Inn at Avila Beach

I really loved the Inn. One of my best girl friends and I stayed there for only one night but now I wish we could have stayed a couple more! I had heard about it on a local radio talk show that they advertise on here in my town, and I always wanted to visit there. When we got there the people at the desk were so nice and relaxed! It has a nice calming atmosphere.

I am not used to a lot of luxuries in hotels, so when we got to our room (Ocean front private balcony 2nd floor) we were pleasently pleased to find bathrobes and coffee maker, blow dryer, coffee, popcorn, microwave, mini fridge (complete with cold bottled water that did NOT cost extra if you opened it like some places).

There isnt an elevator, so you have to be able to take stairs.

Yes the place is a little worn BUT overall it was a very nice experience. I wasnt looking for 10star luxury service. We just wanted to relax ocean front listening to waves. There isnt a phone in the room, but who cares? Thats why we have cell phones. Besides, when you get away to the beach... you dont need to be tied to a phone.

The rooftop sundeck was very nice too. A few BBQ's, some hammocks, all kinds of chairs and couches to relax on and kick back. And an ice machine in the wetbar area for parties.

The little town is quaint and nice. A few restraunts and shops. You can rent bikes and other things for activities.

And its just a short ride in to SLO for some nice shopping (and awesome bars/clubs at night if you want them). Thursday afternoon/evenings are the Farmers Market!

Try it! You'll like it!

I can only speak for the ocean front room that we had on the third floor - but it was a great room. Nice balcony, very pleasant to hear the waves at night going to sleep. The people here are very nice, and I especailly like the added touch of the available hot chocolate, popcorn, and movie rentals. The best part of the hotel is the top deck - with hammocks, BBQ, couches/chairs, tv's, etc. Great view from there - and available to all guests. The only thing that was missing up there was a hot tub! That would have been nice.... Anyway - if you are going to Avila Beach - this is the place to stay. Can't wait to go again..... :-) p.s. Great golf course 2 min. away.

Traveled the Central Coast for 25 years and Avila Beach was never my favorite, since the revitalization I must confess it is fabulous. Great for kids, as a section is closed to traffic, playgrounds, great beach, market on Fridays with music and great food. Clean and friendly.

Main reason to write is to tell you about the Inn at Avila Beach, this hotel has been re-done , not sure if all rooms are complete. The room I had was fabulous, deck overlooking the ocean, well furnished, great beds, micro,coffee,refrigerator. Unbelievable view, listen to the ocean. Bathroom could use some help. Staff great, friendly. Walking distance to coffee shop with fresh pastries, shops, and restaurants. Across from the beach. Upstairs deck with bar-b-ques and more. Great place, would recommend to anyone.

This place is fantastic! The grounds/rooms are spotless and charming. The location just couldn't be better...across the street from the beach! The staff bends over backwards to make sure your stay is an awesome experience! The sound of the ocean at night from our balcony, the beautifully decorated spacious rooms, and the attentive staff made this visit the best out of all the places we have ever stayed! We will be back and are looking forward to it!

I had stayed at this Inn for my anniversary in the Owners Suite. Beautiful... the room was amazing, the hot tub is huge and I loved listening to the waves from the balcony. The hotel staff is amazing, truly a fantastic group of people. They treat you like family, they're just wonderful. There is a coffee shop down the street called Joe Momma's and we enjoyed going there for great coffee, and took advantage of the spa upstairs. Loved everything!

My family of four just returned from our stay here at the Inn. We have a 2 year old and 1 year old and booked a suite (room 303) which worked perfectly for us. There were two pull our futons in the living room area, a fridge and huge coffee table. It was a good size area. There was no door in between the rooms and our bedroom was as good size as well. It had a king size bed and the window overlooked the ocean. Beautiful view! We slept to the sound of the waves. Loved it!

The hike up to our room was a bit extreme as it was on the third floor. The patio area on the roof was amazing! I could have stayed there all day. The location of the inn was on the quieter side of Front street and I liked that. Understand that Avila Beach is small and you can walk Front Street in under 10 minutes. I loved being just a couple steps to the beach and a short walk to a cute playground for the kids.

We ate our breakfast every morning at Avila Grocery and it was quiet good. Make sure you get some Doc Burnsteins ice cream as well. Joe and Lori are extremely helpful. I was blown away by their hospitality. I will return many more times!!!!!

Our family of five stayed for two nights in mid-July. We booked two rooms, one for the adults and one for the kids (19,17 & 13). We all thought it was a great place to stay. I would say we agree with most of the details listed in recent reviews so I won't repeat them here. Just want to emphasize how good it is to be welcomed so warmly and enthusiastically by Edward on Reception. From the minute you step inside you know that it's going to be a relaxing and comfortable stay. The hammocks are wonderful, would love to return one day. Excellent hotel.

