Alamo Motel offers a rustic, slow-paced getaway
Located in the tiny town of Los Alamos (population 1,275), the Alamo Hotel is a quaint stop along Highway 101 between downtown Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo, California. With a historic Western flare, the town’s seven-block main street, Bell Street, is dotted with antique stores, wine tasting rooms, restaurants serving farm-fresh fare, and vintage lodging.
The Alamo Motel is conveniently located in the middle of town, which allows you to explore all that Alamo has to offer by foot. It is part of the Santa Ynez Valley community and is surrounded by Santa Barbara Wine Country, which makes it a great home base if you plan on wine tasting in the area. The property was renovated in 2010 into the understated boho-meets-western motel that it is today. The rooms and property are simple and pleasant, and a good value for the budget-conscious traveler.
Hotel Amenities:
- Complimentary parking
- Complimentary bike use (a fun way to see town)
- Large grass area with lawn games (great for kids and families)
- Tree swing
- Fire pit (it wasn’t lit in the evening, so I wasn’t sure if we had to do that ourselves)
- Eskina Space in the lobby selling a variety of products
Simple, Yet Stylish Rooms at the Alamo Motel
The motel has seven rooms, each uniquely decorated with a southwestern theme that features a neutral palette, leather and natural wood accents, animal skin rugs, and gold accents. The rooms range in size from the simple Standard Queen to the King Suite + King that offers a full-sized kitchen stocked with appliances, dishes, silverware, glassware, pots and pans. Although the plywood floors and furniture might appear to be skimpy ways to decorate, apparently they are a nod to Georgia O’Keeffe’s design style. It’s best to book a room on the weekends since shops may be closed during the week.
Room Amenities:
- Record player
- Mini fridge
- Mini bar (great selection of snacks and drinks for purchase)
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Satellite cable HDTV (although I couldn’t figure out how to make it work)
- Bar Alamo: a cute, stand-alone bar room serving local beer and wine, and popcorn
- The motel does not have an on-property restaurant
Around Town in Los Alamos
Make sure to leave time to explore the shops and restaurants in Los Alamos. If you’re planning on eating out, reservations are recommended. Across the street, Skyview Los Alamos motel has great views of wine country, craft cocktails and a wonderful restaurant (Norman) with indoor/outdoor dining.
Here are just a few places to check out in town:
- Bells Restaurant
- Bob’s Well Bread
- Municipal Winemakers
- Full of Life Flatbread
- Bodega
- Casa Dumetz Wines
- The Trail Master
- Babi’s Beer Emporium
- Plenty on Bell
- Presquile Wine
- Valle Fresh Tacos
- Lo-Fi Wines
Contact Information
Alamo Hotel
425 Bell St.
Los Alamos, CA 93440
(805) 344-2852
https://www.rememberthealamomotel.com
Disclosure: Accommodation was provided by the hotel in order to do my review, but all opinions are my own. Article may contain affiliate links.
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