Kronburg Inn Solvang CA
Spent more than a couple of days trolling the Pacific Coast Highway from San Simeon to San Luis Obispo, and after a short detour through wine country, entered Solvang, which is like a whole new country. Somebody forgot to tell these people that they're not in Denmark. The place, originally 'discovered' by Danish immigrants has a bit of Denmark mixed into everything - Stores, hotels, restaurants, even the architecture of the houses. I was having doubts whether the people here even knew where they were. It was surreal, like entering a time machine or a theme park, what with the windmills and all, than an actual place inhabited by real people who actually lived and worked there.
Checked in at the aptly named Kronburg Inn on 1440 Mission Drive. It didn't look like a hotel, or an Inn or a motel or hostel or anything where visitors come and go. It looked like one of those neat farmhouses plucked straight out of the Danish countryside and placed in Solvang. I fully expected a mooing cow with a bell going ding-a-ling around its neck to amble by. No such luck, and all I found was a helpful check-in desk who gave me a room with a view of the pool area and a free breakfast with plenty of chocolate cookies and steaming hot coffee. There's something about the Wine Country which brings out the tste in Coffee, or maybe it was just the long drive. Either way, I was beginning to like Solvang and the Kronburg Inn. The place is now a family run business, but until recently, it was a Best Westerm. Guess chain hotels are not taking over the world after all...
The room only enhanced my opinion of the Kronburg as a warm and friendly palce. It was spacious, well lit and clean. I mean, you could smell the freshness on the sheets and everything was spotless. Not very luxurious or packed with gizmos and gadgets, but quite adequate, and really comfortable. Light pink paint, a rather large plant, along with floral designs running along the top of the wall and in a painting hung on the wall above the headboard added to the bright and homey atmosphere. Room rates average around $116.
With the Santa Ynez Mountains and Santa Barbara beckoning, it would be hard to spend more than a night here, and even that is a bit of a stretch. But still, if you must stay in Solvang, you probably won't find any better Solvang hotels than the Kronburg Inn.
Info: 1440 Mission Drive Solvang CA 93463; 805-688-2383; www.kronborginn.com
