but have no problem taking your money!
Your wedding day should be hassle and worry free, especially when you pay a high price for a venue. The Union Hill Inn simply doesn’t provide that… picturesque, yes! Hassle free, NO!

I’ll start with the positive: the chapel and reception hall are beautiful for a rustic wedding. There is also a shed with leftover supplies to borrow.
We just returned home from a wedding and I am extremely disappointed with this venue for the money that was spent.
When we arrived on Friday the owner (Barbara) yelled at us for driving in the wrong area. The area was paved and there were no signs implying no vehicle access (there are no signs anywhere on the property!). After the bridal party unloaded the supplies we tried to check-​in so we could get into our rooms before the rehearsal but Barbara was no where to be found. We asked several maintenance guys to find her and were told several times that she was on her way. Once we realized she wasn’t going to come anytime soon we all just picked open rooms so we could get to the rehearsal… by that time no one had time to take showers or change.
We were later told to just find Barbara at some point during the weekend to pay for our rooms… what owner makes you hunt for them to pay them?!
Our cottage was not very clean (cobwebs everywhere!) and it smelled horrible. There was a stench in the bathroom that lasted all weekend. The bridesmaids got ready in our cottage and we had to keep the bathroom door closed the entire day because the smell was so bad. Had we been able to find the owners or a maintenance person we would have tried to get it fixed or get a new room… however they remained in hiding!
On Saturday morning, as everyone was attempting to get ready for the wedding festivities the gas was turned off to all the rooms… no hot water, no gas for the stove!
Come to find out the gas was turned off because the hot water heater in the «grooms coop» exploded, flooding the entire place. Since there were no open rooms and the venue is in the middle of nowhere they had to stay in a flooded «residence».
There are no garbage cans anywhere on the property, the breakfast/​brunch is «okay», the rooms are not clean, our showers were either scalding hot or freezing cold. I’m pretty sure most of the property is NOT up to code. A county inspector would have a field day on this property.
On Sunday morning as guests were leaving, Barbara came out of hiding-​just in time to collect her money! She charges an extra fee for using credit cards and checks… she only wants cash.
If you’re looking for just a beautiful chapel and reception hall this is a great place. However, I assume you’ll pass 30 other venues with great chapels and reception halls that have better service and rooms on your way.

No better B&B anywhere… that I have stayed anyway. Barbara and Don are the most gracious and hospitable people and truly make you feel at home. We were there a few years ago and if I could, I would go at least once a year; however, we couldn’t until now and I can’t wait to see Babara and Don again. The rooms are absolutely gorgeous and the grounds are breathtaking. It is a picture-​perfect place for a wedding and we really enjoyed our last stay and are looking forward to our trip in May this year.
Barbara is also the BEST chef, and most humble about it too. She is so accommodating to whatever her guests want… you just don’t see that kind of care anymore.
I can’t recommend this place enough… it is simply THE BEST!!!

Well I’m just curious how anyone is able to book their wedding here at all! I stumbled upon a beautiful photo of a ceremony in the chapel and immediately started doing my research on this venue. I looked over the website a million times and even their facebook page. I sent a little note on facebook and was requested to email the owner… so I did… I soon came to realize if I absolutely want to have my wedding here I will need to hire a wedding coordinator to communicate with the owner so I won’t get stressed out and go bonkers!!!
In my email I asked about catering info, if 2015 is still wide open or pretty booked already, and if we could possibly schedule a time to meet with her and visit the property…
Her response:
Hi Amy read over the package for 2015 carefully, that is all the info we have January, August and November/​December
still have and a few in between.
HUH!!!
Most responses I receive are warm and friendly and maybe even include a congratulations somewhere in there… and usually answer all my questions in full complete sentences with detailed information so I can get a better idea of what planning my wedding at a venue will entail!
So I reply… BTW like a mentioned early I read over the entire site a million times… so I DID READ THE WEDDING PACKAGE CAREFULLY… thanks… so again I asked about catering information and again if we could come see the property and when would be convenient.
The response:
sure, how many guests are you planning? Yes we have a vender list and depending on the # of guests
we will cater other than the breakfast and brunch in the package.
ok maybe we do this in baby steps!!! I’ll be patient here… I’m sure she is busy… I let her know how many guests… and no response at all.
The chapel is breathtaking and now that they have been featured in bridal magazines I’m sure the venue books itself. I’d imagine if the owner is overwhelmed and too busy and since they are pretty much booked all year for weddings and charging about $ 8200 and up for 2015 they can probably afford to hire someone to deal with all us eager brides that want to pay them to use their venue!
I dislike being that person I who complains but… this really was a bummer and disappointment as this looks like such an amazing venue. All you lovely brides who had an amazing experience lucky you! What was your secret?! LOL

