Cancel

Open app

Search

Ballard Inn

4.0 (170 reviews)
PriceyHotels
Closed • 8:00 am - 9:00 pm

Ballard Inn Photos

You might also consider

Recommended Reviews - Ballard Inn

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Bianca C.

This is truly one of the best inns/hotels I have ever stayed in. So much so I would love to have a wedding here. The service is excellent and the place is just gorgeous. It's in a very quiet area and is a very quiet hotel. They offer free cooking every night and they serve different flavored waters everyday near reception. Overall I love this place and could not recommend it more.

Sherry O.

Look at the photos of the room we were given and compare them to the website. Pictures are worth a thousand words. We did not have a good experience at The Ballard Inn, and the Manager, Josh, was argumentative and did not offer us a different room or resolution. There were flying insects that got in our drinks and mold in the bathroom. The room was nothing like the photos or descriptions on the website. I expect more for $500/night.

The mattress dipped in the center,  probably the most disgusting and uncomfortable mattress ever.

Do not stay at this hotel. A one star is being generous. We made the decision to check out a day early due to the unacceptable condition of our room -- including strong odors, stained carpet, an unpleasant bathroom, and an armoire with such a pervasive odor that we couldn't use it for our clothes. In addition to those issues, the mattress was severely worn and dipped noticeably in the center, resulting in a miserable night's sleep and back pain the next day. These were not minor inconveniences -- they significantly impacted our ability to enjoy or even remain in the room. Frankly, the condition of the room raised serious concerns about cleanliness and safety. Between the strong odors, visible stains, and outdated furnishings, I genuinely questioned whether the room met basic health and hygiene standards. If these issues are not addressed, I believe they would warrant attention from the appropriate local health authorities. We checked out a day early, they offered us 50% off the first night which I found to be unacceptable. Also please note that their employees were unhelpful, disnt really care, rushed me off the phone and didn't want to admit that it was wrong to put any customer in this room. Clearly they know this is an issue as all of the rooms in the main building have been remodeled. Ephrym and Paige were semi helpful but both rude on the phone and Veronica who is supposedly in charge couldn't even return my call or emails.

Pic of seating area from bed.
Ken B.

Ok so just got home from a stay here and if you can handle no TVs in the rooms ( I did it!) then you should live this place. Basically situated in a cute neighborhood with almost no commerce except a nice bakery across the street. Comes with an excellent breakfast with fresh Oj, fruit, muffins, scones and the breakfast of the day. Typically some sort of egg dish. In the afternoon they have a wine and charcuterie hour and very relaxing places to sit and enjoy inside or outside the property. After the dinner hour they have homemade chocolate chip cookies and they are also good. I'm picky about my cookies and these were great. The ladies working there were very helpful. When we arrived we had no reservations and I asked to see the available rooms. We chose the vibe room upstairs. I recommend an upstairs room. Our room was spacious and comfortable. The whole Inn is just a beautiful place inside and out. The breakfast restaurant area could be painted in a lighter color as the room gets very little natural light and is very dark. If you can stay here Sunday thru Thursday you can save a lot of money. Rates will vary on those day between $200-$300. More like $400-$500 on the weekends. No extra parking or resort fees which is nice. You basically get about $100 worth of extras if you eat breakfast there and have a glass or two of wine. First class operation that the ladies will love.

Dirty breakfast plates at 5:09pm!

