Paso Robles, California
River Lodge
Restored Googie motor lodge
Paso Robles, California
Renovated
2024
Price
$$
Rated for
Design Heritage SocialOutside the door
The house
NomadaRestored Googie motor lodge
The 1947 roadside motel has been revived as an easygoing wine-country roadhouse centered around its kidney-bean pool.
“Its new owners, Nomada Hotel Group, have preserved roadside motel nostalgia ... while offering modern amenities like an adults-only pool and hot tub.”
What it’s good at
Notable
Mid-century Googie architecture paired with custom furnishings and hand-woven Bolivian hammocks.
What they say
Michelin Selected
Michelin
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and AFAR.
The mid-century modern design has been smartly preserved, from the retro façade to the postcard-like pool surrounded by potted greenery and sunbeds.
Right in the middle
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Downtown Paso Robles sits five minutes away, where tasting rooms and restaurants surround the central square.
1 of 4
The rooms
Rooms have velvet headboards and brass nailhead trim. Select rooms open onto private patios with hand-woven hammocks or fire pits.
The pool
Bring a swimsuit.
Rows of green-cushioned loungers and white parasols surround the restored swimming pool in the central courtyard.
The hot tub
A circular heated whirlpool is tucked into the landscaping along a path lined with young palms.
Restaurant
Ciao Papi
The covered patio serves wood-fired pizzas and local Etto pasta beneath clusters of woven straw pendants.
This historic motor lodge—a prime example of California’s Googie architecture movement—had sat abandoned for years and was slated for demolition before the San Luis Obispo-based Nomada Hotel Group swooped in.
How it began
The abandoned 1947 Suburban Lodge was slated for demolition before a restoration saved its Googie architecture and vintage neon sign.
Paso Robles
More like this
Farmhouse Paso Robles
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The Piccolo at Paso Robles Inn
“Wine-country rooftop inn”
Inn Paradiso
“Handcrafted hilltop lodge”
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.