The Inn at Mattei's Tavern, Auberge Resorts Collection

Nestled right in the center of Santa Barbara County, sits this, from the outside, almost surreptitious hidden place right next to grand Avenue, the main road that runs through Los Olivos. Living in the area and only being about 28 miles from this particular property, I can say that I love it. It’s the perfect rustic themed place. You would expect to be in the middle of wine country, with beautiful landscaping, and a wonderful property and staff. I’ve only been able to stay here once, but I’ve been here many times for different social events and meals. Although every meal that I’ve had there has been great, I highly recommend brunch on the weekends, and their regular lunch menu even though the breakfast menu and dinner is very good as well. The property is very nice and well kept, and is very centrally located, just feet away from the main drag of los Olivos, with several places to wine, taste and shop very nearby and just a short distance from Solvang. Even though the time I stayed there, I had planned on doing a bunch of stuff in the surrounding area, the property is very tranquil and relaxing, I almost ended up, not leaving the entire time. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a local, spirited themed type hotel, where you could easily stay there and enjoy it the whole weekend or use it as a staging location for other activities. Being owned and operated by Auberge collection, the service is impeccable and follows the smaller more exquisite themed type vibe many of their properties have, bringing Stanley Ranch and solage in Napa California and Collegio alla Querce in Florence Italy to mind.

Beautiful property and genuinely warm staff, but pre-arrival planning needs improvement. We had a wonderful stay at Mattei’s overall. The property is beautiful, and the staff were consistently warm and welcoming. Karina and Lex were especially memorable and made a lasting impression on our family. They truly embodied Mattei’s “no strangers here” ethos. Our main challenge was with the pre-arrival planning. We asked for assistance with a few specific arrangements, but the information we received was sometimes incomplete or inaccurate. This included EV charging compatibility, e-bike rentals with a child trailer, and the available options for a farm tour suitable for our 4-year-old. We also experienced some confusion around the tour pricing. None of these issues was major on its own, but together they created unnecessary stress and made the planning process feel less reliable than we expected. That said, the managers handled our feedback thoughtfully and generously. We appreciated how seriously they took our concerns and how much care they showed in making things right. We loved the property and especially the people, and we would be open to returning in the future. We would likely make our activity arrangements directly next time, but we left with a great deal of appreciation for the team and the beautiful setting.

Overall, a nice stay, with a few caveats. First, the good: beautiful, well-kept grounds, gorgeous rooms, fantastic location, and exceptional service. There were extremely thoughtful touches like turn-down treats and delivering late-night popcorn when we requested some for a move night, or the s'mores kits available at the front desk. Of course, when you're paying $70/day in resort fees on top of 2k per night, you'd better be getting some treats! The negative: how to put this nicely, the place stinks. At least the area around the spa. After checking in, we drove to the end of the property where our room was located, which happened to be adjacent to the spa. As soon as we exited our vehicle, the scent of what can only be described as "raw sewage" overtook us. The scent found its way into our suite, thought it was less noticeable. The smell seemed to weaken overnight, then grow more pungent into the afternoon, repeating this cycle daily. When we called the front desk, they suggested it was probably something to do with the spa, and promised to have engineering look into it, but there were no other rooms available. Also, regarding the Lavender Barn spa: the massages were wonderful, but the facilities left something to be desired. The waiting room was PUNGENT with the sewage smell, but thankfully the locker rooms and spa area were spared. The facilities are nice, but limited. There is a sauna, a steam room, a cold plunge, and a hot tub. Because of the limited facilities, it was a real bummer that one of them, the hot tub, was out of service for BOTH days we scheduled treatments. (No idea if this issue was related to the odor.) If you only have 4 amenities to offer, and are charging what Mattei's is charging, you'd better make sure they're all working flawlessly. When an amenity has been out of order (like a sauna) at other spas, I have always been offered a complimentary add-on or a discount. Mattei's offered nothing. We brought these issues up upon checkout, and while the desk agent was sympathetic, we did not receive any discounts. (She did say she would "talk to the manager.") If you're willing to spend the money, probably the nicest place to stay in Los Olivos... as long as you're upwind of the Lavender Barn and aren't a serious spa person.

Mattei’s is the crown jewel of Los Olivos and we enjoyed every minute. With a unique western feel, you feel like you’ve been transported to a different time and place while being 45 minutes from the Pacific. The rooms were roomy, meticulously kept and the little touches like playing cards, matches, along with delicious dining, pool and spacing make this hotel a must visit. Thoroughly enjoyed!

Our weekend at the Inn at Mattei's Tavern was simply amazing. The facilities are impeccable, and every detail in our room, the grounds, the spa, the pool, and the Tavern itself are breathtaking. We worked with the attentive concierge to book a few wine tours, a bike tour around Los Olivos, and our spa treatments, and the weekend was woven together with finesse. Capping off our evenings with s'mores around the garden fire pit was cozy and amazing. We are already planning our next trip to Mattei's Tavern. We will be back, no doubt.