My sister found this place 2 years ago and told us about it. We made a point of finding the place on our 2 week coastel trip.

The building is a pink stucco structure but once you get inside your in for a wonerful suprise. The decor is spanish and is tastfully decorated with all this tile work. Our room was on the 2nd floor and had a wooden canopy over the bed.

The rooms are a nice size and very clean. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The roof top deck is a nice quit place to relax and listen to the ocean. They have tables and chairs, grills for cooking and daybeds you can lounge on and watch a movie under the stars. We only stayed one night, but this is a place I would like to come back to to spend a whole week.

I would highly recommend this hotel

This was our second visit to the Inn at Avila Beach. The first was for our anniversary a few years ago, we did wine tasting and it was quiet and peaceful. This last visit was with our two girls and we spent more time at the beach. We enjoyed the weather which was in the 70-80s. We loved the stay so much we stayed an additional two days! The hotel was accomodating with this. We had a BBQ on the roof top twice and they provided everything we needed to grill our fresh salmon from the pier! It is so close to the beach and the staff is so welcoming! You will feel as if you were truly at a beach house. Our girls are still talking about the trip. Our favorite spot now!

Our first wedding anniversary came to a romantic close with our one night stay at the Avila beach Inn. A perfect location right across from the waves and the quaint shops and eateries lining the beach. We booked our room through Joe the manager of the hotel. After talking with him over the phone we were even more excited for the Avila Beach Inn experience. Joe dedicated his hospitality to us once there and gave excellent recommendations to eat at the Custom House, which was so good we came back the next day for breakfast. We also spent several hours on the roof top lounge swaying in hammocks, watching the sun go down, and drinking our Paso Robles wine. We loved it and know you will too!

We were driving up the 101 and needed a place to stay near Pismo Beach. We remembered staying at the Inn at Avila Beach 5 years ago and had a pleasant experience as Avila Beach is a bit more off the beaten path than Pismo Beach. So we decided to try our chances to see if they had any vacancies at a reasonable rate. It was a Monday so we thought we had a chance.

When we arrived, Joe, the receptionist, was on the phone with an individual inquirying about making reservations for the upcoming Thursday night. We understood what Joe was saying but the guy on the phone did not and the conversation went on for 20 minutes. We were patient while watching pelicans feeding in the ocean. Finally, Joe was able to get off the phone and apologized for it taking so long and thanking us for being patient. We inquired about a room and he said that he'd give us a good rate for being so patient. He said he'd give us a room with a jacuzzi and a bit of a view for $89 (normally $150). We gladly accepted.

The room was excellent! Don't get me wrong, this inn is not a 5 star hotel. But that's ok. The place has character and the employees have always been extremely friendly. The floors squeak a bit, the tub was a bit stained, the stairs (there are no elevators) lean a bit in places and there are chips here and there out of the tiles/faucets. But it isn't run down, it's lived in! Our room had several bound books where people had left stories about their stays. That gives you an idea how people love this place.

Each room is a bit different. Ours had a jacuzzi, a large bed (which we didn't use) and a "cabanna bed" which is basically a smaller bed right by a window that allows you to see the ocean as well as hear the crashing waves in the middle of the night. It was so peaceful and relaxing! Plus, there was a gas fireplace that really made it romantic. The room also had a microwave and a refrigerator. We slept on the cabanna bed to be as close to the sounds of the ocean as possible.

There is a deck on the 4th floor which contains hammocks, grills, chairs etc... to hang out and enjoy the ocean views. The decor of the entire hotel is accurately described in their advertisements as containing a Mexican/Meditteranean flare.

The hotel is within walking distance of the Avila Beach pier as well as the Old Customs House (excellent food, reasonable prices with HUGE portions) and the Hula Hut (good food with EXTREMELY friendly employees who obviously love their job!).

So if you're looking for a resort, stay somewhere else. But if you're looking for a clean, comfortable and extremely unique place with wonderful ambiance then this is the place for you!

My wife and I stayed here on our way up the coast from LA to San Francisco, we dropped in without a booking and were impressed with the super friendly staff. We only intended to stay one night but were so impressed with the place that we stayed for another 4!

The roof terrace is an awesome place to relax on big comfy sofas with great views of the ocean. We didn't have a posh ocean front room but our room was more than comfortable with a big tv which we watched loads of videos on at night from the video library. The room also had a microwave, coffee machine and fridge.

The nice little touches like free coffee, tea and hot chocolate and bottled water were icing on the cake. My ONLY criticism of this place is that the wireless internet is only accessible in the lobby, but you can't have it all can ya!

highly reccommended, thanks to the guys for a wonderful stay.

