Fess may no longer be with us, but the hospitable spirit of the beloved actor and entrepreneur has deep roots in Santa Barbara Wine Country, as evidenced by a recent visit to the renovated Fess Parker Wine Country Inn.
Purchased by Parker and his wife, Marcella, in 1998 and last renovated in 2012, the 19-room boutique inn — with rooms and suites on both sides of Grand Avenue, the bucolic main street in Los Olivos — manages to be a cozy combination of luxurious amenities and personal Parker family touches that make you feel like such a VIP houseguest that Fess and Marcy are going to come out and greet you in their tennis whites (or maybe a colorful caftan for her) at any minute.
Now run by General Manager Amanda Parker White, Fess’s granddaughter, who is part of the third generation of the family to join the business, each room at the inn has its own unique decor. Our Grand Spa King had beautiful new hardwood floors, a dreamy wrought-iron four-poster bed, a comfy seating area, a cozy fireplace, and lots of vintage framed photos of Fess and Marcy, along with young Eli and Ashley Parker (their children, who now sit at the helm of the business, along with various family members in leadership roles). The complimentary bottle of Fess Parker 2020 viognier and sweet peanut brittle treats (one of Fess’s favorites) added to the warm feeling of being an honored houseguest, as did the delicious morning coffee, fruit, quiche, bagels, lox, and pastry offerings included as part of our much-more-than-continental breakfast, served in yet another charming room off of the spacious backyard grass area.