Madonna Inn Review: Get Lost in This Kitschy Wonderland

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If you’re visiting San Luis Obispo or undertaking a California road trip, this is one hotel stay you don’t want to miss. The Madonna Inn has been known to California residents and travelers for generations. Known for its over-the-top kitschy decor, the Madonna Inn is a fantastic stay for girls trips, bachelorette parties, couples getaways, or even a fun family trip.

I recently visited for my bachelorette party, where the whole purpose of the trip was to stay at the Madonna Inn. Of course, we sprinkled other things to do in SLO in the trip, but we spent the majority of our vacation exploring every part of the Madonna Inn. In this Madonna Inn review, I’ll share everything you need to know before booking your trip as well as what to expect from the property including the hotel, restaurants, shops, pool, and more!

What is the Madonna Inn?

The Madonna Inn is not simply a hotel. On their 1000-acre property, they have a spa, pool, cafe, bakery, steakhouse, shops, tennis courts, wine cellar, cocktail lounge, and equestrian center. Plus, you’ll find hiking trails, Tesla charging stations, and nightly live music and dancing.

Simply put the Madonna Inn has everything you need for a fantastic getaway without ever leaving the property. As it was described to me by one of their staff, “it’s like Disneyland for adults.”

Where is the Madonna Inn?

Located in San Luis Obispo in Central California, along Highway 101/the 1/Pacific Coast Highway is where you’ll find the Madonna Inn. It’s centrally located to downtown SLO, a shopping center with a grocery store and restaurants, and a gas station. You won’t even need to drive 5 minutes to reach some of the best activities in SLO like their fun drive-in movie theatre.

Is the Madonna Inn affiliated with Madonna (the pop star)?

A common question, but no they are not. The Madonna Inn was named after the Madonna family, but an entirely separate family from the Madonna. That said, there’s nothing stopping you from blasting Like a Prayer as you roam the property. 😉

I apologize if my song of choice for this post was misleading, but I stand by it.

What is the history of Madonna Inn?

Built in 1958 with just 12 rooms, the Madonna Inn was born. They opened on Christmas Eve that year and surprised their guests with entirely comped stays for the night.

Soon, 28 more rooms were built as was the main inn that houses the restaurants, shops, wine cellar, and bakery. The construction was careful to include all the wonderful decor you see now, with their bright pink hue becoming a trademark.

After expanding, they now have 110 uniquely themed rooms on the property in 3 hotel buildings with additional buildings on the property. And when we say unique, we’re talking rock walls and showers, lots of stained glass, antique furnishings, and themed decor to fit each room’s personality, so to speak.

Rooms at the Madonna Inn

With each room being totally unique, you might be asking, well what rooms are there.

Obviously, I can’t list and describe all 110, even if you did have nothing but time to read that.

I will share about the room I stayed in in the next section. Until then, I’ll share some of the popular ones that have been featured in music videos and some that caught my eye:

• Madonna Suite — all pink everything with a rock waterfall shower and fireplace
• Love Nest — also all pink with a fun spiral staircase
• Old Fashioned Honeymoon — looks like an adorable 1950s idea of a honeymoon and so cute
• Pick & Shovel — a 3 bedroom suite that can accommodate 9 people!
• and collections of three rooms called Merry, Go, and Round and Ren, Dez, and Voux

Review of Imperial Family Room

When I visited, I was with my bridal party with three other people and we stayed in the Imperial Family Room, which was themed to be green and loosely British Colonial inspired. The carpet was green and super clean (it honestly felt new, which I’m not mad at…looking at you nasty Motel 6 carpets).

The walls were green including a green painted brick wall behind the beds.

The room was considered a “Multiple Economy” room, so it actually had 2 areas — one with a King bed and another with a double bed. It also had a large antique couch, two chairs, a vanity, 3 end tables, a flat screen TV, closet, and mini fridge (no microwave though).

We didn’t opt for a room with rock waterfall or shower made of rock, but the bathroom was nice and functional with a tile shower, double vanity, and refillable bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and soap. Plus, they had their soap cake based on their bakery cakes, which was a cute detail. One oddity of the bathroom was that this is where the coffee maker was.

The Imperial Family Room was in building 1 and was one of the themes of the original 12 rooms, so that was a fun detail!

