Beercations are one of my favorite means to discover new beer, new breweries, and new people. Each brewery has its own unique personality and you never quite know what to expect when you walk through the door of a new brewery for the first time. The same cannot always be said for places of lodging, but breweries are out to change that and several have opened hotels of their own, reflecting the exclusive, incomparable personality shared by America’s independent craft brewers. And one such place I had the privilege of staying at while on my first beercation of the year is the SLO Brew Lofts, a downtown urban apartment located directly above the SLO Brew Restaurant and Brewpub in San Luis Obispo, California.
Disclosure: The following review may have been compensated in goods, services, or monetary transfer but all opinions are 100 percent those of Great Beer Now
Downtown Allure
Anyone who has lived in a downtown apartment knows the uniqueness of such living quarters. You have a single level apartment containing the essential rooms and amenities with entertainment just steps away from your bedroom. Many small towns in the United States still have these upstairs apartments, often leased by small business owners and others who like the fast action, downtown lifestyle, not to mention the convenience of close workplace proximity.
SLO Lofts have their own, private entrance that requires inputting a special code that you receive when you check in. There is no separate front desk. You walk into the SLO Brew restaurant and check in by speaking directly to the hostess. They will present you with the code plus an overnight parking pass, good for use in one of the downtown parking garages.
Urban Living at its Finest
SLO Lofts is very much like the downtown urban apartments popular with city dwellers in small towns across America. These lofts are offered in 1, 2, or 3 bedroom units each with a kitchen, dining area, living area, bedrooms, and bathrooms. They have modern amenities, like flat screen televisions, a fireplace, and comfortable furniture while still maintaining an urban feel with their quaint kitchen area, brick wall, and other aspects that invoke feelings of small town nostalgia.
With SLO Lofts, guests have all of the necessary amenities for an enjoyable stay. Each of the different size units has a sleeper sofa and thus sleeps additional people. And with a full kitchen, appliances, glassware, etc., you have everything you need to prepare your own meals, make a drink, and otherwise leave your troubles behind. They even stock the refrigerator with wine and beer so that good booze is only an arms- reach away at any moment.
Beercation Memories
SLO Lofts present an exclusive, unparalleled place of lodging in downtown San Luis Obispo, California. I stayed here for two days as part of a beercation adventure; visiting local breweries and restaurants on California’s Central Coast and heading back to the SLO Lofts each evening when I was ready to wind down for the day.
With SLO Lofts, guests get to enjoy the downtown San Luis Obispo entertainment scene without the need for vehicle transportation. I liked that I was able to reach so many places for nightlife entertainment, food, and local history without having to hop in my car. A few paces through the hallway and down the steps is all it takes to find yourself smack in the middle of the city. Location is certainly one of the Lofts’ strong points and reason enough to consider a visit.
What I probably like best about the SLO Lofts is the apartments themselves. The interior is clean and comfortable, with all of the conveniences needed for a restful experience. Even better, however, is something I will call the ‘nostalgic coolness’ factor. Those who have previously lived in a downtown apartment in a small town will feel like they have stepped back in time. The brick walls on the interior, the layout of the kitchen, living area, and bedrooms, and other factors combine to create a level of comfort and nostalgia reminiscent of downtown, small town America. They even have a functional record player in each room and a stack of record albums for your listening enjoyment. Like other children of the seventies, I used to own a large record collection and I couldn’t believe it when I saw this old- time turntable in the room complete with some of my favorite records from the past. Sitting there on the couch, playing a record from the Marshall Tucker Band while sipping on my craft beer, I couldn’t help but reminisce about days gone by.
SLO Brew is an excellent brewing operation and SLO Lofts is an equally excellent place of lodging in this picturesque small town. Lately, I have noticed other breweries are also getting into the lodging arena and I can’t wait to see what the future brings to America’s large and growing independent craft beer scene. Forget the chain hotels- stay at SLO Lofts and experience urban living at its finest. It’s a piece of nostalgia waiting to be had and I hope it signals a continuing trend for breweries across this great land of ours.
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