Comments on: A Family Tradition? That’s One Crazy Family!

By: Never teh Bride

Never teh Bride — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:56:46 +0000

Mifty: I meant no offense to the Madonna Inn in particular with my vaguely unclean comment — I tend to think of most hotels as being vaguely unclean, and the older they look, the more reason I have to believe that they’ve accumulated the detritus of years. Even upscale establishments have their issues when tested for germs and bodily fluids. It’s part of hosting people with differing standards of cleanliness night after night after night. But I’m not sure why you’re miffed at the tone of my post — I did say I’d jump at a chance to stay there! I think the rooms look super keen, especially Round.

By: Glinda

Glinda — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:01:45 +0000

From my understanding, the Madonna Inn has always been what it is from when it first opened fifty years ago or so. They don’t have to “try” to be anything, they just are!

It is a staple for trips up and down PCH.

By: Mifty

Mifty — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 18:02:53 +0000

The Madonna Inn was built in the very early ’60s, I believe, and has always been the way it is. That was rather too early for the whole ironic-retro-kitsch thing. It is not “trying to look” like anything.

A lot of the themes are pretty amusing, I guess, from our (jaded?) perspective, but they were designed with nothing in mind other than filling rooms and making people happy. And they do. Some guests, I’m sure, are pleased to indulge their ironic detachment, and that’s fine. But others really do think these rooms are beautiful (imagine that).

And I really don’t know what that crack means about “vaguely unclean.” There isn’t any reason at all to think that (except maybe some preconceptions about the people who might enjoy this sort of thing?). The Madonna Inn is a long established and successful hotel with a perfectly good reputation, in a beautiful part of the state.