Where To Stay in San Luis Obispo - Hotel Cerro

HOTEL LOVE

Dec 20

** This trip was taken before California locked down again in December due to Covid-19. Before making any travel plans, please check the health advisories in that city and state, as we do our best to keep each other safe in these uncertain times**

Well, I couldn’t take it any longer. The urge to get out and explore could no longer be ignored, and I decided to take a mini road trip up the coast to central California, and ended up in San Luis Obispo. My goal with this trip was to stay Covid-responsible, and really just enjoy a night in a nice hotel, and do some outdoor excursions. In the search for where to stay, I was looking for someplace fun, someplace new. Enter Hotel Cerro.

Location:

San Luis Obispo, or SLO, is a beautiful, historic city built around Mission San Luis Obispo Tolosa, just off the central coast of California, about half way between Los Angeles and San Francisco. SLO, called “The happiest city in America”, is now known as a college town with a friendly, laid back vibe, and has a quaint, walkable downtown area with lots of boutiques, restaurants, and bars. Hotel Cerro is tucked right in the heart of downtown on the lovely Garden Street. Beyond the appeal of the city itself, SLO is only minutes drive away from beaches, hot springs, and wineries, and is the perfect jumping off point for anyone wanting to visit Hearst Castle.

The Hotel:

Hotel Cerro is the newest luxury hotel in SLO. It opened in January 2020, only to have to close again in March after the pandemic prompted “safe at home” orders to be issued. In June it got to re-open its doors, and since then has been providing a very safe, yet still inviting, stay for guests. This luxury hotel isn’t stuffy, but blends the rich history of the city with a casual modern elegance. There is as much to explore in this 65 room hotel as the city itself, from the multiple outdoor spaces with fireplaces perfect for gathering (once we’re allowed to) and enjoying a glass of wine, to the giant edible garden on the 2nd floor and the amazing farm-to-table restaurant that it feeds, to the spa and gym, and the rooftop pool and lounge.

The Room:

I stayed in the Cerro Classic King room. At first I thought the layout was funky, walking into a small entryway, and then through the bathroom before continuing on into the living/sleeping area. But the room was super spacious, and after actually spending time in this space I came to see that the layout was super user friendly. I spent half my time in the giant bathroom space while getting ready and whatnot. What struck me as special about this room was the attention to detail with all of the different textures of the surfaces. From the leather wrapped writing desk, to the goose down linen comforter and cozy knit blanket, to the plaster dividing wall and the beautiful wood and stone surfaces.

The room had a balcony that looked out onto garden. I would have really liked to have had a table and chairs out there to enjoy my morning coffee, but really that's my only complaint.

I loved the grand bathroom area with its dual sinks and mirrors and plenty of space for primping. The walk in shower is so big you could have a party in there. I also greatly appreciate that they situated the toilet room way back into the farthest corner from the living area, so if you're sharing the room with someone, there's less chance for any….embarrassment.

The mini fridge was cleared out due to the Covid restrictions, but what was supplied was wonderful, quality, pourover coffee, instead of those little Keurig thingamabobs at every other hotel. They also provided two reusable water bottles for guests to keep that can be refilled at a purified water station next to the ice machine on each floor.

The bed was super comfortable, and I got an excellent night’s sleep in this room. Next time I would definitely love to check out one of their suites on the second floor that come with patios furnished with fire bowls, and fireplaces inside. Or maybe even the 900 sq. ft. Penthouse Loft.

Dining:

Hotel Cerro’s Brasserie SLO serves Mediterranean-inspired meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. To my delight, the menu includes my favorite, oysters on the half shell, from local oyster farms.

The Pool Terrace has a dedicated bar and pantry for lighter offerings.

Spa/Pool/Gym:

On the upper floor of the hotel is the beautiful 4000 sq. ft. Spa Cerro offering a plethora of services, from facials and massages to body polishes and wraps.

There is a state of the art gym on this level as well.

And on the roof is the Pool Terrace, where you can go for a dip in the pool (sadly too cold for me that day), soak up sun in the lounge area, and take in the lovely views of the area.

What I love:

I was super pleased with how focused the hotel is with being eco-conscious! It was designed and built towards LEED Silver specifications. It has its own line of all natural botanical skin and haircare products in the rooms. It’s doing its best to eliminate single use plastics by having those products in refillable containers of those in the rooms, as well as providing reusable water bottles and filtered water refill stations for the guests.

Brasserie SLO also has sustainability front of mind, from the wood burning oven and grill they use, to reducing their carbon footprint by sourcing all meat and vegetables from nearby vendors, and their own organic garden.