Rolling vineyards. Centuries-old oak trees. Hot springs. Paso Robles, California is one of our absolute favorite places in California, and the perfect spot for a weekend getaway!
Paso Robles’ name means “The Pass of the Oaks” and that sums up the beauty you’ll see here. This area is made up of endless rolling hills of golden chaparral, punctuated by centuries-old oak trees, and when the chaparral ends: rows and rows of succulent grapevines and olive trees.
On cold mornings, Paso gets kissed by the coastal fog from the neighboring ocean to the west; then in the afternoon, it is heated by the warm sun coming over the San Joaquin Valley to the east. This unique placement on the Central Coast lends itself to some of the most delicious grapes (and more importantly, wine) you can find in The Golden State.
I like to describe Paso Robles as a more approachable Napa, because Paso has always felt more down-home, inviting, and accessible than its more elite Northern California counterpart.
Even though wine is king in Paso (there are THIRTEEN wineries per square mile of town – 250 in all), there are loads of things to do in Paso Robles; it’s the perfect spot for a romantic getaway or a trip with friends.
Plus, it’s right over the hills from my seaside hometown of Morro Bay! Although admittedly, growing up here, I can’t say I appreciated wine country. But as an adult, I’m all about it. These days, we visit Paso Robles several times a year!
Before I dive into where to stay in Paso Robles, I have a quick tip that will help you blend in with the locals. First off: Paso Robles’ full name is El Paso de Robles. Did you pronounce that with a Spanish accent? Yes? Aww, good job! Unfortunately, that’s not how it’s pronounced colloquially. Occasionally you’ll hear “Robe-Less” (the proper Spanish pronunciation), but what you need to do is pronounce it in the whitest way possible. I know. It drives my wife crazy too.
Say it with me: Pass-Oh-Row-Bulls. You can also just stick with good ol’ Paso. Welcome to California, where all of our place names are super-Anglicized versions of Spanish words.
Anyway: we’ve already got a guide to the best wineries in Paso Robles (and the best breweries and distilleries) as well as a guide to things to do in Paso Robles already. But today’s guide is all about the best places to stay in Paso Robles, from vineyard bungalows to Mermaid mansions! Let’s get to it.
Table of Contents
Psst: Planning a trip to Paso Robles? Check out some of our other posts!
- 11 Perfect Things to do in Paso Robles, California
- 12 Must-Visit Paso Robles Breweries (& Distilleries)
- The Best Wineries in Paso Robles, California
We’ve also got a bunch of travel guides for nearby getaways in California’s Central Coast, where I grew up!
- 12 Adorable Things to do in Morro Bay, California
- 12 Charming Things to Do in Cayucos, California
- 8 Quintessential Places to Visit on California’s Central Coast
- 41 Marvelous Things to Do in Monterey, California
And, if you’ll be visiting Paso Robles as part of a Highway One road trip, we’ve got a few travel guides for that, too:
- The 32 Best Pacific Coast Highway Stops
- The Ultimate 10-Day California Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Itinerary
Psst: Paso Robles is one of the best detours a Highway One road trip! We’ve created a detailed 10-day California Coast itinerary to help you plan your perfect Pacific Coast Highway road trip. Enter your email below and we’ll send you a printable version, plus tips to plan your trip.
Paso Robles FAQ’s
Before you pack your bags – plural, one for your clothes and one for all the wine you’ll be bringing back with you – I have a few tips to help you plan your Paso Robles getaway.
- What is the best time of year to visit Paso Robles?
Spring and Fall are both beautiful times to visit Paso Robles. Springtime brings cheerful wildflowers and bright green hills, while fall brings stunning grapevine foliage and vineyard harvest season.
That said: spring and fall are also the most expensive times of the year to book a vacation rental in Paso Robles!
So if you’re on a tight budget and don’t mind missing harvest season, you’ll want to visit in summer or winter instead. Summer in Paso Robles is hot, so you’ll want to book a place with a pool – but you’ll be treated to rolling golden hills and lush vineyards. Winter brings mild temperatures and rain, but January and February are actually early springtime in California – you’ll catch blooming wildflowers and bright green hills as early as late january!
Personally, we find ourselves booking a trip to Paso Robles around Valentine’s Day each year. It’s still off-season for tourists, but it coincides with whale migration and monarch butterfly season as well as early wildflower blooms, and we think it’s the most beautiful time of the year to take a trip down Highway One! Speaking of which, we’ve got two more guides to help you out with that: a 10-day Highway One itinerary (including Paso Robles), and a guide to the best stops along the Pacific Coast Highway.
