A COZY STAY IN ANNIE'S ROOM AT THE HEADLANDS : B&B REVIEW.

Byline: Susanne Hopkins Daily News Travel Editor

You know you're in a good bed-and- breakfast inn when you want to stay there - forever.

Or at least for a few weeks.

And I was just in the dog's room at the Headlands Inn. Annie's Room, they call it, a delightful, pale yellow room abloom with floral accents and named after the golden lab that once greeted guests at this Mendocino b&b. It's the smallest among the six guest rooms and cottage accommodations offered by the inn.

``This is really a guest room; it's not a formal room,'' owner David Hyman says somewhat apologetically.

It doesn't have window seats, an ocean view or a fireplace with a copper-clad hearth, as most of the others do. But I find it a snug haven during my visit to this appealing New England-style village about four hours north of San Francisco on Highway 1.

I arrive on a cool afternoon just as tea is being set out in the sunny upstairs parlor. Cookies, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, a bowl of rosy red apples and a decanter of sherry are there for the taking. As I sink into the cushy sofa and browse through the notebook of restaurant menus, I can't help but think that tea is a most civilized way to welcome guests.

Later, after I get settled in my little room with its private bathroom, plush feather bed and down comforter, fresh flowers and decadent handmade chocolate mints on the side table, Hyman takes me on a tour of the inn.

Built in 1868, it's constructed mostly of redwood, Hyman says. ``It was a barber shop, single story, on Main Street,'' he tells me. ``Then they moved it - as a two-story - here.''

``Here'' is the corner of Albion and Howard streets. The buff-colored Victorian with New England touches and a garden that's a riot of color when the flowers bloom in spring, dominates the corner. It's a great location from which to wander the town; shops and restaurants are only a few minutes' stroll away.

The house saw duty as an oyster and coffee saloon, annex to a hotel and commercial building before finally becoming an inn in 1979. David and Sharon Hyman have owned it since 1991.

I admire the tasteful decor of the rooms, which feature handmade beds (including one crafted from the former fence and boasting heart-shaped cutouts), hand-carved mantels, quilts and over-stuffed chairs. Sharon's background, Hyman says, is in interior design ``so she's had fun with this.''

My tour over, I take a stroll around the town - just in time for one of Mendocino's legendary sunsets. Dinner is at one of the village's well-known eateries just a block away from the inn.

And when, back at The Headlands, I fall asleep, it's with the contented feeling of one sleeping on a cloud.

In the morning, the newspaper appears at my door. Just before 9 a.m., there's a rap on the door and a cheery voice says, ``Good morning. Breakfast is at your door.''

Indeed it is. A sturdy oak tray holds a glass of orange juice, baked grapefruit, a baked ham and cheese dish, a basket containing a miniature loaf of cranberry bread and a carafe of hot water for tea. A sweet vase of fresh flowers tops off the spread.

Curled up on my feather bed, paper in hand, I have breakfast.

And I wonder: Can't I stay here just a little longer?

B&B Basics Address: The Headlands Inn,P.O. Box 132,Mendocino, Calif.

Phone:[phone]

Price range: $134-$189 per night, double. Midweek rates available.

Number of rooms: 5; 6 plus cottage, all with private baths

House rules:No smoking indoors; no pets.

Money matters (credit cards,cancellation policy): Visa, MasterCard, American Express,Discover Cardand personal checks.Deposit not refunded (unless room is rented) ifcancellation is less than seven days. $15 fee if canceled earlier.

Check in/check out: 3 p.m. / 11 a.m.

Telephones, television: Phone in the parlor; television in the cottage.

SOURCE: Daily News research

CAPTION(S):

Photo, Box

Photo: (Color) The Headlands Inn is housed in a former oyster saloon.

Susanne Hopkins/Daily News

Box: B&B Basics (See text)