Celebrating The Blonde Abroad Blog's 4th Birthday at the Madonna Inn • The Blonde Abroad

The Madonna Inn has made a name for itself with its over-the-top themed rooms and extravagant decor reminiscent of Vegas in the 1950’s. Though I’d driven the California Coast countless times before, I had yet to rest my pillow (in a room covered in pink glitter) at this landmark hotel.

For the 4th birthday of The Blonde Abroad, I decided to make that dream a reality. So, I booked a night’s stay to celebrate and let my “pink” flag fly.

Situated in beautiful San Luis Obispo, California, the Madonna Inn was the perfect stop on my recent girl’s road trip up the California Coast!

Each of the 40 rooms is uniquely decorated to suit different tastes — from rock rooms to waterfall showers to grand fireplaces to glittery walls.

We were lucky enough to stay in the Austrian Suite.

As one of the biggest rooms, this suite was SO big you could to do cartwheels through it. It was also adorned with gold and blue accents throughout, making it feel as though you were a royal guest.

The property includes large horse pastures, a pool and spa, wine cellar, bakery, coffee shop, dining room, cocktail lounge, banquet rooms, and shops.

The most breathtaking room is probably the Gold Rush Steakhouse. The hand-carved marble railings in the dining room came from Hearst Castle! The ceiling is also something to marvel at, boasting giant flower sculptures, glittering vines and gold foil.

Oh, and let’s not forget to mention the vibrant pink dining booths!

Last, but not least, Madonna Inn is known for their tasty cakes straight from their in-house bakery. We got a Pink Champagne cake for the blog’s big, birthday celebration — and it was to die for! I am not exaggerating. It might have been the best cake I’ve ever had.

So, naturally, we ate the rest for breakfast!

SHOP my Madonna Inn-inspired style!

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If there’s one place that deserves a spot on your fall travel bucket list, it’s New England. 🍁🍂
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There’s a reason leaf peeping is practically a sport here! Winding country roads, covered bridges, ridiculously charming little towns, apple cider donuts, and fall colors that somehow look even better in person.

An autumn road trip through New England is one of those trips that absolutely lives up to the hype.

💌 Drop “FALL” in the comments and I’ll send you my complete New England fall road trip guide, including my favorite stops, scenic drives, and everything you need to plan your own trip!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#NewEngland #NewEnglandRoadTrip #FallInNewEngland #LeafPeeping #FallFoliage

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If there’s one place that deserves a spot on your fall travel bucket list, it’s New England. 🍁🍂
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
There’s a reason leaf peeping is practically a sport here! Winding country roads, covered bridges, ridiculously charming little towns, apple cider donuts, and fall colors that somehow look even better in person.

An autumn road trip through New England is one of those trips that absolutely lives up to the hype.

💌 Drop “FALL” in the comments and I’ll send you my complete New England fall road trip guide, including my favorite stops, scenic drives, and everything you need to plan your own trip!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#NewEngland #NewEnglandRoadTrip #FallInNewEngland #LeafPeeping #FallFoliage

Consider this your sign to plan an autumn escape to England 🍁🍂
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There’s something so special about this season in the Cotswolds. Think charming little villages, cozy pubs, crisp morning walks, and scenery straight out of a storybook.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#Cotswolds #VisitEngland #EnglishCountryside #AutumnInEngland #CotswoldsTravel

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Consider this your sign to plan an autumn escape to England 🍁🍂
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
There’s something so special about this season in the Cotswolds. Think charming little villages, cozy pubs, crisp morning walks, and scenery straight out of a storybook.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#Cotswolds #VisitEngland #EnglishCountryside #AutumnInEngland #CotswoldsTravel

The part of my job that doesn’t usually make it to Instagram 💻
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For every trip, travel guide and pretty photo you see, there’s a whole lot happening behind the scenes.

I’m constantly writing, researching, planning what’s next, running multiple businesses… and currently using AI to help build an entirely new website.

My AMD Ryzen AI-powered laptop has become the command center for all of it. I can have approximately 47 things happening at once (a conservative estimate), and it keeps up with the chaos.

