Madonna Inn
Encyclopedia
The Madonna Inn is a motel
in San Luis Obispo, California
. Opened for business in 1958, it quickly became a landmark on the Central Coast of California
. The Inn was created by Alex Madonna
, a successful construction magnate and entrepreneur who died in April 2004, and his wife, Phyllis. The well-known motor inn, which includes a restaurant and bakery, is prominently located on the west side of US Route 101 and situated on the lower eastern portion of Cerro San Luis Obispo. The property is adorned with a pseudo-Swiss-Alps exterior and lavish common rooms accented by pink roses, Western murals, and hammered copper. Each of the 109 guest rooms and suites is uniquely designed and themed, though some tourists stop just to peek at the famous rock waterfall urinal located in the men's washroom, a feature designed by Hollywood set designer Harvey Allen Warren.
In 1966, the Inn's original units were burned to the ground in a dramatic fire. It reopened a year later, and by the end of the decade, all of the rooms had been rebuilt in all the sometimes garish nature they are known for today. There are 109 rooms.
By 1982 the Madonna Inn was already well known, and Jack Madonna was quoted as saying, "Anybody can build one room and a thousand like it. It's more economical. Most places try to give you as little as possible. I try to give people a decent place to stay where they receive more than they are entitled to for what they're paying. I want people to come in with a smile and leave with a smile. It's fun."
The Madonna Inn provided the backdrop for an episode of ABC's reality series The Bachelor. In the season 14 episode that aired on January 25, 2010, pilot Jake Pavelka
and the nine remaining women take a road trip up the California coast, visit the Oceano Dunes, and stay overnight at the Madonna Inn.
In the 1980s, the hotel was the object of a scandal involving the placement of concealed cameras in honeymoon suites. The practice was revealed when one of the victimized couples returned to the hotel on anniversary, only to find that the adult video tape they had selected for the evening's enjoyment contained footage of themselves.
.
Motel
A motor hotel, or motel for short, is a hotel designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles...
in San Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo is a city in California, located roughly midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the Central Coast. Founded in 1772 by Spanish Fr. Junipero Serra, San Luis Obispo is one of California’s oldest communities...
. Opened for business in 1958, it quickly became a landmark on the Central Coast of California
Central Coast of California
The Central Coast is an area of California, United States, roughly spanning the area between the Monterey Bay and Point Conception. It extends through Santa Cruz County, San Benito County, Monterey County, San Luis Obispo County, and Santa Barbara County...
. The Inn was created by Alex Madonna
Alex Madonna
Alex Madonna was a prominent builder and real estate developer on the Central Coast of California. He is perhaps most noted for the Madonna Inn which he built for his wife, Phyllis Madonna.Madonna was a self-made man...
, a successful construction magnate and entrepreneur who died in April 2004, and his wife, Phyllis. The well-known motor inn, which includes a restaurant and bakery, is prominently located on the west side of US Route 101 and situated on the lower eastern portion of Cerro San Luis Obispo. The property is adorned with a pseudo-Swiss-Alps exterior and lavish common rooms accented by pink roses, Western murals, and hammered copper. Each of the 109 guest rooms and suites is uniquely designed and themed, though some tourists stop just to peek at the famous rock waterfall urinal located in the men's washroom, a feature designed by Hollywood set designer Harvey Allen Warren.
History
The Madonna Inn opened as a simple motel in December 1958, after the completion of its first twelve rooms. Demand was sufficient to expand to forty rooms during 1959, and the Inn facility was constructed in 1960.In 1966, the Inn's original units were burned to the ground in a dramatic fire. It reopened a year later, and by the end of the decade, all of the rooms had been rebuilt in all the sometimes garish nature they are known for today. There are 109 rooms.
By 1982 the Madonna Inn was already well known, and Jack Madonna was quoted as saying, "Anybody can build one room and a thousand like it. It's more economical. Most places try to give you as little as possible. I try to give people a decent place to stay where they receive more than they are entitled to for what they're paying. I want people to come in with a smile and leave with a smile. It's fun."
The Madonna Inn provided the backdrop for an episode of ABC's reality series The Bachelor. In the season 14 episode that aired on January 25, 2010, pilot Jake Pavelka
Jake Pavelka
Jacob Lynn "Jake" Pavelka is an American pilot who appeared on four reality TV programs, most notably The Bachelor.- Early life and career :...
and the nine remaining women take a road trip up the California coast, visit the Oceano Dunes, and stay overnight at the Madonna Inn.
In the 1980s, the hotel was the object of a scandal involving the placement of concealed cameras in honeymoon suites. The practice was revealed when one of the victimized couples returned to the hotel on anniversary, only to find that the adult video tape they had selected for the evening's enjoyment contained footage of themselves.
Rooms
Aiming to cater to a range of tastes, rooms were given unusual names such as the Yahoo, Love Nest, Old Mill, Kona Rock, Irish Hills, Cloud Nine, Just Heaven, Hearts & Flowers, Rock Bottom, Austrian Suite, Cabin Still, Old World Suite, Caveman Room, Elegance, Daisy Mae, Safari Room, Highway Suite, Jungle Rock, American Home, Bridal Falls and the Carin. Some rooms are grouped in themes. For example, the rooms, "Ren", "Dez, and "Vous" are a play on the French word, rendezvous, and "Merry", "Go", and "Round", for an amusement park carouselCarousel
A carousel , or merry-go-round, is an amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular platform with seats for riders...
.