Best for… The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern is for a weekend of Central Coast Cali wine tasting with some wellness mixed in
The story… The Inn at Mattei’s Tavern (pronounced “Matty”) is based around a stagecoach saloon and guesthouse built by rancher and Swiss immigrant Felix Mattei in 1886, just a dust cloud away from the then-new Pacific Railway tracks. Earlier this year, Auberge reopened it as a resort hotel after a historically respectful transformation of the main inn and a few original cottages, plus some new guest rooms that blend right in. It’s a short walk from the Old West-vibed town of Los Olivos in Santa Ynez Valley’s wine country (of Sideways fame), half an hour from Santa Barbara and two from L.A.—making it a great base to explore the unusual east-west situated valley whose cooling ocean breezes are perfect for growing pinot noir and chardonnay.
The look and feel… On arrival, it still conjures a 19th-century whistle stop. There’s the original inn/tavern building with its “Santa Barbara Stage Office” gold lettering, the reception is a low white shiplap longhouse with a rocking chair-lined portico, behind which looms a striking wooden water tower under a feathery palm. But the large rectangular pool, clean-lined clapboard barn and wildflower-dense gardens beyond feel completely fresh. There are lots of thoughtful period details throughout, from the 1892 hotel registration book of ink signatures on display at the tavern, to vintage oil paintings, handmade wicker furniture designed to look like those in old photographs, to the white linen blouses worn by staff (which are actually Dôen—I asked, and unfortunately they don’t sell them in the excellent gift shop).
The rooms… There are 52 guest rooms on top of 4 historic cottages and 6 other suites (some of them with porch swings), but the place feels surprisingly small and quiet. Our room, a standard type on the second floor of a two-story building, was decorated in a (now ubiquitous) modern-farmhouse style, with wooden plank flooring, shiplap walls, a fireplace, black and white palette, and a straw hat and a plaid blanket to borrow for, I guess, a picnic—or maybe to use on the large outdoor balcony, which was great to have since the weather on the mid-coast is nearly always perfect.
The wellness… There are yoga classes and sound bath sessions, a fully equipped gym and a temporary spa in one of the guest cottages. But by mid-’24 the Lavender Barn spa should be open, with treatments inspired by the wine region and local flowers—Auberge are spa experts, so expect it to be great. You can also borrow a bike to explore Los Olivos and the surroundings.
The food… The main restaurant, The Tavern, has an open-flame grill and menu that you might call ranch-inspired Cali coast, with some Asian flavors. We loved the crispy cauliflower with roasted garlic tahini and the Okinawan sweet potatoes—then a lamb shank and very flavorful sea scallops with corn miso (while also eyeballing a giant wagyu tomahawk at the next table, which at $75 felt too indulgent). The next morning, I had the most unusual breakfast bowl with herby green rice, Chinese sausage, sea beans and a crispy deep-fried egg. Everything is served in beautiful locally made ceramic dishes and tinted glassware (some of these are in the gift shop). And the huge wine-list is California focused, of course.
For such a small-ish property, there were a surprising number of other options. The bar in the tavern building has a cozy low wood-beamed ceiling, leather club chairs, an original bar, and signs with the names of rancher’s groups that once used it as a watering hole. (I didn’t hang out here, but it looks like the kind of place where you wouldn’t dare order a cosmo.) Next door is the Felix Feed coffee bar, which also resembles an old-school saloon (or bordello?) with red wallpaper, chandelier, and a Prohibition-era trap door in the floor. Then there’s an all-day spot by the pool that serves drinks and snacks. And finally, the Gin Tap Bar in the flower-filled courtyard, named for Mattei’s first chef who was Chinese—serving craft beer, cocktails, and Asian tapas, and which is bumping with locals from Thurs – Sun.
Be sure to… Book visits to local wineries (the Santa Ynez AVA has more female winemakers than anywhere else in the country), which the concierge can help with. Stop at that gift shop, which stocks local products and crafts (we picked up some Luretic olive oil that of course the town is named for) and some not so local (Cire Trudon candles, Zeus+Dione dresses). Also leave time to wander around Los Olivos, which has a charming general store, a few galleries and a tasting room.
Parting words… I was prepared for it to feel a little hokey, as historically themed hotels sometimes can, but I thought Mattei’s was lovely—super tasteful and thoughtfully done, extremely peaceful, and a place that I would definitely come back to and explore a few wineries, which I didn’t have time for this trip.
Date of stay… August 2023
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