Because ultimately, the goal is to spend a little less time behind the screen and a lot more time out experiencing the world. ✈️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
@AMD #ad #AMDPartner #AMDRyzenAIPower

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18358028068172939

The part of my job that doesn’t usually make it to Instagram 💻
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
For every trip, travel guide and pretty photo you see, there’s a whole lot happening behind the scenes.

I’m constantly writing, researching, planning what’s next, running multiple businesses… and currently using AI to help build an entirely new website.

My AMD Ryzen AI-powered laptop has become the command center for all of it. I can have approximately 47 things happening at once (a conservative estimate), and it keeps up with the chaos.

Because ultimately, the goal is to spend a little less time behind the screen and a lot more time out experiencing the world. ✈️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
@AMD #ad #AMDPartner #AMDRyzenAIPower

Just a girl who wants both… luxury AND adventure. 🏔️✨

And Gardena Grödnerhof in Ortisei might be one of my favorite examples of exactly that!
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We spent our days exploring some of the most iconic sights in the Dolomites, then came back to the comforts of an incredible five-star hotel. Even traveling with a four-year-old, getting out and exploring felt surprisingly effortless.

A few things that made our stay so special:

📍 THE LOCATION: Right in the heart of Ortisei, a charming, walkable mountain town with easy access to Seceda, Alpe di Siusi, and some of the Dolomites’ most beautiful scenery.

🛏️ THE ROOMS: We stayed in the Chalet Seceda Suite, complete with a huge balcony, mountain views, a fireplace, and even our own private sauna!

🧸 FOR THE KIDS: A fantastic kids club, kid-sized robes and slippers, play areas, and thoughtful little details that make traveling as a family so much easier.

🧖🏼‍♀️ THE WELLNESS: A beautiful spa with an indoor pool, outdoor whirlpool, saunas, and plenty of ways to relax after a day in the mountains.

🍝 THE FOOD: Two restaurants, including Michelin-starred Anna Stuben, and an incredible breakfast spread (complete with a juicing room).

What made this hotel so special was how accessible the adventure felt. We could have these huge days exploring the mountains and come back to somewhere so comfortable, with incredible food, a beautiful spa, and everything we needed to relax.

It was the perfect way to end our time in the Dolomites!
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Save this one for your next trip to the Italian Alps! 🇮🇹

@gardenagroednerhof #gardenagrödnerhof @kiwicollection #carewhereyoustay #Dolomites #Ortisei

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 18116831827799474

Just a girl who wants both… luxury AND adventure. 🏔️✨

And Gardena Grödnerhof in Ortisei might be one of my favorite examples of exactly that!
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We spent our days exploring some of the most iconic sights in the Dolomites, then came back to the comforts of an incredible five-star hotel. Even traveling with a four-year-old, getting out and exploring felt surprisingly effortless.

A few things that made our stay so special:

📍 THE LOCATION: Right in the heart of Ortisei, a charming, walkable mountain town with easy access to Seceda, Alpe di Siusi, and some of the Dolomites’ most beautiful scenery.

🛏️ THE ROOMS: We stayed in the Chalet Seceda Suite, complete with a huge balcony, mountain views, a fireplace, and even our own private sauna!

🧸 FOR THE KIDS: A fantastic kids club, kid-sized robes and slippers, play areas, and thoughtful little details that make traveling as a family so much easier.

🧖🏼‍♀️ THE WELLNESS: A beautiful spa with an indoor pool, outdoor whirlpool, saunas, and plenty of ways to relax after a day in the mountains.

🍝 THE FOOD: Two restaurants, including Michelin-starred Anna Stuben, and an incredible breakfast spread (complete with a juicing room).

What made this hotel so special was how accessible the adventure felt. We could have these huge days exploring the mountains and come back to somewhere so comfortable, with incredible food, a beautiful spa, and everything we needed to relax.

It was the perfect way to end our time in the Dolomites!
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Save this one for your next trip to the Italian Alps! 🇮🇹

@gardenagroednerhof #gardenagrödnerhof @kiwicollection #carewhereyoustay #Dolomites #Ortisei

Our @tbaescapes Maldives trip is back for its third year — April 10–17, 2027! 🐠🌴
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There aren’t many trips I’d happily do over and over again, but this is definitely one of them.

