The Madonna Inn
The Madonna Inn is a garish, but good natured, theme-driven inn. It consists of 109 rooms and suites, a coffee shop, bakery, ladies' boutique, men's clothing shop, dining room, bar, wine cellar, gourmet gift shop, and restrooms that are all a hoot! All of this dwells on 2200 acres of the most beautiful country in the United States in quaint and lovely San Luis Obispo on the coast of Central California.
Built by Alex and Phyllis Madonna, the first 12 rooms were ready for business Christmas Eve of 1958. To give you a hint about what kind of people the Madonnas are, that night they gave those rooms, with their compliments, to the first 12 travelers to stop at the Inn. They designed each room thereafter to be markedly distinct from all of the others.
Some rooms are so unique and sought after that they require reservation a whole year in advance. The most popular, the Cave Man Room, features stone floors, walls, ceiling and rock waterfall shower. The bedspreads and accents are leopard skin print. Just in case you still don't get it, the bathroom features a stained glass window of a caveman! This room sleeps two and costs $160 per night. If you're a family needing more space, the Jungle rock room sports a similar theme with rock waterfall and two king-size beds. It costs $145 per night. Book that room six months ahead -- especially during the summer when kids are vacationing with their parents.
If leopard skin isn't to your taste, there's another room with zebra skin, stone floors and trees. There are also more elegant rooms available, as well as suites that sleep nine. The Old World Room is a full rock suite with fireplace, for $198 per night. It's their second most popular room, I'm told.
Alex Madonna served as the inn's architect and wife Phyllis its interior designer. With much ambition and an obvious love for the project, they gathered artisans from all over the world to embellish their creation. Though eccentrically designed, the materials used are all first quality.
Elaborate wood carvings on booths, beams, cornices and pillars decorate the common areas. Giant 8" x 20" timbers lend support throughout the dining areas and came from the Madonnas' construction company. Tables are hand-stamped copper and bear the Madonnas' pick and shovel cattle brand.
Hand painted murals and an engraved copper horseshoe bar with matching service station festoon the coffee shop. Tiffany style lamps dangle from the ceiling between turned wood columns. Obviously, someone didn't know when to stop!
All men are encouraged to go downstairs to at least look at the men's room, where the urinal is a rock waterfall, the sinks are giant clamshells and a waterwheel and hand pump sinks are added for good measure. The ladies room is bedecked in red flocked wall paper, pink Italian marble and tufted red leather door panels. Another demonstration of the Madonnas' thoughtfulness is the child sized basin and tiny commode for little girls.
The Gold Rush Dining Room welcomes visitors with a "swinging girl" swaying from oak branches over a baroque-style decor. The doll is dressed up for every holiday.
Did I mention that practically the whole thing is done in pink? Nicknamed "Madonna Pink", one finds this cotton candy color everywhere, including all of the dining areas and the bar. The Madonnas consider pink a flattering color to women and one that sets a romantic mood. The carpet is deep fuchsia and red floral. This pink is set side-by-side with massive rock walls and wood columns.
If the whole inn sounds incongruous and garish, it is. It's overdone -- and not in impeccably good taste either. But it's interesting, it's fun, and it's unforgettable.
The Madonna Inn is a convenient resting place if you need lodging and you're planning to visit the Hearst Castle, which is a leisurely two hour drive north. Even if you don't plan to stay there overnight, visit. It's unique and shouldn't be missed.
To find the Madonna Inn, take Highway 101 to the Madonna Road exit, just south of San Luis Obispo. Address: 100 Madonna Road, San Luis Obispo, CA, 93405. For reservations, call 800-543-9666 or fax 805-543-1800. Their website is: www.madonnainn.com
Note: This information was accurate when it was published. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the businesses in question before making your plans.
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