- Where to stay in Paso Robles, in terms of location?
We recommend staying either downtown or in the vineyards. If you stay downtown, you’ll be walking distance from tasting rooms, restaurants, coffee, shops, and the charming central plaza. And it’s a lot of fun to spend a day walking to tasting rooms and restaurants without needing to worry about driving!
But staying among the wineries surrounding town is a truly unique way to experience wine country: there’s nothing like sipping wine while watching the sun setting over the vineyards. You’ll be less centrally located (typically about 10-15 minutes from downtown Paso) and will need to drive to get to most wineries and restaurants, but I still think it’s worth it!
We’ve included picks for both downtown and vineyard options in our Paso Robles Hotel and Vacation Rental picks.
- Are there rules or restrictions on Paso Robles Vacation Rentals?
Many major cities (including where we live in the Bay Area) and popular tourist destinations (like Lake Tahoe) have set strict rules regarding short-term rentals, and Paso Robles is no exception.
Paso Robles short-term rentals are subject to occupancy caps, zoning restrictions, licensing requirements, and other guidelines designed to make vacation rentals less disruptive for locals.
However, the good news is that those restrictions will only minimally affect your experience as a visitor. The one main downside to be aware of is that there are limited options for Paso Robles vacation rentals, especially if you’re looking for entire places to stay rather than private rooms.
But otherwise, you can be confident that booking a vacation rental in Paso Robles is in line with legal guidelines and not disruptive to the local economy or housing market.
That said, if you’re having loud parties late at night, you are being disruptive: keep it down after 10pm!
- Is there anything else to do in Paso Robles besides drinking wine?
First of all, how dare you. Sorry, what I meant to say was: I totally understand why you’d want to consider other activities, and yes! Paso Robles has plenty of other things to do besides wine. Like hot springs, for starters.
It’s also a fantastic place to stuff your face with delicious food – including locally grown olive oil and the famous Brown Butter sugar cookies – and a great jumping-off point to explore the rest of the Central Coast, including my charming hometown of Morro Bay and other coastal beach towns, plus Hearst Castle and the San Simeon Elephant Seal Rookery.
We’ve got a whole bunch of travel guides to this area to help you plan your trip, including a guide to things to do in Paso Robles (most of which aren’t wine-related!) and travel guides to Morro Bay, Cayucos, and the rest of California’s Central Coast!
- Can we get back to the wine, though? Tell me more about the wine.
Listen, I can go on about wineries in Paso Robles for pages and pages. Which is why we have an entire post dedicated to the best wineries in Paso Robles! So head over there for winery recommendations and tips for wine tasting in Paso Robles.
Oh, and one more thing: don’t forget that Paso Robles also has a ton of local breweries and small-batch distilleries, too! We’ve also got a guide to the best breweries and distilleries in Paso Robles.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s talk about the best places to stay in Paso Robles.
How we Selected the Best Paso Robles Hotels and Vacation Rentals
Much like selecting the best wine, when it comes to selecting the best hotels and rentals in Paso Robles it all depends on taste and purpose. Do you want to be downtown and be within walking distance to tasting rooms, shops, and restaurants on the downtown plaza? Or would you rather be in the country, basking in the glory of the vineyards and sipping wine in a hot tub (see photo above)? And if so, can we please join you?
Since there are different needs for different trips, we’ve broken our “Best Vacation Rentals in Paso Robles” list into two sections: the best hotels and rentals in downtown Paso Robles, and the best places to stay in Paso Robles in wine country / near wineries. For both sections, I looked for reasonably priced options with great amenities and fantastic locations.
We recommended a few vacation rental alternative options, both VRBO and a few other fantastic choices. If you’re on a budget, your best bet is to rent a VRBO. We recommend booking directly through VRBO because it has fewer fees and more flexible cancellation policies than Airbnb – also, we’re not fans of Airbnb’s unethical track record and lax security!
Where to Stay in Downtown Paso Robles
Downtown Paso Robles is the perfect place to be within a stone’s throw of all the best things the city has to offer. Centrally located between both San Francisco and Los Angeles under an hour from the Pacific Coast Highway, it’s one of our favorite places to spend a weekend drinking wine and watching the sunset. (We even joined a local wine club JUST so we had an excuse to visit several times a year.)
I’ve rounded up the best places to stay in downtown Paso Robles. Let’s take a look!
Ivy-Covered Downtown Oasis
For a well-justified splurge on a gorgeous boutique hotel, look no further than Hotel Cheval.
