
Hotel San Luis Obispo
Mission accomplished
Delightfully downtown
Between the Californian hills and the Pacific Ocean sits Hotel San Luis Obispo, its finessed modernity in striking contrast to its steeped-in-history setting. Yet this welcome surprise has slotted in beautifully to its former Chinatown address. High-ceilinged, airy rooms and suites each come with a private terrace or balcony, and white-walled interiors are brightened with colourful furnishings and commissioned artworks rooted in the hotel’s local heritage. The art of relaxation can be fine-tuned at the courtyard pool and spa. And there are further sensory pleasures to savour in the polished pair of restaurants.
Planes
Regional flights from Los Angeles, San Francisco and a handful of other US cities land at San Luis Obispo airport, a 10-minute drive from the hotel. It takes three hours and 40 minutes to drive to the hotel from LAX international airport.
Trains
A mile from the hotel, San Luis Obispo’s rail station has direct Amtrak trains to Los Angeles, San Francisco and San José.
Automobiles
Roadtrippers taking the spectacular, oceanside Highway 1 can enjoy a similarly splendid stopover here – the hotel is a few minutes’ drive downtown. There’s valet parking for $26 a day.
Worth Getting Out of Bed For
San Luis Obispo offers an adventure of two halves. Downtown excels in urban pleasures, shopping, markets, museums and theatres. The Californian coast beckons with surf-ready beaches, quieter, sandy bays, picturesque piers and super-fresh seafood.
Held every Thursday evening, Downtown Slo Farmers’ Market is as much about locals gathering for live-music-accompanied street food as it is about shopping for regional produce. For a broad stretch of beaches offering a variety of conditions, try surfing at Morro Bay, where there are a couple of surf shops offering kit to rent and lessons to ease in beginners. A sheltered spot that’s better for swimming, Avila Beach’s golden sands are edged with cafés and shops, and the boardwalk pier has brilliant back-to-shore views. Paso Robles and Edna Valley are the nearest wine-growing areas: to taste the fruits of the latter, head to the old bell-topped schoolhouse turned Tasting Room on Orcutt Road, where you can taste Niven family wines. You’ll need to book at Paso Robles’ L’Aventure Winery, for either a tasting-room session or more in-depth tour. The Sunset Drive-In is a Grease-style retro movie theatre: pack popcorn and a picnic, and watch a current release from the comfort of your car. What started as a 12-room motel in the late 1950s is now a titanic temple to kitsch, visited by daytrippers as well as guests. Madonna Inn is a visual feast of gaudy colour, ornate wood-carving, marble staircases and not-a-little gilt.

