We stayed here as part of a roadtrip. We hadn't booked in advance but managed to get a discounted rate as they were quiet. The owner is unbelievably friendly and accomodating and makes you feel as though you are staying with a friend. The suite was gorgeous with glass doors looking directly onto the beach. After a long day's drive we opted to stay in rather than go out and settled for a night in front of the TV with a bottle of wine and a video from the owner's personal collection. Pity it wasn't nice weather as we would have loved to have cooked off the BBQs on the roof and slept in one of the hammocks!

We stay at the Inn a few times a year. Edward who runs the plce for the owner Michael is like an old friend every time we go back. This is a funky hotel with ocean front "suites" taht just scream relax and enjoy. The rooms ar all comfy but we like the ocean front. The last few stays have been in the Owners Suite with a fire place and jacuzzi tub. Free water, free popcorn, frig, microwave, VHS player in the room, tape and book library, all free. But it is how they treat you that is special. Like family. This is not a cookie cutter Hilton or Marriott. It has some age and a few worn corners. You will never notice as the waves lull to to sleep and you make new friends. Make your reservations diectly and ask for Edward. He will take care of you. There is a great deck with hammocks and TV's to while away the hours. You can grill a steak, borrow a blender and make margaritas or just sit back and snooze.

This place is so laid back and wonderful. We usually stay at Sycamore Mineral Springs, but decided to try Inn at Avila Beach. What a treat! Not only is it more personable and homey feeling, the value and view could not compare to that other place!

Falling asleep listening to the waves crash onto shore was pure heaven!

The old Mexico tile and themes were beautiful.

The roof top deck is wonderful, we actually took naps up there it's so comfortable and beautiful.

We're already planning our next trip to Inn at Avila Beach!

Oh, and the staff were AWESOME!

We loved everything about this hotel -- the colorful rooms, kitchen stocked with everything you could need, all the games/books/movies, amazing location and best of all the rooftop deck! It's a great place to lounge in a hammock with a glass of wine and enjoy the view of the ocean. The owner was very friendly and accommodating. A great place to relax, I can't recommend it enough.

What a find! A hotel with real character that still has top quality accommodation. Loved the colourful decor and laid-back atmosphere. The ocean-front room was a real treat, especially lying back in our 4-poster bed listening to the roar of the surf.

Pleasant restaurant and cafe nearby, and the hotel has a well-appointed sunroof with couches, hammocks, and great places to hang out and relax.

I stayed at the Inn at Avila Beach for the first time in April 2006. This inn was recommended to me by a co-worker and as I had business in San Luis Obispo, I thought I'd try the inn. This inn is so wonderful!! It's definitely not the Hilton, so if you are a materialistic brat who needs the newest and the most expensive don't stay here. You'd be better off at the Lighthouse Suites. That hotel has no character.

The Inn is beautiful and charming. It has an Old Mexico feel and each room has their own amazing qualities. The first time I stayed here I picked an Ocean View room. Absolutely Breath-taking! The next time I stayed here I chose the Jungle Room. It has a great jacuzzi and a fireplace....I love this Inn so much that I've been back three times and now we are planning our daughter's 16th birthday celebration here.

I would highly recommend this inn for anyone that wants to feel like they've stepped out of the real world for a while.

We loved our stay here. If you are looking for a new, shiny, fancy hotel this isn't the one for you but if you are looking for a relaxing "down in Mexico" kicked back place then grab a beach view room and you'll be ready to relax and have a blast. Our room was separated with a wall so we had a bedroom and a living room. Perfect for friends visiting for the evening. You walk across the street to be on the beach or for a walk on the pier, down the street to eat, or up to the top of the deck for your own little happy hour. The staff was so nice and ready to let us bring whatever we needed up to our room. Glasses, wine opener, more free popcorn, a free movie from their collection. We plan to come back every year to visit family and stay here for a wonderful beach vacation!

The Inn at Avila Beach is fast becoming our favorite place to vacation. With it's easy beach access, great rates and awesome room amenities, it's Heaven on earth! Some of our favorite things about it was the roof access with hammocks, canopy beds, BBQ's and tables, and the spa, fireplace and over all decor of the rooms. My husband and I would recommend the Inn at Avila Beach to anyone that wants to feel like they've left the country.

Thanks for another great stay Edward!

Becky of Bakersfield

Can't wait to go back . Clean, comfy and relaxing. Our ocean view could be seen from anywhere in the room. Loved the balcony. Friendly and helpful mgmt. Great price. Close to anything you want or need.

We stayed at the Avila Beach for one night on Jnaury 12th 2007. We had originally booked a partial view room and were upgraded to room 305 - the ocean room suite. The room was big and the bed was right next to the sliding glass doors. After checking in, we went to the fun lobby and drank some hot chocolate in front of the fire. We went to Ricks that evening - the only thing open.

