- And there's a hotel.
Is this really what Cadillacs were? Because massive it is!
(glass clicks)
Oh. Aww it's so cute.
- Whoa! This is pretty cool.
(upbeat music)
- Hey, I'm Chloe and I love to travel.
Well COVID kind of ruined that. But I do.
I love exploring unique, interesting,
quirky in a good way places.
So when I found a themed bed and breakfast
that's only like an hour away from me,
and it's safe to visit, I had to plan a trip.
This place is called The Victorian Mansion,
and it is in the tiny town of Los Alamos,
which is in Santa Barbara Wine Country.
So it's a beautiful Victorian building with six hotel rooms.
And the thing that makes this building super quirky,
is that each room has an entirely different theme.
So staying somewhere as interesting as this,
I felt like I wanted to share it with someone.
And so I convinced my boyfriend who's never been on camera
in his life to join me.
- How're we doing?
- Hi.
- This is Ian, Oh he's very tall.
- So Chloe and I actually met about six months ago.
Since we've known each other, it's been pandemic
all the way through to go. So this is kinda the first time
we've ever been able to travel together.
- And it's in Santa Barbara. I'm here a lot.
And because this place is so close,
it has strict cleaning protocols.
It has no lobby, it has no dining hall...
So there's nowhere that crowds could really gather.
It feels likes a great choice
for our first old trips together.
- So there are 16 rooms in this bed and breakfast.
We get to stay in the 1950s room.
And I've heard there's a hot tub in it.
I've never had a hotel room with a hot tub in it before
so I'm super excited to--
- I think this is gonna be great.
- To see that. Chloe can't fit me in the shots.
So I'm having to lean over.
- So we're also gonna get to look around
a couple of the other rooms just for fun.
There is a Roman room, and an Egyptian room.
I'm also gonna take in to this really cute vineyard
I found, which has a really interesting history.
All right, let's get on the road.
(upbeat music)
We seem to be in Wine Country. Do you like wine?
- I like wine red wine.
- Yeah. Yeah. You like red. I like white.
See, we don't go together very well. oh well.
Maybe we both like (indistinct).
So we're gonna be giving this trip some scores out of five.
We have quirkiness/uniqueness.
We have Instagram worthiness
and we have safe things to do in the area.
(upbeat music)
We're about to go through Solvang, which is a Danish town.
We've been there before. We had some sausages.
- Some sausages?
- Yeah it's a really cute little town. Here we are.
(upbeat music)
What is this? The mall Hole?
(upbeat music)
All right. We're in Los Alamos.
And this is the main drag supposedly. And it is teeny tiny.
- [Ian] There's a bar though.
- [Chloe] Ohh! There's a few tasting rooms too.
Look at this cute little thing. Oh my God.
It's an antique store. Oh, there's the hotel.
This is it.
- Whoa!
(liturgical music)
Here we are, at The Victoria Mansion.
- [Chloe] Woo woo.
- Let me show you guys around. - [Chloe] Let's do it.
- Oh.
- [Chloe] (beeps) We're locked.
- Yeah.
- [Chloe] Well, turns out we stay in the rear.
(upbeat music)
Aw, how cute. A gazebo. All right.
- That is a boat.
- [Chloe] Oh my goodness. There's apparently an old boat.
- So currently they're adding onto the bed and breakfast;
in the back of the lot they're building a treehouse suite,
and also a castaway suite,
which is why there's this big giant boat back there.
- [Chloe] Before we even go into the mansion,
I was so impressed with the building.
It was built by a russian immigrant family in 1864.
And it didn't actually used to be located in Los Alamos.
It was moved from its original location in the Nipomo,
California in 1980 in seven pieces.
The original owner of the bed and breakfast Dick Langdon,
spent 10 years creating the six theme suites.
- [Ian] So the current owner named Rod Rigole,
he actually purchased the property back in 2007
after the old owner unfortunately passed away.
Rod spent over a year carefully restoring the property.
He even brought back the original muralist,
to touch up the damage murals.
Ready?
- [Chloe] Yeah.
Ohh! Oh my God, so many neon lights. Whoa!(laughs)
- [Ian] This is very cool.
- [Chloe] This is so cool.
Opening the door to the hotel room, oh my God;
immediately we were like transformed into another world.
The entire thing is themed from top to bottom.
I'm sorry but like, if we're in a 1950s room,
we have to be dressed appropriately.
- What do you mean?
(upbeat music)
- [Chloe] I kind of feel bad for him put on the outfit.
But whatever we've got in the spirit, and he looked cute.
All right. So first things first, to look at this bed.
It is incredible. Is this really what Cadillacs were?
Look how massive it is.(laughs)
- I mean it's a real car. - [Chloe] It is a real car.
- Got the little consoles is there.
- [Chloe] It has a projected screen here
so you can watch movies and be looking at a drive-in.
Pretty fun there.
- These speakers I think are gonna act
as our surround sound.
- [Chloe] Which car would you have if you had the choice
of all these four?
- [Ian] I think I'd taken the little red one right there.
- [Chloe] Huh! That's my favorite.