This ivy-covered oasis sits just half a block from the town square, making it a quiet retreat just steps away from Paso’s incredible dining and drinking.
The luxury doesn’t end with the gourmet breakfast, the outdoor fireplaces, or the twinkling gardens. Hotel Cheval also has its very own S’mores Butler, a gourmet s’mores chef who will happily whip you up a gooey, chocolatey treat each night of your stay.
Lush Garden and Pool Retreat
You can’t find a more centrally located hotel than the Paso Robles Inn, which overlooks the charming town square across the street.
There’s more to brag about than just the location, though: Picture yourself relaxing in a spa tub, glass of local Paso wine in hand — from your own private balcony. From the heated pool to the manicured grounds, this is a fantastic place to stay in the heart of Paso Robles.
Stylish Studio with Vineyard Views
This charming little studio is located on Linne Road, within a stone’s throw of Scupterra Winery.
The entire place is cozy, comfortable, and the perfect place to base yourself to explore wineries, especially if you want to feel away from it all at the end of the day. Besides the fresh interior and small kitchen, there is a great outdoor patio with a grill for BBQing if the spirit takes you.
What’s most important here, though, is that you can take a glass of wine out on said patio and watch the sun setting over some beautiful rolling hills lined with grapevines. Ahhh, Paso bliss!
Modern Luxury in the Middle of Downtown
A modern hotel complete with wine lounge and glamorous rooftop bar, The Piccolo is a bright and elegant retreat just steps from the city center.
The sister property to the longstanding Paso Robles Inn, the Piccolo blends Paso Robles tradition with upscale — and luxurious — touches. Expect to pay a little more for a room here, knowing there’s plenty (hint: champagne vending machine) to make this indulgence a worthy splurge.
Centrally Located Spanish Style Bungalow
For a little less sticker shock, check out this beautiful Spanish-style bungalow. It has generous outdoor living space but is within walking distance of downtown shops, dining, and, most importantly, tasting rooms.
It’s sort of like Hannah Montana was talking about: it’s the best of both worlds.
This 3-bedroom house is perfect for a smaller group that wants to take advantage of downtown Paso Robles. It’s been recently renovated — we’re digging the exposed beams, wood-burning fireplace, and gorgeous kitchen — and boasts outdoor space for the whole group. We’re talking a front porch and back patio, plenty of plush seating, ceiling fans, grill, and fire pit.
And don’t fret — even though this is “city living,” you’re still within 20 minutes of hundreds of the area’s finest wineries.
We recommend booking directly through TurnKey to get the best deal.
Downtown Paso Robles Flat
I’m Californian, so I am culturally required to abuse the word “literally;” however, trust me when I say this is LITERALLY the best location you could ask for when it comes to being in town. And I literally mean literally.
When people talk about Downtown Paso Robles, they usually use Downtown City Park as a central reference, the park in the heart of the city. But my personal metric is the distance from Brown Butter Cookie Company, which is just off the square and filled with delicious cookies. Priorities.
Regardless of your priorities, this adorable studio is on the same block as both, plus it is located above my favorite restaurant in town: La Cosecha. La Cosecha features some of the best Latin American food we’ve had outside of Latin America, served up by a Honduran chef alongside incredible craft cocktails. We recommend the Honduran empanadas, the fresh ceviche, flavorful grilled octopus, and the Clover Club South cocktail, which reminded us of a raspberry Pisco Sour.
But don’t feel like you have to miss out on all that vino being downtown instead of in the vineyards! Downtown Paso has dozens of affordable and approachable tasting rooms, so you can do a tasting tour on foot before stumbling home safely to your accommodation. This is our favorite way to spend an afternoon in downtown Paso Robles!
- Wine Tasting Tip: We recommend beginning with a wine, cheese, and spice tasting at our personal favorite downtown tasting room: LXV! (Yep: this is also the wine club we joined!) Check out our guide to the best wineries in Paso Robles for more suggestions.
Where to Stay in Paso Robles’ Wine Country
We’re not gonna lie to you: some best Paso Robles rentals are in a higher price range, and below we have included both recommendations for couples and for groups.
Some of the group recommendations may have you balling out a $1k/night, that said, if you can round up a group of friends or bring your entire family, these are hands down, by far, some of the best (and, honestly, reasonably priced) rentals in all of California.
We’re talking pools, hot tubs, sweeping vineyard views, state-of-the-art kitchens – all in the heart of wine country! Let’s get into it.