I loved waking up to the sound and sight of the ocean.

A special comendation goes to the inn as we lost one of our hotel keys :( We were expecting an exorbitant fee - but the female day manager was awsome and was totally cool - they didnt charge us a cent :) and for the record - we have looked for the key still cant find it :(

Great service, friendly people, gorgeous view - we would stay here again

I highly recommend this hotel if you want a relaxed off-the-beaten-path experience. It is literally on the beach. We chose the ocean-view room and it was simply beautiful. The owners are very friendly and open up all areas of the hotel as if you were friends in their home. The inn has a bed-and-breakfast feel with the privacy of a hotel. The roof top lounge area is amazing and cozy even on the coldest nights. Settle in for a few days at this little oasis.

I loved my stay at this hotel. It's not the most glamorous place I've stayed, but it's obvious the owners really care about providing an enjoyable experience. The room was nice, the location is fantastic, and I was treated courteously even though I came in dressed like a Harley rider after a day on the road (cause that's what I was).

Don't worry, I was the only guest on a Harley. :-)

I'm definitely going back again soon. I highly recommend this hotel.

Everything about our stay at the Inn at Avila Beach was brilliant - the people/management were very nice and friendly, outstanding service, fantastic ocean view rooms, ... overall, we were very glad to find this little place and stayed longer than planned as we enjoyed it so much.

What made the difference? Apart from the great views from the balvony (and bed in the morning), the attention to detail. eg the 'InnSider' brochure, giving you lots of useful information about the area, activities, food, restaurants etc. Also complimentary coffee, water, popcorn is a nice extra. Plus, they have a small book and video library (for those rare not so sunny days - or evenings you want to spend in your room).

We turned up on the day and got a really good rate for the room as well.. at ca $130 per night incl tax, that was the best value for our money we found during our 2 week holiday.

I guess if you are looking for a lively resort, Avila is pobably not the place for you.... although Rick's Bar was very good fun.

If you are planning on staying at Avila Beach, this is the place to stay. We had a cozy room with a Mexican Motif that had french doors overlooking the ocean. Not to mention how close the Inn is to the water. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The rooftop sundeck is wonderful. There are hammocks and very cozy lounging areas where you can sit and watch a movie at night. The Inn has a huge selection of videos for its guests. They also offer hot chocolate, tea, coffee and bottled water at no charge. Popcorn too. If you are into fancy schmancy, I am not sure this place is for you. It is cozy and romantic but not really fancy. The Inn at Avila Beach is a great place to relax.

Our first stay in Avila Beach...the first of many to come!! We booked 2 rooms for 2 days at the Inn at Avila Beach. By far one of the most enjoyable vacation experiences ever. One of our rooms was an ocean view room, this room we had was setup with a very comfortable love seat and chaise located near the sliding glass door, so the ocean was always crashing in the background, even from our bed located closer to the entrance it was constant ambient noise (so great)! The staff was incredibly helpful and always friendly. After we left Avila Beach we went to San Diego and stayed in a 4 star Sheraton on Harbor Island and what a NIGHTMARE that was (This will be a different review) All we could think was how badly we wished we were still soaking up the ocean and relaxing atmosphere on the balcony of our room at the Inn at Avila Beach. As we were driving away, we were already planning our next visit.

We took a mini-vacation in Avila Beach on Aug 9-11th 2006 and stayed at the Inn for the first time, it was wonderful! So beatifully decorated and inviting, comfortable. The staff was friendly, Edward, Joe, Amy, thank you so much! The family room was great. The roof-top deck is out of this world, already planning to go back next year. We took our teenagers and mom, they stayed in the family suite and we stayed in the ocean front room, it's the best. Next time we will try and reserve the owner's suite. Be sure to request a mexican-style decorated room to feel the whole experience. And you have to eat at least once in the great room. Just across the street from the beach, didn't have to worry about the kids or anything. Not the Hyatt, but better, small, funky and definitely fun and relaxing! Didn't want to leave. Can't wait to go back.

The Rucobo Family

Hercules, CA

Imagine feeling the warmth of the natural breeze and listening to the sound of the ocean while getting one of the best massages of your life. I recommend you do what I did...get the massage on the roof top deck! There is a little massage room if you prefer, but I'm telling you, it's very awesome on the roof!! (you may want to tip the therapist a little extra though for bringing her table and supplies up there, but it is totally worth every penny). If you do nothing else while at the Inn at Avila Beach, you must get a massage. Their massage therapist is excellent! I can't wait to go back...I'll be dreaming until then....ahhhh.