As a local wedding caterer, I spend TONS of time at Union Hill Inn and I have watched it really develop over the past few years. The chapel building is breath taking and the perfect place for a ceremony. The hall is very easy for us to work in, and always looks loveley whether the wedding is highly designed, or the décor is minimal. My company has catered many successful weddings of many configurations at this venue, and Barbara, the owner is constantly working to add features to the property. The landscaping is impeccable, and we really LOVE working here!

My company Sound Extreme DJ’s weddings every month at this venue. The owners are always great to deal with. It’s a rustic country style venue with charm. We always look forward to working weddings at Union Hill.

Shabby chic.
It’s like Pottery Barn meets Sonora, in the HARDEST to find location ever. Balloons and sign be damned, we still couldn’t find this little place. After 30 minutes of driving the same loop and scary road, and one conversation with a robe clad lady feeding her horses, we found our way… iPhone was no help.
Ladies, those heels and wedges you packed, leave them where they are. Bring a cute pair of flip flops and feel defeated. This lovely little location is on a hill. I’m not messing around, a real life hill.
We were here for two occasions. The pre-​wedding BBQ and the wedding. The surrounding was very peaceful and earthy. From the looks of both occasions, the facility doesn’t do that much. My lovely cousin (and her now hubby) seemed to have prepped tons of stuff on their own — the entire BBQ for example. Unless the staff was undercover family, I didn’t see them once that afternoon/​evening.
The chapel is gorgeous. Perfect setting for a low-​key wedding. Not a lot of seating, but they arrange outdoor viewing as well. After Friday night, I had no idea what to expect, but it was so serene. Candles in mason jars, twigs twisted in pretty ways, and a old barn feeling, but clean and no cob webs.
There is a vast amount of property, which the happy couple used generously. We had appetizers and drinks in a little veranda area. We sat at picnic style table and chairs and enjoyed said drinks and treats. Right next to that was another little gazebo, which they used as the photo booth section. Then up the hill was the reception hall. Plain, and maybe drab from the outside, but inside it was beautifully decorated just like the cute little chapel.
I don’t recall ever really seeing any of the staff working, with the exception of the wedding planner lady and the three or four catering staff who were manning the buffet lines. So I’m not sure if this was a problem for the happy couple, but it didn’t really have any effect on myself?!?
From a person watching the union of two people, this place was great. Besides the fact that Google Maps and a family of four could barely find it. Once you do, you’re golden!
Seeing a happy couple get married is always special, but surrounded by a pottery barn catalogue makes it that much more beautiful!

For my niece’s wedding is was wonderful. Even though one review was dissatisfied if found if those who utilize the venue, will find it great! But they must take control and run their weddings to make sure everything goes well.