- There were murals all over every single wall.
Every single wall was completely filled
with all kinds of art in different scenes.
My favorite mural in the whole place,
and it's kind of hidden here.
You get's Superman flying off
into the distance in Hollywood
- The entire thing is actually decorated
like a 1950s drive-in movie theater.
You have the car, you have the projector,
and then on the other side of the room,
there's a mural of more cars and another screen,
and then there's the Hollywood sign,
and the Hollywood hills behind us.
So it's a drive in, in Hollywood.
Hot tub. What do you think?
- I think the hot tub really just puts it on another level.
- It does. I can't get over the fact
that you have greased your head like. (laughs)
- I need complete silence while I fall into character.
I might start wearing this out.
- So next to the washroom.
Can't get over this pretty clothes.
Sorry, I'm not used to it.
Here we have a nice shell sink. I mean end the Cadillac.
Which I believe is the end of that Cadillac.
- [Ian] Yeah. So... No...
This Cadillac like over here got cut
and it was made into this little table,
where you can play Monopoly.
- So we never have a working fireplace.
And then we have a snack bar. which has...
This is a bargain.
- [Ian] It looks affordable.
And... A little checkbox. Oh, and some straws.
Oh old school.
- [Ian] What's behind you there?
It looks like there's a crease on the wall.
- Is that a room?
- [Ian] A little crease.
- It's a closet. This is for later when we can relax.
So there are a bunch of hidden doors here
and we found a few obviously,
but we haven't found the bathroom yet.
And I know where it is, but you do not.
I mean, there's definitely some like,
signs of maybe doors here.
- You know what, I'm not gonna play any more games here.
I know where the door is?
- [Chloe] Do you?
- Yes I do. Our bathroom is gonna be hidden right here
behind the silver wall.
Come on in Chloe, check it out.
Chloe fit in the bathroom perfectly.
I didn't fit in the bathroom very well.
- [Chloe] "No writing on the walls."
But there's tons of writing on the walls.
- [Ian] Troy Donahue, a huge '50's actor.
(upbeat music)
- [Chloe] "Gilbert graduated last in his class
from Ding Dong School." (laughs) This is so cute.
But this is very small bathroom.I'm gonna leave now.
So we have two more rooms
that we're gonna look around tomorrow,
which I'm very excited about.
And tonight we're gonna go in the hot tub.
But right now, I think we're gonna go to the vineyard,
and then we gonna get some dinner.
- Can I change my clothes first.
- [Chloe] Yeah.I think that's allowed.
(air whooshing)
All right. Where are we going to dinner?
- We've got two options.
- [Chloe] All right.
- One's like a quick-to-go style,
burgers and fries, American diner.
The other one is a little bit bougier
- [Chloe] Just because we're in a 1950s room,
I think the diner meal would be appropriate.
(upbeat music)
So we're in Wine Country.
Obviously we should visit a winery.
Ian has been to a few around the area since he lives nearby,
but I was able to find one he hadn't been to.
And it has a pretty cool story behind it.
It's called Rideau Vineyard,
and it was one of the first black female-owned wineries
in the whole United States.
It's owned by a French Canadian family now,
but from 1997 to 2016, it was owned by Iris Rideau,
when she started it at the age of 60.
She's originally from New Orleans,
and she used to do these events at the winery,
where she would showcase her creole cooking.
We're not gonna be getting any food today,
but I am excited to pick up some Vino.
Success. We've got some Vino.
- Its like a red blend of some sort.
They grow these grapes on the property though here
Which is kinda cool.
- (laughs) Off to get dinner.
(upbeat music)
- It's dinner time.
- All right. We are drinking champagne in bed, with dinner.
Otherwise the ice will melt. So we have to drink it.
- [Ian] She worked in banquets for how many years?
- A lot, and I'm still used to this.
So I get about opening champagne
in a car feels very illegal.
Cheers to our first night away,
alone, together.
(glasses clicks)
- Together. - Together.
(both laughing)
(beep)
Whatchu you get?
- Chicken strips. - [Chloe] I see.
- Some ranch dressing.
- [Chloe] Whoa! Look at mine. That is a lot of food.
- [Ian] That's a big boy.
- I got a Bacon Blue. And fries.
(upbeat music)
- [Ian] Yeah. Give me a big old bite of that Bacon Blue.
- I legit don't even have to pick it up. Aargh.
- [Ian] It's like a burger commercial.
- I feel gross. If my mom saw this,
she'd be very disappointed that we're eating in bed.
(upbeat music)
Time for a classic movie.
(upbeat music)
I think it's time for my favorite part of the night
which is hot tub time.
Although it might take a while to fill up
because it is huge.
Also, what is going on in here?
- I love hot tubs. Chloe does too.
Rod actually informed us that it's actually not a hot tub.
It's a Japanese soaking tub.
We have no idea what that is.
(upbeat music)
- Well, we got ourselves in the hot tub.
It seems to be overflowing.
I think that's what that noise is.(laughs)
(water sloshing)
But, we're in. And it's very relaxing.
It's really weird being so close to the floor.