First I would like to thank everyone who gave this inn a good review and Tripadvisor, if not for you we may have never found this place. Traveling the PCH we needed a place for the night. We wanted an ocean view room and what a view it was. Simply beautiful. It has what all the good reviews say. I don't know about the non ocean view rooms, but even if we didn't have an ocean view room being so close to the beach would be worth it as well. It really is just STEPS from the beach. The rest of the inn is just charming. We stopped at several beaches from Monterey down to Los Angeles. Next time Im spending the whole vacation at the inn at Avila beach. It really is that nice.

I love this place so much that I've returned at least three times. The top sun deck is a great place to throw a party if you are traveling with a group.

If not, I recommend one of their ocean-front rooms. If that's not in your budget, get any room and enjoy that sun deck -- it's gorgeous!

The hotel is old and I have stayed in rooms that were slightly less than perfect but they gave me a terrific discount because of it (there was a ceiling leak in the living room of my suite).

The hotel has an enormous library of video tapes for you to enjoy for free and puts popcorn in your microwave to enjoy it with.

The staff was very friendly and accomodating.

I highly recommend this hotel.

I stayed at the Inn at Avila Beach for two nights in August and the area was fogged in and cold. I wasn’t expecting the Hilton, I’d read the reviews before booking. What I did expect was for the person who took my reservation to get it right. I booked an ocean front room for my first night and booked 301 for my second night as the ocean front wasn’t available for both nights. When I arrived, I was given 301 for both nights. There is no computer booking system, just hand written notes on cards. So, expectation of watching sunset over the ocean from my balcony ruined, customer pissed. Not a good start. Owner, less than apologetic, gives me song and dance about “we don’t have any ocean front rooms left, what’s on your card is 301 for 2 nights.” I couldn’t even get a confirmation number when I booked; the woman who took my reservation tells me “your confirmation is Lori, that’s my name.” Well, Lori, you are too incompetent to be running a hotel that charges $175 a night.

I might have liked the room better if I hadn’t been so peeved after check in (I won’t even go into the hike up three stories of a narrow staircase.) This could be a better room if it didn’t smell slightly funky (*later I discovered the odor was from the gas fireplace.) There is a microwave and small fridge. No air conditioning, but not really needed this close to the beach. No heater but the gas fireplace proves to be able to do the job admirably. There is an enormous halogen torchiere in the corner of the room, apparently the owners haven’t gotten the memo that those things use 300w of electricity when operating, it is strangely out of place when everything else is so cheap. Closer examination reveals that every single light in the place is incandescent. Plus the faucet on the whirlpool tub leaks. A few conservation measures would save the owners enough money to buy a friggin computer for booking. There isn’t even deadbolt or chain lock on the door, just a flimsy lock on the knob. My cat could break into this room. No way am I leaving anything in the room when I’m not here, so I lug it all down to the trunk of my car anytime I want to go out.

The only wireless company with a repeater in the area is AT&T – which translates into sketchy reception for phones & laptops. Wireless reception up on the deck is pretty good.

So, it is getting nippy and I decide to turn on the gas fireplace. It doesn’t work. I look for the phone to call downstairs and have it dealt with – there’s no phone either. Finally, I call down on my cell phone and get a recording. Honestly. Every time I try and make the best of the situation, the Inn at Avila Beach fails again.

What is the most disappointing is that I LIKE funky. I go out of my way to stay at off-beat places. I hate sanitized McHotels. I really wanted to like this inn. But, dang….this place has no business charging this much money for badly managed and maintained.

As others have mentioned, the 3rd floor deck rocks. It alone is worth the visit, although I also have to say that putting televisions up there was a lousy idea. There is no better way to ruin such a marvelous spot than forcing everyone to listen to TV. The deck seems best used during the day when any kids at the hotel are on the beach.

Would I stay here again, yes. Would I visit Avila Beach again, unlikely. Would I recommend to a friend? It depends on what kind of experience they were looking for and what kind of people they were. If it were a couple looking for a romantic weekend, I’d probably tell them to go back two miles and stay at Sycamore Springs. If they were looking for a wilder, natural coastline I would tell them to go an hour North to Moonstone Beach. If they were a looking for a beach experience for the kids, Avila Beach fills that role nicely. There is really nothing to do here except the beach, once you’ve wandered through the handful of shops with the usual tourist tchochkis, that is about it. Avila seems a great place for kids or people who are really into the beach, the waves are fairly soft and calm and it is less packed than other places. My personal preference is for the big, crashing waves and wildness of Moonstone Beach.

I caught a glimpse of one of the ocean front rooms on my 2nd day and they look pretty good. 301 was very small and the enormous bed takes up almost the entire room – there isn’t even a comfortable place to sit.

