The Tribune
For celebrities planning a birthday bash in San Luis Obispo, Madonna Inn is the place to be.
BY SARAH LINN
MARCH 04, 2019 06:13 PM
Longtime San Luis Obispo resident Carol Judd celebrated her 100th birthday with friends and family recently at the Madonna Inn. She’s known for her outgoing and friendly nature: “I don’t think she has ever met a stranger,” Judd’s niece says.
For celebrities planning a birthday bash in San Luis Obispo, Madonna Inn is the place to be.
Actor, comedian and photographer Steve Agee recently celebrated his 50th birthday at the inn with “Guardians of the Galaxy” director James Gunn and actor Seth Green of “Robot Chicken” and “Austin Powers” fame.
Agee, whose credits include “Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol 2” and TV’s “New Girl,” also brought along “Guardians” co-stars Sean Gunn and Mike “Rooftop” Escamilla as well as “Ant-Man” actor David Dastmalchian.
Agee picked two colorful Madonna Inn spots — the powerfully pink Gold Rush Steak House, and dramatic blue Room 169, also known as Vous — as backdrops for a series of portraits of his famous friends, which he shared on Instagram.
According to his posts, Agee, who turned 50 on Feb. 26, also soaked in some sunshine at Pismo Beach and frolicked with friends — including one dressed as a unicorn — on the green hills overlooking San Luis Obispo.
It’s not the first time the Madonna Inn has hosted a star-studded birthday bash.
In 2002, rock legend Graham Nash celebrated his 60th birthday party there. The guests, who included Bette Midler, Jackson Browne, Stephen Stills and Eric Idle, were required to wear pink; David Crosby, Nash’s Crosby, Stills & Nash bandmate, sported a pink bunny suit.
In fact, the inn has been a popular spot for celebrities since it opened in 1958.
Guests who have stayed at the Madonna Inn over the decades include rocker Debbie Harry, supermodel Kathy Ireland and actor Macaulay Culkin. Clint Eastwood, Dustin Hoffman, Reba McIntyre and Sam Elliott are among the celebrities who have dined at the inn’s eateries.
Other frequent visitors have included country singer Dolly Parton and Western movie icon John Wayne. (Wayne was a friend and business partner of Alex Madonna, the inn’s late founder.)
I’ve stayed at the Madonna Inn twice–and it is quite unique–and a little pricey, but we’ve all encountered worse. I believe no two rooms are alike, and each room has its own design and flavor. The “tourist attraction”, however seems to be the men’s room. The urinal is an open waterfall wall that I’m guessing is about 12 feet or so wide, where you stand to urinate (no dividers). I recall standing there at the urinal when a small group of ladies walked in to check it out (the waterfall, of course)–didn’t really matter who was in there at the time. That might have been the beginning of bathrooms not discriminating on the basis of gender (lol). And yes, everyone was very polite.
LOL what a great story. I guess I got used to going to the bathroom with girls by going out to gay bars. I never even thought twice about it. i forget straight people just aren’t used to that.
Who’s straight? Anyway, when I gotta go, I gotta go, so it really doesn’t matter who walks in. This memory prompted me to google “Madonna Inn restrooms” and it turns out that it really is a tourist attraction, even recognized by the city; however, the waterfall is narrower than I remembered (they showed a picture). The article did confirm that you’re likely to get unexpected company when you use the room, which just makes everything about the Madonna Inn a unique and oh so friendly experience! It’s almost like visiting an amusement park.
It’s the best place ever! To not love it is to say that something is wrong with you! Stay there overnight if possible and if you only can stay there one night ? don’t plan on leaving at all until after check out the next day. Because you can check out and still be on the premises. There’s a lot to see and do. It is a destination all on its own so make the most of it and really take the time to enjoy to the fullest.
I’ll check WhatsApp. I had an issue I didn’t tell you about and I thouught I was going to have to use a wheelchair. I went to a foot and leg doctor last week and he gave me teo shots in the feet. The next day I was walking normal again. He said I had a sever case od peripheral neuropathy.