Reborn Central Coast nests

GETAWAYS • Nouveau Motels

California hoteliers are intent on reclaiming vintage roadside motels. Sometimes, the results play better on Instagram than in real life. But when the refurb works, the niche can make for just the right kind of casual getaway. Here, two newish Central Coast entrants on the right side of the ledger: 

→ Farmhouse (Paso Robles): Twenty-six refreshed suites finely tuned (by Central Coast hospitality group Nomada) for visitors who prefer the zen of Paso Robles to the college-town chaos of San Luis Obispo: flowered walkways, a fountain, fire pits, Linus bikes at the ready. Each unit at Farmhouse comes outfitted with floor-to-ceiling Zellige-tiled bathrooms, Italian linens, vaulted ceilings, and a front porch. There’s no pool, but there’s a big wine country out there. 

→ The Pacific Motel (Cayucos, above): Forty minutes southwest of Paso Robles, Cayucos is a sleepy little beach town with a historic wooden pier and not much else, except (big except) six miles of open beachfront. The Pacific Motel sits a block from this idyllic expanse. The refurb of the former Dolphin Inn is bright and airy, if unsurprising: snug, standalone bungalows with light wood furniture, white shiplap walls, and Parachute linens, plus the requisite communal fire pits and ping pong tables. Local favorite The Hidden Kitchen is within walking distance. Across the street, the Brown Butter Cookie Company deserves a stop. Around the bend: nothing but white sand and blue ocean. –Caitlin White