Do not let the bad reviews fool you! This was a great hotel!

We spend a week here in February of 2008 and had a great time. This hotel is RIGHT above the beach... like within walking distance you can walk along the coast.
There is also a lot to do right on resort like: tennis, volleyball, pool, gym, sauna, jacuzzi, salon, and day spa...

We were 3 21-year old girls traveling by alone and this was a location that we felt very safe at. While we were there they were in the process of renovating the kitchens and we ended up staying in one that had not been redone yet. Even though it was an older kitchen it was in great shaped... and fully stocked!

This is a great location that is near all the hot spots in the San Luis Obispo area!

My wife and I left this resort in disgust after three nights of a seven night timeshare exchange. Its only possible "gold crown" attribute is the admitedly spectacular location. We traded our own gold crown one bedroom and received a "studio" (hotel) unit, with a tiny balcony and a bed so small (a double, not even a queen), that one of us had to sleep on the dirty hide-a-bed. The hide-a-bed had uncomfortable springs and no matress pad -- the staff told us that they used to have pads but "they took up too much room." The telephone keys were sticky, the paint worn, and the door keys had to be inserted many times before working. Because the weather was cold, windy, and cloudy, the hot tub would have been inviting if it had been working, which it wasn't. Although two different desk clerks told us every day for four days that one bed room units were available, that we were first on the "list" to be changed to one, that we could probably do so the following morning, but that only a manager could arrange it -- each morning when we checked back somehow no such rooms were unavailable. The fourth time we were told this we left in disgust, even though we had paid for four more days. We will not return.

Used 600 points with Sunterra for a 3 night mid-week stay
No problems checking in - front desk was friendly enough.
The studio room was pretty good size! Balcony with a view of the ocean was a bonus :) Came with a full size fridge, and mini kitchen. Not 5 star by any means - but the view and location is!
Great for 2 people - had a couch and a good size bathroom. Enjoyed my stay here - they even have wine tours that pick you up if there is a minimum number of people going. Avila beach has a great wine tasting room - "alapay" a must if you are there!
They have a exercise room - if you can call it that! A few bikes, treadmile and some weights - pretty small though. No bar or restaurant on site.

In December we booked and paid for a two night stay at the San Luis Bay Inn. A confirmation call was made to us the day before we were to arrive. When we did arrive there was no record of our reservation and we were told that we should be at the Embassy Suites in San Luis Obispo. Although when they checked there there was no reservation there either. After spending a little over an hour with them and still not resolving the problem we told them that we wanted a credit for the two nights that we had paid for and that we would find other accommodations. We were then offered two complementary nights if we would listen to a 90 minute time share sales presentation during our stay. We told them we were not interested. We thought it amazing that all of a sudden they had accommodations and it made us even distrust them even more. To date we still have not had our money refunded and have since contacted our credit card company to dispute the charges.

Please be aware that the San Luis Bay Inn is a time share property and reservations that you make through the internet that are listed as specials may turn out to be not what you thought they are. You may be staying at the Embassy Suites in San Luis Obispo far from the ocean views and accommodations that were promised and listening to a time share pitch when you do get to see the San Luis Bay Inn.