SpringHill Suites by Marriott Paso Robles Atascadero Review

My job had me heading up north. I started my drive in San Diego and ultimately had to get to Sacramento. Instead of driving the boring Interstate 5 through the Valley, I opted for taking Highway 101 up north. That route will take me along the coast for a bit before it turns inland and continues north. As I left about noon from San Diego, I needed a place to stay for the night before continuing. Originally, I planned to stay at the Courtyard by Marriott in San Luis Obispo I had previously stayed at. But with a nightly rate of $260 to stay overnight, it was too expensive, and I decided to continue further north a little bit and stay in the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Paso Robles Atascadero. The rate there was over $100 cheaper, and I would be staying anyway only for a night. Added bonus, no parking fee, and free breakfast compared to the Courtyard in San Luis Obispo.

Booking & Stay Details

The reservation was made during a food stop on my way north. I grabbed a sandwich and while sitting down to eat, I checked available hotels in the area. I preferred to stay in a Hyatt in the area, but there are none. As the Courtyard in San Luis Obispo was too expensive, I looked for the cheapest option in the area and found the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Paso Robles Atascadero. The reservation was made through the newly redesigned Marriott app. Since I wanted to get going again, as this hotel was still about a 2-hour drive away, I didn’t use any shopping portals.

Location

The SpringHill Suites by Marriott Paso Robles Atascadero is conveniently located right off Highway 101 at the north end of Atascadero. The name is confusing as it also mentions Paso Robles in the name. Paso Robles is the next big city when heading north on 101. Even with the proximity to the freeway, noise is not an issue as it is located on top of a hill. Next to the hotel are a few stores, the bigger ones are Home Depot, Staples, and of course Starbucks. Other than that, it’s an unspectacular spot. The coast is about a 30-minute drive away, which is Morro Bay.

Right behind the hotel property is a train track. The hotel is elevated, and the tracks are situated below. This reduces the noise impact. I haven’t seen or heard a train come through during my stay. It seems like it is not a very frequented track. As an avid train enthusiast, I love it to have tracks so close by. 

Check-In

Rather than pulling up right in front of the main entrance, I parked in one of the parking spots close to the entrance and walked in. One person was in front of me to check in and a few entered the building right behind me. It took a while for the first person to get checked in and only one agent was working at the front desk. As it was my turn, check-in was very quick. Quick verification of ID and I had my room keys in hand before heading to the elevators just around the corner. I didn’t receive a room upgrade. I am not sure if one were even available, but I also didn’t ask as this would be just a stay for one night before leaving again early in the morning.

Suite, 1 King, Sofa bed (Room 438)

The suite was almost all the way down the hallway and was facing the parking lot. As you enter the suite you have the living area right in front of you. It consists of an L-shaped sofa bed with a lamp, a work desk with a chair and a little “kitchen area”. There you find a small refrigerator, microwave, ice bucket, coffee maker, and two Fiji water bottles which can be bought for a charge of $5 each. Between the entrance of the room and the kitchen area is a connecting door that leads to the adjoining room 436.

The work desk functions as a divider between the living area and the bedroom. It has three frosted glass panels which block the view but still let light through. Two of the panels can also be opened by sliding it to the side.

A king bed takes up most of the bedroom area. It is centered against the wall between this and the adjoining room. A nightstand is located on either side of the bed and of course, you get your in-room phone and alarm clock on top of the nightstands as well as a lamp on either one. A closet with two drawers sits between the living area and bedroom area. On top is a large TV which can be turned to be viewed from either the bed or sofa.

Directly opposite the bed is the entrance to the bathroom. It can be separated by a sliding door with a frosted glass panel inside a wooden frame. The layout here is different from what you would expect. It is a relatively narrow room but long. To the left is the shower with a glass panel and glass door. Inside the shower are wall-mounted dispensers for soap and shampoo. Immediately in front is the vanity with a single sink and a large wall-mounted mirror. The actual toilet is off to the far right. Even though the bathroom is narrow it still feels very spacious with this layout. 

The window of the room only gives you a view of the parking lot in front of the hotel. Directly below the window is the AC unit. The controls for the AC can be found on the wall directly next to the main room entrance. Next to the window is a wall closet that holds an iron, ironing board, hangers, and a suitcase stand. Besides that, you will find some more shelves and hangers for your clothes inside. 