After reading the first review, I thought people looking for UHI reviews might need to hear a less than scathing view of this establishment.
My fiancé (now husband) and I were looking for a weekend wedding place for our April 14^th wedding in California. Since we had a lot of family coming from out of state, I wanted a place where a lot of people could stay. After seeing a beautiful wedding on 100 Layer Cake that happened at UHI, I immediately called Barbara, the innkeeper, to see about availability. She was very helpful over the phone and sent me lists of vendors that had worked there before.
My family and I visited in July to tour the grounds, and we loved every bit of it! I was feeling ill that day, and Barbara took me to the main house and fed me toasted crumpets with peanut butter. It definitely eased my stress a bit. We booked the venue, and I’m so glad we did!
We arrived on a Thursday night, and we began set up for the wedding on Friday morning. The rooms were lovely, and my bridesmaids and I stayed in the Willow Room (my mom stayed in the Bridal Cottage since there was only 1 bed). The Willow was comfy (gas fireplace!) and spa-​like, and has a jacuzzi tub and separate shower. Every room on the property has its own theme. It was so fun to explore and check out the fun little vintage details in each room. The Groom’s Coop did have some issues with water in the shower, but it was fixed as soon as it was reported.
Breakfast on Friday and Saturday morning included milk, granola, yogurt, eggs, bacon, pancakes, hash browns, etc. and every morsel of it was delicious! The barn was the perfect location to have our rehearsal dinner. It was warm and inviting, and spacious enough to hold about 40 – 50 people comfortably.
We used a lot of props from the prop shed behind the chapel. There’s a lot of stuff in there to use! It definitely helped our budget, especially since we were definitely on one. On the day of the wedding, Barbara and Don helped get guests from the parking area to the chapel, which they do for every wedding. Our wedding day couldn’t have been more perfect.
On Sunday morning, we had breakfast and gift opening in the main house, and were treated to about 6 different types of juices, blueberry smoothies, belgian waffles, fresh cream and berries, 3 types of skillet potatoes (red, sweet, and gold), a pasta dish, honey ham, eggs, and a strawberry and banana trifle. I saw many family members going back for seconds and thirds! (she did tell us that one dish had nuts in it, and she made sure to tell parents of little ones just in case someone was allergic)
Cleanup was super easy, and someone from the Inn was already up at the hall coordinating the cleanup. The whole weekend was relaxing, Barbara was helpful and incredibly nice, and everyone had a good time! If you google Union Hill Inn wedding pictures, you will see a few weddings that have happened there. You will definitely be able to see why this is one of the most beautiful wedding venues around!
If you would like a more thorough review of UHI, I’d be happy to be of service!

Wow, I don’t even know where to start. My sister had her wedding here, and it was a wreck. The only good thing about having a wedding here is that the chapel is very nice. If I could rate this place any lower, I definitely would!
So let me start… the woman (Barbara) whom you have to deal with is just awful. She is rude, and makes it feel like you are putting her out by renting her establishment. This is irritating, but isn’t even where it gets bad!
We had the whole place rented out for the weekend, the chapel, the reception hall, and most all of the rooms. The room that the bride, myself, our sister, and the flower girls were staying in was grungy upon first look. After getting a closer look, the counters in the kitchen were filthy, covered in mouse feces! We bleached them, to keep the night before her wedding from being a big deal. We were done though when we pulled out the sofa bed for the flower girls to sleep on, and found a mouse NEST in it! It was covered in torn up nesty stuff, and feces. We then pulled down the other linens in the closet to see what could be done, and got rained upon with mouse crap! It was horrifying!
When we went to ask what could be done, the owner was huffy, and finally offered us another room after some complaining about how late it was! As though again, we were putting her out! After an hour of moving (dresses, kids) we found that although our second room was cleaner, there were rat droppings on the floor along the walls. Disgusting!
So cleanliness was terrible!
The next morning, when we went down to breakfast, things got worse. Breakfast looked good, but was exactly what we had requested NOT to get. One of the flower girls and the Groom have severe nut allergies, and most everything that was cooked contained nuts! Nut granola, nut syrup, bread pudding with nuts! She was given ample notice of the allergies, and just chose not to care.
On top off all else, the price of renting this place does not include cleanup! We had to «rinse» the glasses, as their policy is not to wash them (eeewwww, wish I had known that before I drank out of them)! So we had to breakdown all tables and chairs, sweep and cleanup everything. For the price paid, which was expensive, cleanup should not have to be done by the bridal party.
This place was not worth the price, problems, rudeness, or work that has to go into it! BEWARE OF UNION HILL INN!