Last Updated on July 11, 2025
It’s a place you wouldn’t anticipate seeing every day in a California beach town.
Built in the style of a traditional 19th to 20th century Mexican village and inspired by a 1928 architectural study of small Mexican towns with historical plazas, the 28-room romance-focused boutique Avila La Fonda Hotel offers an authentic Old Mexico feel. It’s something you’d expect to find in New Mexico, but it fits well on the Central Coast, given the history of the area that once housed a myriad of Spanish Colonial buildings and stories in its past.
My husband and I ventured out on a weekend getaway to Avila Beach, a charming seaside destination nestled in a sheltered cove along San Luis Obispo Bay. The area is known for its safe surf conditions and the Chumash Heritage Marine Sanctuary, supporting nutrient-rich waters and diverse sea life. And let’s not forget, this is a relatively small beach town that actually sports three separate piers.
About the Avila La Fonda Boutique Hotel
Crafted in the early 2000s, the hotel’s design aims to emulate authentic Spanish Colonial and Mexican architectural details with stucco walls, terracotta roof tiles, fountains, and iron wrought railings. It’s elegant yet unpretentious, warm and inviting.
Upon entering the impressive lobby, guests are greeted by a soaring (and roaring) rock fireplace, vibrant hand-painted tile murals honoring the local shoreline, and over 25 stained-glass windows that bathe the cozy space in warm hues. Eight large Mexican tin star lights produce twinkling images all around the hotel ceiling, adding to the ambience. Mexican folk art, early California artifacts and paintings can be found everywhere throughout the hotel.
Avila La Fonda is situated just one block from Avila State Beach, providing prime access to the shoreline and an easily walkable town filled with local restaurants and family-owned shops and businesses.
Accommodations
The two-story venue offers a choice of six stylish and cozy guest room and suites types, two accessible for those with limited mobility. Each guest room includes a fireplace, two-person whirlpool tub and a shower with multiple shower heads.
The Spa Room sleeps two with a king bed while the Great Room offers a large studio apartment with full gourmet kitchen but can also sleep two guests. The Fireside King’s bathroom includes dual pedestal sinks.
The Owner’s Spa Suite accommodates four with two fireplaces, a full gourmet kitchen, and a hand-carved Mexican fountain just outside the suite. The great room deluxe sports a full kitchen, elegant spa-style bathroom and an outside patio with a private lanai, gas fireplace and outdoor kitchen.
Hotel Amenities
If you want to talk about value for a lovely resort, you’ll look far and wide to find the amenities that Avila La Fonda offers.
Regardless of room type, guests receive a complimentary in-room welcome basket with drinks and snacks and access to a 24-four-hour Guest Pantry on the first floor. All guests have access to four impressive daily events, complimentary, with food provided by local bakeries and eateries.
Breakfast includes coffee, tea, juice, buttery artisan croissants, and fruit. From 12:00-2:00 pm, a variety of salsa, cheese, chips and Mexican beer are served in the Pantry. A private manager’s reception is held each afternoon with a table full of hor oeuvres and unlimited wine while each evening brings a delightful collection of freshly baked pies from Linn’s in Cambria, served warm with optional vanilla ice cream.
Beach chairs, towels and umbrellas are also complimentary during your stay. Guests will also find a library of local and other photo books and novels, along with a small gift ship in case you want to take a memory home with you from your visit.
Places to Dine in Avila Beach
The Central Coast is renowned for its fresh seafood, and because Avila Beach has a large number of fishing boats, it’s a guarantee you’ll get seafood as fresh as it gets.
Mersea’s is a delightful eatery located at the end of Port San Luis Pier. Open for lunch and dinner, the casual seafood restaurant sports a walk-up menu board where you place your order, find your inside or outside table and your food is delivered to you. The seafood here is fresh, delectable and views of the bay, boats and sea lions are incredible. We loved the fish and chips and crab Louie salad, though diners around us raved about Mersea’s oysters, fish tacos and the eatery’s crab melt salad.
Located on the main Front Street waterfront of Avila Beach just steps from the sand, Blue Moon Over Avila is a wine bar and French bistro offering expertly prepared dishes at both lunch and dinner with the same menu.
We dined here for sunset, and though it was a bit cool and breezy on the outdoor patio, our server had heaters and blankets for us to ward off the evening chill. If you’re not sure what to order, choose a few selections as we did to share. Our winning entrees included a bowl of decadent French Onion soup; bubbling brie topped with caramelized onion, and escargot. Every dish was amazing, and service was outstanding. And you can’t beat the views and the people watching.
Things to Do in Avila Beach
If you’re not into surfing, there’s always body-boarding or just enjoying an ocean swim. Outside of the myriad of water activities including whale watching in season, we found it fun to explore the town of Avila Beach. It’s small and compact enough to explore on foot, but if you want to get out a bit further, there are electric bikes for rent.
Because the Central Coast has so many wineries dotting the landscape, there are tasting rooms available in town. One of our favorites was a complete surprise, a winery that harvests grapes from local vineyards but makes their own wines.
Alapay Cellars is in its 34th year of producing award-winning wines, and it’s been a long time since we’ve seen a wine-tasting that included so many wines. Not only do they pour their limited release selections, but also add dessert wines and others a wine lover might be interested in. The $30 per person winetasting fee is waived with the purchase of a bottle to go. And you’ll definitely want a bottle or two to take home after enjoying live music every Wednesday and Sunday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm in the tasting room.
Point San Luis Lighthouse was established in 1890 to watch over San Luis Bay and is operated by the Point SLO Lighthouse Keepers, a non-profit organization since 1995. Reservations are available for docent tours on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the only days and the only way to access the lighthouse.
“Surprise me” is a term I often use during my travels, as it adds a delightful twist to an already unforgettable experience. Our visit to Avila Beach was indeed surprising in so many wonderful ways, including our stay at Avila La Fonda. It’s a place we highly recommend and one worthy of a return visit.