We spend seven nights on our own private yacht with an incredible group of women, diving and snorkeling some of the most beautiful reefs in the Maldives, eating way too much good food, doing yoga, getting massages and basically living on (and in) the water for a week.

And you do NOT have to be a scuba diver to join us!

That’s one of my favorite things about this trip. You can pick whichever package sounds most like your ideal week:

🤿 Scuba: 12 dives + 2 spa treatments
🤿💆‍♀️ Scuba + Spa: 6 dives + 4 spa treatments
💆‍♀️ Spa: 8 spa treatments + no diving

Want more of either? You can add extra dives or spa treatments during the trip too.

***

📍 Maldives
🗓 April 10–17, 2027
👯‍♀️ Private, all-female yacht charter
🐠 Incredible snorkeling
💆‍♀️ 300m² spa spread across two decks
🧘‍♀️ Daily yoga
🍽 All-inclusive dining
🌅 Sandbank sunsets + a moonlit beach BBQ
🛥 Just 20 women

***

Some cabin categories are already SOLD OUT, and we don’t currently have another departure scheduled.

So if you’ve always wanted to go to the Maldives but the whole honeymoon-resort thing isn’t exactly your vibe… this is YOUR Maldives trip. 💙
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
👇 Click the link below for the full itinerary, available cabins + pricing, or comment MALDIVES and I’ll send you all the details!

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Open post by theblondeabroad with ID 17951570499276180

Our @tbaescapes Maldives trip is back for its third year — April 10–17, 2027! 🐠🌴
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
There aren’t many trips I’d happily do over and over again, but this is definitely one of them.

We spend seven nights on our own private yacht with an incredible group of women, diving and snorkeling some of the most beautiful reefs in the Maldives, eating way too much good food, doing yoga, getting massages and basically living on (and in) the water for a week.

And you do NOT have to be a scuba diver to join us!

That’s one of my favorite things about this trip. You can pick whichever package sounds most like your ideal week:

🤿 Scuba: 12 dives + 2 spa treatments
🤿💆‍♀️ Scuba + Spa: 6 dives + 4 spa treatments
💆‍♀️ Spa: 8 spa treatments + no diving

Want more of either? You can add extra dives or spa treatments during the trip too.

***

📍 Maldives
🗓 April 10–17, 2027
👯‍♀️ Private, all-female yacht charter
🐠 Incredible snorkeling
💆‍♀️ 300m² spa spread across two decks
🧘‍♀️ Daily yoga
🍽 All-inclusive dining
🌅 Sandbank sunsets + a moonlit beach BBQ
🛥 Just 20 women

***

Some cabin categories are already SOLD OUT, and we don’t currently have another departure scheduled.

So if you’ve always wanted to go to the Maldives but the whole honeymoon-resort thing isn’t exactly your vibe… this is YOUR Maldives trip. 💙
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
👇 Click the link below for the full itinerary, available cabins + pricing, or comment MALDIVES and I’ll send you all the details!

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Sarah

Congrats on four years!!! The Madonna Inn looks like a luxurious place to celebrate with the girls – so much pink in this post I love it <3

April 14, 2016 at 3:11 pm · Reply

Kiersten Rich

Thanks Sarah 🙂

April 15, 2016 at 12:49 pm · Reply

Aisling

I was in the Madonna Inn years ago and wow…..what an amazing place! Im from Ireland and we have NOTHING like that over here! I was so excited when I saw you were there on snapchat….brings back memories!

Congrats on the four years! 🙂

April 15, 2016 at 1:20 am · Reply

Kiersten Rich

Thank you!! There truly is nothing like it!

April 15, 2016 at 12:47 pm · Reply

Newer

We were lucky enough to stay in the Austrian Suite.

Oh, and let’s not forget to mention the vibrant pink dining booths!

So, naturally, we ate the rest for breakfast!

Read Next: 3-Day California Coast Road Trip

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SHOP my Madonna Inn-inspired style!

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