The Incredible Madonna Inn in California
@DeborahDiane (40851)
Laguna Woods, California
June 18, 2018 9:16pm CST
While attending our granddaughter's graduation from Cal Poly University in San Luis Obispo, California, my husband and I stayed in the totally unique Madonna Inn.
The hotel was built in 1958 and every single room in the Hotel is completely unique. Each one is named, as well. You can find photos for all of the rooms on the hotel's website.
The suite we stayed in was called Old World. The interior of the suite is a cave, using real stones which were excavated when the hotel was built. Some of the stones weigh several tons. Most of the walls in the suite were made of stone. The floor was also stone.
The shower was like a cave and you could either use a regular shower head or have the water pore over stones in the ceiling and fall down.
The bathroom sink had a waterfall of water come down the wall and cascade into the stone sink. Fortunately, there was also another stone sink with a more traditional spigot.
The photo above shows the fireplace in the sitting room.
Basically, the suite looked like the Flintstones designed the architecture and The Adams Family decorated it! 
13 people like this
14 responses
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Jun 18
@DianneN - Wow! You are the second person I know who stayed in that cave hotel in Cappadocia. It was lovely, but a little spooky at night.
The hotel also had many other styles of rooms. If we go back, I think I would want to stay in a room that was a bit lighter and brighter the next time. 
The hotel also had many other styles of rooms. If we go back, I think I would want to stay in a room that was a bit lighter and brighter the next time. 2 people like this
@DianneN (254926)
• United States
19 Jun 18
@DeborahDiane Our hotel wasn't spooky at all. We actually loved it. It was decorated beautifully and had pools, spas, and great restaurants.
Live and learn.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Jun 18
@DianneN - Yes, our room at the Madonna Inn may have been modeled after the hotel where you stayed. It does have a beautiful spa and pool, as well as wonderful restaurants. We enjoyed the visit there. The room was unique and we are glad we stayed there, but I would not want to be in that room for an extended vacation! I'm glad you enjoyed your cave visit, but it creeped me out a little! LOL
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (24078)
• United Kingdom
19 Jun 18
There are a few hotels that are truly cave hotels notably in Turkey Cappadocia (quite luxurious a lovely relaxing place) Tunisia (Basic but comfortable) Australia in Coober Pedy where everyone lives underground there are around 20 hotels.(Too hot to live above ground) The nice thing is that they are at a comfortable constant temperature all year round Cool in summer and warm in winter.
I love the sound of that bathroom. I love qwerky places like this and would love to stay in this unique hotel.
2 people like this
@garymarsh6 (24078)
• United Kingdom
19 Jun 18
@DeborahDiane Haha first of all I had to look up where San Luis Obispo was and then I looked at the hotel. It looks pretty impressive. It is certainly somewhere I would love to stay, I think I must have passed San Luis Obispo when we drove down from San Francisco to LA along the coastal road. We stayed in Monterrey and Santa Barbara mind you that was 36 years ago oh lord how time flies!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Jun 18
@garymarsh6 - Yes! If you drove from Monterrey to Santa Barbara along the coast, then you definitely passed the hotel. It was around during that time period, too. You sound very adventurous. If you ever come back to California, the Madonna Inn is one place you will have to explore!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Jun 18
@garymarsh6 - Yes, I have known people who have stayed in cave hotels. I like places which are bright and sunny, however, so I found this a little dark and spooky. However, it was fun and I'm glad we stayed in that room. It was a once in a lifetime experience!
If you like qwerky, you would love this place! Since every room is different, you could move from room to room and try a bunch of them!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502812)
• Italy
20 Jun 18
@DeborahDiane There is more than once cave hotel in Cappadocia. In my opinion the Yunak Evleri Cave Hotel is the most beautiful. I join a photo, it has been carved in the mountain.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Jun 18
@LadyDuck - The one in Cappadocia sounds gorgeous! That would be a truly unique experience!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
21 Jun 18
@LadyDuck - Oh my goodness! That is beautiful! I would love to stay there someday!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Jun 18
@jaboUK - I agree. Our room felt a little spooky. It was kind of like sleeping in a dark, scary basement. The room was clean, had a fireplace and a huge shower, but I still would prefer to stay in one of the more modern rooms next time!
