Since it opened for business in 1958, the Madonna Inn has been a landmark on the Central Coast of California. Created by Alex Madonna and his wife Phyllis, the hotel boasts 110 guest rooms and suites with unique themes and décor—there’s everything from a caveman room to the widely popular “merry” room that boasts pink glitter walls. The rest of the property is just as ornate; common rooms are decorated with pink roses, murals, and hammered copper, and there’s even a famous rock waterfall urinal in the men’s restroom of the steakhouse. In addition to the décor, the Madonna Inn is also well known for their pastries. The pink champagne cake, originally created by Phyllis Madonna, stands at nearly a foot tall and is covered in bright pink shaved chocolate ribbons. Nothing here is subtle, and that’s what makes it so magical. The inn puts Instagram-inspired “museum” photo ops to shame (looking at you, Museum of Ice Cream). We had the opportunity to make our way to the temple of kitsch for one night, and it was well worth the drive. Step inside this dreamland with these photos from the trip.
Selected photos taken by Alex Boeschenstein.
Plan your own trip to the Madonna Inn! You can view all of the rooms on their website.
