Huge, floor-to-ceiling windows invite the outside in at Hotel San Luis Obispo, flooding the colorful, artistically appointed guest rooms with light. Some also have balconies or terraces overlooking the mountains. The local ethos extends to the several eating and drinking options, which source produce from around SLO – try the grilled lobster tail from Ox and Anchor, the wild Pacific swordfish at Piadina, or grab a coffee and a croissant from bakery Daily Bread.

There’s a youthful, collegiate vibe to the Kinney, which features a large open-plan social area with a self-serve bar, pub-style restaurant and board games – perfect for getting to know fellow guests. The campus atmosphere extends to the rooms, which have a surfy aesthetic and include a Grad Suite and a duplex Dean Suite. Other facilities include a gym, an outdoor pool and rental bikes.

Quirky and colorful are two words that come to mind when describing the Madonna Inn, which has 110 flamboyant rooms, each one themed differently – examples include Old Mexico, Harvard Square and Country Gentleman. The exuberance continues at the Gold Rush Steak House, Copper Cafe, Silver Bar Cocktail Lounge and bakery, where towering pink cakes and indulgent pastries tempt time and again.

A quinta is a Portuguese country estate, and this eye-catching hotel, with its spiky angles and classy minimalist suites, is a modern take on that brief. With views of the Santa Lucia Mountains looming in the background and the walking trails of South Hills nearby, it's a great choice for outdoorsy types, but Downtown SLO (San Luis Obispo) – with its Spanish mission and museum of local art – is right on your doorstep, too.

The elegant Garden Street Inn sits in San Luis Obispo’s historic Downtown, a short walk from the Spanish mission, where the old monks’ quarters now house a museum on the colonial period. While Spanish history echoes throughout town, French country architecture inspired the decor of this particular hotel, with cozy guest rooms and a wood-paneled library that begs you to curl up on a sofa and get into a good book.

Quality is certainly the word to describe this Spanish-inspired hotel, where tiled fountains decorate the lobby and your suite features extra touches like a sofa bed to make you feel at home. An outdoor pool, hot tub and barbecue grill mean it’s tempting to never leave the grounds, but you must, to explore the hiking trails of High School Hill, the strangely compelling art installation of Bubblegum Alley and the colonial-era architecture of Downtown.

Bringing together the rural charm and boho artistry that characterize California’s Central Coast, San Luis Creek Lodge has a breezy hippy charm but doesn’t compromise on luxury. Be sure to check out the works of local painters and sculptors at the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art, and discover more about the rich history of the city at the San Luis Obispo County Historical Museum, just across the street.

It’s hard to imagine a more classic Californian motel than the Sunbeam, with its vintage sign, traditional rooms and cheerful, sunny paint job. For an even more retro fix, though, be sure to head up the road to the remains of the Motel Inn – opened in 1925 as the first motel in the world – and take time to explore the riverside greenery of nearby Cuesta Park.