AVOID THIS HOTEL AT ALL COSTS! Last weekend we visited The Ballard inn which cost almost $600 per night. We have stayed in numerous hotels that charge a similar room rate and have always found them to be a luxury experience that surpassed our expectations. This couldn't have been further from the truth in this establishment. On arrival the front desk staff member couldn't find our booking and had a terrible attitude while staring at her computer and not communicating what she was actually searching for. This continued for over 5 minutes when miraculously she found our booking. However, as the decor on the ground floor was tasteful and appeared well maintained we felt hopeful that the stay would still be a memorable one. It was, but not for the right reasons. Upon entering our room we were shocked see furniture and furnishings were worn and in some cases broken. In fact, one lamp on the nightstand had a shade that was literally hanging on its base and could not be reattached. The bed was shabbily made (extremely creased sheets, not tucked in correctly) and the brown carpet was stained in various places. The bathroom was even worse. There were ANTS on the sink area and towels, the sink unit had a drawer that could barely be opened unless you wrestled it, the shower barely worked (the tap constantly ran on the shower setting) and the ceiling paint was cracked and flaking in various places. There was no TV, no safe, no fridge, no minibar, no phone and a tiny table top ironing board which was almost unusable due to its size and the lack of a large enough surface to place it. The balcony was a welcome addition but the paintwork was peeling and some of the wood in this area had been heavily damaged by termites. Basically the room was lacking in every aspect. As far as the (lack of) service was concerned, it appeared there was only ever 1 member of staff on duty and they were not present for the whole day. At these times it was impossible to reach anyone if you had an issue, question or concern. The so-called "breakfast" consisted of a little chopped fruit, an unsightly looking bowl of whipped yoghurt and muffins and on one occasion there were no plates available so guests couldn't even eat most of it. I wouldn't even advertise this as an actual "breakfast" as there was so little choice. On our second day during "wine hour" (free wine served between 4-5pm) we sat down outside and realized the table next to us still had dirty dishes from breakfast on it. By this point we realized that the hotel and service was not going to improve and had to laugh at the fact we had paid such a high dollar amount for this disastrous experience. My photos document a lot of the above. And I know it's a cliche, but I wouldn't usually bother writing a review....but this was so bad that I felt compelled to.

Bedroom
Annette M.

Lovely stop! Needs a bit of tweaking But overall a beautiful place to rest and unplug! No TVs in the bedroom Lovely cheese spread Coffee/tea/hot chocolate setup Great on-site restaurant Great location to access restaurants in neighboring towns. Rooms are cozy but need a bit of attention Reception was great! Overall glad I came and will return!

Playing games and enjoying wine and beer (we brought these drinks with us)

I was conflicted whether to rate The Ballard Inn as a 4 star, or 5 star experience. The ONLY reason I would have chosen 4 stars was because the photos on their website do not accurately reflect the location. Based on the lovely photos, I expected the Inn to be in a more rural setting, but it is in a residential area. The hotel sits on Baseline Rd - a 25mph road with limited traffic. However, our "Garden view" room with a balcony overlooks Baseline Rd. In the evening it was very quiet with almost non-existent traffic, but starting around 7 or 8am, the traffic picked up enough that we made sure the balcony doors were closed to minimize any traffic noise. I did not expect a "garden view" room to actually have a view of a road and bakery across the street. Note: the other side of the hotel overlooks the hotel's parking lot and side of a neighbors house. Having said that, I ultimately decided on a 5 star rating for all the features we enjoyed at The Ballard Inn. The decor is absolutely charming and consistent throughout the Inn. The room was spotlessly clean and a nice size. As mentioned in other reviews, this is not intended to be a full service inn - rather more typical of a Bed and Breakfast. The complimentary breakfast was made to order with a limited menu. The complimentary happy hour included a nice charcuterie and generous wine availability. I really appreciated the wine glasses available for use with our own bottle. A game room included a backgammon table, several board games, seating, and a large table for more game-playing opportunities. In addition, the downstairs included a large dining room with individual tables, a large, comfortable living room, and another dining room with one long wood table ideal for family gatherings. One of our favorite features was the large front porch with comfortable seating and tables. We enjoyed chatting with many other guests while relaxing on the front porch. Coffee, chocolate cookies, and water are available all day and into the early evening. Location is convenient to downtown Solvang and many local wineries. We would definitely stay at the inn during our next visit.

