Front of property

Reviews of Kaleidoscope Inn & Gardens

2.5 out of 5
Kaleidoscope Inn & Gardens
130 East Dana Street, Nipomo, CA

Reviews

8.2

Very good

Rating 10 - Excellent. 84 out of 177 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 50 out of 177 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 23 out of 177 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 11 out of 177 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 9 out of 177 reviews" "

8.6/10

Cleanliness

8.8/10

Staff & service

8.8/10

Amenities

8.2/10

Property conditions & facilities

9.0/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Shannon

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2023

8/10 Good

christina

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
LOVED our time here! It felt like the secret garden. So quaint and you could really feel the history. The grounds were beautiful and we loved all the sitting areas outside to hang out and relax. Really loved the fire pit! Only complaint is I am very sensitive to mold and there were some signs of water damage in the bathroom- staining on the floors and rippling on the walls. That concerned me. Other than that- we loved every second!!
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ashley

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Corey

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This is a cool house to stay in. We had a very big room and plenty of privacy. There was an event on the property that could have disturbed our stay, however we were told in advance about the possibility of noise. It was ok for us because we had all day plans that kept us out the house until after 9pm.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
Response from Beki on 18 Sept 2023
Thank you so much for taking the time to review us Corey! We are so glad that you enjoyed your stay!

8/10 Good

Chris

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
Listing said in-room microwave and in-room refrigerator, as well as air conditioning (which obviously implies in the room). None of these were true and the room was just slightly larger than the queen bed in it. Also, the place reeked of mold. However, the proprietor immediately and cheerfully refunded our entire 2-night cost, which earned a couple more stars here than I would have given it. And to be fair, it really is a beautiful property, with a majestic main house and lots of lush greenery, gazebos, etc. The "Cottage" unit here needs to go back to being a storage shed, though! Caveat emptor, folks.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023
Response from Beki on 7 Sept 2023
Chris,Thank you for your feedback. We do take all complaints seriously and are taking steps to address all of the concerns you raised. Which will hopefully improve on the experience for any future guests.In regards to the information about there being amenities in the room that are not present, I have attempted to go through and correct any false information. I believe previously, we indicated that there is access to a microwave and fridge (inside the main house) which got noted as inside the room. I appreciate you telling me that this is specifically listed as what we see on our end is often very different to the guest experience.This has been an unusually wet year and our usual methods of keeping the Cottage mold free have clearly been insufficient. We are now taking further action to eradicate this issue. I apologize that the problem was not fixed prior to your stay.

10/10 Excellent

Richard

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
Good communication with the staff and the space had a lot of character. Unfortunately, when I tried to take a shower in the morning there was no hot water.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023
Response from Beki on 7 Sept 2023
Thank you for taking the time to review us Richard.I'm so sorry that there was not hot water for your shower in the morning. It can take a long time for the water to circle through the system. I am sorry that this impacted your stay.

8/10 Good

Charles

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Best Place for a Stay in Nipomo
Our stay was in the Carriage House, which was a room sperate from the main house.The room was spacious. Overall the grounds are beautiful and quiet. The only disappointment was as advertised as a bed and breakfast the breakfast was a disappointment from our stays at other B&B.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023
Response from Kevin, Owner on 26 Jul 2023
I'm sorry the breakfast did not meet your standards. We use to do full gourmet breakfasts, but found many guests simply wanted a bagel and coffee. There was a lot of waste. That's why we went to a Continental Style breakfast. If you would like a full cooked breakfast on your next stay, simply let us know, thanks.

8/10 Good

Debra, Placerville

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Love the old house and the grounds! Didn’t like that my bathroom was down the hall and served as the access point for the laundry room, and the toilet leaked. The kitchen appliances mention as “in room” are downstairs in the communal kitchen, not in the room. They provide a nice breakfast, good coffee and a selection of teas, fruit and a bath robe. Nearby Mother Shuckers restaurant was very good.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023
Response from Kevin, Owner on 26 Jul 2023
Sorry for the confusion with the bathroom. Even though it is Private to your room, we understand many Guests would prefer the bathroom be ensuite. We have 3 rooms with the bathroom inside the room for future reference. Please inform us in the future if the toilet or anything else is leaking. Sorry but we have no control over how some sites describe our Kitchen Appliance location. We apologize for the misunderstanding and will provide you a 20% discount for your inconvenience if you stay with us in the future.

10/10 Excellent

Cristina

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Family wedding
We had a great stay and the staff were very friendly and informative of the area.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023
Response from Kevin, Owner on 24 Jul 2023
Thank you so much. We hope to see you again soon.