Funky is not an excuse for sloppy and the management needs to step things up. The Inn at Avila Beach isn’t for everyone. The layout is not good for those with physical disabilities or who don’t have a fondness for stairs. Furnishings are shabby chic meets aging hippy.

Very friendly staff - they make you feel right at home. Quick checkin process and off to a Great room! We had a large hot tub with a view of the Pacific Ocean and fireplace. Very comfortable and clean. The rooftop deck is a great place - wonderful for morning coffee and view! Would stay here again.

My boyfriend and I stayed at the Inn for a week, to get away from life pressures. We enjoyed our beach front room, and listening to the waves crash at night was romantic and exciting. The room was in need of a little TLC but I loved that it felt lived in and if I spilled my wine, it wasn't going to be a huge ordeal. I was thrilled to not be at the Hilton, or similar.

Edward made me feel welcome and he was like a best friend, offering a bottle of wine and an open ear and a comforting smile. My boyfriend and I loved the ability to grab our hot chocolate, a game of clue, and whatever dishes we needed for our in room, picnic meals. I grew up in SLO area and it was wonderful to come home and spend time in a place I had only dreamed of being. Love the remodeled med. style dining room.

I hope to come back some day and relive the incredible memories made here.

ellie

My wife and I booked a room here as a waypoint to our final, more distant driving destination for the Thanksgiving weekend. We knew nothing about the town except its geographic convenience, and the great rate we got from Hotels.com.

We arrived after 9:00 PM and expected a cursory greeting from tired graveyard staff. Instead, we got a warm welcome and a personal tour of the common area, where we could read from their library, play one of their many board games, drink tea, coffee, or hot chocolate, or even just lounge comfortably and watch TV or DVD's. What a great first impression!

The room itself was spacious, and gave the impression that the facility had been built in the late 50's-early 60's, judging from the stove that was in the kitchenette. To be fair, as evidenced by the minor dings, dents, and erosion of some of the room's fixtures, it was certainly fighting the ultimately-losing battle against the elements, particularly the ocean that lay just across the street.

However, thanks to other details of the room, such as a pleasant color scheme, an immaculate and well-decorated bathroom, and microwave popcorn (and a microwave to go with it), I soon had a smile on my face, and wrote off the room's cosmetic imperfections as "charm".

Even better was the morning, when I visited the roof deck that faces the ocean. With sofas, televisions, and hammocks (yes, hammocks), I wanted to extend our stay so badly.

Bottom line, the inn is obviously an old girl, but still a charmer. I certainly will go out of my way to stay there next time to lie on a hammock in the sun or to play backgammon with my wife.

we stayed in one of the spa rooms for a night whilst travelling down the coast.

We thought the room was really comfortable, quirky and full of character. We looked at tripadvisor before we booked and saw there was a bit of argument (someone had given it 1* cause it wasnt the hilton). Well yeah, if you want the Hilton then go to a Hilton, actually just carry on the road to LA if you're that stupid. So yeah there is no room service or trouser press or something... what you get instead is a really cool host, wicked roof terrace you are welcome to take your own drinks and food up to bbq and an interesting room that will make you smile.

A great interesting room, are you a great interesting person?!

I found this hotel via internet search. I was fooled by the price of $299 for the room which I thought would imply a reasonable quality.

It was delightful in a sort of hippiesque way but it was generally a trired pink motel in drastic need of refurbishment and felt a little like a hostel.

That said when you forgot about the price you had paid and chatted to some of the friendly managers it was a pleasent place to stay especially considering the dearth of decent places on this part of the coast.

OK, don't bail out on this one early, or you'll miss the happy ending. The wife and I usually stay in Pismo, but with almost all of the hotels controlled by the same corporate mastermind, setting the rates pretty high, we decided to try an unknown further north in Avila Beach.

When we first arrived, we were pretty impressed with the lobby area, nicely finished in heavy Mexican tile pavers, faux-painted walls and all kinds of knick-knacks decorating the entry. The front-desk was manned by "Edward" who was exceedingly friendly and took us on a tour to our rooms while the owner's son and a friend hopped our bags. They have a lounge area with a big-screen TV, internet access and a libray of books and VHS movies. So far, so good.

We got to our room, and holy cow...it had to be one of the worst hotel rooms I've ever stayed in. A converted apartment (the building was constructed in the late sixties, we found out later), the room layout was pretty nice, but the wallpaper was peeling from the wall, the roof was water-stained from some past leak, and the whole building seemed like it had shifted over the years, with the door frame askew and amateurish attempts to renovate the room. The linen and towels were excellent, though and the room was clean.

