Garden Street Inn

The Inn looks beautiful from the outside, has a gorgeous Victorian interior, and for the most part, is a clean and welcoming place . . . but there are some negatives: the so-called "private deck" we had access to with our "Emerald Isle" room was more like a back entrance porch, which guest traffic passed by on their way to other rooms; plus the deck (and our room) was right next to and overlooked a busy bank parking lot. The Inn being situated right downtown was great, since we could walk everywhere, but it also meant we were subject to a great deal of after-hours noise from the weekend Cal Poly student revelers. The parking lot being right outside our room turned out to be a major noise irritation, as it became a central meeting place where a number of young people seemed to converge after the late night parties and pubs had closed down on Friday and Saturday nights and into the early morning. Maybe it was just our room, but we noticed a few things that were obvious evidence of deferred maintenance (window shade did not pull down completely; the wires from a missing smoke alarm were dangling from the ceiling; the bathtub faucets leaked; the carpets were pretty stained --- but at least the sheets and blankets were clean!). The breakfast was mediocre. We were there for 3 nights and we were given scrambled eggs, with saugage, coffee and orange juice every morning -- with a choice of pancakes thrown in for variety, I presume. Not really what I expect for a $170/night B&B Inn. The staff, however (who appeared to also be young students perhaps), were very friendly and accommodating. There were some pluses lodging here, but too many minuses for this to be rated a "top notch" B&B.

I was a little disappointed by our stay. Maybe from lack of "b & b" experience, I set my expectation too high. The room was not well decorated, the staff was nice enough, the cookies were terrible and were just hung on our door at night, the breakfast was mediocre: runny scrambled eggs and paper thin bacon with french toast. The inn itself was beautiful and historic and if you want to be in the heart of downtown san luis obispo's awesome shopping and food this is a great place to stay. Just not very special.

We loved our stay so much we added a couple more days. There is so much to do in the near by areas and this is a great location that is easy to get to. The staff is very helpful and friendly. We really enjoyed the relaxing laid back breakfast served every morning. Loved the personal touch of homemade cookies on the door every night. It was disappointing that they no longer offer the early evening wine and snacks that we read of on the website. The beds were very comfortable, and our suite was very roomy. Anything we needed they went out of their way to provide. Great Trip!!

I've been going to SLO for nearly 15 years but the Garden Street Inn somehow escaped my attention. We were thoroughly pleased with the friendliness of the staff, the size of the room and bathroom, and the convenient location in downtown SLO. The perfectly renovated historic structure which is the Inn can only be described as thoroughly enchanting. Our stay was way too short.

[Resource Id: innkeeperresponse, Set: reviews]
Thank you for your kind words. All of us here at the Inn really try to create a warm and inviting household atmosphere. We hope to see you again soon, this time stay longer so you can really see the beauty of our town and our home.

- John C. Spears (Innkeeper)

This is the 5th time I've stayed at Garden Street and the first time with my fiancee. We tried a room I'd not been in and were pleased that it was one of the larger rooms that had been suggested for the same price. However, this was only because the rates changed between the time we booked and the time we stayed. Overall I was a bit taken aback that the new management had raised their prices (check the website because their own website differs from B&B.com) and would not honor my previous pricing as a frequent guest. The food was generally good although not "knock your socks off" good. Given that SLO is in the midst of wine country we expected that the wines and early evening appetizers would be something more elegant than hot-pepper cheese and crackers. That being said, we did partake of those mid-day breaks and they were quite welcome, always on time, clean and abundant. Overall Garden Street is simple and easy. The location is the best in SLO, hands-down. There is a bit of street noise when the bars let out and this time around there was construction (no fault of the staff). Make sure you spend a few extra dollars for the roomier rooms and during the chilly nights, opt for the fireplace you might use over the hot-tub you probably won't.

The staff is friendly, the rooms are lovely, and overall this is a comfortable and relaxing place to stay. The wine and cheese offering in the afternoon is very nice, though the breakfast was a bit meager. My husband and I had a relaxing getaway here, thanks to the beauty of the house that they turned into a B & B, the amenities (jacuzzi, spa bathrobes), and the helpful yet non-intrusive staff.

