San Luis Obispo is a great Central California weekend destination. In my previous post I laid out a detailed itinerary focusing on things to do in San Luis Obispo County. It encompasses information on museums, wildlife encounters, local festivals an more – everything you need for a perfect weekend in San Luis Obispo.
When we visited Central California last fall we were surprised to find out that there are several really cool hotels in San Lusi Obispo. In this article I am going to review three hotels that we found especially fascinating.
Cool Hotels in San Luis Obispo: #1 MADONNA INN
Madonna Inn has to be the coolest hotel in San Luis Obispo, if not the whole California. It is not just a place to stay the night but an attraction in itself.
From outside it looks like a house straight from a fairy tale due to its whimsical architecture.
The interior of the hotel definitely matches the outside: carved wooden panels, dark red upholstery, fun decorations throughout.
Each guest room in Madonna Inn is uniquely decorated, there are no two that look alike -that’s what we were told. We did not stay at Madonna Inn ourselves because the price per night was pretty high (it was over $400 per night when we visited). It is a perfect hotel for a very special weekend in San Luis Obispo. If you are celebrating an anniversary or a birthday, then you should definitely consider Madonna Inn for a once in a lifetime experience.
Even though we did not stay at Madonna Inn we still had lots of fun visiting it. We stopped by an on-site Copper Cafe for a cup of tea and some delicious pastries from the hotel’s bakery. You can also book a dinner at the hotel’s main restaurant- Gold Rush Steak House. The menu prices are surprisingly reasonable and the food is good.
After tea time we went outside and strolled through the hotel’s Secret Garden. It is not huge but quite pretty.
Other cool things to do at Madonna Inn even if you are not a staying guest are: wine tasting, boutique shopping and spa.
Cool Hotels in San Luis Obispo: #2 THE KINNEY
There are several reasons to put The Kinney on the list of cool hotels in San Luis Obispo. I stayed at the Kinney for 2 nights and I enjoyed every minute of my stay.
First of all, when you enter your newly renovated room you get a quick overview of California. Both the walls and the ceiling of the room are decorated with amazing photos of the Golden State. It looks like your own personal photo gallery of California. The rooms a specious and the beds are super comfortable. I had a great sleep here.
The second reason to consider the Kinney one of the coolest hotels in San Luis Obispo is its courtyard. It is a neat outdoor space with fire pits, cozy sitting and 2 giant board games on the wall. I personally loved playing giant Scrabble. Whether you are staying at the hotel as a family or with a group of friends you are bound to have a great time.
Finally, I also thoroughly enjoyed the lobby decor with a giant swing that invites you to relax after a long day.
Other things not to miss at The Kinney: outdoor heated pool and arcade games at Leroy’s bar.
Cool Hotels in San Luis Obispo: #3 EMBASSY SUITES BY HILTON
Embassy Suites is a member of Hilton family of hotels. I have to tell you up-front that we are Hilton Honors rewards program members and we like all Hilton family hotels. To learn more about hotel rewards programs and their benefits, please check out my earlier post about how to choose the best hotel rewards program.
However out of all hotels in Hilton family we find Embassy Suites the coolest. So what makes this specific hotel one of the cool hotels in San Luis Obispo? First of all – FREE food and drinks twice a day! In the morning you are served hot made to order breakfast, free of charge and in the evening you are invited to a Manager’s Reception where they serve free alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and snacks. What’s not to like? 😉
Second of all, all Embassy Suites guest rooms are suites, which means they all have 2 rooms with 2 TVs that sleep up to 6 people comfortably. This is a huge bonus especially if you have more than 2 kids or if you travel with grandparents or other relatives or friends.
Finally, I personally love Embassy Suites lobbies. They are usually spacious and bright with a water feature (typically a fountain) and sometimes a small garden.
Typically Embassy suites are a little bit on an expensive side, though in San Luis Obispo this hotel was cheaper than Hampton Inn, which is a still a puzzler to me. Here are some useful tips on how to save money on Hilton family of hotels stays:
1.Use promo code LWP
to save 50% on a Sunday night stay when you book 3 nights weekend in San Luis Obispo and other participating hotels worldwide.
2. Use promo code TVS and get $50 daily credit for every night of your stay, at participating Hilton portfolio hotels worldwide. You can use your on-property credit for dining, shopping, relaxing (spa), and more!
3. Use promo code PBFFP1 or FP when travelling as a family to get FREE breakfast for 4, free premium Wi-Fi and late checkout when available in participating Hilton portfolio hotels worldwide (this is helpful for those hotels that don’t have free breakfast already included in your stay).
4. Finally, you can also save up to 15% if you book in advance at Hilton portfolio hotels worldwide!
Check current deals on all hotels in San Luis Obispo here:
If you found this information about cool hotels for a great weekend in San Luis Obispo helpful, please do me a little favor and share this information with others, for there’s a good chance that it will help them with their travel plans. 🙂 Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram where I post many more cool photos and videos about our trips than I could include in a blog post and organize some nice giveaways!
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