Strangely enough, the whole thing actually worked for me in some weird, quirky way. A room that I would normally have been demanding my money back on ended up being a comfortable place to stay, and since we had a 3rd floor front facing room, our balcony had an awesome view of the ocean, the beach below and the pier. I even slept outside on the balcony both nights until the crashing surf woke me up and I headed off to join the wife in the very comfortable queen bed.

They provide bottled water free, not like the two bucks one normally spends in the "honor bar". There is a refridgerator, microwave, coffee maker, TV and VCR, so hanging out in the room was pretty comfy. We left the slider open all the time and enjoyed a refreshing ocean breeze at all times.

The roof has ben converted to an observation/hang-out/party deck with several hammocks and tables. The surprise was the three living rooms they've constructed, kind of like a three-walled room complete with armoir, TV, chair and couch. Outdoor living space with a view!

In conclusion, the place has an old, beat-up but trying-hard charm about it. The room and the hotel was clean, the staff was friendly, and the views are awesome. I could pick the room and the hotel apart for hours, but we'll be back and I recommend that you try it, too!

Stayed here for several days the week of 7/24/2006. Brought our 3 kids. Yes, the rooms are a little older, but the service was good, the location can't be beat and we enjoyed all the "little things" that more than made up for the age of the place. The roof deck is great for a drink in the evening and the beach is directly across the street. We did not ask for nor want "discounts" and we pay cash and we knew what we were getting. If you're looking for the Biltmore, then please, stay elsewhere. But if you're looking for a great place to leave your car and spend time at the beach, then this place is for you. We had a slight housekeeping problem and they took care of it promptly and even threw in a bottle of wine. Nice people and a great atmosphere, just not for the "Hilton" folks I guess. We will definitley be back next year for a much longer stay....

This is a very, very casual place, and quite worn out, perhaps better for families who only use the room for sleeping. We were so disappointed by our stay that we checked out early. We stayed in two different rooms, a spa room and an ocean front room. The spa room had a tiny in room tub (literally in- room, only the toilet and shower were in the bathroom, the sink and tub were in the room), nice tile work and a Mediterranean paint job (think vivid hues), but the plaster walls were chipping. Both rooms had leaking faucets. In the first room, the tub dripped and I had to wrap a towel around the fixture to sleep, this room was also very dark, and there was no closet or hanging rod for clothing. I was also surprised to find that none of the rooms had an ironing board/iron, or a phone to call the front desk. In order to ask for assistance, a cold, damp, dark walk down open, steep and narrow stairs was required. (The hallways and stairs are open air- like a motel 6)

The second room faced the ocean and had a tiny balcony; it had peeling wallpaper that hung down in several areas. The finish on the tub had worn through and there was black metal showing through the porcelain. The dusty fake plants did nothing to add to the charm.

The lobby is very attractive, but certainly not representative of the rest of the facility, although I expected casual, I did not expect worn and in disrepair.

The positives were that the rooms appeared clean, the breakfast room was pleasant, and the location is enviable, although crammed up against an apartment building in the rear made for several hours of listening to neighborhood parties over the weekend.

There are free VCR movies to borrow and microwave popcorn for the room, also coffee and tea in the lobby "family" room- nice if you are traveling with kids.

The only decent room in the hotel is the owner’s suite; I saw it when I walked by while the manager was giving a tour. If all the rooms were even half as nice as that ONE room, I may not have left in disgust.

The narow stairs and lack of security on the doors made this hotel decidedly uncomfortable. Yes, there' s a third story balcony but who wants to trek up three flights? Conversation with the owner was very frustrating as he kept repeating how much property he owned. . That really spoiled it for us.

Room did not feel clean, the heater was an old fashioned wall heater which made the room stink. On top of that, our room had a leak in the roof and the carpet was soggy. Management did not offer to move rooms or discount our stay. We had other family staying in the hotel, so we did not leave. The only redeeming quality was the balcony view of the ocean.

I stayed at the Inn at Avila Beach during the week. Beautiful area-however, the hotel itself was just "okay". I guess I should have known that it was going to be different when I was handed a key, my charge card receipt, and told i would be on the second floor facing the courtyard. I anticipated seeing a "courtyard" which was in actuality the drive way leading into the parking spaces. Next stop was the room-modestly furnished-great 300+thread couint sheets. In the corner was a black and decker tower fan that was precariouslly tipping when i would set it in oscillate mode. The killer was when I was informed that the only place cell phone reception was good was in the lobby. There was no way the cell worked in my room and since there are no phones, one has to leave the hotel to make a private phone call. Because the windows/rooms face each other across the "courtyard", there was no privacyto be able to leave your drapes open for fresh air to come in if you wanted to leave your windows open. The weather was warm and alas-no airconditioning to cool the room. Being that leaving a window open posed a safety issue for me, I closed my windows the first nite. The second nite, I left them open (and lived to tell, not that I truly anticipated problems the second nite).

