Hotel Ynez

The place

Hotel Ynez sits between Solvang and Santa Ynez on California’s Central Coast, inside an old 1950s motel lovingly transformed by Nomada Group. It feels like a secret garden sanctuary. Tucked among verdant plants, the 18 rooms keep to soothing neutral tones and simplistic furnishings — a patio each, a subtle pop of color here and there.

The heated outdoor pool is the quiet center of it all; sun beds wait alongside for a slow afternoon. Beyond, the garden unfolds — a bocce ball court, hammocks, firepits, loungers.

There is no restaurant or bar on site, and it hardly matters: plenty of good tables sit nearby.