10/10 Excellent

Candy

Travelled with partner
Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Absolutely love this place. The Most Awesome Hospitality and Delicious Breakfast. It My Favorite place❤️❤️
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Response from Beki on 2 Sept 2023
Thank you so much Candy, it was a pleasure hosting you. We hope to have you back again!

10/10 Excellent

Kimberly

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
So nostalgic and comfortable! Linae was very nice and accommodating. Her recommendation for Jockos was appreciated! Keith was our breakfast chef and recommended Lovi’s in Calabasas! So good! Thanks
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Response from Beki on 7 Jul 2023
Thank you for your wonderful review Kimberly! We are so glad you enjoyed your stay with us!

10/10 Excellent

David

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great place to stay
Great hideaway in Nimpono. Old house full of charm. Becky was wonderful checking us in. Great Oysters bar steps away and the famous Koko's Steakhouse a couple mins away.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Response from Kevin, Owner on 3 Jul 2023
Thank you for your kind review. We are glad you enjoyed your stay and hope to see you again soon.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
So happy we stumbled upon this stay !
We checked in after hours send Beki made the contactless check in, easy and stress-free ! We had to leave in the earlier side the next morning and Beki was cooking a breakfast that smelled delicious, we did not get to try most of it but there was a huge selection that seemed like it could fit any dietary restrictions. Our room was bigger than expected with tons of privacy and was very comfortable. We were very happy with our stay and wish we got to explore the gardens and stay a little longer - would highly recommend this cute little BnB.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023
Response from Kevin, Owner on 3 Jul 2023
We are glad you found us and glad it worked out. We hope you can visit us again soon.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2023
Response from Beki on 25 Feb 2023
Thank you for taking the time to review us, we appreciate it!

10/10 Excellent

Clifford

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
It was a beautiful and restful place.
Response from Kevin, Owner on 9 Jan 2023
Clifford, Thank you so much for your Review. We hope to see you again soon.

4/10 Poor

John

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Keep Looking
The entire yard was overgrown, a 3ft picket fence was completely covered by ivy. The porch and many of the wood trim had dry rot. There was NO Air conditioning in the rooms, during the heat we had here in California. Our bathroom was 30 feet down the hall. Had to put on a robe and walk past two other rooms to use the bathroom.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2022
Response from Kevin, Owner on 13 Sept 2022
John, I sorry you did not enjoy your stay. The overgrown ivy is part of the ambience, it's a choice to add to the sense of privacy. The home was built in 1887. Though we work tirelessly to keep everything maintained as well as possible, it is an endless cycle. It is true there was an issue with the Air Conditioning. I did not hear about it till Friday morning. I did my best to get someone out there, but with the heatwave, it was difficult. It has now been repaired, I'm sorry for your inconvenience. Not sure what to say about the bathroom. It's an old home, though all our bathrooms are private, they are not all in the rooms. This is clearly stated in our room descriptions. Once again sorry you did not enjoy what our Victorian Boutique Hotel has to offer.

10/10 Excellent

Janet Leonard

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lovely older home. Beki was a very sweet woman who treated all of her guest very nicely. We stayed in the main Inn room called Enchanted Rose. The bed was so comfortable but sat up high so I used the step ladder. The Continental Breakfast offered had several choices plus she offered to cook us something. Would stay her again when we visit our father.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2022
Response from Kevin, Owner on 6 Sept 2022
Thank for you so much for your kind review. We hope to see you again soon.

8/10 Good

James

Business traveller
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022
Response from Kevin on 22 Aug 2022
Glad you enjoyed your stay.

8/10 Good

Renee

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2022

8/10 Good

James

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jessica, brooklyn

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Cute and quaint bed and breakfast! Staff are super friendly and the property was kept sparkling clean. I definitely would recommend and will be returning. A much more personal experience when staying here vs at the Mariott.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022
Response from Kevin, Owner on 27 Jul 2022
We are happy you enjoyed your stay. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
We’ll definitely be back!
A diamond in the rough and a beautiful piece of history in a quiet little town. I’m so glad I chose this inn for the last leg of our trip, the whole staff was accommodating and kind and the the inn itself was so cute and cozy. There was a wedding one of the nights during our stay and it was well conducted and ended at a reasonable hour. The gardens are immaculate and reminiscent of a fairytale and the decor offered mini bits of history of the inn. The neighborhood is quiet but offered a variety of restaurants and you’re only a short drive from Pismo Beach. Definitely check this place out if you’re anywhere near the area!
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2022
Response from Kevin, Owner on 27 Jul 2022
Thank you so much for your kind words. We do our best to make everyone's stay a special experience. We hope to see you again soon.

