San Benito House

Address:

356 Main St, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019

Phone:

(650) 726-3425

Other Details:

Established in 1905 San Benito House was originally named The Mosconi Hotel, a moderately-priced hostelry for visitors to the Coast side and is now one of the oldest Half Moon Bay Hotels. With the construction of the Ocean shore Railway, Emanuele Daneri hoped for a thriving business at the hotel. After the Mosconi’s retired, Daniel Dagni ran the popular place. From the start, the hotel was known for its bargain-priced, family-style Italian dinners. Since none of the owners of the business never owned the building itself, it gradually began to deteriorate. Carol Mickelsen bought the property in 1976 with several partners, including Ron Mickelsen. After extensive restoration and remodeling it opened for business as an inn in 1979, the first of such an establishment in the area. Everything except the studs came off downstairs, and the old wood was restored. Carol built French doors to lead out into a small intimate garden from the dining area. A lovely sense of a French country inn now prevails in the dining room which seats 56. About the same time as the restaurant restoration, work also began in the saloon. It now gleams of polished wood and brass. Early Coast side photographs hang on the walls, reminding guests of how it “once was” on the Coast side. The impressive collection of large animal heads once hung on the walls of the Museum of Natural History in Santa Barbara.

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