With an alluring combination of wine and surf, California’s Edna Valley is the perfect getaway. Located in San Luis Obispo County, just five miles from the Pacific Ocean, Edna Valley is a lesser-known wine region producing pinot noir, chardonnay, syrah, and other varieties.
Nestled in the rolling green hills of Edna Valley is the luxurious La Lomita Ranch, a gorgeous Spanish colonial-style property. The long driveway shaded by eucalyptus trees leads to red-tiled rooftops and lush courtyards of the hacienda.
photo courtesy of California Highway 1
Once a 30,900-acre ranch, in the 1970s, Prince Zourab Tchkotoua and Princess Marieta Salasin purchased 700 acres from the original parcel. They founded a world-class Arabian horse breeding facility, then sold the land as four parcels in the mid-90s.
The 160-acre parcel that is La Lomita is a working ranch with horses, cattle, and other farm animals, and retains the original equine facilities, though there are no longer Arabian horses. The grounds include two pavilions, a hacienda, and the inn, La Posada. an event center, a winery, and a riparian pond.
La Lomita
The Hacienda
The Hacienda is a three-bedroom, two-bath home that accommodates up to six guests. There is a small living room, dining area, and full kitchen. The master bedroom has a king bed, private bathroom with a shower, and laundry closet, while the two guest bedrooms have queen beds and share a bathroom.
In keeping with the Spanish-influenced elegance, all rooms feature custom-crafted Mexican furnishings, Saltillo tile floors, and Talavera tiled bathrooms. There is a washing machine in the master suite bathroom. Plush terry robes and slippers are also provided.
La cocina, meaning the kitchen in Spanish, is the heart of the hacienda for gathering, eating, and celebrating. The full kitchen has all of the appliances and amenities needed, including a gas-fired range and oven, cookware, a Keurig coffeemaker, and place settings for eight people. Outside, there’s a propane grill for barbequing.
photo by Penny Sadler
La Posada, The Inn
La Posada means the Inn in Spanish and features seven intimate and uniquely designed rooms. These rooms were originally stalls for the Arabian horses, and each one is unique. Like the hacienda, there are Saltillo tile floors and Talavera tiled bathrooms.
All rooms in both buildings include elegant details such as oil rubbed bronze fixtures, Italian towels and linens by Rivolta Carmignani, hypoallergenic down duvets and pillows, exclusively blended bath amenities, and plush signature terry robes and slippers.
I especially enjoyed signature touches like the custom toiletries, aroma therapy room fragrance, and the hacienda cats, who are very social!
One of the bedrooms of La Posada, photo by Penny Sadler
Other amenities at La Lomita include:
Complementary wifi
In-room Amazon HD Fire tablets installed with Alexa and pre-loaded apps, including Prime Music and Hulu+ for limited live streaming TV.
Coffee, tea, and water are available 24/7 in the community kitchen.
A generous basket of snacks provided in the room means no need to rummage in the kitchen at midnight.
Breakfast is included at La Lomita, and you don’t want to miss it.. Darlene is in charge of the kitchen and prepares an assortment of breakfast foods such as homemade yoghurt and granola, mixed nuts, charcuterie, fresh veggies, frittata, breads, and toast. All fresh and delicious. For special dietary needs, let her know in advance, and she can easily accommodate.
La Lomita wines
La Lomita has five and a half acres of estate vineyards on Islay Hill, one of the historic volcanic morros. The geography lends to a truly unique expression of Spanish-style wines. They produced white, red, and rose wines, using both Spanish varieties and traditional French grapes like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Wine tasting is by appointment.
Sustainability at La Lomita
Sustainability is taken seriously at La Lomita since natural aquifers and wells are the sole source of water. Recycling and composting waste are just one way this manifests. Water is conserved by using recycled grey water, drip irrigation, drought-tolerant landscaping, and reducing daily laundry service, along with minimizing cleaning chemicals, to help sustain La Lomita. Bath towels and linens are changed upon request.
Things to do nearby
For a day excursion or night out, downtown San Luis Obispo is just ten minutes away. Things to do there include the
Thursday night farmer’s market, the historic Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, one-of-a-kind boutique shopping, museums, SLO Museum of Art, the Fremont Theater, and bubblegum alley.
I went to the old Carnegie library, now a small history museum with an assortment of collections detailing the history of immigration in SLO County, as well as other aspects of American history, and it’s free.
For surfing, head to Pismo Beach, a classic California surf town with a historic boardwalk and mom-and-pop eateries. Pismo is also a good spot for hiking and biking on numerous trails.
Courtyard La Lomita Ranch
photo by Penny Sadler
Wineries
With over thirty wineries in Edna Valley, you’ll need more than a weekend to visit them all. Proximity to the coast allows vintners to produce great sparkling wines with traditional grapes such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Tolosa Winery is one of the larger producers offering tasting experiences at the estate winery. On a nice day, it’s fun to sit outside and watch the air traffic at the San Luis Obispo County airport.
Chamisal Vineyards are minutes from La Lomita, and I think it’s a must. Relax on the terrace overlooking the vineyards while drinking organically produced chardonnay and pinot noir wines.
Only 90 miles north of Santa Barbara, La Lomita Ranch lies halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and only ten minutes from the airport and downtown San Luis Obispo.
Other things to know:
Self parking
No pets allowed
Service animals are allowed but must have proper documentation and be cleared in advance.
Do not pet the farm animals unless invited, and don’t feed them.
Only 90 miles north of Santa Barbara, La Lomita Ranch lies halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, and only ten minutes from the airport and downtown San Luis Obispo..
Book well in advance via their online form.
Check rates online at Expedia, Booking.com, or Hotels.com.