10/10 Excellent

jason

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A+
Lovely place and friendly staff would definitely recommend.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2022
Response from Beki on 28 Jun 2022
Thank you so much for your kind review. We look forward to seeing you again soon.

10/10 Excellent

Tyler

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Quiet and Quaint
It was a different and unique experience to stay here. It was nice meeting new people staying at the Inn each day. Linea was so kind and friendly! Would recommend to any travelers.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2022
Response from Kevin on 28 Jun 2022
Thanks so much for your review. I'll pass on your compliment to Linea, she will appreciate it. We look forward to having you stay with us again soon.

10/10 Excellent

BarbaraTapp

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Peaceful and comfy
I home away from home , peaceful and very comfortable . Sun sleeping in a very high bed you need a small stool to step up . Beautiful gardens . An exceptionally grand Victorian with the nicest staff . Will stay again
Stayed 1 night in May 2022
Response from Beki on 28 Jun 2022
Thank you so much. That is exactly what we strive for. We hope to see you again soon.

10/10 Excellent

james

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Best home away from home ever.
Always amazing. We are regulars here Becky and her staff are amazing. It is a home away from home.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2022
Response from Beki on 22 Mar 2022
Thanks so much. Always happy to see you.

10/10 Excellent

Darlene

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
A Stay in the Gardens
This was a comfort journey to the past. Such peace and lovliness for this stay at the Kaleidoscope Inn was private and calm. Never staying at a bed and breakfast, led me to a great deal of research on the Kaleidoscope because it was close to me. No regrets, this inn was everything I read about. One of the owners, who prepared our breakfast, sat with us at the stupendous table of this Victorian beauty to chat with us. Very good time here, from checking in to saying our farewells. We will return.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2022
Response from Kevin on 22 Mar 2022
We are happy you enjoyed your stay. We hope to see you again soon, thanks.

10/10 Excellent

Joseph

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very beautiful and bucolic historic style house. One downside is our private bathroom didn’t have a bath tub, but otherwise great, including the breakfast prepared to order. Order the apple cinnamon pancakes!
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2022
Response from Kevin on 22 Mar 2022
Glad you enjoyed your stay and hope to see you again. We do have two rooms with bathtubs, hopefully you can book one of those next time?

10/10 Excellent

Jesus

Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2022

6/10 Okay

Louise

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
The grounds are beautiful and spacious. The bed was really comfortable. Everything was clean. The cottage accepting dogs was great for one member of our party. But, the downside, was that she had to cross the yard (only 20 feet or so) to reach her bathroom in the house. But, little amenities that I expect from a place like this failed. The person checking us in seemed VERY annoyed that we were interrupting her day, left before we got there at 5 pm, and gave no welcoming info beyond what room we were in. No welcoming cookies, no wine. The breakfast was served so late (after 8 am) that we usually had to miss it, although it was just cereal and bagels. While we could get coffee and tea early, there were no paper cups to take it with us. I wouldn’t wave anyone off the place but I don’t sing it’s praises, either. The choice to use them depends, in my mind, what your priorities are and what you feel you should expect for the price.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2021
Response from Beki on 2 Oct 2021
Thank you for taking the time to review us Louise. I appreciate the feedback and will certainly share this with our staff.

8/10 Good

Katharina

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2021
Response from Kevin - Owner on 7 Sept 2021
Thank you so much for your review. We hope you enjoyed your stay and hope to see you again soon.

8/10 Good

Randy

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2021
Response from Beki on 2 Oct 2021
Thank you for taking the time to rate us.

10/10 Excellent

Roberto

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2021
Response from Beki on 2 Oct 2021
Thank you for taking the time to rate us!

10/10 Excellent

David Luis

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beautiful old house.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2021
Response from Kevin - Owner on 31 Aug 2021
David, Thanks so much for you kind comment. We hope to see you again soon.

6/10 Okay

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Things we enjoyed, and things that can be improved
House was cute, staff was friendly and met a nice group for breakfast. Outdoor garden was very pretty and relaxing. The two things that came up was that that the odor of bleach from the sheets was strong. We're not very sensitive to chemicals, however this kept us from sleeping soundly. The transom window above the bedroom door does not have any coverings, so if the hallway light is on or if the bedroom across the hallway light is on, it will be lighting up the room. Once asleep, it is fine -- however if you are one that needs a dark environment, it may be troublesome.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2021
Response from Beki on 10 Aug 2021
Thank you for taking the time to review us, we appreciate the feedback. I'm sorry the light from the hall bothered you. Our guests are welcome to switch the hall lights off at night. We can also block the transom on request. In regards to the bleach our dryer has been broken the last two weeks and so we have been doing laundry at the local laundromat. It is likely we added more bleach than intended on the unfamiliar washer, we will be more careful in the future and appreciate you letting us know.

