The Pacific Motel
Mid-century motor lodge
The last frontier
California’s Highway 1 excels in pit-stop perfection, but a particularly worthy one is Cayucos, especially if you pull up outside the Pacific Motel. This motor lodge is formed from bungalows built in the Twenties and moved here in the Fifties, but they’ve since had a fresh lick of paint (Sherwin Williams’ Alabaster White, if you’re wondering) and a modernising influx of clean, simple, Scandi style. It’s a block back from the beach, for some surfin’ USA in the Pacific – after you’ve caught some waves, continue the laid-back lifestyle at the fire pits or in one of Cayucos’s handful of restaurants.
Facilities
Rooms
19, including five suites.
Checkout
11am, but flexible, subject to availability ($75 an hour until 1pm). Earliest check-in, 3pm.
More Details
Rates don’t include breakfast.
Also
The Pacific Motel has two categories with ADA options: Standard King and Private Bungalow.
Free Internet Access
At the Hotel
Free WiFi throughout, fire pits, ping-pong table, bicycles to borrow, outdoor shower, ice machine, boutique, Tesla charging stations, lawns. In rooms: Bluetooth radio, free bottled water, minibar, fridge and California-made Fable Rune bath products.
Our Favourite Rooms
The lodgings are all similar in style, with shiplap framework, ceiling fans, and small private patios or wood-burning stoves in some. Groups of girlfriends will love the Back Bungalow, which has two queen-size beds and its own porch, plus a communal lounge and fire pit around the corner – it’s also especially well positioned for sunsets over the ocean.
Packing Tips
Wetsuits, wax and surf spray for your locks so you don’t stand out as an interloper.
Children
All ages are welcome and there are rooms with two queen-size beds that are perfect for families.
Gallery
Food & Drink
Top Table
Take a bottle to one of the fire pits and you’ll soon have a new friend to chew the fat with.
Dress Code
Free-love freeway.
Hotel Restaurant
Although there's no restaurant at the motel, their bar, The Salty Tiger, offers small bites and beverages, along with a variety of beers and wines on tap. Their Lobby Boutique also provides complimentary morning coffee & tea, as well as a curated selection of beverages.
Hotel Bar
The Salty Tiger is an inviting small space where guests and community come together. Serving small bites, local beer and wine on tap and other beverages.
Planes
San Luis Obispo County Airport is closest, but international arrivals will most likely touch down in San Francisco or Los Angeles, and call in at Cayucos as part of their Highway 1 road trip.
Trains
The rail station in San Luis Obispo is a 20-minute drive from the hotel. From here, services to Santa Barbara take under three hours. To Los Angeles, the train ride will take around six hours.
Automobiles
The drive south from San Francisco will take around four hours; north from Los Angeles, journey time is three-and-a-half hours. The traditional motor lodge has free parking and a couple of Tesla charging points.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
Everybody’s gone surfing – literally in Cayucos’s case. This classic California coast town is as laid-back as they come and days on the beach are the top priority, whether you’re here to stroll on the sand, catch some surf or go fishing off the pier. The motel has Linus bicycles ready for guests to borrow (included in the resort fee) and staff can direct you to local surf shops for board and wetsuit hire. The quiet coastal community is a worthy stop on a Highway 1 road trip, with stores ranging from cute trinket shops to hipster-pleasing curated boutiques and legendary cookie bakeries (ie the Brown Butter Cookie Company), and Victorian houses that were once captain’s quarters. Also nearby are the vineyards of the Santa Ynez Valley, fellow sleepy seaside spot Cambria, bonkers Hearst Castle and Morros Bay. Santa Barbara is a two-hour drive south.
Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt
This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .
