Private historic stay · Tomales, CA

What is Not A Bank?

A former Bank of Tomales, rebuilt in 1920, now transformed into a private art-and-music stay on California's Highway 1 — an inspiring oasis for musicians, writers, and curious travelers.

Check Airbnb dates Take the 90-second story

Not a bank. Not a walk-in museum. A private place to stay, by reservation only.

1920 bank building Vault inside Art & music Point Reyes base Tomales Bay oysters

The 90-second story

A tiny village bank with a very stubborn history.

Four bank buildings stood on this Tomales site. Fires and earthquake erased the first three. The present poured-concrete structure rose after the 1920 village fire and survived into a second life as Not A Bank.

1875

The Bank of Tomales opens.

The banking site begins its long life in Tomales, serving the surrounding ranching and coastal community.

1920

Fire destroys the old bank.

The current reinforced-concrete bank is rebuilt after the fire, a practical answer to earlier fire and earthquake losses.

1990s

Novato National Bank leaves.

Letters from the old sign are removed. What remains is the best name possible: NOT A BANK.

Today

A place to sleep in the story.

Now it is a private stay filled with art, music, preserved bank details, and Tomales history.

Historic Tomales street view from around 1922 — Tomales after the 1920 rebuilding period. The bank sits in the historic village core.

Newly built Bank of Tomales building in 1920 — The newly built bank, circa 1920, with its tall windows and central doors.

Bank of Tomales facade photographed in 2008 — The former Bank of Tomales facade, later known as Not A Bank.

The stay

Part lodging, part private museum, part art house.

Come for the curiosity. Stay for the atmosphere: bank bones, art, music, late-night quiet, and a village that still feels like old coastal California.

Historic bank bones

Experience the proportions, facade, vault, teller-window spirit, and surviving atmosphere of a small-town bank rebuilt after the 1920 Tomales fire.

Art, film & gatherings

A lived-in creative environment for photography, filming, intimate art events, and private gatherings. Even Bandits with Bruce Willis filmed here.

Musician's oasis

Piano, organ, guitars, record player, Bluetooth audio, and generous acoustics make the space feel like a private recording salon. Guests have made wonderful productions here; it is built for long, loud, inspired sessions.

Magical quiet nights

After dark, Tomales can become almost still: owls, crickets, coastal fog, and little pools of light that make the whole village feel theatrical and dreamlike.

Before you book: this is a historic private home, not a hotel. Expect stairs, character, old-building quirks, and a compact downstairs bathroom. Best for guests who want atmosphere over sameness.

Main room at Not A Bank with piano, teller window, vault, gas stove, record player, Bluetooth speaker, and art — The main room: old bank details, vault door, gas stove, art, and music. A record player and Bluetooth audio let you play your own soundtrack.

Original bank vault door inside Not A Bank — The vault remains one of the building's strongest historic anchors.

Grand piano, organ, guitars, and art inside Not A Bank — A private art-and-music stay with room to play, record, listen, and disappear into the sound.

Bedroom at Not A Bank with bookshelves and historic interior windows — A calm upstairs bedroom inside the former bank volume.

Red leather sofa beneath tall bank windows at Not A Bank — Tall windows, art, and lounge space inside the former bank.

Guest notes

People remember the feeling.

Guests come for the novelty of sleeping in a former bank, then talk about the quiet, the art, the music, and the size of the space.

“Like spending the night in a museum.”

Guest review

“The old bank aesthetic makes for a unique stay.”

Guest review

“The room's audio is that of a concert hall.”

Guest review

“Great art, instruments, atmosphere, and quiet nights.”

Guest review theme

Short excerpts and themes from public guest reviews on major booking platforms.

Nearby

A weekend on the edge of Tomales Bay.

Use Not A Bank as a base for oysters, beaches, dairy country, coastal hikes, and one of Marin's most intact historic villages. Each card below opens that place in Google Maps.

Book the stay

Stay inside the story.

Use the booking platform you prefer. Book through Airbnb or Booking.com. The property is private and available by reservation only.

Not A Bank · Tomales, California

Former Bank of Tomales · Historic 1920 bank building · Private art and music stay · 26975 State Route 1.

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