I HAVE to stay here now.

[Not Afraid]

The other have that aren't from Bakersfield are from the Fresno area. My brother and SiL have their trailer at Pismo Dunes and we end up there quite a bit. They're from Oakhurst in the Sierras above Fresno.

[Alex]

I've stayed at the Madonna Inn. Other than about 15 minutes of kitsch factor there is very little to recommend it (and it isn't like you get to see the other rooms, just your own).

I found the service to be poor (and surly). Also, there is the unexpected habit of women walking into the men's room at the restaurant to see the waterfall. They're not always so good at having someone check for them before coming in.

[The group I was with was kicked out on our second night there (righfully so) but I was already unimpressed with it after the first day there.]

I'm sad that the miniature golf course ("World's Toughest" it said and it must have been close to correct) in Morro Bay is gone.

[Mousey Girl]

Originally Posted by Not Afraid

The other have that aren't from Bakersfield are from the Fresno area. My brother and SiL have their trailer at Pismo Dunes and we end up there quite a bit. They're from Oakhurst in the Sierras above Fresno.

Oakhurst is a great little town. My sister and I stayed at the Best Western there when we went to a wedding at the lodge at that end of Yosemite. It was snowing and gorgeous. We spent a big part of our night in the indoor pool, watching the snow.

Our next weekend outing we will stay at North Beach State Campground in Pismo. It is off the dunes~no sand (we don't have the sand toys anyways). It is the campground that have the Monarch Trees every spring, just south of the Holiday RV park (the big one next to the beach, closest to town). I used to tent camp there all the time, back in college. They don't have full hookups, just water, but we don't really need the hookups with our old (and ugly) motorhome.

[Mousey Girl]

We only had breakfast at the Madonna. Other than the bathroom, the only memory I took away from there was that was the first time I really felt Nickolas moving.

[Kevy Baby]

I told Lash about it in a PM, but by far, the best hotel to stay at on the Central Coast is the Apple Farm in SLO.

[mousepod]

A few years ago, Heather and I decided to have a romantic weekend at the Madonna Inn. We made the drive down and checked in - we had a cool room with a rock shower. We were unpacking our stuff and Heather casually flipped on the TV before we went down to the restaurant. Princess Diana had been in a car accident and was believed dead.

Buzzkill.

On another note, if you want to see a great use of the Madonna Inn, you should check out the movie Aria. It's a collection of short films by great directors that all have an operatic theme. Julien Temple's contribution is a hysterical bedroom farce set in the Madonna Inn starring Buck Henry, Beverly D'Angelo, and Anita Morris using the music from Rigoletto.

[lashbear]

Originally Posted by Kevy Baby

I told Lash about it in a PM, but by far, the best hotel to stay at on the Central Coast is the Apple Farm in SLO.

I love you Kevy, but it looks like Laura Ashley and Marth Gardener walked into that room and exploded all over the walls !

[AllyOops!]

Aww, Lashbear! You are making me all warm n' fuzzy n' sentimental!

My late boyfriend Chris, & I decided to stay at the Madonna Inn on our way home from our trip to Napa Valley. I told him I had always wanted to stay there, since something like that is right up my.."Ally".

We selected the Kona Room (the Caveman Room was taken) because more then anything, we wanted a rock shower with waterfall.

Kona:http://www.madonnainn.com/tour/131.asp

It was EVERYTHING and more! From the green astroturf style carpeting, to the pineapple chandelier, the sparkling glitter popcorn ceiling so popular circa 1975 (golly, I wanted to live in a house with sparkling ceilings when I was little) and rock walls, it was just....spectacular tropical gaudiness! The Kona Room ROCKS (pun intended!)

First, we dined at the um, romantic steak house. You all know I LOVE pink..but, WOW. Hot pink everywhere, golden cherubs, and I even think they had those heinous gold oil trickle lamps that I thought were just the bitchenest when I was 7. I was in Heaven. It was just wicked tacky & spendid.

Gold Rush Steakhouse:http://www.madonnainn.com/steakhouse.asp

Then, we retreated to our Hawaiian love nest for a neverending waterfall shower. THE BEST is that there is no door, no curtain, just open rock everywhere. Like showering in nature. But, um, the rest of the bathroom had a colonial style tea party design to it.

We had so much fun! Goodness, I miss him so much. I get a feeling of such hapiness mixed with sadness when I look at the Kona room and think of all the fun we had in it.

[Mousey Girl]

Look how pretty my name can be!! http://www.madonnainn.com/tour/218.asp

[Kevy Baby]

Originally Posted by lashbear

I love you Kevy, but it looks like Laura Ashley and Marth Gardener walked into that room and exploded all over the walls !

Actually, it is a very romantic place. Fireplaces in every room, nice decor, and one of the rare hotels with a turn-down service. And regardless of whether you stay at the hotel, the restaurant is great for breakfast.

And if things get spicy, every room (at least I think every room) has a four-poster bed for convenient tying-up of your partner!