PASO ROBLES’ PIONEER HOTEL AND THE NEW FRONTIER: THE PICCOLO
Introducing the Next Generation of Paso Robles Hospitality
Paso Robles is just about perfect. It’s a city with roots that go deep and where the good life is savored and shared with a welcoming spirit that’s defined our city since its founding in 1889.
For over 150 years, Paso Robles has been a hub for heartfelt hospitality—attracting visitors for healing hot springs, bountiful orchards, and sprawling vineyards—and all along, the Paso Robles Inn has been there to welcome travelers with a true taste of this place and its culture. No other local property has opened their arms to more visitors who have wanted an authentic Paso Robles experience, because no other property is as deeply rooted in the history and personality of Paso Robles. But we thought the Paso Robles experience could be made even better—which is why we built The Piccolo.
At The Piccolo, you’ll get a classic Paso experience with a modern twist. An intimate 24-room boutique hotel in the heart of Downtown, The Piccolo will carry on the tradition and originality of the Paso Robles Inn while introducing the next generation of experiences that people will enjoy here. Learn more about how Paso Robles’ newest hotel stays true to its roots by reading on below.
Brick By Brick: The Evolution of the Inn & The Innovation of the Piccolo
El Paso de Robles Hotel: Construction on the original El Paso de Robles Hotel began in 1889, the same year Paso Robles was incorporated as a city, and was completed in 1891. The construction required over one million bricks and cost $160,000. Upon completion, the hotel was 3 stories of solid masonry. It featured parlors, separate men’s and women’s billiard rooms, reading rooms, club meeting rooms, a saloon, dining room, a barber shop, and was compared to the finest hotels in San Francisco and even Europe.
Lone Survivor – The Ballroom: In December 1940, tragedy struck as a fire completely destroyed the original Paso Robles hotel, leaving the ballroom as the only building left standing to this day.
The Paso Robles Inn: An entirely new concept for the hotel was planned: a Garden Inn Hotel designed to accommodate travel by car, while still providing lush garden views. Construction used bricks salvaged from the ruins of the 1891 hotel, enhancing the Inn’s “come as you are” attitude and atmosphere. With its new, more relaxed look, comfort and hospitality continued to be the Inn’s focus. Because of this unique style, the Inn was featured in several architectural journals in the 1940s.
Restoration & Revitalization: In 1999, Martin Resorts purchased the Inn and embarked on a revitalization plan to restore the Inn to its turn-of-the-century grandeur. The elegant ballroom was retrofitted, restored, and reopened. Presently, the Paso Robles Inn offers 96 guestrooms, a Steakhouse, a nostalgic 1940’s coffee shop, Cattlemen’s Lounge, event venues, and beautiful gardens.
A New Chapter: On January 1, 2018, construction began behind the historic Ballroom on the Inn’s new sister hotel, The Piccolo, a four-story hotel adjacent to and accessible via the Paso Robles Inn. Using 45,430 brick veneer pieces, the Piccolo’s charming brick exterior nods playfully to its historic sister property, but the resemblance stops there. Inside, the hotel is a timeless, graceful blend of old and new with 24 intimate rooms, a wine lounge, a private courtyard, a library, and the town’s first rooftop bar—still bringing those big-city experiences to our small town all these years later.
A major part of Paso Robles history, the Paso Robles Inn Ballroom, is just beyond the doors of The Piccolo.
The Paso Robles Inn has a rich and colorful place in Paso Robles history spanning more than a century and The Piccolo is the next chapter in their history book. As Paso Robles has grown and evolved, so have guests’ needs and expectations—but one thing has remained consistent—a commitment to make guests feel right at home, in our home.