12 Best Hotels in The Central Coast, California

Equestrian themes surface throughout this intimate European-style boutique hotel a half block from the main square and near some of Paso's best restaurants. Each of the 16 spacious rooms is named after a famous racehorse (its history and picture hang on the wall) and includes custom European contemporary furnishings, king beds with exquisite linens and comforters, and original works of art. Most rooms have fireplaces and window seats; some have vaulted cedar ceilings. For more affordable motel-style rooms with similar ambience, check out sister property Stables Inn, a few blocks away on Spring Street, the town's main drag.

Just a block from the mission and steps from restaurants, shops, and night spots, this sleek, three-story hotel has custom-furnished rooms with light wood floors, high ceilings, and either a private balcony or terrace—often with a view of the garden courtyard and mountains. Amenities include two restaurants, three bars (including one on the roof), a full-service spa with eight treatment rooms, pool, and fitness room.

This outdoorsy, golf-oriented resort and spa is set on 220 beautifully landscaped, oak-studded acres, with hillside views in nearly all directions. Although the rooms and suites have been refreshed over time, all still reflect the Spanish-Colonial architecture of the original 1923 resort. If you're a history buff, ask for a room in the 100-year-old adobe Neff Building. In 2019, the resort opened The Farmhouse, a sprawling epicurean center that hosts numerous foodie events for guests of all ages.

This full-service, family-owned, Spanish-Mediterranean hotel occupies a prime waterfront corner across from East Beach. The spacious rooms are decorated with Polynesian and Asian influences and have decks, refrigerators, high-definition TVs, queen or full sofa beds, and free Wi-Fi. The on-site restaurant, Convivo, serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner (fresh seafood, house-made pastas, and wood-fired pizzas) with ocean views from the sleek dining room and outdoor patio tables. 

If you're a fan of traditional bed-and-breakfast inns, this property, with its beautifully appointed Victorian main house and acre of lush gardens, is for you. If privacy and luxury are your priority, choose one of the elegant cottages or a room in the century-old barn; each has a wood-burning fireplace and luxurious bedding; several also have whirlpool baths. In-room massages and other spa services are available.

At this rustic-modern complex of adobe-and-redwood buildings, you can choose between motel-style rooms, cabins, and cottages in the woods. Rooms have a contemporary, earth-tone look and a "green" sensibility, with organic linens and wool carpets, and walk-in showers with natural river-rock radiant-heated tiles. All have gas fireplaces, and some have private outdoor patios.

A full-scale resort with seven buildings spread over 24 landscaped acres across from East Beach, this hotel was founded by the late TV actor Fess Parker, best known for playing Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone. Most rooms have private balconies and terraces, and suites have a wet bar, a spa tub, and a small refrigerator. The complex centers on a palm tree–lined plaza and includes the Spa del Mar, a spacious pool and hot tub, three tennis courts, two restaurants and a coffee shop, a nine-hole putting green, shuffleboard, bike rentals, and a rental-car outlet.

The luxe Inn at the Pier, part of Hilton's Curio collection, covers a prime city block just steps from the sand and across from the pier. The classic California beach-style rooms include private balconies; most offer ocean views. Head to the rooftop pool deck for drinks, snacks, and ocean views (don't miss the sunset hour), or to the on-site restaurant, Blonde, for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

A complex of five buildings on 3 landscaped acres across from East Beach, the Mar Monte, part of the Hyatt family of properties, is an appealing lodging option, where the historic main building (circa 1931) reflects old Santa Barbara—Spanish tiles, wrought-iron chandeliers, and vintage black-and-white photos. All rooms and baths have down comforters, flat-screen high-definition TVs, contemporary furnishings, and refrigerators; some deluxe and ocean-view rooms have private balconies or patios.

Perched on a hilltop surrounded by national forest and stunning, unobstructed ocean views, this yurt resort provides a stellar back-to-nature experience along with creature comforts. The yurts here—circular structures of heavy-duty fabric, on individual platforms with decks—are designed for upscale camping. Ocean view yurts have king beds and fireplaces; the rest have one or two queen beds. The sunny main lodge has a big fireplace, games, and a well-stocked sundries and gift shop.

This stylish, yet casual Marriott Autograph Collection resort, on the town’s famed boardwalk just steps from the beach and the Pismo Pier, feels like a luxury beach house, with a swank living room–style lobby-lounge, a pool and hot tub, an outdoor bar, and a lawn with firepits—all overlooking the ocean. Well-appointed rooms range from standard kings to lavish suites; some have kitchenettes, all have spa-like bathrooms with marble countertops, and most have private balconies with ocean views.