Board games

See all

Photo of Teresa T.
3068
259
727

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of L R.
0
1
0

4 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 days ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Foodie F.
16
172
43

10 months ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Sherry O.
102
13
7

6 months ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 4
Photo of Hale K.
0
89
14

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

10 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 2

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 0
Oh no 1

3 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of T K.
1
334
18

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Lynda S.
60
100
28

2 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 2
Love this 1
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 6
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 1
Photo of P M.
0
62
8

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 1
Photo of M C.
0
70
3

1 year ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 2
Photo of K C.
2
48
8

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Cassie D.
335
13
34

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1
Photo of Wesley C.
228
13
21

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 2

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Dana M.
730
29
4

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

1 year ago

The staff here is so friendly and hospitable - and it's a great location with really good value.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 1

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 1
Love this 2
Oh no 1

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 1

2 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 1

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 4
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 13
Thanks 0
Love this 10
Oh no 0

3 years ago

We thoroughly enjoyed our dinner and the ambience. Even the chef came out to say hello, which was a nice touch.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Coziest place to stay in Los Olivos! The staff is attentive. Enjoyed the wine and cheese.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 1

Page 1 of 5

Ask the Community - Ballard Inn

Review Highlights - Ballard Inn

“We came to explore the Christmas festivities of Solvang and Los Olivos and the location was a perfect inbetween.”

Mentioned in 15 reviews

Read more highlights

You might also consider

Verify this business for free

People searched for Hotels 1,907 times last month within 15 miles of this business.

Verify this business

Hotel Ynez - Grounds

Hotel Ynez

(58 reviews)

I love this hotel. This was my 2nd stay at Hotel Ynez and I can't wait to come back. The hotel and…read moreits grounds are beautiful and the team that runs it are just as wonderful. It is also so incredibly dog friendly. Chris who works in the front office is so kind and funny. She was also super knowledgeable about all of the products in the boutique which is another great part of the hotel - beautifully curated fragrances, candles, jewelry, and home decor. Loved my time there.

I was astonished by how beautiful the grounds are here. And the hotel is very well-run, with rooms…read morethat are pleasant, stylish and nicely maintained. The real show stoppers are the public spaces, inside and out. The more you look, the more you see....it's a real gem. Fun facts: The back of the property fronts on a residential street. There, the hotel looks like a single-family ranch home. Super cool. And the property is flanked on either side by two very small and tidy churches. In other words, the Hotel Ynez is a random mix of ingredients that come together to create something unique and special. All in all, the bang for the buck is quite good and I would definitely stay here again. For me, the following are NOT deal breakers, but good to know ahead of time: The staff is hands-off but always available. Personally, I prefer it this way. But this is not high-touch hospitality. This place is very close to lots of great restaurants and attractions that are NOT walkable. This is a true roadside motel (albeit a very high-end-one). We were here midweek and it was super quiet and peaceful. But I can easily see this place being overrun by a block of wedding guests or worse yet, a bachelorette group, and becoming an entirely different scene. We slept great, but you will hear cars whizzing by on the road. I consider this a normal part of the motel experience, but for people who don't want it, it's there. It's not loud to me, but it does create constant white noise. It's almost like staying at the ocean. Getting a room further away from the street helps. Perhaps this is related to above. Music is played over an outdoor sound system. The music was fine, and it's not loud, but it was definitely there. Pet peeve: I don't need to hear anyone's canned setlist before noon. My life does not need your soundtrack. And I'd turn down the volume a notch or two. There are no freebies here except complementary (bad) brewed coffee and tea in the morning. No free bottled water or welcome snacks. It's not a big deal, but I don't think two free half liters of Arrowhead is too much to expect. The (complementary!) toiletries are green but not at all luxurious. Kinda meh.

Hampton Inn & Suites Buellton/Santa Ynez Valley - Reception

Hampton Inn & Suites Buellton/Santa Ynez Valley

(130 reviews)

$$

My family and I booked this hotel because of its convenient location between Solvang and Santa…read moreBarbara, and it turned out to be one of the best decisions we made for our trip. The property has a spacious lobby, plenty of outdoor seating with cozy fire pits, a nice swimming pool with a Jacuzzi, and a complimentary breakfast served daily from 6:00 to 10:00 a.m. One of our favorite features was the peaceful setting. Behind the hotel is a small hillside, which gives the property a quiet, secluded feel surrounded by nature. In the evenings, we loved relaxing by the fire pits, enjoying takeout dinner paired with some local wines. The pool area was well maintained, with plenty of fresh towels and ample lounge chairs. The complimentary breakfast had a good variety of options, including bread, omelets, pancakes, yogurt, cereal, muffins, oatmeal, and fresh coffee. They also offer a 24/7 coffee station in the lobby along with complimentary apples, which was a nice touch. Our room was spacious, clean, and comfortable. The bed was very cozy, and the hotel was quiet at night, making it easy to get a good night's sleep. There's also a great brewery nearby that's worth checking out for good food and drinks. If you're planning to visit Solvang and Santa Barbara, I would definitely recommend staying here.

