Morro Bay is an attractive town and the El Morro Masterpiece Motel is a good base from which to explore it. Checking in was a breeze and since we arrived at around 6 pm, we were kindly offered complimentary wine and cheese which were laid out near the front desk for all hotel guests to enjoy. Our room was spacious and clean and copies of artwork hung on the walls, giving a look of elegance to the hotel. There is a shopping centre located across the road from the hotel and restaurants and supermarkets are nearby. We liked hanging around the Morro Rock Nature Preserve, the beach and Fisherman's Wharf. I would stay at the Masterpiece Motel again without hesitation.

I had to make a last minute reservation at this motel and was completely disappointed. When we entered the motel we were unsure it was where we wanted to stay (the internet does not show the aged look of the interior and exterior - as well as the poor location). I asked the desk clerk if I could get the key to the room to see if it would meet our needs he said 'NO CANCELLATIONS' very sternly & rudely to us. He relunctantly gave me the keys to the room - we looked at it was not at all wht is presented on the internet. When I returned the keys to the desk clerk I told him we'd be back he again said sternly & rudely 'REMEMBER - NO CANCELLATIONS." We drove down the street and went into another property - the desk clerk was very helpful and offered us two rooms they had available - and still gave us a 10% discount. Needless to say I would NEVER recommend the Masterpiece to anyone when staying in Morro Bay. The cost of the rooms there is about the same as you would pay to stay at a hotel in the Embarcadero - which are much more modern & cleaner. If it wasn't for the helpful clerk at the other property our weekend getaway would've been ruined.

We had booked two nights and called them because we would arrive very late. They left us with instructions how we could get our keys which worked well. However, they did not get the information that we were travelling with two children and when we arrived, we only found one queen bed for 4 people. So we had to wake them up in the middle of the night and luckily they had a free room next to the one we had booked and told us to sort out things the next morning. When we came to the reception, they appologised because they were not aware that we were a family of four, but then offered us a room with a queen bed and a pull out sofa for our kids which was perfectly fine for another night. They also gave us some good hints of where to go and what to do (they told us that even if it was foggy in Morro Bay, once you travel 20 miles along the coast, the weather would be nice which was true. But the most welcome gesture was that they did not charge us for using the second room during the first night. So it is reassuring to see that they care for their customers! And if you like fabric and quilts, there is a brilliant store just opposite this hotel! The rooms were very decent and so was the breakfast.

The staff was friendly, and the room was generally well kept. The motel is right as you enter into town and is easy to find, but isn't near the bay or anything else. This is OK since it's easy to drive and park within Morro Bay. Continental breakfast was good and a big plus. No frills, but it fits in with the Morro Bay atmosphere.