2/10 Terrible

Amy

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2021

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Stayed 1 night in Jul 2021
Response from Beki on 7 Aug 2021
Thank you for taking the time to rate us!

8/10 Good

Jackson

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
The house and amenities were amazing. Would be an excellent place for an event. However breakfast was never served and it consisted of a stale bagel and orange juice with film on top.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2021
Response from Kevin - Owner on 14 Jun 2021
Thank you for your review. I am the owner and a little concerned about your experience with breakfast. We offer much more than beagles and orange juice. Though we are limited on what we can serve, such as egg quiches, cold cereals, hot oatmeal, fruit, etc... Did you mention to your Host your concerns? I will be speaking with my staff and appreciate your feedback, thanks

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Gorgeous garden setting close to freeway
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2021
Response from Kevin - Owner on 9 Jun 2021
Thanks so much. We hope to see you again soon.

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Loved the fountains could hear it at night very quiet. Room was big. One thing was bathroom was joined by laundry room maybe we came back from morning outing and some one was in laundry room. Overall this place was quite serene not far from freeway or town.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2021
Response from Beki B on 8 Jun 2021
Thank you for taking the time to review us! I apologize that we were in the laundry room when you returned. We do our best to stay out of there as much as possible when guests are staying in the Enchanted Rose, I'm sorry for any inconvenience you experienced.

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Lush, beautiful gardens and a fabulous host
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2021
Response from Beki on 6 Jun 2021
Thank you for taking the time to review us we appreciate it. Thank you for staying with us!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 3 nights in May 2021
Response from Beki on 6 Jun 2021
Thank you for taking the time to rate us, we appreciate it!

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 2 nights in May 2021
Response from Beki on 6 Jun 2021
Thank you for taking the time to rate us, we appreciate it!

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Zo
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2021
Response from Beki on 25 Apr 2021
Thank you for taking the time to rate us!

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2021
Response from Beki on 24 Apr 2021
Thank you for taking the time to rate us!

10/10 Excellent

Catherine

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely stay and Beki is a wonderful host.
Stayed 5 nights in Mar 2021
Response from Kevin - Owner on 17 Mar 2021
Thanks so much for your kind review. We hope you stay with us again soon.

6/10 Okay

Daniela

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Never have I stayed at a bead and breakfast and I don’t think I like it. The room was a little creepy. The only restroom was on the third floor. They had the water shut off so when we got there we couldn’t use the restroom. The day we checked out it seemed as though they were doing some work on the house. I wish I would have been told so we knew what to expect the day we checked out.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2021
Response from Beki on 19 Jan 2021
We are sorry there were issues with your restroom on arrival. I should have run all of the taps in your room to make sure there was no air in the line prior to check in. The local water company switched our our meter as a regular maintenance measure a few days prior. In regards to the workmen in the house at check out I apologise for not informing you they would be there. We were under the impression that their renovation work would be isolated to a single bathroom at the back of the house. I had not realized they would be covering the floors all the way to the front door. Irrespective of that we will make sure to be more diligent in letting guests know when maintenance will be taking place in the future. We do understand that not everyone enjoys staying in Victorian houses. I do urge you to try the bed and breakfast experience in a modern house. Thank you for taking the time to review us. We always want to do our utmost to provide the best experience possible for all of our guests. Any and all feedback is appreciated so that we can do better in the future.

10/10 Excellent

wej

Business traveller, Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Beki took care of us and was especially helpful getting us settled in. She fixed us breakfast in the morning and spent time chatting. It was very nice and welcoming. Thank you, Beki! The house was in good condition, the plumbing worked well, and the heater was reliable and worked well (we visited in mid-December). We really appreciated the extra blankets that were available. Beki showed us the back yard but we didn’t take advantage of it because of the weather, but its something to look forward to for another trip. It was inviting.
Stayed 1 night in Dec 2020
Response from Kevin - Owner on 23 Dec 2020
Thank you very much for your kind review. We are literally a Daughter & Pop business and each Guest is important to us. We hope you will stay with us again soon and recommend us to your family and friends.

8/10 Good

Stacy

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2020
Response from Beki on 4 Dec 2020
Thank you for taking the time to rate us!

10/10 Excellent

Mark

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Great Experience!
Great room and reasonably priced for the area. room was clean and pleasant, staff was great and very personable as Beki is the owner as well. Would stay here in the future if need lodging.
Stayed 1 night in Nov 2020
Response from Beki on 16 Nov 2020
Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us this lovely review Mark. I really appreciate it and look forward to having you back with us in the future!