How much does it cost to stay there?

Since the rooms are all different and can accommodate different group sizes, the prices vary in addition to normal variation in price due to dates, holidays, and days of the week.

The rooms are divided into categories to help you sort through how many people they can accommodate and how much the rooms cost.

From most to least expensive, the room tiers are:

• Luxury suites
• Deluxe suites
• Junior suites
• King economy
• Double beds
• King standard
• Multiple economy (our room’s tier)
• Multiple standard

The rooms range from $200 to $700. Ours was $350 per night on a Wednesday through Friday in July. It accommodated 4 people.

Madonna Inn’s Amenities

If I haven’t convinced you that the Madonna Inn has it all, here’s a list of all of Madonna Inn’s amenities on site and in the rooms:

Things to Do at the Madonna Inn

One of the most fun parts of the Madonna Inn is that if you didn’t want to, you wouldn’t have to leave the property for entertainment. There’s truly so much to do here.

1. Find the fossils — You read that right. There are actual fossils built into the lobby’s fireplace – 2 of them to be exact. You might be wondering which spot is technically the lobby because you actually check in/out in a different building. The lobby is considered the main inn building that houses the steakhouse, cafe, wine cellar, shops, and bakery. When you enter the double doors under the covered car park, the fireplace is directly in front of you. If you look closely, you’ll be able to spot the fossils where the easiest to find looks like a spine.

2. Stroll through the Secret Garden — Not so much secret as overlooked, I’d say. Across from Building 1 (the hotel room building on the left), there is a Secret Garden complete with a fountain, lots of native California plants, a field fit for weddings, and even roses!

3. Snap a photo with the pink cow — Out front of the building where you check in is a pink cow! Grab some photos with it to remember your kitschy time at the Madonna Inn.

4. See the neon sign out front — Right near the cow is the main neon sign that travelers can see from the freeway. It’s massive and makes for another fun backdrop.

5. Browse the shops — Don’t miss the men and women’s boutiques and the souvenir shops upstairs in the main building. Not only can you buy lots of Madonna Inn merch including the stuff you find in your hotel room, but they also have a collection of designer and hand made clothes and accessories.
6. Find the statue of Alex Madonna — Learn your history of the Madonna Inn and specifically the man behind the vision. At the tail end of the Secret Garden, you’ll find the statue of Alex Madonna with a placard about him.

7. Go swimming at the pool — Make sure to leave time to go swimming in the pool or jacuzzi. The temperature is perfect and the views are incredible!
8. Indulge in a spa treatment — If you have the time and budget, the spa is a truly lovely experience.
9. Stroll the grounds — I just wanted to shake the hands of all the groundskeepers and gardeners who have so clearly meticulously curated the grounds with such an eye for beauty. Gorgeous!

10. Walk the trail out front — Starting near the huge Madonna Inn neon sign, there is a paved trail that is used for horseback riding. However, it still makes a great little walk on your own (sans horse). You’ll get a nice view of the entire Madonna Inn that you couldn’t get from anywhere else.

11. Find your room postcard — In the souvenir shop and by the registration desk, you’ll find racks of postcards where there is one for every room. Find the one for your room and let them know. They may let you bring it home for free! If not, it costs a whopping 50¢.

12. Taste the famous pink champagne cake — No it isn’t flavored like champagne (it’s actually vanilla), but it’s bright pink and somehow still kitschy even though it’s a cake. You can buy a (huge) slice for ~$12 to give it a try.
13. Play tennis — Guess what color the courts are….no, really…guess. Yepp, they’re bright pink! Racquets and balls are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
14. Go horse back riding — If you’re able to (I’m super allergic to horses, so it’s a no for me), go for a horseback ride! Ask the front desk for more information when you check in.
15. Pick out a goblet souvenir — The Madonna Inn is known for their glass goblets that come in a rainbow of colors including some that have the luster…yes it does sound nefarious, but it’s really just a descriptor of the luminescent quality in some colors. You can take home a goblet of your choosing from the shop upstairs! Note that they may not have every color available at all times. They told us that they make one color at a time in batches of several hundred. The 5oz ones cost ~$15 and the 9oz ones cost ~$17 where red and pink are a couple bucks more than average.