Originally wanted to stay in Solvang but the hotel we wanted in Solvang was fully booked for the…read morenight I wanted so ended up here instead. It's still a nice option since it's only about 8-10 minutes away from Solvang and isn't so crowded and busy in this area. Overall stay was good, although the place seemed little worn down in some areas, like the bathroom. Amenities were similar to another Hampton Inn we stayed just the night before in Morro Bay. Check-in time is 3 p.m. although it seems to let you check-in early if the room is ready to go. Check-out time is 11 a.m. Amenities: Fitness center (6 a.m.-10 p.m.) Swimming pool and jacuzzi (9 a.m.-10 p.m.) Community patio area with two fire pits. Continental breakfast from 6 a.m.-10 a.m. - make your own waffle station, cheese omelette, cereals, oatmeal, hardboiled eggs, bacon, Yukon potatoes, bagels/bread/English muffins, fruits, juices/water/milk. Coffee/hot water/tea/hot chocolate (available all day) Microwave and small fridge in room Shampoo/conditioner/body gel/soap Free parking Free wifi (not secure) TV with several streaming services, but you have to log in with your own username and password to access them.

Hotel Corque - Setting the standard in lodging among Solvang luxury boutique hotels, Corque offers the ultimate in relaxation and comfort.

Hotel Corque

(723 reviews)

$$

CORQUE Hotel is such a fantastic hotel! I had a box of chocolates and a birthday card waiting for…read moreme in my room, which was incredibly sweet--and the chocolates were yummy! THANK YOU! I also appreciated the rubber ducky for my bath lol I loved my room. Leo was great at check-in, and I was able to check in early, which I really appreciated. It was also great to have good air-conditioning, especially after being at some places where it didn't seem to be working properly in Solvang due to power outages. There's is not a gym on the property, but they do offer a YMCA pass, so they have provided an alternative. Such a sweet hotel. I would definitely stay here again! The location is fantastic and their staff is incredible. Thank you.

Hotel Corque is a gem in Slovang, California!…read more We have been to this jewel of a village many times traveling from San Francisco to Los Angeles but never staying over night. However, on a mid Summer adventure to SOCAL we decided to stay in Slovang and selected Hotel Corque given its excellent reviews by Yelp guest. We arrived on a Monday evening and visited the Attached restaurant with its bright lights from the 10 flame pits. Unfortunately, we arrive to late after the kitchen closed. We had been traveling from Huntington Beach in the morning and shooting several videos along the way. We decided the resturant was the perfect place a "Happy Hagit" JOYBOUND series video. We only ordered hot teas and our server was Robert who was kind, hospitable and joyful! He is a great ambassador of the Corque atmospheric feel. Very impressive

The Landsby - Amazing Key Chains For Room Entry

The Landsby

(389 reviews)