I found the stairway on the west end of the hotel to be challenging as it is quite narrow and somewhat slightly leaning. The hotel itslelf is old for sure and that is okay-the floor creaked a lot when i would walk across the room. I also could hear my neighbors and the people above me. not that they were intentionally being loud, it is the age of the building that lends to that type of noise. On the plus side, my room had a fridge a teeny tiny stove, and a microwave. A coffeemaker and a hair dryer were availlable to use. I thought it was pretty nice to be able to borrow a movie fromtheir library, and the fact that there are vcr's in the room was nice. The bathroom was small and had nice clorful towels (not the run of the mill white). The shower and tub water were great-didn't run out of hot water thatnk god. I know I sound a bit jaded about this, but let's just leave it like this-the niceties were embellished and I just think that if you don't mind the age, the cell phone issue and the warm rooms, then it is a swell place to stay. The area is gorgeous and you are within walking distance (literally across the street)to the ocean. Brian was nice (he is a clerk there) and everyone who works there were quite friendly. There weren' t noisy teens or lots of creepy people, just nice oldr couples and families at the hotel and. also at the beach. Very nice place to see.

The customer service at this hotel is the worst. Edward quoted me a price and gave me a conf.# and then 2 days later tells me that they can not meet the price. Do not stay here .... there are much better hotel in the area with much better customer service.

The person who wrote this review never stayed at our hotel. He wrote this review in retaliation to the fact we would not allow him to have a wedding on our sundeck. We pride ourselves in the fact we keep all of our guest areas open for all guests. This gentelman wanted to have a wedding in May 09 on the best part of our property and keep other guests out. He was kindly told that we were unable to do that and he got angry and wrote a review for the Inn at Avila Beach, where he has never stayed, on Trip Advisor. Please keep this into consideration when planning your next trip to Avila Beach. Our staff is nothing but kind and would love to make your visit the best!

It's shocking to me that anyone would give this hotel a good review. When calling ahead of time to let them know we were on our way, we were beraded for making our reservations through Hotels.com. I called and told the gentleman that we were celebrating a special occasion and if he could put us in as nice a room as possible. His response was "well, a nice room would cost you three times more than you're paying through hotels.com, etc." when i heard his bad attitude, I knew it was a bad sign.

our room was a complete dump. the matress was thrown on top of a dirty water-damaged wood thing, the bathtub had a ring of dirt around it and wouldn't drain. the toilet seat was dirty with what seemed to resemble feces.

the only positive thing about this experience is that we received a full refund upon our complaint. the first guy we dealt with was a total jerk, but the guy on the second day was much nicer and agreed to refund us. we left after one night, and stayed at the Madonna Inn which was MUCH nicer than this hotel. don't believe me? check out the pictures we took!

we travel a lot and have stayed in many different types of hotel rooms -- from the Ritz Carlton to Best Western. This hotel is simply the worst we've ever seen.

This was unquestionably the most disappointing hotel room I have ever had. For the price (room for two $380 for two nights- Thurs. & Fri.), I expected a well-maintained and well-appointed room. Instead, the furniture was shoddy, bathroom fan & sink did not function, and in general the hotel had a run-down appearance. The only positives were the location (on the beach & near a great restaurant- the Old Custom House) and the somewhat helpful manager.

The room was run down. Old chipping paint. On the thrid floor, when I asked for one on the 1st floor. I was told that was all they had. This is not a place to stay for people that have walking disabillities.

How do I even begin to express how UN-RELAXING and UN-ROMANTIC this hotel is. I am extremely disappointed with our stay. The hotel was extremely noisy, children (about 10 of them) running from floor to floor screaming yelling starting at 7am. The people slamming doors to their rooms above us and yelling from one side of the court yard to the other making plans for the day.... I wish I could say that the children were my only complaint but the parents were WORSE than the children. They were loud, drunk, and rude both nights we were there till past 3am in the morning. A drunk woman banged on my door at 2am for about 10 minutes one night because she was too drunk to find her way back to her room. I had to go out and tell her to leave. The hot tub in our room had no plug, we had to go down stairs and ask, and the attendant told us to just shove it down. I have had better nights sleep at my boyfriends Fraternity house in Santa Barbara!!! The staff seemed to not care... There was not one minute of silence our entire stay.... I would rather stay at a motel 6 in Pismo then go back to this place, it was horrible!!! BEWARE!!!!

Although reciently renovated, this very old property was run down and lacked A.C. Our room was stuffy and was aquiped with only a standing fan. We wern't given the delux room they sold us when booking. When we complained, the general manager said "you got a good deal". The owner later insulted me in an e-mail. We were very disappointed overall. although well located, try a another hotel! There are many nicer places near by.