Review of Madonna Inn’s Terrace Pool

Before I dive in (get it), I have to mention the location of the pool because it’s in a great spot overlooking the San Luis Obispo valley and mountains, so the views are immaculate.

You’ll find lots of lounge chairs, brightly colored umbrellas, side tables, and full tables so you can easily get comfortable for the day up there.

The pool itself is a beautiful gradual decline, like a beach-entry where the water comes up to the “shore.” The temperature is perfect for hot summer days and there’s also two jacuzzis so you can warm up if need be.

Also in the pool area, you’ll find the fitness center, a quick service food spot with a bar (called the Terrace Pool Bar), the spa, and our favorite: a gazebo near their manmade waterfall. We’re not sure why, but the gazebo was always empty, so we hung out there frequently.

The pool is open 7am to 11pm daily and the Terrace Pool Bar is open 10am to 8:30pm daily. It is gated, so you do need a hotel key for access and at closing they have a security guard kicking people out.

*We did not eat at the Terrace Pool Bar, but only because we had lots of other food plans already in the works. I did check out their menu and everything looked great!

Restaurants on property at Madonna Inn

Gold Rush Steakhouse

This is the one everyone wants to visit because of the decor. I mean it SCREAMS over-the-top kitschy daydream and tell me that’s not amazing.

The restaurant has normal tables, but obviously you’re going to want to sit in a pink booth, because duh! When you make reservations (and yes, you need reservations), make sure to request a pink booth. If you have any special occasions, be sure to let them know too. They’ll decorate your table with a balloon to celebrate!

The food itself is pretty good, if overpriced. But hey, it’s a steakhouse…of course, it’s expensive.

I had the New York strip steak with a baked potato and asparagus. The steak was cooked perfectly and the baked potato was very good…but, it’s kinda hard to mess up a baked potato. The asparagus was a little bland but I wasn’t mad about it.

We also ordered some garlic bread for the table and it was delish.

Overall, we had a good experience and it was so fun to be there!

Copper Café

For breakfast, we tried the Copper Café, although they are open for all meals of the day.

I had a Belgian waffle and again…how can you mess up a Belgian waffle? You can’t and it was so yummy!

The prices were average for a California breakfast where my waffle was $12, so no complaints there.

Overall, if you need breakfast, this is a good go-to spot. Otherwise, I wouldn’t say it’s an essential Madonna Inn dining experience.

What’s with the Madonna Inn goblets?

You’ll probably quickly notice that at each restaurant, all water and soft drinks are served in glass goblets. There’s several colors and finishes so it’s fun to see which one you’ll get with each meal.

The story behind the goblets is that they always served water and wine in a chalice of sorts and in the 1970s opted for a flat rose design that evolved into a custom made rose design to match the carpets, which were designed by a Disney artist!

Now they’re made in the US by a family-owned glass company in batches of 500-750. That’s why in the shops, you likely won’t see all the colors at once.

To get a good glimpse of a bunch of colors, you can peek at the stock the Copper Café uses under their registers in the middle of the restaurant.

Spa at Madonna Inn Review

The Spa at the Madonna Inn has so many treatments you can choose from that make it a great activity for everyone because there really is something for everyone.

I went with their Signature Massage, which was a 60 minute massage for $150, but they also had deep tissue, caveman (with hot stones), CBD-relief massage, maternity, or skin-soothing butter me up massages plus lots of facials.

As far as the experience goes, when you arrive, you’re shown to the lockers where they have a robe, slippers, shower cap, and signature shower scrub waiting for you. Once you change, you wait in a waiting room that has spa water and lots of fascinating books about the Madonna Inn (that’s where I learned about the fossils!).

The treatment of course was fabulous. Afterwards, you’re shown to a tea room to wind down. Then, you can shower at your leisure using their amazing body scrub.

Overall, it was super relaxing and with all the extras included in the entire experience, worth the money for sure!

Can you visit the Madonna Inn if you aren’t staying there overnight?

You absolutely can! However, there are some caveats. Anyone can dine at the two restaurants, spend time at the cocktail bar, and go shopping. However, you do need keycard access for the pool, spa, Terrace Bar, fitness center, and other hotel specific amenities.

