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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Flying above the Okavango on a skyfari 🚁✨
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While staying at @aksanctuary Chief’s Camp in Botswana, we had the chance to see the delta from a completely different perspective with @helicopterhorizons — and it was easily one of the most unforgettable experiences of the trip.

From winding channels to herds of elephants moving below, it gives you a true sense of just how vast and wild this place really is… something you simply can’t grasp from the ground.

If you’re coming all the way to the Okavango Delta, this is 100% worth adding on. It’s not just a scenic flight — it’s a whole new way to experience safari.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#botswana #okavangodelta #skyfari #helicopter #bucketlist

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Flying above the Okavango on a skyfari 🚁✨
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
While staying at @aksanctuary Chief’s Camp in Botswana, we had the chance to see the delta from a completely different perspective with @helicopterhorizons — and it was easily one of the most unforgettable experiences of the trip.

From winding channels to herds of elephants moving below, it gives you a true sense of just how vast and wild this place really is… something you simply can’t grasp from the ground.

If you’re coming all the way to the Okavango Delta, this is 100% worth adding on. It’s not just a scenic flight — it’s a whole new way to experience safari.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#botswana #okavangodelta #skyfari #helicopter #bucketlist

There are places that feel special… and then there’s the Okavango Delta 🤍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Our stay at @aksanctuary Chief’s Camp in Botswana was one of those rare travel experiences that truly exceeded every expectation.

And then there’s the Delta itself. One of the most unique ecosystems on the planet, where floodwaters transform the desert into a lush, wildlife-rich oasis—meaning you get some of the most incredible game viewing in Africa.

In just three nights, we experienced:
• Big Five game drives
• A scenic helicopter flight over the Delta (still not over this)
• A mokoro ride quietly gliding through the waterways
• Golden hour moments that didn’t feel real

It’s the kind of place that reminds you why you travel in the first place.

So deeply grateful to have experienced it 🤍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#Botswana #OkavangoDelta #AfricanSafari #LuxurySafari #ChiefsCamp

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There are places that feel special… and then there’s the Okavango Delta 🤍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Our stay at @aksanctuary Chief’s Camp in Botswana was one of those rare travel experiences that truly exceeded every expectation.

And then there’s the Delta itself. One of the most unique ecosystems on the planet, where floodwaters transform the desert into a lush, wildlife-rich oasis—meaning you get some of the most incredible game viewing in Africa.

In just three nights, we experienced:
• Big Five game drives
• A scenic helicopter flight over the Delta (still not over this)
• A mokoro ride quietly gliding through the waterways
• Golden hour moments that didn’t feel real

It’s the kind of place that reminds you why you travel in the first place.

So deeply grateful to have experienced it 🤍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#Botswana #OkavangoDelta #AfricanSafari #LuxurySafari #ChiefsCamp

#HotelsDotComAmbassador
If I’m planning the trip… I’m earning the rewards
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@hotelsdotcom has this feature called Save Your Way, where you can either take the discount now or bank it as rewards for a future trip — and you already know which one I’m choosing.
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Planner today. Trip funded tomorrow.

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#HotelsDotComAmbassador
If I’m planning the trip… I’m earning the rewards
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
@hotelsdotcom has this feature called Save Your Way, where you can either take the discount now or bank it as rewards for a future trip — and you already know which one I’m choosing.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Planner today. Trip funded tomorrow.

Nairobi might be the only place in the world where you can spot rhinos with a city skyline behind them 🦏🌆
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We visited Nairobi National Park with three kids three and under (!!) and it ended up being one of the easiest, most rewarding safari experiences.

The wildest part? It’s literally just a short drive from the city center—you can go from downtown Nairobi to spotting lions and rhinos in under 30 minutes.

You can self-drive or hire a private guide. Either way, the wildlife viewing is incredible (we saw SO many rhinos).

Add a picnic inside the park, then pair it with a visit to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to see rescued baby elephants and rhinos.

If you’re visiting Nairobi, this is an absolute must. Especially with little ones.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#Nairobi #NairobiNationalPark #KenyaSafari #FamilyTravel #SafariWithKids

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Nairobi might be the only place in the world where you can spot rhinos with a city skyline behind them 🦏🌆
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We visited Nairobi National Park with three kids three and under (!!) and it ended up being one of the easiest, most rewarding safari experiences.

The wildest part? It’s literally just a short drive from the city center—you can go from downtown Nairobi to spotting lions and rhinos in under 30 minutes.

You can self-drive or hire a private guide. Either way, the wildlife viewing is incredible (we saw SO many rhinos).

Add a picnic inside the park, then pair it with a visit to Sheldrick Wildlife Trust to see rescued baby elephants and rhinos.

If you’re visiting Nairobi, this is an absolute must. Especially with little ones.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#Nairobi #NairobiNationalPark #KenyaSafari #FamilyTravel #SafariWithKids

Oh yeah… I’m that girl. 👩🏼‍💻
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Thousands of unread emails. Hundreds of text messages I haven’t responded to.

Flights, content creation, school logistics, edits, visas — usually all open at the same time. When you’re juggling that many tabs, you need a laptop that can actually keep up.

My laptop is powered by AMD Ryzen AI and is built for real multitasking, lets me run AI tools directly on my laptop (even offline), and keeps my editing workflow moving fast.

Multitasking is a lifestyle. Good thing this one’s built for it.
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#AMDPartner #AMDRyzenAIPower #ad

@AMD

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Oh yeah… I’m that girl. 👩🏼‍💻
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Thousands of unread emails. Hundreds of text messages I haven’t responded to.

Flights, content creation, school logistics, edits, visas — usually all open at the same time. When you’re juggling that many tabs, you need a laptop that can actually keep up.

My laptop is powered by AMD Ryzen AI and is built for real multitasking, lets me run AI tools directly on my laptop (even offline), and keeps my editing workflow moving fast.

Multitasking is a lifestyle. Good thing this one’s built for it.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#AMDPartner #AMDRyzenAIPower #ad

@AMD

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Jen

I husband and I stayed in the Austrian sweet when we got married. I have amazing memories of my girls getting their hair and make up dead, of a couple awkward guy friend stopping in to share in the fantastic spread a particularly dear friend laid out for us that day, and of my mom hanging out on the couch, taking it all in. And I remember sitting in the middle of the living room in my underwear in the middle of the night after my new husband fell asleep, eating the leftover mac & cheese wedding caterer sent with us after the reception. Thank you so much for posting these pics!

April 16, 2016 at 9:13 am · Reply

Kiersten Rich

Aww what awesome memories! I can imagine the Austrian Suite would have been perfect for a wedding suite. xx

April 17, 2016 at 9:23 am · Reply

Heather

It’s so pretty!!!! Its like Barbie’s own hotel (sorry I collect them). This made me think of her. I love it. Its all so amazing. Happy 4th Birthday!!!! The booths and rooms are amazing.

April 16, 2016 at 7:49 pm · Reply

Kiersten Rich

Thank you!xx

April 17, 2016 at 9:22 am · Reply

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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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