The Best $100 Beach Motel

The Kon Tiki Inn impressed me. Luxury travelers go away, this is a gem for budget travelers. Situated  on the north side of Pismo Beach, the sunset view out our balcony says it all. Bubbling jacuzzi and clean pool overlooking a wide sandy beach—High five! The interior of the rooms is very motel-like, but be sure to note that the folks at Kon Tiki have done their best be better than your average motel. I seem to be judging budget accommodations these days by their shower curtain rod - It's all about the curved rod. And of course, the thoughtful Kon Tiki had already made this upgrade. Our room also had a coffee machine, hair dryer, and $10 gets you WiFi for the length of your stay, not just per day. Free continental breakfast? Check. The bill? Under $100 before tax and WiFi. Note that it is necessary to avoid the first floor because of plumbing noises from the floors above. We had a room on the 3rd floor and it was only $2 extra. All in we were $115.60.

Pismo Beach was very old school and you can tell that they like it that way. There didn't seem to be an ounce of new development (except one luxury condo or townhouse complex coming in). Pismo Beach is sitting on some prime real estate and a find for those would love to get some beach front property for much cheaper than you would on the rest of California's coastline. We liked Shell Beach, a smidge north of Pismo. The Sea Side Cafe next to the post office was irresistible. Owners Tim and Liz are running this little coffee stand with patio and serving Illy Italian coffees with Liz's home cooked treats. Everything is homemade here and I watched a local argue that the stuffed peppers were even better than the breakfast special - a deluxe egg, cheese, and ham sandwich on homemade English muffins. WiFi Internet? You bet. Avila Beach was the next stop up has its own bay and has been remodeled for an upmarket clientele. At least more posh than Pismo Beach, which upon seeing, you'd think that everything was. Still, the Kon Tiki is a terrific stop on the Central Coast.

Kon Tiki Inn
1621 Price Street
Pismo Beach, CA  93449
Availability or rates at: (805) 773-4833

Comments

[mary]

We love Pismo. It's about a three hour drive from where we live and, best of all, it's home of the Coachella Valley Carrot Festival. (I'm testing to see if you know your Bugs Bunny.)

[Jen Leo]

Alas, I don't know my Bugs. But I did like that area up there and just wished he had a 4x4 to drive on the beach :-)