For example, while the Secret Garden was open when we visited, it did have a keycard lock, so after hours, they likely restrict access to hotel guests.

If you do need somewhere to stop on your California road trip, the Madonna Inn does have nice bathrooms, food, and there are Tesla charging stations, so all are road warriors are welcome.

What is the bakery at the Madonna Inn famous for?

I’m not entirely sure how Madonna Inn’s Bakery became so world-famous but it’s likely because of the look of their cakes. These cakes are so over-the-top with colored, shaved chocolate decorating the exterior of all their cakes, it’s no wonder people are drawn to them!

Their most famous cake is the pink champagne cake that is, of course, bright pink! It is actually flavored with vanilla cake, but the pink shavings are chocolate.

Get a slice and give it a try.

Review of Madonna Inn Bakery

The bakery itself is quite small, so please be patient with the bakers! When you enter the Copper Café from the parking lot side, the bakery counter is on your left. You’ll notice lots of decorated cakes on the shelves as well as small pastries and cookies.

It’s here that you can order slices to-go for ~$12 each.

Their cake flavors are pink champagne, black forest, black forest with cherry, carrot cake, banana nut, German chocolate, toffee crunch, raspberry delight, lemon coconut, and a seasonal flavor (right now it’s strawberry).

We tried pink champagne and black forest for research purposes to compare the two. Since I’m forever a chocolate person, I much preferred the black forest cake. But, you be the judge!

A note on the slices is that they are HUGE. We had 4 people sharing one slice and we didn’t even make a dent.

If you want to order a full size cake, you’ll likely need to do so 1.5 weeks in advance at minimum. When you look at their website, they always have an announcement posted for how full they are in terms of orders. For example, it’s August 1 right now as I write and they say they’re booked through August 5th.

Cakes can be ordered online or over the phone and the cheapest, smallest round cake costs $56.

Tips for Visiting the Madonna Inn

1. Make reservations early — Especially if you have a certain room in mind, you’ll want to make reservations early…like months in advance. The place is constantly fully booked, so naturally the most popular rooms go first.
2. Make reservations for EVERYTHING — On that note, the Madonna Inn is a popular place for road trip stops. We noticed that Wednesday and Thursday weren’t too busy, but come Friday morning, the Copper Café was packed! People were waiting in a queue just to put their name down. So, for the restaurants, make reservations. It’s easy to do online and guarantees you a spot.

3. Fridges but no microwaves — The rooms have mini fridges, but no microwaves. So, it can be tricky to save food to heat up later…although that didn’t stop my cousins from eating their leftover steaks cold, so it’s really up to you! That said, you can bring drinks to keep cold and cold foods!
4. Get to the pool early — During peak travel times and summer, the pool can get crowded. To guarantee chairs, umbrellas, or tables, you’ll want to get there a bit early. You can have one person in your group go early to grab spots.
5. Leave the Madonna Inn — This final tip is to be sure you give yourself a little time to leave the Madonna Inn. Yes, it’s amazing and fun, but there are lots of things to do in San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles like the Sunset Drive In and Sensorio Light Exhibit. So, be sure to get out there and see a bit of Central California.

My Travel Essentials

• Travel Insurance – Going on an international trip? Don’t forget travel and medical insurance with SafetyWing.
• Travel Card – If you’re new to travel hacking, fear not! My favorite card for beginners gives you $750 in rewards when you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months, plus lounge access, 10x points on hotel bookings, and free TSA pre-check!
• Get Your Guide – Check out Get Your Guide for a one-stop-shop for booking travel activities.
• Booking.com – This is my favorite hotel search aggregator, specifically for reading reviews. On Booking.com, the reviews can be searched for keywords like WiFi, breakfast, pool, amenities, etc.! So helpful!
• Anti-pickpocket bag – Worried about having your valuables swiped? PacSafe makes the best travel bags with zippers and straps that lock and with mesh steel enforced fabric.
• Give the Gift of Travel – This is the perfect gift for travelers in your life! Tinggly allows you to gift experiences around the world, perfect for birthdays, weddings, or anniversaries.
• Staycation Idea – Check out Resort Pass, which gives you day passes to resorts so you can use their pool, spa, and fitness center, a great staycation idea!

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