This suite is very spacious, and it would be a great spot for an extended stay. It is definitely good enough if you just stay overnight. Because of the current situation, Covid-19, and the labor shortage, housekeeping was only offered for stays longer than 5 nights and then only upon request.

Public Areas & Amenities

Lobby

The lobby is very inviting, and it is also the first area you will get to when staying here. The front desk is to the left and right after the entrance. Can’t miss it. Opposite the front desk is a seating area with a fireplace. As you continue you have more seating options right in front of you which then turn into the seating for the restaurant and breakfast area.

Business Center

The business center is around the corner from the front desk and opposite the elevator lobby. It consists of two workstations and two printers. There is also a rack with flyers and brochures of local attractions and businesses in the business center. The Business Center is available 24 hours a day.

Exercise Room/Fitness Center

If you are looking for a spot to work out, you can use the on-site exercise room. The entrance to it is just past the elevator lobby on the ground floor. A unisex restroom is shared between the exercise room and the backyard, which will most likely be pool users. The exercise room is open 24 hours a day.

Pool

The heated outdoor pool is amazing. It’s a regular-sized pool but the setting in the backyard is absolutely amazing. A wonderful place to hang out and relax after a long day or enjoy a pool day during your stay here. To get into the pool area you need your room key.

Pool Hours are daily from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Backyard

With its beautiful backyard, this SpringHill Suites differentiates itself from others. The backyard is just inviting to hang out and relax. You have lots of seating options, benches, and a beautiful garden with flowers. It looks like this property is also used for wedding receptions and the grass area has a wedding altar. It’s just such a gorgeous setting. Lots of wine barrels are placed all over the backyard and adorn it. 

If you are a railroad fan, you will like the train track that runs right behind the hotel property, and you can see it from the backyard. The tracks are down below, that’s why it doesn’t have a huge noise impact on the hotel itself. There is also a bridge over the tracks, just outside the hotel parking lot on El Camino Real.

Dining

Breakfast

The continental breakfast buffet is just as you would expect it at SpringHill Suites properties. You get the usual breakfast items like scrambled eggs, cereals, yogurts, juices, and so on. However, the buffet is set up in a separate room next to the restaurant area. The food is presented in an enjoyable way. The coffee station is outside in the main breakfast area. 

The breakfast area shares the same area with the restaurant and if you want you can even sit outside on the patio to enjoy your breakfast. Staff was always quick to check on the buffet, re-fill items and wipe the tables down in between guests.

Breakfast Hours
Monday-Friday: 6:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Saturday, Sunday & Holiday’s: 7:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Restaurant

The restaurant, Union & Vine, in the lobby is open every day from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. and the bar stays open even until 10 p.m. I wasn’t sure if there would be an on-site restaurant, that’s why I stopped a few hours earlier to grab a sandwich and therefore never used the restaurant. The restaurant serves Californian cuisine with locally sourced ingredients as well as wines from local wineries in Paso Robles. This area is known for its many wineries.

Restaurant Hours: daily from 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Bar Hours: daily from 4 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Market

Next to the front desk is a well-sized market. Get some essentials here. They offer snacks, drinks, and hygiene articles. Plastic utensils are offered for free. This comes in handy when your favorite food delivery service delivers your food, but the restaurant forgot to add utensils even though you requested them.

Conclusion

It was a short but great stay. I can only recommend the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Paso Robles Atascadero. No matter if you are just looking for a place to stay for the night or here for a longer stay. This might be the place you are looking for. It’s located further away from the coast than other hotels in the area, but it is also a lot cheaper. It’s worth the extra drive, even with the crazy expensive fuel prices currently. You will still save. Of course, always keep an eye open for a better price at hotels closer to the ocean.

The hotel also comes with a great pool area if you need to cool down on hot days. Having a restaurant on-site is another big bonus of this property. My room was great and clean. Service was great and all staff interactions were great. This hotel has kind of a lodge-vibe to it with the awning in front of the main entrance, the open lobby, and the gorgeous courtyard space out back. It is a very lovely place to stay at

There are 3 meeting rooms on site which are often used for wedding receptions. The hotel seems to be a favorite place in the area to get married. With such an amazing backyard, I can understand why.