San Luis Obispo, Calif. – For decades the legendary country artist Dolly Parton found a home away from the spotlight at the Madonna Inn, a whimsical hotel known for its bold colors and themed rooms. According to Lyndsey Goldwyn, the inn’s marketing manager, Parton first visited the property in the mid‑1980s and returned each year, often choosing a different uniquely decorated suite for her stay.
When she dined, Parton favored the Alex Madonna’s Gold Rush Steak House, a dining room lined with the hotel’s signature rose‑patterned pink carpet and sparkling chandeliers. Her favorite seat was the solitary gold‑trimmed booth set apart from the bright pink circular booths. “She would always request to sit in the gold booth,” Goldwyn recalled, noting that the booth’s mirrored, baroque‑inspired wallpaper added a touch of elegance to her meals, which typically featured the restaurant’s oak‑grilled filet mignon.
Friendship with the Madonna family
Parton’s connection to the inn went beyond a regular dining habit. She was considered a dear friend of the Madonna family, founders Alex and Phyllis Madonna. Goldwyn said that whenever Parton visited the steak house, Alex Madonna would stop by the gold booth to chat with her, reinforcing the warm, family‑like atmosphere that the inn strives to provide.
Honoring a lasting legacy
Following Parton’s passing on August 25, the Madonna Inn paid tribute by naming the gold booth “Dolly’s Booth.” The inn announced the dedication on Instagram, saying, “Her visits throughout the years created memories we will always hold close, and our gold booth in the Alex Madonna Steakhouse will forever be known as ‘Dolly’s Booth.'” The gesture reflects the lasting impression the beloved singer left on the hotel’s staff and guests.
Parton’s enduring affection for the Madonna Inn highlights how a world‑renowned artist could still find comfort in a small‑town California landmark, where family values and hospitality remain at the heart of the experience.
Original reporting: WLWT Cincinnati — read the source article.
