The Ballard Inn & Restaurant

We came here after a mix up for our second night booking at another local boutique luxury inn that was considerably less expensive. We had high hopes for The Ballard Inn ($725/night). It was BEYOND disappointing. The room lacked basic amenities, like a television, drawers for our clothes, a safe, a refrigerator, and working outlets (the bottom plug on every duplex were not powered). One of the two operable windows did not have adequate... tension? Whatever it is that keeps a window from losing its grip in the frame and slamming shut. I'm glad my hand wasn't in the way. It took more than 3 minutes for the water to get warm at the bathroom sink (we were in the Western Room). My companion turned on the hot faucet in the shower to try to get hot water to the room faster, and water sprayed from behind the tap. The towels? Not exactly as nubby as what you'd get at the pool at the YMCA, but not so different. A robe? Haha. Not even a place to hang one. There were four small pillows on the queen sized bed. The staff went home at 7:00pm, so there was no one to call to send up more. I am not sure what a "Kirkwood Property" is, but if this meets their "luxury" standard, buyer beware.

The hotel staff is incredibly friendly, and the common areas are charming and well-maintained. However, for the price, the rooms fall far short of expectations. We booked a Deluxe Room with a Balcony, but there was nothing deluxe about it. The room and bathroom were extremely monastic in style, spartan like a scene from the movie The Conclave. There was no fridge (so forget keeping drinks or snacks cold), no TV (which wasn’t an issue for us), and only a single outlet—located away from the bed—for charging electronics. No slippers or robes, which would be understandable if the price were in the $120–$150 range, but at their rates, these omissions feel glaring. The lack of blackout curtains was frustrating—just a small, ineffective curtain that barely covered the window. To make matters worse, Their WiFi is absolutely terrible. My husband had an important Zoom meeting, and it was beyond frustrating—the connection kept dropping constantly, making it nearly impossible to get through the call. For a hotel charging these rates, this is completely unacceptable. Also, the walls were thin, and we were woken up early by the noise from breakfast downstairs. Most rooms face the parking lot, which isn’t a dealbreaker, but again, at this price point, expectations are higher. Overall, it’s a cute bed & breakfast, but the lack of amenities makes it hard to justify the cost. If they adjusted their pricing to reflect the experience, it would be much more reasonable.

We had been looking forward to staying at the Ballard Inn for a really long time and finally were able to go. We had a lovely time there, and there is much about the hotel that we enjoyed. The staff were all really kind and helpful. There were beautiful fixtures throughout, clean linens and towels that smelled fresh, water in the room for us. The room we were in was spacious and had a beautiful bay window. The hot breakfasts were amazing! So delicious! The only downside was that we could never get the room to heat up in the mornings as the thermostat didn’t seem to work. Not until the sun came through the windows did the room warm up. Also, it would be nice if a Keurig could be provided in the dining room area for early risers like us to get some coffee before the kitchen staff arrives. That simple gesture would have made all the difference in our stay there.

Lovely & charming .. but 3 stars for the road noise .. old windows at front of the building make the room too noisy for my comfort. otherwise, this is a stunning property, lovely common areas, and fantastic location for WINE country. if you are sensitive to noise, bring earplugs or make sure you specify a room on the side of the building. Bathrooms are a little dated but functional.

Beautiful, romantic inn very close to Los Olivos. Our room was large with a fireplace and big, comfortable bed. Friendly staff. You might want a room on the backside if you like it quieter since the front of the hotel faces a street. Didn't bother me but it's wintertime and not busy in Los Olivos. Includes a warm breakfast and glass of wine when you arrive. The inn is decorated beautifully.