Avila Village Inn is a secluded retreat in the heart of Avila Beach, California. The Central Coast location offers diverse opportunities for families, couples, solo travelers, and groups. Whether seeking an active outdoor holiday or something more low-key, Avila Beach is perfect for anyone looking for a quieter, more exclusive California coastal getaway.
Golfing, hiking, water sports, biking, fine dining, and wine tasting are within a five-minute drive or short walk from the inn. The best part, despite the ideal location, Avila Beach has a more intimate feeling and is blissfully lacking in mass tourism, chain restaurants, or trinket shops. However, if all the peace and serenity is overwhelming, the city of San Luis Obispo, home to Cal Poly, is only ten minutes away.
Avila Bay Photo by Penny Sadler
Rooms and Amenities
Nestled in Avila Valley and surrounded by trees, the Avila Village Inn has forty-eight large and stylish rooms across two wings. Both the original Craftsman-style wing and the New Forest building feel right at home in this location.
In the Craftsman building, you’ll find the reception and common areas distinguished by a vaulted, wood-beamed ceiling and stone fireplace. It feels a bit like you might be visiting a national park. The fireplace is flanked by cushy sofas and Tiffany lamps. There are 30 rooms in this building with gas fireplaces, a wet bar, a large flat-screen TV, a bathroom with double sinks, and either a California-king or double queen-size beds. Trailside rooms are available on the first floor of this building.
The new wing, or New Forest Building, has eighteen rooms with king or double queen beds. Colors are light and fresh, and furnishings have a more modern, contemporary feel. All of these rooms have a patio, while five of the rooms have an outdoor tub. Pet-friendly and adjoining rooms for families are also available in this building.
I had a king room on the Bob Jones Trail in the Craftsman building. It was nice to have the curtains drawn and see nothing but trees. The bed was luscious with buttery linens, you know, the kind that make you want to stay in bed. The bathroom was also large with double sinks and a combination shower and bathtub, so you could sit, or stand, and use the hand-held shower. The lighting was a little dim, but I find this in many hotels. Overall, I enjoyed the room and loved the location.
An amenity I know everyone will appreciate is that each room has its own ventilation system, so you are not sharing air with other hotel guests.
Other amenities include wifi, bicycle rentals, a fitness club with an outdoor pool (there’s an extra fee for this), vouchers for golf discounts, and passes for wine tasting at Ancient Peaks.
King room in the original Craftsman building
photo by Penny Sadler
Dining options
Avila Village Inn does not have a restaurant but offers guests a discount for meals at the nearby Woodstone Market. I found the market a good place for coffee, breakfast, and a casual lunch. The menu is more extensive than expected, and you can get a grab-and-go takeaway. It opens early, at 7 am, and closes at 8 pm.
Other dining options are located at or near the beach or at Hartford Pier. For a good coffee spot, try Kraken Coffee. For lunch or dinner, I recommend Blue Moon Over Avila, a French-style cafe with a view of the bay. Since evenings were cool, I had the French onion soup, delicious, and beef Bourgogne, which I didn’t love. I swapped that for scallops and was happy. Service was friendly and the atmosphere was casual but chic.
For lunch, go to Mersea’s on the Hartford Pier. It’s a little further so you may want to hire a ride share to get there. Mersea’s is popular with locals, too. The Hartford Pier is a good place to observe California seals and otters.
photo by Penny Sadler
Things to do in Avila Beach
Avila Beach enjoys more sunshine per year than any other beach destination nearby, making it ideal for those who want to make the most of the stunning outdoor destination.
Bob Jones Trail
Avila Village Inn is adjacent to the Bob Jones Trail, a paved walking and biking trail that terminates at the 101 across from the beach. From the inn, there’s direct access, so a morning run or an easy afternoon bike ride to the beach are just outside your door. The trail is flat, so there’s really no limitation as far as fitness level. A leisurely walk along this shady trail takes you to the town of Avila and the beach. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Avila Beach Golf Resort
A par 71 championship course challenges players of all skill levels without being punishing, and the scenery alone makes it worth the round. Bonus: the course is located in a tidal estuary and adjacent to Avila Beach’s bird sanctuary. You get beach views and wildlife with your tee time.
Avila Bay
The protected bay offers calm waters ideal for kayaking and paddle boarding—activities that let you explore the coastline at your own pace while keeping an eye out for sea otters, harbor seals, and seasonal dolphin pods.
The bay’s sheltered position means the water is typically warmer and calmer than exposed ocean beaches, making it approachable even for beginners trying water sports for the first time. Local outfitters offer rentals and lessons. We rented kayaks at the Hartford Pier and paddled out to the lighthouse beach and back.
Wine Tasting
There are several tasting rooms in Avila Village. I tried two, Sinor-Lavellee and Peloton Cellars. Sinor-Lavellee crafts biodynamic wines with grapes grown in their coastal vineyard. The light and bright tasting room has both indoor and outdoor seating. They also offer a food pairing menu, which includes oysters from nearby Morro Bay paired with their white blend or pet nat wine. Amazing.
Peloton Cellars does have a bike theme in the tasting room, but there’s no connection to the Peloton bike maker. They make wines with grapes from Paso Robles and now Edna Valley. They also make an excellent sparkling wine.
If you want to visit the nearby Edna Valley wine country, hire a ride share to take you there so you can drink responsibly.
Other things to know
Parking is complimentary at Avila Village Inn. Your four-legged friend is welcome, and there is a $65 per-day pet fee. Room rates start around $120 during the week and vary depending on the season. Weekends sell out, and rates can double.
Check rates online at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
Why Stay
Avila has sunnier weather than most other beach destinations on the central coast due to its unique microclimate. It’s more secluded, less crowded, and offers close proximity to nearby towns and cities, and is only 10 minutes from the San Luis Obispo County airport.