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (122313)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
23 Jun 18
Thank you for sharing this story of the Madonna Hotel in California. And I thought that my late grandmother's home in the countryside of Panama was odd when there was no electricity in the area until the mid 1980s.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
23 Jun 18
@Deepizzaguy - I love "odd" places. They add interest to our lives. I'm sure the house in Panama was a wonderful place to visit.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
23 Jun 18
@Deepizzaguy - I'm sure it was a beautiful place. After the beach, the mountains are my second most favorite place to spend time.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (122313)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
23 Jun 18
@DeborahDiane Where my late grandmother lived was high in the mountains.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
5 Jul 18
@porwest - it was a pretty amazing place to stay. I don't regret staying there, even though the "cave" style room was a bit creepy late at night! LOL
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
27 Jan 23
@porwest - They have three rooms, that I know of, that have the cafe effect. It was cool in some ways, and felt a little like the "Adams Family" house in other ways! Kind of a cross between the Adams Family and the Flintstones! I'm glad we did it, though. Something very unique!
1 person likes this
@porwest (112929)
• United States
27 Jan 23
@DeborahDiane Oh no. I'd have been just fine in there. That looks like an awesome room. Might have to bucket list that one.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Jun 18
@maximax8 - It was a lot of fun to stay there, although a little dark and spooky, too!
@snowy22315 (209173)
• United States
19 Jun 18
It sounds like a room I would enjoy!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Jun 18
@snowy22315 - It was a lot of fun to stay there. I don't think I will ever have a similar experience again!
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
19 Jun 18
I have seen the website. The rooms look unique and interesting. I would love to spend one night there 
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Jun 18
@Porcospino - I'm so glad you looked at the website. The rooms are fascinating, aren't they? When it started to get dark, many of the rooms still had their drapes open, so it was fun to see some of the other designs!
@changjiangzhibin89 (17244)
• China
19 Jun 18
Congratulations on your granddaughter's graduation from Cal Poly University! The suite is unique and is redolent of getting back to nature.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Jun 18
Yes, that is a good description. The suite did feel like we were going back to nature (our ancestors cavemen days!)
1 person likes this
@FourWalls (86875)
• United States
19 Jun 18
That sofa does have a Gomez/Mortica look to it. 
I'm going to explore their web site. That sounds so cool, and such a change from the dull, drab, same-ol'-same-ol' hotel rooms!
I'm going to explore their web site. That sounds so cool, and such a change from the dull, drab, same-ol'-same-ol' hotel rooms!1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Jun 18
@FourWalls - I'm glad you got "The Adams Family" reference! Yes, there is nothing drab or same-ol'-same-ol' about this hotel, that is for sure!
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Jun 18
@rakski - Ha ha! Yes, I felt like a cave woman! It was a very unusual hotel!
@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
19 Jun 18
I have driven by that Inn for so many years, beginning in 1960. It always looked intriguing.
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@JamesHxstatic (29410)
• Eugene, Oregon
19 Jun 18
@DeborahDiane I'll bet it was.
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@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Jun 18
@JamesHxstatic - It really is intriguing. Sometime, when you're bored, look at the website. They have photos of all the rooms ... each one entirely unique. It must have been a mammoth task to build and decorate it!
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109841)
• Los Angeles, California
19 Jun 18
That is quite something.
1 person likes this
@DeborahDiane (40851)
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Jun 18
@JohnRoberts - Since you live here in California, perhaps you will have a chance to stay at the Madonna Inn one of these days. It is a truly unique experience, since every room is different. Your experience could be completely different from ours!
1 person likes this
