The Granada Hotel & Bistro only has 17 rooms, so you can expect an extra-intimate experience. This boutique hotel is located within walking distance of fantastic downtown shops and restaurants, a perfect location for visiting wine country, and has its own on-property restaurant!
Photo courtesy of Hotels.com
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Granada Hotel & Bistro Review
My husband and I love traveling up to San Luis Obispo and exploring the Central Coast for little weekend trips. We usually stay at the Madonna Inn, but for our anniversary one year, I dropped the ball making hotel reservations. By the time I called the Madonna Inn, it was too late. They were booked!
But then I remembered some photos I had seen of a new little boutique hotel in the area: the Granada Hotel & Bistro! I called, and they had availability, so I booked a room and made a dinner reservation for our anniversary.
Overall, it was a great stay and I highly recommend the Granada Hotel & Bistro … if the Madonna Inn is booked or just is not the place for you. I mean, I get it, the over-the-top pink kitsch of the Madonna Inn isn’t for everyone! But if given a choice, I’ll stay at the Madonna Inn every.single.time.
That said, I still very much enjoyed my stay at the Granada Hotel. If you want the feel of Europe with hints of San Francisco, I suggest you try the Granada Hotel! The downtown San Luis Obispo location is perfect!
History of Granada Restaurant and Bistro
The hotel went through many owners before it was purchased by Kimberly Walker, the current owner of the hotel. Along with her three partners, Walker set a budget of five million dollars to renovate the entire hotel in April of 2011. At that time, the hotel was the first and only boutique hotel in downtown SLO.
They renovated the boutique 17-room hotel into a cool and sexy hotel with roots in the 1920s. The whole idea was to keep a vintage look and feel but with modern fixtures. They kept the rustic design of the exposed brick walls and the hand-crafted steel windows and paired that with velvet chairs, Persian rugs, and luxury linens. With the original art and Spanish music playing in the lobby, the renovation was complete!
Why Stay at Granada Hotel & Bistro
The location is ideal and within walking distance of the many downtown SLO shops and restaurants. You can spend the afternoon browsing for books and vinyl at Phoenix Books and Boo Boo Records or add your own piece of gum to the Bubble Gum Wall just a short walk away. You can also explore the local mission, go hiking, or go wine tasting in Edna Valley wine country.
Plus, the food and wine menu at the Granada Bistro offers a variety of delicious flavors. Lunch and dinner are served daily and a brunch menu is offered on weekends.
The Rooms at Granada Hotel & Bistro
The Granada Hotel is full of character! All the rooms have an intimate vibe with unique little details in the artwork and interior design. We stayed in a classic queen room and the charm and character of the room are found within the open red brick walls, beautiful original art, Persian rugs, and hand-crafted steel windows which give the room an aesthetic-European feel.
But be forewarned, the rooms are also very small which might also contribute to that European feel.
Our room also included an in-room minibar and blackout curtains. The bathroom is classically designed with white tile and marble. It was stocked with luxurious, locally sourced Fable Soap Co. skin-care products (they smell so good!), two signature seersucker robes, and a hairdryer.
The rooms did justice to the whole classic-luxury vibe of the hotel. The furnishing was soft and eclectic. And if you’re looking for a bit more of an intimate vibe, some of the deluxe rooms have walk-in showers and fireplaces.
Photo courtesy of Hotels.com
Photo courtesy of Hotels.com
Amenities Offered at Granada Hotel & Bistro:
Granada Hotel and Bistro had more than enough amenities to make our stay comfortable and luxurious. All the rooms offer:
- Free high-speed wifi
- Non-smoking rooms
- Air conditioning
- LCD televisions
- Free self-parking
- Complimentary continental breakfast
- Laundry and Dry cleaning services available
- Bicycle rentals available
- On site restaurant and bar
Photo courtesy of Hotels.com
Drinking and Dining at Granada Hotel & Bistro
The Granada Bistro has excellent food and services and offers a variety of flavors. The cuisine is Californian but rooted in French and Mediterranean dishes and offers a selection of premium quality wines and crafted cocktails. Located on the ground floor with an outdoor terrace, you can enjoy your meal while people-watching in downtown SLO!
I ordered the Bistro Burger while my husband probably had a chicken or fish dish. Or maybe the Pork Loin. It’s been a while, so we can’t remember the specifics anymore, but we do remember that the meal was delicious and we even returned for dinner on another trip to the area even though we were not staying at the hotel.
And of course, we grabbed a couple of slices of Pink Champagne Cake from the Madonna Inn’s bakery for dessert and enjoyed them along with the remainder of our bottle of wine in our room!
The hotel offers a free continental breakfast of fruit and pastries.
The small concept-based retail and wine shop the hotel owns on the premises (aptly named “Next Door” due to its location) also offers lunch Monday through Friday for eating on the patio and includes a menu of small plates, the Bistro Burger, and a variety of salads and sandwiches.
You can also purchase candles, organic soaps, wines, pottery, olive wood bowls or cutting boards, and small gifts that they sell at Next Door.
The exclusive cocktail lounge called Nightcap is available for hotel guests and offers crafted cocktails and spirits.
Because of the perfect location in the heart of SLO, anything from Granada Hotel and Bistro is close-by. Plus, the ambiance is amazing with its whimsical historic touches. It is a gem in the SLO valley and a place you should definitely book for a French and European experience when visiting San Luis Obispo.
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Land Acknowledgement
Golden State Getaways wants to acknowledge that we live, operate, gather, and benefit everyday on the traditional stolen lands of several Indigenous peoples and nations including the Tongva (Gabrieleno), Kizh (Gabrieleno), Chumash, Popeloutchom (Amah Mutsun), Ohlone, Awaswas, and Fernandeño Tataviam peoples who have stewarded the lands and waterways throughout their many generations in what is now the state of California.
I wanted to personally acknowledge these Indigenous people and nations and both their commitment and current contributions to the land with a donation to the American Indian College Fund because acknowledgment without action does not begin to address the systemic issues facing Indigenous people. If you feel as though you benefit from the land you’re living on or traveling to and you have the means, I kindly ask that you donate at least $1 to a Native-led organization such as the Native American Rights Fund or the American Indian College Fund.
The Granada Hotel & Bistro is located in San Luis Obispo which is on Chumash and Obispeño land. You can learn more about the Indigenous land you’re living on or traveling to by visiting the Native Lands website.