Travel
C
or New York, not rural Solvang, but
that is part of the beauty of this
unique property.
humash Indians walked lands
around Solvang, Los Olivos
and the Santa Maria Valley
in Santa Barbara County for
thousands of years before
Europeans settled here. Of course,
it was Danes who bought and
developed Solvang, creating a unique
Danish village. But the circle has
become complete as the Chumash
tribe, with their acquisition of Hotel
Corque, has returned to its roots.
Though located in Solvang, Hotel
Corque is really the antithesis of its
Danish surroundings. Solvang started
in 1911 as a Danish outpost from its
native homeland and is still ripe with
its Scandinavian heritage. But a new
modern sensibility, as evidenced by
the interior design of this hotel, has
taken hold. Located off Solvang’s
main road, this is a quiet property
near the Alisal golf course, wine
tasting, and horseback riding.
This was originally a high-end Danish
hotel, but it has morphed into
a sleek and sophisticated hotel
catering to a younger crowd. The
122 rooms and suites, ranging in size
from 550 to 900 square feet, are
very non-Danish, replete with
autumnal tones, colors and wood
accents. Twenty percent of the
rooms offer full bathtubs and some
with private balconies and/or patios.
The bathrooms utilize green marble
countertops, while all the rooms
offer flat screen TVs, free Wi-Fi.
Beds are cradled with leather
headboards and are fitted with
Egyptian cotton sheets, and the
result is rooms and a hotel that feels
professional, business like but still
comfortable and relaxing. There are
in-room refrigerators and coffee
makers as well, though they have
coffee service in the lobby every
morning. What are called the Mission
View rooms peek out to the historic
Santa Ynez Mission. Additionally, this
is a smoke free facility, with an
exterior brick patio, outdoor pool
and hot tub, and plenty of free
parking. One of the nice touches is
that, though the hotel is only three
floors, key card access is required for
elevators to help ensure privacy and
security. There’s also 7,500 square
feet of meeting space for intimate
gatherings, weddings and reunions.
Two million people visit Solvang each
year and with high-end properties
almost non-existent, it’s no wonder
that Hotel Corque runs at capacity.
Santa Barbara is a 35min drive away
for beach activities and cultural
events, The historic Santa Ynez
Mission is, literally, a stone’s throw
away and, though rarely mentioned,
there is a private motorcycle
museum across the street open
for public viewing with a CfVR