My boyfriend and I had a VERY pleasant stay for Valentine's Day Weekend at the Garden Street Inn. It was our first time ever staying at a bed and breakfast, and it was definitely a great first impression. When we arrived on Saturday, we were immediately greeted warmly. We actually arrived an hour early for check-in and yet they said that our room was all ready and we could go ahead and check in. Our room was very comfortable, clean and nicely decorated -- from the teddy bear on the bed to the petal-patterned walls to the shower/tub/jacuzzi. There was also a cable TV and two bottles of water in the room. Although the inn seemed booked for the weekend, we had a nice and quiet stay. Cookies greeted us on the doors in the evenings. Breakfast was delicious on both mornings -- omelet with bacon, a scrumptious strawberry scone, cottage cheese and fresh fruit served one day, and egg/cheese burrito served with bacon, yogurt and fresh fruit on the other day. There was also orange juice and coffee/tea served for the beverages. The Garden Street Inn is right in the heart of Downtown SLO. It was a plus to be able to literally walk out of the inn, walk to the end of the block and immediately see shops and restaurants. We highly enjoyed our stay at the Garden Street Inn and looking forward to staying there again the next time we are in town!

After reading a review for this B & B and particularly one from last year I was wary as to the caliber of this establishment but was willing to take a chance because of the proximity to the downtown area. What a delightful surprise! wonderful accomodations, excellent breakfast and evening reception and a staff that was there to serve our every need. If you are looking for and exceptional lodging experience this is the place for you! We will be returning!

What a wonderful surprise when we drove up to the Garden Street Inn. Their location is right in walking distance of great food and shops. We had a quick and easy check in and the staff was very helpful with all our needs. The Garden Street Inn is beautiful and the room was very clean. The wine reception and breakfast in the morning had great presentation on top of being very yummy. I will tell all my friends of my new find in San Luis Obispo. We look forward to our next visit to the Garden Street Inn.

We lucked into Garden Street while driving around downtown SLO. We were greeted by a friendly girl at the door, offered wine and cheese and shown the three available rooms. We picked the Dolly for its jacuzzi and TV (just coming from a camping trip so sorely needed both). The staff was incredibly friendly, the breakfast was home-cooked and very nice and the inn was quiet. They paid for our parking in a nearby lot too. We jacuzzied twice and logged on to the free WiFi, but mostly we enjoyed the town and knowing we could stop in at our room anytime. We never moved our car until the minute we left. Got to love that. Can't wait to go back!

jacuzzi tub, homey feel, tons of room, great food, kind people,centrally located in downtown SLO,pretty decor, nice fireplace, good price

I knew we were in trouble when the staff member couldn't find our room. Upon entering the r"Dolly" room we were informed that the fireplace didn't work without explanation. An odd shaped room with just an armoire for hanging up clothes with no dresser. We kept our clothes in our luggage. Window looked over the smoking terrace. Windows and sills dirty. Bathroom had an old jacuzzi / shower combination with a single towel hanging bar. We were looking forward to using the jacuzzi the first night and proceeded with bubble bath etc and when we looked down in the bub that we were sitting in, there was a bunch of slimy brown particles swirling around us. We got out and went to complain to the staff and there was no one on duty at 9 PM despite the fact that they was supposed to be someone on duty until 9:30. Next morning I showed the staff member on duty the crude in the tub and she said that she was unsure if they could fix it. She was right. They couldn't. Breakfast was unispired. Good location. Staff was ill trained. Went to check out and was kept waiting while the person was having a personal call.

Great little bed and breakfast in the heart of downtown. Being able to walk everywhere is an added bonus. Staff is most accomodating in every respect. YOu will love the breakfast and evening reception.

The staff was fantastic! Great value for Central California.

Beautiful Victorian home! Super service! Great breakfast & great cookies! Excellent location! Outstanding B&B!