Mermaid Mansion in the Vineyards
Y’all, I found it: the most gorgeous vacation rental of all-time. Seriously: look at this place! THIS is where you’re gonna want to host your personal version of The Bachelor. Yes, I bring up The Bachelor a lot – even in my personal life. It’s an ish.
This villa, known as The Mermaid, is tailor-made for entertaining, complete with a waterfall pool, hot tub, swim-up bar, bocce ball court, shuffleboard, beach volleyball, hockey table, arcade games (Dance Dance Revolution, anyone?), spa soaking tubs (complete with plants and amazing views), and the list goes on. I mean, there’s even a BAR. Is this a party house or a girlfriend getaway mansion? The answer is yes. Also, can we come?!
As another major bonus, you can bring Fido – it’s pet friendly! AND it’s also on Highway 46 West, close to the vineyards…if you can bring yourself to change out of your bathing suit and venture outside, that is.
The price tag is high – you’ll want to split it with a group to make it budget-friendly. But with space for 14, you couldn’t ask for a better house to splurge on with your friends.
Orchard Hill Farm
This hilltop carriage house sits on 36 beautiful acres overlooking the California countryside — complete with rolling farmland, picturesque vineyards, lush gardens, and ancient oaks. This upstairs apartment features two bedroom suites: each with its own bathroom and balcony.
It’s hard to decide what’s more charming about this house — the rooms inside, or the outdoor spaces. The gorgeous rooms are furnished with luxurious-yet-tastefully-rustic pieces. But the outdoor living spaces are equally wonderful — there are so many places to sip your glass of wine! While your private balcony is lovely, there are also quaint gardens complete with fountains and a firepit. There are so many beautiful places to just sit and relax in this home, you may never step foot off the property.
Of course, this place is also in the middle of wine country. Located off of Vineyard Drive nestled within the most beautiful section of wineries off Highway 46 West – it’s a scenic drive to get here.
Wine Country Bungalow with Pool & Hot Tub
This charming resort house has a beautiful pool and an in-ground hot tub. Need we say more?
Well, we’re going to. There’s also a gorgeous open plan kitchen living room, and a games room with foosball table and pool table. And, you’ll be surrounded by wineries and located just 10 minutes from Brown Butter Cookie Company Paso Robles proper.
Pet-Friendly Cabin Overlooking Vineyards
Our next pick is nestled between vineyards in the heart of Paso Robles’ picturesque wine country. But best of all, it’s pet-friendly! Because, you know, sometimes you can’t leave your fur child behind. No judgment here – we literally carry around our dog Mulan in a baby swaddle.
Pet-friendly places are scarce in Paso Robles; but this amazing rustic cabin is also one of our favorites overall.
From the cozy patio with firepit, to the rustic tin roof, to the views of Paso’s rolling hills and vineyards: this cabin is wine country glamping at its best! And if that’s not reason enough to book a trip, I don’t know what is.
Ready to pack your favorite wine glass and book a vacation rental in Paso Robles? Drop us a comment below!
Psst: Planning a trip to Paso Robles? Check out some of our other posts!
- 11 Perfect Things to do in Paso Robles, California
- 12 Must-Visit Paso Robles Breweries (& Distilleries)
- The Best Wineries in Paso Robles, California
We’ve also got a bunch of travel guides for nearby getaways in California’s Central Coast, where I grew up!
- 12 Adorable Things to do in Morro Bay, California
- 12 Charming Things to Do in Cayucos, California
- 8 Quintessential Places to Visit on California’s Central Coast
- 41 Marvelous Things to Do in Monterey, California
And, if you’ll be visiting Paso Robles as part of a Highway One road trip, we’ve got a few travel guides for that, too:
- The 32 Best Pacific Coast Highway Stops
- The Ultimate 10-Day California Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Itinerary
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Note: Feature photos are courtesy of Airbnb.
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- Booking Flights: To score flight deals, search on Google Flights or Kayak. Money-saving tips: fly mid-week or on the weekend; fly carry-on only on a budget airline; and take red-eyes or early morning flights.
- Accommodations: We usually stay in budget-friendly vacation rentals, boutique hotels or private rooms in hostels. We use Booking.com to book hotels (we love their flexible cancellation policy) and Hostelworld to book hostels (low deposit, easy change/cancellation, and excellent reviews). For vacation rentals, we prefer to book using VRBO because they've got lower fees and better support than Airbnb, and we're not fans of Airbnb's unethical track record. You can also book vacation rentals on Expedia and Hotels.com. We also use TrustedHousesitters as both hosts (for our home and our fur-child) and travelers!
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