Cuyama Buckhorn

We decided to stick with our plans for a rainy weekend, and when we arrived they upgraded us to the Enchanted Suite. The design is creative and fun, and both the location and the whole experience felt unique. There are lots of little details to enjoy, and people also come by just to hang out at the bar or restaurant. The food was good too. Worth checking out.

The cats were easily the best part. The room and common areas were clean and well maintained, and the pool and jacuzzi had that frozen in time feel. The pool area was clean too. Our room was small, with barely any personal space on the little desk. It was taken up by a boil pot, tea bags, INSTANT COFFEE packets, and a tray of pricey wine and snacks. The mini fridge was tiny and stuffed with items for sale, so there was nowhere to put our own things, not even the leftovers from dinner. The room was very clean, but for 400+ a night, sharing the space with all those upsells felt average at best. Instant coffee felt like an insult. I even walked around looking for coffee, filtered water, and snacks for guests. We accepted the high price expecting a very nice room and good amenities, and because the restaurant had exceptional reviews. The sauna was a letdown. It never got hot, and we gave up after waiting 30 minutes. Dinner and two drinks, plus breakfast for two, came to 175. That would have been fine if the food had been good. The restaurant was sub par and expensive. Our waitress was very nice and apologized several times about the sticky table. It wasn't dirty, just had a bad finish. I had the tri tip, which was good. My husband’s barbecue plate was dry, cold, and tough, with the sauce served in little cups on the side. The mashed potatoes were flavorless and cold from sitting in a room temperature cast iron pan. You have to ask for salt and pepper. Breakfast doesn't start until 8:30, so we had to make do with INSTANT COFFEE until then. We both ordered two eggs over easy. His yolks were broken and the eggs cooked solid, while mine had runny whites. They came in a room temperature cast iron pan. The toast was more dried than toasted, and the potatoes were dry and bland. I could have asked for butter, but it wouldn't have melted on anything. This time, I did ask for salt and pepper. Hot food and good coffee would have gone a long way toward making the stay better.

The cafe and bar are fun, and we’ll come back for a meal sometime. For an overnight stay, though, the cost feels too high for what you get. The pool isn’t heated, the rooms are really small, the beds are uncomfortable, and the service was so-so. We’d hoped for a better experience. They need to lower the prices or improve the service and amenities.

We stopped for brunch while travelling from Bakersfield to Santa Barbara. The coffee was excellent, and I had one of the best burritos I’ve had in a long time. Great vibe and friendly service. I’d definitely recommend it.