White chairs and floral arrangements lining a grass aisle on the Oceanfront Lawn, with the Pacific and coastal hills behind

The Cliffs Hotel and Spa wedding venue in Pismo Beach

Vows on a bluff-top lawn over the Pacific, with the reception steps away.

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The Cliffs Hotel and Spa at a glance

seated, Grand Ballroom
270
Guests, largest wedding
320

By Tyann Daoutis Last updated

The Cliffs Hotel and Spa's terraced buildings and pools on the bluff above the ocean at sunset

§ 01 — From the editors

A lawn on the bluff, and the beach below

The Cliffs sits on the Shell Beach bluffs at the north end of Pismo Beach, and its ceremony site is exactly what the name suggests: a lawn at the edge of the bluff with nothing between the aisle and the Pacific. After the vows, guests move to the Champagne Courtyard beside the pool while the couple takes photos on the beach below.

Receptions run up to 320 guests, in a ballroom of nearly 3,000 square feet or in a custom tent with glass doors facing the sunset. The packages are unusually complete: an on-site coordinator, catering, an in-house pastry chef and a two-night Oceanfront Suite for the couple are all included. It was named Best Wedding Venue in the 2022 Best of SLO County awards.

Tyann Daoutis · Editor

§ 02 — The venue

About the venue

The Cliffs Hotel and Spa is an oceanfront hotel on the Shell Beach bluffs in Pismo Beach, with ceremonies on the Oceanfront Lawn and receptions in the Grand Ballroom or an ocean-view tent for weddings of up to 320 guests. Catering, cake and coordination are in-house.

Spaces & capacity

The Cliffs hosts weddings of up to 320 guests on four settings. Ceremonies take place on the Oceanfront Lawn above the Pacific. Cocktail hour follows on the Champagne Courtyard, about 6,750 square feet beside the pool. Receptions are in the Grand Ballroom, which covers nearly 3,000 square feet and seats 270 for a banquet, or in the Oceanview Tent, an oceanside pavilion of about 6,400 square feet that seats 350.

Location

The hotel is at 2757 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach, CA 93449, on the Shell Beach bluffs, with access to the beach and tide pools below.

Good to know

Catering, cake and bar service are in-house, and a professional on-site wedding coordinator is included. The ceremony package adds a two-night Oceanfront Suite stay for the couple and complimentary valet parking for guests. The hotel is dog friendly.

Ceremony

Where you can say "I do"

  • Garden

Reception

Where the party goes

  • Ballroom
  • Tented Pavilion
  • Courtyard

§ 03 — The setting

The setting

Ceremony A ceremony on the Oceanfront Lawn.
Ceremony On the Oceanfront Lawn.
Ceremony In the gardens.
Grounds On the beach below the hotel.
Cocktail hour The Champagne Courtyard.
Reception The Oceanview Tent.
Reception Tent dinner facing the Pacific.
Reception The Grand Ballroom.
Grounds Sunset on the bluff.
Stay A balcony view at sunset.
Stay An oceanfront room.
Stay An oceanfront suite.

Photos: The Cliffs Hotel and Spa

§ 04 — The weekend

The whole weekend, one address

The wedding package includes two nights in an Oceanfront Suite, and the team helps plan from the rehearsal dinner through the send-off.

  1. The day before

    Rehearsal

    An optional rehearsal on the Oceanfront Lawn, and a rehearsal dinner the hotel's team can help plan.

  2. Wedding day

    Ceremony and cocktails

    Vows on the Oceanfront Lawn, then a champagne reception on the courtyard while you take photos on the beach.

  3. Evening

    Reception

    Dinner and dancing in the Grand Ballroom or the Oceanview Tent, with gifts carried up to your suite at the end of the night.

§ 05 — Costs

What it costs, what it covers

What the site fee covers

Pricing model: Custom Quote

  • Two-night Oceanfront Suite stay for the couple
  • Oceanfront Lawn ceremony site with two hand-carved pillars and white Chiavari chairs
  • Microphone and two-speaker amplification
  • Professional on-site wedding coordinator
  • Optional rehearsal and complimentary valet parking for guests
  • Champagne reception, wine with dinner and a champagne toast
  • Linens, china, stemware, votives and table numbers
  • Oak dance floor, cake cutting and bar staff

You'll still book

Vendor policy

Catering, bar service and wedding cake are provided by the hotel's in-house team.

§ 06 — Questions

Questions couples ask

The Cliffs is at 2757 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach, CA 93449, on the bluffs of Shell Beach above the Pacific, with beach and tide pool access below the hotel.

The hotel hosts weddings of up to 320 guests. Its meeting specs list the Grand Ballroom at 270 seated for a banquet and the tent pavilion at 350, before dance floors, bars and staging reduce the count.

On the Oceanfront Lawn, a grass ceremony site on the bluff with the ocean as the backdrop.

In the Grand Ballroom, nearly 3,000 square feet with a naturally lit foyer, or in the Oceanview Tent, a custom tent with draped ceilings and glass doors facing the Pacific. Cocktail hour is on the Champagne Courtyard.

A two-night stay in an Oceanfront Suite for the couple, the oceanfront ceremony site, two hand-carved decorative pillars, white Chiavari chairs, a microphone with two speakers, a pre-ceremony water station, a professional on-site wedding coordinator, an optional rehearsal and complimentary valet parking for guests.

A champagne reception after the ceremony, plated or buffet menus, wine with the meal and a champagne toast for every guest, floor-length linens, Chiavari chairs, china and stemware, votive candles, table numbers, cake cutting, an oak dance floor, catering and bar staff, on-site reception coordination and gift transport to the honeymoon suite. The cocktail hour includes 45 minutes of unlimited sparkling wine and sparkling cider.

Yes. The hotel's own event team caters the reception, and an in-house pastry chef makes custom wedding cakes.

Yes. A professional on-site wedding coordinator is included with the ceremony package, and the team also helps plan the rehearsal dinner and other weekend events.

Yes. Guests can stay at the hotel, which has oceanfront suites, an adults-only top floor and dog-friendly rooms. The couple's two-night Oceanfront Suite stay is included with the wedding package.

Yes. The hotel describes its weddings as dog and family friendly and invites couples to include their dog in the celebration.

The Grand Ballroom is on the first floor and reached by elevator or the outdoor patio, accessible public restrooms are near the banquet space, and the hotel has three ADA-compliant guest rooms.

Yes. Use the inquiry form on this page. Share your date, estimated guest count and the space you prefer, and our editors will forward your inquiry to The Cliffs Hotel and Spa's events team within one business day.

Use the inquiry form on this page. Share your date, estimated guest count and the space you prefer, and our editors will forward your inquiry to The Cliffs Hotel and Spa's events team within one business day.

Check your date at The Cliffs Hotel and Spa

Map showing the location of The Cliffs Hotel and Spa

2757 Shell Beach Road, Pismo Beach, CA 93449
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§ 07 — Similar venues

Venues couples also consider

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