In the heart of San Luis Obispo’s downtown you’ll find Hotel San Luis Obispo, a modern upbeat stay for those wanting to take in the best shopping, food and culture by foot. SLO btw, is the shortened name they give to the name San Luis Obispo by locals, so the hotel is sometimes referred to as SLO as well.
Outside the Hotel San Luis Obispo
Outside the Hotel San Luis Obispo
The lobby at Hotel San Luis Obispo
We arrived on an unusually cold January afternoon and checked in the car with their valet. Before we even made our way upstairs, we sat in their lobby by a blazing gas fire that was enclosed in glass adjacent to their full-service bar. Some perched on the bar stools, whereas others sat outside in their courtyard with heat lamps. We ordered a hot toddy since it was one of those kinds of days. People were chatting about the atypical temperatures even though we were at the height of winter.
I hate to say I was ready for a nap since I never nap but after four days of back-to-back activities and a conference in San Diego, neither one of us were in the mood to explore the town yet. The rooms are being upgraded to Apple TV which makes it easy to navigate their large flat wall TV’s and find whatever movie or show grabbed your fancy. We opted for an episode of Poldark on Amazon Prime which was quickly accessible through a quick HDMI cable the hotel provided.
The lobby at the Hotel San Luis Obispo
The gift shop in the hotel lobby of Hotel San Luis Obispo
Above and below, the lobby area of the Hotel San Luis Obispo which also has a breakfast nook where you can grab croissants and muffins.
Croissants and muffins at the Hotel San Luis Obispo
Below is the hallway on the second floor walking up to our room. The modern motif is extended throughout the Hotel San Luis Obispo, including the restaurant, bar and lobby area. The hallways are wider than most and in a neutral gray with select abstract pieces at the end.
Hotel San Luis Obispo Hallways
The artwork is tres modern with a twist — below is an interesting installation at the end of one of the hallways, also on the second floor. Fun, right?
Art at the Hotel San Luis Obispo
Our Mission Double Queen was spacious and the beds were super comfy with white fluffy down comforters , deluxe linens and thick pillows. With Poldark in the background, I fell into snooze time for nearly an hour before my iPhone alarm went off. It was time to explore the hotel, first with a visit to the roof for a view of the town and then to the lobby bar for drinks before dinner.
The room had a couch and side table which is useful for laptop work, which I had plenty of when we first arrived. I loved the fact that they had so many outlets, which is a rarity even for modern hotels. I also loved that there were side tables on both sides of the bed as well as a large central one in between both queens. In other words, there is plenty of room for water, books, phone and my notepad.
A double queen at the Hotel San Luis Obispo
They have a tea kettle and a coffee maker with a drawer for tea options, biscuits and snacks. There’s also a spacious fridge as well – how many times do you want to put leftovers from dinner the night before in the fridge only to discover there’s no space to fit the box? Not the case here.
Two Queens at the Hotel San Luis Obispo
Hotel San Luis Obispo
The bathroom was also surprisingly spacious with double sinks and a separate area for the toilet on one side with a massive shower with an even larger soaking tub on the other. They also had regal navy-blue plush robes in the closets as well, which was perfect given the cool evenings.
Bathrooms at the Hotel San Luis Obispo
Above and below, some of the luxe amenities in the hotel rooms at the Hotel San Luis Obispo
There are naturally other room types as well, including suites. The rooms are all bright and playful with a modern aesthetic, including white oak floors and colorful hand-made Nani Marquina throw rugs. Want even more space? Then opt for the Morro Suite or the Tolosa Studio. The Tolosa Studio features 619-669 square feet space with a seating area and a large terrace.
The Suite. Photo credit: Hotel San Luis Obispo
The Studio. Photo credit: Hotel San Luis Obispo
Our room had a little balcony with views of the stunning mountain range in the distance.
The view from a room on the second floor of the Hotel San Luis Obispo
We loved the hotel bar, which had a large area to sit to the left and right, including a cozy spot by a large blazing gas fire.
We started our first evening at the hotel bar. Although the wine menu had plenty of viable options (Anthony went for a local dry Rose by the glass), I went for a Margarita since I hadn’t had one in a while. You can opt for the traditional concoction which I did, although their on-menu version is made with OJ and they offered an option with a Mango twist as well. Hold the salt please.
The bar at the Hotel San Luis Obispo
We ordered a few items to share from their on-site restaurant Piadina, which offers a variety of pizzas, salads and mains. Anthony went for the grilled artichoke with garlic aioli and butter and I had their Bautista Farms Tomato Salad with watermelon, tomatoes, mozzarella, baby greens and basil. YUM! And we shared their scrumptious Artichoke Pizza with zucchini, tomatoes, feta and basil.
Salad at the Hotel San Luis Obispo Restaurant
The restaurant is open so you can watch the chefs at work: for breakfast and for dinner.
The kitchen at the main restaurant in the Hotel San Luis Obispo
Inside the style is very modern from the wall hangings and ceiling lights to the tables, cushions and table for the plants.
We also had breakfast at the Piadina. Our favorites? Avocado Toast with tomatoes, an egg, and a side salad and the French Toast with berries and fresh cream. Both were to die-for, albeit not exactly low calorie. The omelette with cheese and bacon was pretty dang good too.
Above and below, breakfast at Hotel San Luis Obispo
Hotel San Luis Obispo Breakfast
Visit this page for more about the top things to do in downtown San Luis Obispo.
Would we return? You betcha. We loved the experience and were particularly happy with the service and friendly, knowledgeable staff. This of course should be a given at every hotel; however, avid travelers know how rare this is the case, especially since Covid. Two thumbs up!
Be sure also to check out our review of Ox & Anchor, which is adjacent to the hotel, also on Palm Street. It’s a must stop if you’re a steak lover.
DETAILS:
HOTEL SAN LUIS OBISPO
877 Palm Street
San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
805.235.0700
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
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