Like I've never been in a sunken hot tub before.
So this feels really old, but it's definitely an experience.
I think it might be time to have a little sip
of the blend we got from Rideau Vineyard,
which is behind me somewhere.
(glass clicks)
Oh.
(wine pouring)
- Ready to turn the camera off now.
- [Chloe] That was a one-on-one time, we will see you later.
(upbeat music)
Well, it is the morning, and this bed was so comfortable.
It was really, really, actually nice to sleep in..
Oh, the lights are going on. Whoa. Oh
(upbeat music)
He has a meeting at 8:00 a.m. So we're up and about.
You've opened a window. It kind's breaks the illusion.
So since this is a bed and breakfast, we get breakfast.
We're getting in delivers into the room. Fancy.
And then we're gonna look at two of the other rooms.
Look at this hardworking man.
It's breakfast time. And I believe...
Oh, look who we found.(laughs)
It is time to see inside the little cubby
'cause I think it should be magically there.
Aww it's so cute. Oh my God, I'm gonna drop it. Whoa.
Aww there like little omelette things.
Quiches?
- [Ian] I think that's a quiche.
- It's a quiche. - Mmh.
- I know acacias. So we have some coffee.
We have some orange juice we have some you know...
Croissants?
- When I woke up, I was super tired.
Had a work meeting early, like threw my robe on,
breakfast was exactly what I needed.
(upbeat music)
- So we're going to walk into the Roman Room right now.
- I love the movie Gladiators, so this is really exciting.
- [Chloe] Oh. Whoa.
Oh my God. Look at the tub.
- No way.
- [Chloe] That is pretty awesome.
That is really deep actually.
I thought you were nine, now you six foot.
- I'm 6'1 Come on.
- [Chloe] Oh, I'm sorry. 6'1.
- I'm not 6'1.
- [Chloe] This murals really prey the detail.
Oh. Game of drafts down here.
- That's gonna be checkers Chloe.
- Okay. In England, it's drafts.
- Check out this really sweet bed.
- [Chloe] Oh my God it's so cool.
(Ian sighing)
- Do I look real?
- [Chloe] Real that is for important paintings.
So, there's a chaise lounge. How do you say that?
chaise lounge? Chaise lounge?
(indistinct)
Time for some relaxation. Ah huh.
- All right, here we are at the Egyptian Room.
This is real stone. Store weighs like a million pounds.
- [Chloe] Wow. Oh my God. This place is incredible.
- This one is so cool.
- [Chloe] This one is really cool.
- I like how the beds up top here.
- [Chloe] Also light, so you can change
apparently on the top here.
You can change into different colors.
There's a Pharaoh there. Chaise lounge. Palm tree.
- [Ian] There's a genie lamp over here.
- [Chloe] Ah! Make a wish. Rub it.
(chimming)
No you're not lucky today.
- Nothing happened.
- I do like the fact that the other two rooms
have hot tubs that are like higher up.
It just feeled more grand.
Is this a tomb?
- [Ian] That looks like a secret door?
- I think it might be.
- [Ian] Whoa. - Its the bathroom.
- [Ian] Wow there hieroglyphics everywhere. Can I read that?
No.
whoa. - [Chloe] whoa, whoa. Whoa.
Aww this is so cute.
- [Ian] And look at that.
All of a sudden we're staring
over little Los Salmas here.
But then you just pop in, you're right back into character.
If anybody can read these hieroglyphics,
I need you to translate them in the comments below.
- [Chloe] Look, there's some camels.
You can sit here, hang out with some camels.
I absolutely love the giant window.
You can see the boat out there from here.
Hmm what's in here? Oh look there's a little tv.
- They definitely got the prime movies set up in our room.
Just wondering since we're in Wine Country,
if you could come put some grapes in my mouth. (laughs)
- [Chloe] That'd be the hard no for me.
I'm gonna go back to the room.
Well, our time has come to an end, which I'm very sad about.
'cause I don't really want to go back.
- Back to real life.
- [Chloe] Out of five for uniqueness, quirkiness,
what would you give this place?
- [Ian] A solid 4.7.
- [Chloe] I would also go high four. I'm gonna go 4.8.
Not that you're super into Instagram,
but what would you give out of five
for Instagram worthiness?
- Well, I actually did post a little Instagram story
last night at out time in-- - You did.
(upbeat music)
- I'm gonna say 4.8.
- This room in particular,
I think really does well on the ground.
Like all the neon lights and stuff.
So I am also going to give it a 4.8.
I'm not copying you. I promise.
And then out of five; the things to do in the area?
- Los Salma just doesn't have a whole lot going on
my list on Mondays and Tuesdays.
- [Chloe] I will come on a weekend
if you're gonna come here.
- [Ian] Probably give it a 1.5.
- I think for me, 'cause I really like the winery,
I will give it a 3/5.
- Thank you so much for hanging out with us
on this little trip that we had.
Hope you guys come check it out sometime.
(upbeat music)
No. Not the thumbs. (indistict)
(both laughing loudly)
I don't know why I did that.
(upbeat music)