I burst out laughing! I have and love chickens. My friend Adrienne brought her only chicken every time we evacuated during the Thomas Fires. We went to the Ojai Valley Inn. I thought she was the only one who brought her chicken in her purse. (it was not a Vuitton). I adore your critique. I stayed at Mattei's as a child on the way home from Douglas Camp in Carmel to Pasadena. It was so charming.
We’ve booked a visit for our 20th Anniversary at the end of June, even after hearing the reviews. We stopped by the Inn a few weeks ago after lunch at SY Kitchen on a cold and rainy day. The fireplace was not lit and another couple who had just come from Cold Springs Tavern where they said the fire was blazing and wonderful were asking for the fireplace to be lit and the staff said it’s not turned on until 5PM but they would see what they could do. 30 minutes later, it was still not lit. IMO that fire should be going 24/7 when it’s cold weather! Mattei’s Tavern has a soft spot in my heart as it’s a historic landmark and I think they did a wonderful job with the actual Tavern and an authentic historical restoration. I’ll add my review after our visit there.
Mr. Torkells I truly enjoyed reading your review. I found your perspective broad and fair and throughly enjoyed the humor. I've stayed at the Los Olivos Grand Hotel on many occasions (just slightly less expensive) and wlll probably continue with that choice when passing thru to Paso Robles.
What made the valley so popular originally was the rural, western flavor that gravitated to a more sophisticated wine tasting cliente after the movie Sideways became famous circa 2005. Paso has assumed much of that same allure over the past 20 years though they're headed in the same direction.
I'm sure Auberge Resorts has accumlated a sizable amount of debt creating this project, I'm just not sure their pricing is sustainable. We shall see....
Thank you for the wonderful review. The comments endorse the validity. We received a mailing list offer of a discounted stay for several nights. While expensive, we will willing to pay that but not willing to book when we learned that the stay was not refundable--too costly for us to lose all if we could not make the visit. We have enjoyed a drink in the bar, though and were told that corkage is an affordable $25. The burger of the patron next too us looked very good.
Lotusland:)
My kind of genuine and honest review. Thanks for being fantastic.
730 E. Canon Perdido St. Southwest corner of E. Canon & N. Nopal. Former armory building.
My birthday treat was a weekend at Mattie's. Our experience was pretty much as you have described, minus the live chicken....which would have been a welcomed highlight! Our stay was complicated even more by cold temperatures, and the heating system in the rooms leave much to be desired. Long and short - a very fair review. They have much work to do. The check-in obligatory waiver should have been a tip off. We chalked it off to having an "interesting adventure"..... one best not repeated any time soon. Thankfully my darling friends made the rest of the celebration one to remember.
Agree. They are not open to the public and charge quite a bit as it is. There's no justification for a few, and if they get a fee, every other tourist attraction in SB will want one. I'd rather support the Botanic Garden or Natural History museum.
A very informative and well done review
How refreshing to read a very professional approach and not the typical sophomoric gushing prose that is usually published in other media
Not true. OLD news dating back to 2017. Keep up with the times.
Afraid not....
The Arlington Theater building
No, but thanks for guessing!
Windows of the old News Press building.
The Zoo has got to be joking with that concept…
$1000+/night is also a big investment.
It looks like a nice hotel, but I would rather wait until after the kinks are worked out before visiting.
All the reviews make you sound like residents of pettyville. More reason to disregard forums where everyone needs to have an opinion and be a smartass. If you don't like it, stay home. Don't bash a business working the kinks out after big investment.
I recently visited Clarksdale AZ, the town established by Sen. Clark for his workers in his Jerome Az. copper mine. Nearby Cottonwood has a marvelous and extensive Copper Museum. This lead me to the book Empty Mansions and the story of Huguette Clark and Bellosguardo. Im very interested in a tour when they become available. Im a graduate of UC Santa Barbara.
I recently visited Clarksdale AZ, the town established by Sen. Clark for his workers in his Jerome Az. copper mine. Nearby Cottonwood has a marvelous and extensive Copper Museum. This lead me to the book Empty Mansions and the story of Huguette Clark and Bellosguardo. Im very interested in a tour when they become available. Im a graduate of UC Santa Barbara.
As a local, I've watched Mattie's Tavern change over the years. I recently checked out the facility without going inside anything. It felt drab, uninteresting, lacking in interesting landscaping, lacking in landscaping in general, a condo complex atmosphere and utterly charmless. It could be a wonderful place, but I cannot see anyone visiting it now being a return guest or recommending it to friends.
The faux wood ghostship tiles on the outdoor patio are really cringe. They’re ugly enough on their own but outright offensive in a $1000+ a night hotel. The lower patios visible from your perch looked charming, on the other hand. Agree about the red asphalt shingle roof. It is literally the cheapest roof you can get and looks like crap. I have the same roofing on my house and I look forward to upgrading one day! It looks like the best parts of the resort can be enjoyed by non-guests. Unfortunately most of us will probably not be so lucky as to see the silkie chicken when we visit. I’d love an interview with her owner! For $1000/night I’ll be staying put under my own cheap roof. When did luxury start feeling so… flimsy?
The way Chef Maili was treated (by the Malibu crew who still own it), after her amazing and heartfelt refresh of the historic venue is KEY to what is currently transpiring for Auberge. And that equals to KARMA always wins
As a local, they've ruined an historic landmark we were proud of. I worked there years ago when it was a pleasant place for all to eat and enjoy the history. Totally ruined it for all. Go back to LA please and leave us alone..
Feel like it was almost worth the price to see a chicken in a Louis Vuitton bag in a restaurant?