$$$

I am going to let you in on a little secret…read more... Yeah, I'm going to share with you what i THINK is the best kind of getaway, well, at least in my humble opinion. It's the kind that doesn't abruptly end, but it just sort of.... keeps on going. Let me explain. Have you ever gone on vacation and said to yourself, or to your spouse or even to your kids.... "Gee, I could have really used one more night" Or Let out the exaggerated (Ughh)... "I don't want to go back to work tomorrow, I wish we could just extend our trip by just one more day" Well... On a recent trip with my family, We INTENTIONALLY did just that. My wife booked us a 2 night stay in Paso Robles at a beautiful boutique style/chain hotel. (The Ava Hotel in Paso) (Check out my review for the deets) Usually, when we do these short, weekend trips, I work up until the day of our trip and then go back the very next day once we return... But, NOT THIS TIME! Yeah, This time, my wife intentionally told me, let's book one more night on the way home from our trip in Paso just to break up the drive home and enjoy one more day off of work and time with the fam. Heck, I've got loads of PTO and who wants to be at work anyway, so it wasn't too hard to twist my arm on this one. And just like that.... Solvang, Here we Come! Yes, the cute, quaint town of Solvang is the perfect destination for a weekend getaway or even just for a one night stay like we did. Of course, my wife, the Queen of finding the best places to stay/eat... (AND I AM THE ONE WHO IS THE "ELITE" haha) booked us a room at the Landsby hotel and it was nothing short of a treat. Here's why: The Landsby is more than just a room... Inside of a hotel... Located in the heart of this Danish town known as: SOLVANG It wasn't just, "let's build a hotel where the people can stay and explore the town while they are here". At least that's not the impression it gave me! Instead, The Landsby has a Charm about, it has Character and most of all it gives you the impression that you are in a modern-day Dutch village. But one of my favorite parts.... The Room Key, keyword, "KEY" Yeah! The room key is an actual Key!!! A metal, lock and key, just like the good 'ol days! Ain't no digital, pre-programmed, modern day, technologically advanced system like every other hotel does it.... And I liked it! And to match the old school style key... The t.v is in black and white, the internet is run on dial up and the telephone is a rotary dial..... JUST KIDDING!!!! But wouldn't that be cool! Aside from the small town European vibe that the exterior of the building gives you, once you step inside both the hotel and then your room, you are immediately transported to a place that feels welcoming, familiar and most of all comfortable. Because this was a short stay (just a one nighter) we didn't take advantage of the amenities like we normally do, but next time we will. A lobby bar (our favorite place to check out), an onsite restaurant (Mad & Vin which loos really good), an outdoor courtyard to sit and relax, and complimentary cruiser bikes to explore the town. The Landsby is Pet friendly, so definitely check out their webpage for details for your furry friends. So....... Now that I've let you in on my little secret, I don't want you to keep it that way! Spread the word! Pass it along! Tell a friend! Come check out the Landsby in Solvang!!

Scent plays a really big part of making or breaking your day and so when you walk into the Landsby,…read moreyou're hit with a scent that makes you want to curl into a ball in bed and sleep. The rooms were very tidy upon checking in, although there was an open bottle of white wine in the room (management was made aware of this and removed it and made note) since they have one red and one white bottle in each room available for purchase. Not sure why one was open but they handled that. They've got elevators and a couple balconies around the property that overlook different places. Would recommend staying here if you're ever in solvang.

Wine Valley Inn & Cottages - Such a cozy, comfy room

Wine Valley Inn & Cottages

(843 reviews)

$$

We stayed at Wine Valley Inn last week for our birthday celebration in Solvang. We had a great…read moretime. The room was large and clean. The staff were very friendly and helpful. There was a standard continental breakfast, nothing great there. But the Location was perfect and everything is within walking distance. Its such a nice hotel and the building is so cute.

I would rank this a 3.5 star but rounded down because this place is really strict about early check…read morein unless you pay the fee. Normal check in time is 4pm and you can wait until 3pm to see if your room is available without paying the fee. I selected this hotel over Hilton's and Marriotts in the area because it really depicted the Danish vibe Solvang storybook feel. I took my mom here and her foot was sore from walking so I tried to secure an early check in and we just ended up waiting in the lobby for an hour a half until 3pm. A few things I liked about the hotel. 1) free breakfast 2) glass of wine during happy hour 3) storybook feel 4) no parking fee I understand the hotel is trying to monetize on early check in fees but if they have the rooms available they should just allow people to check in earlier and waive the fee. It would really enhance the overall experience rather than have everyone lined up at 4pm to check in which creates a backlog of customers just waiting for their room. If they ever do remodel, they should add a bathroom in the lobby because everyone was using the hotel gym one bathroom while they were waiting for their room for check in. Overall, I really enjoyed my stay here. It truly felt like Solvang and the exterior property grounds give off relaxing vibes. They also have outdoor tables if you wanted to do takeout food or drink wine with your party. I stayed in the loft and really enjoyed having the two floors.

Ballard Inn - hotels - Updated October 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...